1828. ] The Maid of Covadonga. 507 
unusual excitement in the public mind, but the strange circumstances 
connected with the unfortune culprit.” 
« Well, well, let me hear her story.”’ 
« Tt is, in sooth, amournful one. The wretched being, who is to be 
the heroine of the tragedy of this day was once well known to me, as one 
of the most beautiful and innocent lasses of a neighbouring village. 
Maria Sanchez was, indeed, a most amiable creature, until she fell into the 
power of the ruffian who wrought her ruin. Maria was the daughter of 
a reduced farmer, a tenant of the Bishop of ————. The nephew of 
this prelate found means to insinuate himself into the heart of the unsus- 
pecting girl. His fervent protestations were listened to—his reiterated 
promises of marriage believed. In the seclusion of her retired life, it 
could not be expected that Maria should in any way have become aware 
of the plot and artifices of an experienced seducer. She confided impli- 
citly in the honour of her admirer, and in an evil hour she fell. Too 
late she deplored her error ; the assiduities of her lover became less fre- 
quent ; his caresses were no longer continued with the warmth of a fer- 
vent heart. He grew cold—indifferent ; and she could only weep over 
the change. 
«« She was alarmed, but could not as yet surmise the whole extent of 
the dreadful fate that awaited her. She became a mother ; and this cir- 
cnmstance, which she considered would endear her to her neglectful 
lover, seemed only to estrange his affections more and more. His indif- 
ference soon grew into disgust ; he saw but seldom the unfortunate girl ; 
and her tears and agony growing daily more irksome, he ultimately 
abandoned her to her wretched lot. The heavy weight of her misfor- 
tunes and her shame now glaringly flashed upon the aching sight of poor 
Maria. She fled from the village, where she had been the idol of all 
around her ; she was now become a by-word of contumely—an object of 
pity or abhorrence; she soon grew frantic with her sorrows, and for 
some time continued a houseless wanderer. Once more she chanced to 
meet with her heartless seducer; but her agonizing expostulations and 
scalding tears were poured in vain. He was grown callous even to the 
voice of pity ; and some new amour in which he was now engaged com- 
pletely alienated from his mind even the memory of the affection which 
he had once professed for the unfortunate Maria. This last proof of 
unkindnsss drove the wretched victim to the verge of insanity. In a fit 
of despair she committed a dreadful, an unnatural crime, which rendered 
doubly horrible her already too miserable fate. She deprived of life the 
wretched offspring of her guilty affection. From that fatal moment, the 
pangs of her remorse and woe were augmented. The common instinct of 
personal safety made her at first solicitous to conceal the perpetration of 
the fearful act, and to avoid observation. In a distracted state, she wan- 
dered for some time in unfrequented solitude ; but suspicion had already 
been awakened by her strange conduct, and she did not long elude the 
avenging and awful pursuit of justice, which tracked her with slow but 
sure steps. She was at length taken, and conducted to the jail of this 
city, where she was tried, convicted of infanticide, and condemned to 
death. At this awful moment, it seems that a pang of remorse visited 
the heart of the merciless seducer. He could not, without shuddering, 
contemplate the misery of which he was the sole author. He passionately 
appealed to his uncle, the bishop, whose influence at court was immense, 
SES 
