This much I heard with indifference; the money he received had never benefited me, and had only given him the means for a life you cannot imagine, and which I could not, if I would, describe to you; but when he ended by telling me that, as all my relations were rich, I must contrive to get fresh supplies from some of them, my patience gave way altogether.

Even my fear of him yielded to my anger; for the first time since our arrival in Canada I spoke to him with all the bitterness I felt.

A horrible scene followed--he threatened to kill me, and I believe would have done it but for the hope of yet obtaining money by my means.

I tried to escape, but could not; and, at last, when he was tired of torturing me, he took off a long red sash which he wore, and tied me to the bed.

There, Lucia, for four-and-twenty hours he kept me a prisoner, standing in a constrained attitude, without rest or food.
How I endured so long without fainting, I do not know; fear of something worse must have given me unnatural strength, for he never left the house, but spent the early part of the day in searching all my cupboards and boxes for money or anything worth money, and the later part in drinking.