Stillitwasbinding，morebindingindeedthaninthiscountry，beingamarriageinallexceptinfact。
Butthosewomenwhoarethusboundforthemostpartbearnowife’sloveintheirhearts，andsoitwaswithyourmother。
IndeedshebothhatedandfearedhercousinJuan，thoughI
thinkthathelovedhermorethananythingonearth，andbyonepretextandanothershecontrivedtobringhimtoanagreementthatnomarriageshouldbecelebratedtillshewasfulltwentyyearsofage。
Butthecoldershewastohim，themorewasheinflamedwithdesiretowinherandalsoherpossessions，whichwerenotsmall，forlikeallSpaniardshewaspassionate，andlikemostgamestersandmenofevillife，muchinwantofmoney。
’Nowtobebrief，fromthefirstmomentthatyourmotherandIseteyesoneachotherwelovedoneanother，anditwasouronedesiretomeetasoftenasmightbe；andinthiswehadnogreatdifficulty，forhermotheralsofearedandhatedJuandeGarcia，hernephewbymarriage，andwouldhaveseenherdaughterclearofhimifpossible。
TheendofitwasthatItoldmylove，andaplotwasmadebetweenusthatweshouldflytoEngland。
ButallthishadnotescapedtheearsofJuan，whohadspiesinthehousehold，andwasjealousandrevengefulasonlyaSpaniardcanbe。
Firsthetriedtoberidofmebychallengingmetoaduel，butwewerepartedbeforewecoulddrawswords。
ThenhehiredbravostomurdermeasIwalkedthestreetsatnight，butIworeachainshirtbeneathmydoubletandtheirdaggersbrokeuponit，andinplaceofbeingslainIslewoneofthem。
Twicebaffled，deGarciawasnotdefeated。
Fightandmurderhadfailed，butanotherandsurermeansremained。
Iknownothow，buthehadwonsomecluetothehistoryofmylife，andofhowIhadbrokenoutfromthemonastery。
Itwaslefttohim，therefore，todenouncemetotheHolyOfficeasarenegadeandaninfidel，andthishedidonenight；itwasthenightbeforethedaywhenweshouldhavetakenship。
IwassittingwithyourmotherandhermotherintheirhouseatSeville，whensixcowledmenenteredandseizedmewithoutaword。
WhenIprayedtoknowtheirpurposetheygavenootheranswerthantoholdacrucifixbeforemyeyes。
ThenIknewwhyIwastaken，andthewomenceasedclingingtomeandfellbacksobbing。
SecretlyandsilentlyIwashurriedawaytothedungeonsoftheHolyOffice，butofallthatbefellmethereIwillnotstoptotell。
’TwiceIwasracked，onceIwassearedwithhotirons，thriceIwasfloggedwithwirewhips，andallthiswhileIwasfedonfoodsuchasweshouldscarcelyoffertoadoghereinEngland。
Atlengthmyoffenceofhavingescapedfromamonasteryandsundryblasphemies，so-called，beingprovedagainstme，Iwascondemnedtodeathbyfire。
’Thenatlast，whenafteralongyearoftormentandofhorror，I
hadabandonedhopeandresignedmyselftodie，helpcame。
OntheeveofthedayuponwhichIwastobeconsumedbyflame，thechiefofmytormentorsenteredthedungeonwhereIlayonstraw，andembracingmebademebeofgoodcheer，forthechurchhadtakenpityonmyyouthandgivenmemyfreedom。
AtfirstIlaughedwildly，forIthoughtthatthiswasbutanothertorment，andnottillIwasfreedofmyfetters，clothedindecentgarments，andsetatmidnightwithouttheprisongates，wouldIbelievethatsogoodathinghadbefallenmethroughthehandofGod。
Istoodweakandwonderingoutsidethegates，notknowingwheretofly，andasI
stoodawomanglideduptomewrappedinadarkcloak，whowhispered“Come。“
Thatwomanwasyourmother。
ShehadlearnedofmyfatefromtheboastingofdeGarciaandsetherselftosaveme。
Thriceherplansfailed，butatlengththroughthehelpofsomecunningagent，goldwonwhatwasdeniedtojusticeandtomercy，andmylifeandlibertywereboughtwithaverygreatsum。
