the monk(僧侣)-第3章

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irreconcileable　to　the　Conde；　and　that　his　second　Wife　had
produced　him　a　Son；　who　is　reported　to　be　a　very　fine　young　Man。　
The　old　Marquis　refused　to　see　my　Sister　or　her　Child；　But　sent
her　word　that　on　condition　of　never　hearing　any　more　of　her；　He
would　assign　her　a　small　pension；　and　She　might　live　in　an　old
Castle　which　He　possessed　in　Murcia；　This　had　been　the　favourite
habitation　of　his　eldest　Son；　But　since　his　flight　from　Spain；
the　old　Marquis　could　not　bear　the　place；　but　let　it　fall　to　ruin
and　confusionMy　Sister　accepted　the　proposal；　She　retired　to
Murcia；　and　has　remained　there　till　within　the　last　Month。'

'And　what　brings　her　now　to　Madrid？'　enquired　Don　Lorenzo；　whom
admiration　of　the　young　Antonia　compelled　to　take　a　lively
interest　in　the　talkative　old　Woman's　narration。

'Alas！　Segnor；　her　Father…in…Law　being　lately　dead；　the　Steward
of　his　Murcian　Estates　has　refused　to　pay　her　pension　any　longer。

With　the　design　of　supplicating　his　Son　to　renew　it；　She　is　now
come　to　Madrid；　But　I　doubt；　that　She　might　have　saved　herself
the　trouble！　You　young　Noblemen　have　always　enough　to　do　with
your　money；　and　are　not　very　often　disposed　to　throw　it　away　upon
old　Women。　　I　advised　my　Sister　to　send　Antonia　with　her
petition；　But　She　would　not　hear　of　such　a　thing。　　She　is　so
obstinate！　　Well！　　She　will　find　herself　the　worse　for　not
following　my　counsels：　the　Girl　has　a　good　pretty　face；　and
possibly　might　have　done　much。'

'Ah！　Segnora；'　interrupted　Don　Christoval；　counterfeiting　a
passionate　air；　'If　a　pretty　face　will　do　the　business；　why　has
not　your　Sister　recourse　to　you？'

'Oh！　Jesus！　my　Lord；　I　swear　you　quite　overpower　me　with　your
gallantry！　　But　I　promise　you　that　I　am　too　well　aware　of　the
danger　of　such　Expeditions　to　trust　myself　in　a　young　Nobleman's
power！　　No；　no；　I　have　as　yet　preserved　my　reputation　without
blemish　or　reproach；　and　I　always　knew　how　to　keep　the　Men　at　a
proper　distance。'

'Of　that；　Segnora；　I　have　not　the　least　doubt。　　But　permit　me　to
ask　you；　Have　you　then　any　aversion　to　Matrimony？'

'That　is　an　home　question。　　I　cannot　but　confess；　that　if　an
amiable　Cavalier　was　to　present　himself。　。　。　。'

Here　She　intended　to　throw　a　tender　and　significant　look　upon　Don
Christoval；　But；　as　She　unluckily　happened　to　squint　most
abominably；　the　glance　fell　directly　upon　his　Companion：　　Lorenzo
took　the　compliment　to　himself；　and　answered　it　by　a　profound
bow。

'May　I　enquire；'　said　He；　'the　name　of　the　Marquis？'

'The　Marquis　de　las　Cisternas。'

'I　know　him　intimately　well。　　He　is　not　at　present　in　Madrid；　but
is　expected　here　daily。　　He　is　one　of　the　best　of　Men；　and　if　the
lovely　Antonia　will　permit　me　to　be　her　Advocate　with　him；　I
doubt　not　my　being　able　to　make　a　favourable　report　of　her
cause。'

Antonia　raised　her　blue　eyes；　and　silently　thanked　him　for　the
offer　by　a　smile　of　inexpressible　sweetness。　　Leonella's
satisfaction　was　much　more　loud　and　audible：　Indeed；　as　her　Niece
was　generally　silent　in　her　company；　She　thought　it　incumbent
upon　her　to　talk　enough　for　both：　　This　She　managed　without
difficulty；　for　She　very　seldom　found　herself　deficient　in　words。

'Oh！　Segnor！'　She　cried；　'You　will　lay　our　whole　family　under　the
most　signal　obligations！　　I　accept　your　offer　with　all　possible
gratitude；　and　return　you　a　thousand　thanks　for　the　generosity　of
your　proposal。　Antonia；　why　do　not　you　speak；　Child？　　While　the
Cavalier　says　all　sorts　of　civil　things　to　you；　you　sit　like　a
Statue；　and　never　utter　a　syllable　of　thanks；　either　bad；　good；
or　indifferent！'

'My　dear　Aunt；　I　am　very　sensible　that。　。　。　。'

'Fye；　Niece！　　How　often　have　I　told　you；　that　you　never　should
interrupt　a　Person　who　is　speaking！？　　When　did　you　ever　know　me
do　such　a　thing？　　Are　these　your　Murcian　manners？　　Mercy　on　me！　
I　shall　never　be　able　to　make　this　Girl　any　thing　like　a　Person
of　good　breeding。　　But　pray；　Segnor；'　She　continued；　addressing
herself　to　Don　Christoval；　'inform　me；　why　such　a　Crowd　is
assembled　today　in　this　Cathedral？'

