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"Our curate sent me, because this lord, whose heart God has

touched, (blessed be his holy name!) came to our village to see

the cardinal archbishop, who is visiting among us, the dear man

of God! This lord has repented of his horrible sins, and wishes

to change his life; and he told the cardinal that he had carried

off an innocent girl, with the connivance of another, whose name

the curate did not mention to me."

Lucy raised her eyes to heaven.

"You know it, perhaps," continued the lady. "Well, the lord

cardinal thought, that a young girl being in the question, a

female should be found to accompany her; he told the curate to

look for one, and the curate kindly came to me--"

"Oh! may God reward you for your goodness!"

"And the curate desired me to encourage you, my poor child, to

relieve you from uneasiness at once, and to make you understand,

how the Lord has miraculously preserved you."

"Oh! miraculously indeed, through the intercession of the

Virgin!"