But she rose from the chair and thrust the crucifix aside.
'Peace!' she said, 'I will not be shriven by such as you.

I take my sins to God and not to you--you who do murder in the name of Christ.' The fanatic heard and a fury took him.
'Then go unshriven down to hell, you--' and he named her by ill names and struck her in the face with the ivory crucifix.
The Dominican bade him cease his revilings angrily enough, but Isabella de Siguenza wiped her bruised brow and laughed aloud a dreadful laugh to hear.
'Now I see that you are a coward also,' she said.

'Priest, this is my last prayer, that you also may perish at the hands of fanatics, and more terribly than I die to-night.' Then they hurried her into the place prepared for her and she spoke again: 'Give me to drink, for we thirst, my babe and I!' Now I saw the abbess enter that passage whence the victim had been led.
Presently she came back bearing a cup of water in her hand and with it a loaf of bread, and I knew by her mien that my draught was in the water.
But of what befell afterwards I cannot say certainly, for I prayed the Dominican to open the door by which we had entered the vault, and passing through it I stood dazed with horror at some distance.

A while went by, I do not know how long, till at length I saw the abbess standing before me, a lantern in her hand, and she was sobbing bitterly.
'All is done,' she said.

'Nay, have no fear, the draught worked well.
Before ever a stone was laid mother and child slept sound.