'Can　you　possibly　be　ignorant；　that　Ambrosio；　Abbot　of　this
Monastery；　pronounces　a　Sermon　in　this　Church　every　Thursday？　
All　Madrid　rings　with　his　praises。　　As　yet　He　has　preached　but
thrice；　But　all　who　have　heard　him　are　so　delighted　with　his
eloquence；　that　it　is　as　difficult　to　obtain　a　place　at　Church；
as　at　the　first　representation　of　a　new　Comedy。　　His　fame
certainly　must　have　reached　your　ears'

'Alas！　Segnor；　till　yesterday　I　never　had　the　good　fortune　to　see
Madrid；　and　at　Cordova　we　are　so　little　informed　of　what　is
passing　in　the　rest　of　the　world；　that　the　name　of　Ambrosio　has
never　been　mentioned　in　its　precincts。'

'You　will　find　it　in　every　one's　mouth　at　Madrid。　　He　seems　to
have　fascinated　the　Inhabitants；　and　not　having　attended　his
Sermons　myself；　I　am　astonished　at　the　Enthusiasm　which　He　has
excited。　　The　adoration　paid　him　both　by　Young　and　Old；　by　Man
and　Woman　is　unexampled。　　The　Grandees　load　him　with　presents；
Their　Wives　refuse　to　have　any　other　Confessor；　and　he　is　known
through　all　the　city　by　the　name　of　the　''Man　of　Holiness''。'

'Undoubtedly；　Segnor；　He　is　of　noble　origin'

'That　point　still　remains　undecided。　　The　late　Superior　of　the
Capuchins　found　him　while　yet　an　Infant　at　the　Abbey　door。　　All
attempts　to　discover　who　had　left　him　there　were　vain；　and　the
Child　himself　could　give　no　account　of　his　Parents。　　He　was
educated　in　the　Monastery；　where　He　has　remained　ever　since。　　He
early　showed　a　strong　inclination　for　study　and　retirement；　and
as　soon　as　He　was　of　a　proper　age；　He　pronounced　his　vows。　　No
one　has　ever　appeared　to　claim　him；　or　clear　up　the　mystery　which
conceals　his　birth；　and　the　Monks；　who　find　their　account　in　the
favour　which　is　shewn　to　their　establishment　from　respect　to　him；
have　not　hesitated　to　publish　that　He　is　a　present　to　them　from
the　Virgin。　　In　truth　the　singular　austerity　of　his　life　gives
some　countenance　to　the　report。　　He　is　now　thirty　years　old；
every　hour　of　which　period　has　been　passed　in　study；　total
seclusion　from　the　world；　and　mortification　of　the　flesh。　　Till
these　last　three　weeks；　when　He　was　chosen　superior　of　the
Society　to　which　He　belongs；　He　had　never　been　on　the　outside　of
the　Abbey　walls：　　Even　now　He　never　quits　them　except　on
Thursdays；　when　He　delivers　a　discourse　in　this　Cathedral　which
all　Madrid　assembles　to　hear。　　His　knowledge　is　said　to　be　the
most　profound；　his　eloquence　the　most　persuasive。　　In　the　whole
course　of　his　life　He　has　never　been　known　to　transgress　a　single
rule　of　his　order；　The　smallest　stain　is　not　to　be　discovered
upon　his　character；　and　He　is　reported　to　be　so　strict　an
observer　of　Chastity；　that　He　knows　not　in　what　consists　the
difference　of　Man　and　Woman。　　The　common　People　therefore　esteem
him　to　be　a　Saint。'

'Does　that　make　a　Saint？'　enquired　Antonia；　'Bless　me！　　Then　am　I
one？'

'Holy　St。　Barbara！'　exclaimed　Leonella；　'What　a　question！　　Fye；
Child；　Fye！　　These　are　not　fit　subjects　for　young　Women　to
handle。　　You　should　not　seem　to　remember　that　there　is　such　a
thing　as　a　Man　in　the　world；　and　you　ought　to　imagine　every　body
to　be　of　the　same　sex　with　yourself。　　I　should　like　to　see　you
give　people　to　understand；　that　you　know　that　a　Man　has　no
breasts；　and　no　hips；　and　no　。　。　。'。

Luckily　for　Antonia's　ignorance　which　her　Aunt's　lecture　would
soon　have　dispelled；　an　universal　murmur　through　the　Church
announced　the　Preacher's　arrival。　Donna　Leonella　rose　from　her
seat　to　take　a　better　view　of　him；　and　Antonia　followed　her
example。

He　was　a　Man　of　noble　port　and　commanding　presence。　　His　stature
was　lofty；　and　his　features　uncommonly　handsome。　　His　Nose　was
aquiline；　his　eyes　large　black　and　sparkling；　and　his　dark　brows
almost　joined　together。　　His　complexion　was　of　a　deep　but　clear
Brown；　Study　and　watching　had　entirely　deprived　his　cheek　of
colour。　　Tranquillity　reigned　upon　his　smooth　unwrinkled
forehead；　and　Content；　expressed　upon　every　feature；　seemed　to
announce　the　Man　equally　unacquainted　with　cares　and　crimes。　　He
bowed　himself　with　humility　to　the　audience：　　Still　there　was　a
certain　sev