’ThatsamenightweweremarriedandfledforCadiz，yourmotherandI，butnothermother，whowasbedriddenwithasickness。
Formysakeyourbelovedmotherabandonedherpeople，whatremainedtoherofherfortuneafterpayingthepriceofmylife，andhercountry，sostrongistheloveofwoman。
Allhadbeenmadeready，foratCadizlayanEnglishship，the“Mary“ofBristol，inwhichpassagewastakenforus。
Butthe“Mary“wasdelayedinportbyacontrarywindwhichblewsostronglythatnotwithstandinghisdesiretosaveus，hermasterdarednottakethesea。
Twodaysandanightwelayintheharbour，fearingallthingsnotwithoutcause，andyetmosthappyineachother’slove。
NowthosewhohadchargeofmeinthedungeonhadgivenoutthatIhadescapedbythehelpofmymastertheDevil，andIwassearchedforthroughoutthecountryside。
DeGarciaalso，findingthathiscousinandaffiancedwifewasmissing，guessedthatwetwowerenotfarapart。
Itwashiscunning，sharpenedbyjealousyandhate，thatdoggedusdownstepbysteptillatlengthhefoundus。
’Onthemorningofthethirdday，thegalehavingabated，theanchorofthe“Mary“wasgothomeandsheswungoutintothetideway。
Asshecameroundandwhiletheseamenweremakingreadytohoistthesails，aboatcarryingsometwentysoldiers，andfollowedbytwoothers，shotalongsideandsummonedthecaptaintoheaveto，thathisshipmightbeboardedandsearchedunderwarrantfromtheHolyOffice。
ItchancedthatIwasondeckatthetime，andsuddenly，asIpreparedtohidemyselfbelow，aman，inwhomI
knewdeGarciahimself，stoodupandcalledoutthatIwastheescapedhereticwhomtheysought。
Fearinglesthisshipshouldbeboardedandhehimselfthrownintoprisonwiththerestofhiscrew，thecaptainwouldthenhavesurrenderedme。
ButI，desperatewithfear，toremyclothesfrommybodyandshowedthecruelscarsthatmarkedit。
“’YouareEnglishmen，“Icriedtothesailors，“andwillyoudelivermetotheseforeigndevils，whoamofyourblood？
Lookattheirhandiwork，“andIpointedtothehalf-healedscarsleftbythered-hotpincers；“ifyougivemeup，yousendmebacktomoreofthistormentandtodeathbyburning。
Pitymywifeifyouwillnotpityme，orifyouwillpityneither，thenlendmeaswordthatbydeathImaysavemyselffromtorture。“
’Thenoneoftheseamen，aSouthwoldmanwhohadknownmyfather，calledout:“ByGod！Iforonewillstandbyyou，ThomasWingfield。
Iftheywantyouandyoursweetladytheymustkillmefirst，“andseizingabowfromtherackhedrewitoutofitscaseandstrungit，andsettinganarrowonthestringhepointeditattheSpaniardsintheboat。
’Thentheothersbrokeintoshoutsof:
’“Ifyouwantanymanfromamongus，comeaboardandtakehim，youtorturingdevils，“andthelike。
’Seeingwheretheheartofthecrewlay，thecaptainfoundcourageinhisturn。
HemadenoanswertotheSpaniards，butbadehalfofthemenhoistthesailswithallspeed，andtherestmakereadytokeepoffthesoldiersshouldtheyseektoboardus。
’Bynowtheothertwoboatshadcomeupandfastenedontouswiththeirhooks。
Onemanclimbedintothechainsandthencetothedeck，andIknewhimforapriestoftheHolyOffice，oneofthosewhohadstoodbywhileIwastormented。
ThenIgrewmadatthethoughtofallthatIhadsuffered，whilethatdevilwatched，biddingthemlayonfortheloveofGod。
SnatchingthebowfromthehandoftheSouthwoldseaman，Idrewthearrowtoitsheadandloosed。
Itdidnotmissitsmark，forlikeyou，Thomas，Iwasskilledwiththebow，andhedivedbackintotheseawithanEnglishyardshaftinhisheart。
’Afterthattheytriedtoboardusnomore，thoughtheyshotatuswitharrows，woundingoneman。
