the monk(僧侣)-第46章

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drive　them　from　your　bosom。'

Antonia　kissed　her　hand；　and　promised　implicit　obedience。　　Elvira
then　continued。

'To　prevent　your　passion　from　growing　stronger；　it　will　be
needful　to　prohibit　Lorenzo's　visits。　　The　service　which　He　has
rendered　me　permits　not　my　forbidding　them　positively；　But　unless
I　judge　too　favourably　of　his　character；　He　will　discontinue　them
without　taking　offence；　if　I　confess　to　him　my　reasons；　and　throw
myself　entirely　on　his　generosity。　　The　next　time　that　I　see　him；
I　will　honestly　avow　to　him　the　embarrassment　which　his　presence
occasions。　　How　say　you；　my　Child？　　Is　not　this　measure
necessary？'

Antonia　subscribed　to　every　thing　without　hesitation；　though　not
without　regret。　　Her　Mother　kissed　her　affectionately；　and
retired　to　bed。　　Antonia　followed　her　example；　and　vowed　so
frequently　never　more　to　think　of　Lorenzo；　that　till　Sleep　closed
her　eyes　She　thought　of　nothing　else。

While　this　was　passing　at　Elvira's；　Lorenzo　hastened　to　rejoin
the　Marquis。　　Every　thing　was　ready　for　the　second　elopement　of
Agnes；　and　at　twelve　the　two　Friends　with　a　Coach　and　four　were
at　the　Garden　wall　of　the　Convent。　　Don　Raymond　drew　out　his　Key；
and　unlocked　the　door。　　They　entered；　and　waited　for　some　time　in
expectation　of　being　joined　by　Agnes。　　At　length　the　Marquis　grew
impatient：　　Beginning　to　fear　that　his　second　attempt　would
succeed　no　better　than　the　first；　He　proposed　to　reconnoitre　the
Convent。　　The　Friends　advanced　towards　it。　　Every　thing　was　still
and　dark。　　The　Prioress　was　anxious　to　keep　the　story　a　secret；
fearing　lest　the　crime　of　one　of　its　members　should　bring
disgrace　upon　the　whole　community；　or　that　the　interposition　of
powerful　Relations　should　deprive　her　vengeance　of　its　intended
victim。　　She　took　care　therefore　to　give　the　Lover　of　Agnes　no
cause　to　suppose　that　his　design　was　discovered；　and　his
Mistress　on　the　point　of　suffering　the　punishment　of　her　fault。　
The　same　reason　made　her　reject　the　idea　of　arresting　the　unknown
Seducer　in　the　Garden；　Such　a　proceeding　would　have　created　much
disturbance；　and　the　disgrace　of　her　Convent　would　have　been
noised　about　Madrid。　　She　contented　herself　with　confining　Agnes
closely；　As　to　the　Lover；　She　left　him　at　liberty　to　pursue　his
designs。　　What　She　had　expected　was　the　result。　　The　Marquis　and
Lorenzo　waited　in　vain　till　the　break　of　day：　　They　then　retired
without　noise；　alarmed　at　the　failure　of　their　plan；　and　ignorant
of　the　cause　of　its　ill…success。

The　next　morning　Lorenzo　went　to　the　Convent；　and　requested　to
see　his　Sister。　　The　Prioress　appeared　at　the　Grate　with　a
melancholy　countenance：　　She　informed　him　that　for　several　days
Agnes　had　appeared　much　agitated；　That　She　had　been　prest　by　the
Nuns　in　vain　to　reveal　the　cause；　and　apply　to　their　tenderness
for　advice　and　consolation；　That　She　had　obstinately　persisted　in
concealing　the　cause　of　her　distress；　But　that　on　Thursday
Evening　it　had　produced　so　violent　an　effect　upon　her
constitution；　that　She　had　fallen　ill；　and　was　actually　confined
to　her　bed。　　Lorenzo　did　not　credit　a　syllable　of　this　account：　
He　insisted　upon　seeing　his　Sister；　If　She　was　unable　to　come　to
the　Grate；　He　desired　to　be　admitted　to　her　Cell。　　The　Prioress
crossed　herself！　　She　was　shocked　at　the　very　idea　of　a　Man's
profane　eye　pervading　the　interior　of　her　holy　Mansion；　and
professed　herself　astonished　that　Lorenzo　could　think　of　such　a
thing。　　She　told　him　that　his　request　could　not　be　granted；　But
that　if　He　returned　the　next　day；　She　hoped　that　her　beloved
Daughter　would　then　be　sufficiently　recovered　to　join　him　at　the
Parlour　grate。

With　this　answer　Lorenzo　was　obliged　to　retire；　unsatisfied　and
trembling　for　his　Sister's　safety。

