As Hypocrisy Was Made Use Of To Detain Her, Hypocrisy Was The Only
Method By Which She Could Hope To Get Her Liberty:
- Pretending,
therefore, to be all at once restored to her former health, she sent to
entreat the abbess, and
Some other of the most zealous of the sisterhood
to come into her chamber, where, as soon as they entered, they found her
on her knees before the picture of the virgin, and seeming in an extacy
of devotion: Yes, holy virgin, cried she, as if too much taken up to see
who entered, I will obey your commands; - I will devote myself entirely
to thee; - I will follow where thou callest me: thou, who hast restored
me, shalt have the first fruits of my strength: - and oh that Lorretto
were at a greater distance, - to the utmost extent of land and sea would
I go to seek thee! - In uttering these ejaculations she prostrated
herself on the floor; - then rising again, as transported in a manner out
of herself, - I come, - I come, cried she; - still do I hear thy
heavenly voice!
In this fit of enthusiasm did she remain for above half an hour, and so
well acted her part, that the abbess, who would not offer to interrupt
her, believed it real, and was in little less agitation of spirit than
Louisa pretended to be.
At length seeming; to come to herself, she turned towards the company,
as tho' she but just then discovered they were in the room; Oh, madam,
said she to the abbess, how highly favoured have I been this blessed
night! - The virgin has herself appeared to me, whether in a vision, or
to my waking eyes, I cannot well determine; but sure I have been in such
extacies, have felt such divine raptures, as no words can express!
Oh my dear daughter! cried the abbess, how my soul kindles to behold
this change in thee! - but tell me what said the holy virgin!
She bad me wait on her at Lorretto, answered she, and gave me hopes of
doing something wonderful in my favour: - I will therefore, with your
permission, undertake a pilgrimage and at her shrine expiate the
offences of my past life in tears of true contrition, and then return a
pure and fearless partaker of the happiness you enjoy in an
uninterrupted course of devotion: - oh! exclaimed she, exalting her
voice, how do I detest and despise the vanities and follies of the
world! - how hate myself for having been too much attached to them, and
so long been cold and negligent of my only happiness!
The abbess, and, after her, all the nuns that were present, embraced
Louisa, - praised to the skies this miraculous conversion, as they termed
it, and spared nothing to confirm the pious resolution she had taken.
In fine, they consented to her pilgrimage with a satisfaction equal to
what she felt in undertaking it, - they not in the least doubting but she
would return to them as soon as she had fulfilled her devotions, and
flattering themselves that the report of this miracle would do the
greatest honour to their convent that it could possibly receive; and
she, delighted with the thoughts of being at liberty to enquire after
her dear du Plessis, and being freed from a dissimulation so irksome to
her nature.
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