"We lived blessed days, heavenly nights. Oh, we were so happy that we
hardly had a thought for our criminality, but only for our love. One
night there was a knocking at the closed door of the house, and we
shudderingly recognized the voice of the husband demanding admission."
"And you were not at all in a situation to grant it to him," laughingly
interposed the cardinal. "He might, perhaps, have been not a little
astonished, this good husband, that you watched by night as well as by
day the temple of his wedded happiness."
"With tears of anguish and terror she conjured me to fly, to save her
from the derision of the world and the anger of her husband. She led me
to a secret stairway, and I, like a madman pursued by the furies, was
hastening to descend, when my foot slipped and I fell down the stairs
with a loud clattering noise. I felt the blood oozing from my breast
and pouring from my mouth in a warm stream--my limbs pained me
frightfully--but I picked myself up and with extremest suffering fled
to my cloister, when, having reached my cell, I fell senseless. A long
illness now confined me to my bed and tortured my body with frightful
pains; but far more frightful were the tortures of my soul, more
frightful the voices that day and night whispered to me of my crime and
guiltiness! My conscience was fully awakened; it spoke to me in a voice
of thunder, and like a worm I turned upon my bed of pain, imploring of
God a little mercy for the torments that burned my brain! This time God
permitted Himself to be found by me; I heard his voice, saying: 'Go and
repent, and thy sins shall be forgiven thee! Shake off the sinfulness
that weighs upon thy head, and peace will return to thy bosom.
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