He　returned　the　next　morning　at　an　early　hour。　　'Agnes　was　worse；
The　Physician　had　pronounced　her　to　be　in　imminent　danger；　She
was　ordered　to　remain　quiet；　and　it　was　utterly　impossible　for
her　to　receive　her　Brother's　visit。'　　Lorenzo　stormed　at　this
answer；　but　there　was　no　resource。　　He　raved；　He　entreated；　He
threatened：　　No　means　were　left　untried　to　obtain　a　sight　of
Agnes。　　His　endeavours　were　as　fruitless　as　those　of　the　day
before；　and　He　returned　in　despair　to　the　Marquis。　　On　his　side；
the　Latter　had　spared　no　pains　to　discover　what　had　occasioned
his　plot　to　fail：　　Don　Christoval；　to　whom　the　affair　was　now
entrusted；　endeavoured　to　worm　out　the　secret　from　the　Old
Porteress　of　St。　Clare；　with　whom　He　had　formed　an　acquaintance；
But　She　was　too　much　upon　her　guard；　and　He　gained　from　her　no
intelligence。　The　Marquis　was　almost　distracted；　and　Lorenzo　felt
scarcely　less　inquietude。　　Both　were　convinced　that　the　purposed
elopement　must　have　been　discovered：　　They　doubted　not　but　the
malady　of　Agnes　was　a　pretence；　But　they　knew　not　by　what　means
to　rescue　her　from　the　hands　of　the　Prioress。

Regularly　every　day　did　Lorenzo　visit　the　Convent：　As　regularly
was　He　informed　that　his　Sister　rather　grew　worse　than　better。　
Certain　that　her　indisposition　was　feigned；　these　accounts　did
not　alarm　him：　　But　his　ignorance　of　her　fate；　and　of　the　motives
which　induced　the　Prioress　to　keep　her　from　him；　excited　the　most
serious　uneasiness。　　He　was　still　uncertain　what　steps　He　ought
to　take；　when　the　Marquis　received　a　letter　from　the
Cardinal…Duke　of　Lerma。　　It　inclosed　the　Pope's　expected　Bull；
ordering　that　Agnes　should　be　released　from　her　vows；　and
restored　to　her　Relations。　　This　essential　paper　decided　at　once
the　proceedings　of　her　Friends：　　They　resolved　that　Lorenzo
should　carry　it　to　the　Domina　without　delay；　and　demand　that　his
Sister　should　be　instantly　given　up　to　him。　　Against　this　mandate
illness　could　not　be　pleaded：　　It　gave　her　Brother　the　power　of
removing　her　instantly　to　the　Palace　de　Medina；　and　He　determined
to　use　that　power　on　the　following　day。

His　mind　relieved　from　inquietude　respecting　his　Sister；　and　his
Spirits　raised　by　the　hope　of　soon　restoring　her　to　freedom；　He
now　had　time　to　give　a　few　moments　to　love　and　to　Antonia。　　At
the　same　hour　as　on　his　former　visit　He　repaired　to　Donna
Elvira's：　　She　had　given　orders　for　his　admission。　　As　soon　as　He
was　announced；　her　Daughter　retired　with　Leonella；　and　when　He
entered　the　chamber；　He　found　the　Lady　of　the　House　alone。　　She
received　him　with　less　distance　than　before；　and　desired　him　to
place　himself　near　her　upon　the　Sopha。　　She　then　without　losing
time　opened　her　business；　as　had　been　agreed　between　herself　and
Antonia。

'You　must　not　think　me　ungrateful；　Don　Lorenzo；　or　forgetful　how
essential　are　the　services　which　you　have　rendered　me　with　the
Marquis。　　I　feel　the　weight　of　my　obligations；　Nothing　under　the
Sun　should　induce　my　taking　the　step　to　which　I　am　now　compelled　
but　the　interest　of　my　Child；　of　my　beloved　Antonia。　　My　health
is　declining；　God　only　knows　how　soon　I　may　be　summoned　before
his　Throne。　　My　Daughter　will　be　left　without　Parents；　and　should
She　lose　the　protection　of　the　Cisternas　family；　without　Friends。

She　is　young　and　artless；　uninstructed　in　the　world's　perfidy；
and　with　charms　sufficient　to　render　her　an　object　of　seduction。
Judge　then；　how　I　must　tremble　at　the　prospect　before　her！　
Judge　how　anxious　I　must　be　to　keep　her　from　their　society　who
may　excite　the　yet　dormant　passions　of　her　bosom。　　You　are
amiable；　Don　Lorenzo：　　Antonia　has　a　susceptible；　a　loving　heart；
and　is　grateful　for　the　favours　conferred　upon　us　by　your
interference　with　the　Marquis。　　Your　presence　makes　me　tremble：　
I　fear　lest　it　should　inspire　her　with　sentiments　which　may
embitter　the　remainder　of　her　life；　or　encourage　her　to　cherish
hopes　in　her　situation　unjustifiable　and　futile。　　Pardon　me　when
I　avow　my　terrors；　and　let　my　frankness　plead　in　my　excuse。　　I
cannot　forbid　you　my　House；　for　gratitude　restrains　me；　I　can
only　throw　myself　upon　your　generosity；　and　entreat　you　to　spare
the　feelings　of　an　anxious；　of　a　doting　Mother。　　Believe　me　when
I　assure　you　that　I　lament　the　necessity　of　rejecting　your
acquaintance；　But　there　is　no　remedy；　and　Antonia's　interest
obliges　me　to　beg　you　to　forbear　your　visits。　　By　complying　with
my　request；