had been left many hours thus secured, till he had been ready to
drop with exhaustion. Sometimes he had been cruelly beaten by his
stern sire in punishment for some boyish prank or act of
disobedience. Even the gentle and timid Petronella had more than
once been fastened to the pillar for a time of penance, though the
manacles and the whip had been spared to her. The place was even
now full of terrors for her--a gruesome spot, always dim and dark,
always full of lurking horrors. Her eyes dilated with agony and
fear as she beheld her brother fastened up--not before his stout
doublet had been removed--and her knees almost gave way beneath her
as her father turned sharply upon her and said: "Where is the whip,
girl?"

It was seldom that the maiden had the courage to resist her, stern
father; but today, love for her brother overcoming every other
feeling, she suddenly sank on her knees before him, clasping her
hands in piteous supplication, as she cried, with tears streaming
down her face: "O father, sweet father, spare him this time! for
the love of heaven visit not his misdoings upon him! Let me but
talk to him; let me but persuade him! Oh, do not treat him so
harshly! Indeed he may better be won by love than driven by blows!"

But Nicholas roughly repulsed the girl, so that she almost fell as
he brushed past her.

"Tush, girl! thou knowest not what thou sayest. Disobedience must
be flogged out of the heretic spawn. I will have no son of mine
sell himself to the devil unchecked. A truce to such tears and vain
words! I will none of them. And take heed that thine own turn comes
not next. I will spare neither son nor daughter that I find