Thecaptaincalledtoustolaydownourbowsandtakecoverbehindthebulwarks，forbynowthesailsbegantodraw。
ThendeGarciastoodupintheboatandcursedmeandmywife。
’“Iwillfindyouyet，“hescreamed，withmanySpanishoathsandfoulwords。
“IfImustwaitfortwentyyearsIwillbeavengeduponyouandallyoulove。
Beassuredofthis，LuisadeGarcia，hidewhereyouwill，Ishallfindyou，andwhenwemeet，youshallcomewithmeforsolongasIwillkeepyouorthatshallbethehourofyourdeath。“
’ThenwesailedawayforEngland，andtheboatsfellastern。
’Mysons，thisisthestoryofmyyouth，andofhowIcametowedyourmotherwhomIhaveburiedto-day。
JuandeGarciahaskepthisword。’
’Yetitseemsstrange，’saidmybrother，’thatafteralltheseyearsheshouldhavemurderedherthus，whomyousayheloved。
Surelyeventheevilestofmenhadshrunkfromsuchadeed！’
’Thereislittlethatisstrangeaboutit，’answeredmyfather。
’Howcanweknowwhatwordswerespokenbetweenthembeforehestabbedher？
DoubtlesshetoldofsomeofthemwhenhecriedtoThomasthatnowtheywouldseewhattruththerewasinprophecies。
WhatdiddeGarciaswearyearssince？——thatsheshouldcomewithhimorhewouldkillher。
Yourmotherwasstillbeautiful，Geoffrey，andhemayhavegivenherchoicebetweenflightanddeath。
Seektoknownomore，son’——andsuddenlymyfatherhidhisfaceinhishandsandbrokeintosobsthatweredreadfultohear。
’Wouldthatyouhadtoldusthistalebefore，father，’IsaidsosoonasIcouldspeak。
’Thentherewouldhavelivedadevilthelessintheworldto-day，andIshouldhavebeensparedalongjourney。’
LittledidIknowhowlongthatjourneywouldbe！
Withintwelvedaysoftheburialofmymotherandthetellingofthestoryofhismarriagetoherbymyfather，Iwasreadytostartuponmysearch。
AsitchancedavesselwasabouttosailfromYarmouthtoCadiz。
Shewasnamedthe’Adventuress，’ofonehundredtonsburden，andcarriedwoolandothergoodsoutwards，purposingtoreturnwithacargoofwineandyewstavesforbows。
Inthisvesselmyfatherboughtmeapassage。
Moreover，hegavemefiftypoundsingold，whichwasasmuchasIwouldriskuponmyperson，andobtainedlettersfromtheYarmouthfirmofmerchantstotheiragentsinCadiz，inwhichtheywereadvisedtoadvancemesuchsumsasImightneeduptoatotalofonehundredandfiftyEnglishpounds，andfurthertoassistmeinanywaythatwaspossible。
Nowtheship’Adventuress’wastosailonthethirddayofJune。
Alreadyitwasthefirstofthatmonth，andthateveningImustridetoYarmouth，whithermybaggagehadgonealready。
Exceptonemyfarewellsweremade，andyetthatwastheoneImostwishedtomake。
SincethedaywhenwehadswornourtrothIhadgainednosightofLilyexceptonceatmymother’sburial，andthenwehadnotspoken。
NowitseemedthatImustgowithoutanypartingword，forherfatherhadsentmenoticethatifIcameneartheHallhisservingmenhadorderstothrustmefromthedoor，andthiswasashamethatIwouldnotrisk。
YetitwashardthatImustgouponsolongajourney，whenceitwellmightchanceIshouldnotreturn，andbidhernogoodbye。
InmygriefandperplexityIspoketomyfather，tellinghimhowthematterstoodandaskinghishelp。
’Igohence，’Isaid，’toavengeourcommonloss，andifneedbetogivemylifeforthehonourofourname。
Aidmetheninthis。’
’MyneighbourBozardmeanshisdaughterforyourbrotherGeoffrey，andnotforyou，Thomas，’heanswered；’andamanmaydowhathewillswithhisown。
StillIwillhelpyouifIcan，attheleasthecannotdrivemefromhisdoor。
Bidthembringhorses，andwewillridetotheHall。’
Withinthehalfofanhourwewerethere，andmyfatheraskedforspeechwithitsmaster。
