The Abbess of Castro

The Abbess of Castro is a short novel by Stendhal. This book described the troubled love between Elena di Campireali, a distinguished maiden origins of Albano, and Giulio Branciforte, son of a robber protected by Column. In the beginning, Julius, 22-year-old Woo Elena, just returned from the convent by Castro in which he studied. Her father and her brother are trying to kill the boyfriend into an ambush; but the girl, who admires the ardour of Julius, saves him and flees with him. Afterwards, Julius kills in a duel Fabio, Elena's brother, and is forced to move away from Albano. Elena closes in the convent of the visitation, which is under the jurisdiction of his family. Julius manages to get in touch with Elena epistolary proposing to escape together. She accepts but the project will not succeed. Garcia, who was injured while trying to escape, kidnapping is carried away from the column. Elena's mother believe that Giulio died; Equally, the same believe that Elena Garcia is now married to another. Giulio, on which hangs a death sentence, takes refuge in Mexico, takes on another name and fights for ten years in the ranks of the Spanish army making bold enterprises. Helen, who believes him dead, tries to take revenge on the other and, with the help of his mother he can bribe the old Cardinal Santi Quattro, manages to become Abbess of Castro. Elena fastens a relationship with monsignor Francesco Cittadini, milanese nobleman and Bishop of Castro. Elena, pregnant, is forced to turn to a midwife and to confide the secret of her pregnancy to her two sisters. Discovered, the two lovers are sued and prosecuted by the Tribunal of the Inquisition, directed by cardinal Farnese. The Bishop is sentenced to perpetual prison in Castel Sant'Angelo, the Abbess to life imprisonment in the convent of Santa Marta. The Lady of Campireali begins to dig an underground passage to escape her daughter. When salvation now seems near, Elena learns from his mother that Julius has returned from Mexico and the search. Overwhelmed by guilt, Elena decides to die: writing a long, heartfelt letter to ABC and then kill himself with a dagger to the heart.