the monk(僧侣)-第68章

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for　him　that　her　lips　were　closed　by　death；　since　without　this
last　adventure；　her　suspicions　if　made　public　might　have　produced
very　disagreeable　consequences。　　He　had　therefore　freed　himself
from　an　Enemy；　to　whom　the　errors　of　his　conduct　were
sufficiently　known　to　make　her　dangerous；　and　who　was　the
greatest　obstacle　to　his　designs　upon　Antonia。　　Those　designs　She
encouraged　him　not　to　abandon。　　She　assured　him　that；　no　longer
protected　by　her　Mother's　watchful　eye；　the　Daughter　would　fall
an　easy　conquest；　and　by　praising　and　enumerating　Antonia's
charms；　She　strove　to　rekindle　the　desires　of　the　Monk。　　In　this
endeavour　She　succeeded　but　too　well。

As　if　the　crimes　into　which　his　passion　had　seduced　him　had　only
increased　its　violence；　He　longed　more　eagerly　than　ever　to　enjoy
Antonia。　　The　same　success　in　concealing　his　present　guilt；　He
trusted　would　attend　his　future。　　He　was　deaf　to　the　murmurs　of
conscience；　and　resolved　to　satisfy　his　desires　at　any　price。　　He
waited　only　for　an　opportunity　of　repeating　his　former
enterprize；　But　to　procure　that　opportunity　by　the　same　means　was
now　impracticable。　　In　the　first　transports　of　despair　He　had
dashed　the　enchanted　Myrtle　into　a　thousand　pieces：　　Matilda　told
him　plainly　that　He　must　expect　no　further　assistance　from　the
infernal　Powers　unless　He　was　willing　to　subscribe　to　their
established　conditions。　　This　Ambrosio　was　determined　not　to　do：　
He　persuaded　himself　that　however　great　might　be　his　iniquity；
so　long　as　he　preserved　his　claim　to　salvation；　He　need　not
despair　of　pardon。　　He　therefore　resolutely　refused　to　enter　into
any　bond　or　compact　with　the　Fiends；　and　Matilda　finding　him
obstinate　upon　this　point；　forbore　to　press　him　further。　　She
exerted　her　invention　to　discover　some　means　of　putting　Antonia
into　the　Abbot's　power：　　Nor　was　it　long　before　that　means
presented　itself。

While　her　ruin　was　thus　meditating；　the　unhappy　Girl　herself
suffered　severely　from　the　loss　of　her　Mother。　　Every　morning　on
waking；　it　was　her　first　care　to　hasten　to　Elvira's　chamber。　　On
that　which　followed　Ambrosio's　fatal　visit；　She　woke　later　than
was　her　usual　custom：　Of　this　She　was　convinced　by　the
Abbey　Chimes。　　She　started　from　her　bed；　threw　on　a　few　loose
garments　hastily；　and　was　speeding　to　enquire　how　her　Mother　had
passed　the　night；　when　her　foot　struck　against　something　which
lay　in　her　passage。　　She　looked　down。　　What　was　her　horror　at
recognizing　Elvira's　livid　Corse！　　She　uttered　a　loud　shriek；　and
threw　herself　upon　the　floor。　　She　clasped　the　inanimate　form　to
her　bosom；　felt　that　it　was　dead…cold；　and　with　a　movement　of
disgust；　of　which　She　was　not　the　Mistress；　let　it　fall　again
from　her　arms。　　The　cry　had　alarmed　Flora；　who　hastened　to　her
assistance。　　The　sight　which　She　beheld　penetrated　her　with
horror；　but　her　alarm　was　more　audible　than　Antonia's。　　She　made
the　House　ring　with　her　lamentations；　while　her　Mistress；　almost
suffocated　with　grief；　could　only　mark　her　distress　by　sobs　and
groans。　　Flora's　shrieks　soon　reached　the　ears　of　the　Hostess；
whose　terror　and　surprize　were　excessive　on　learning　the　cause　of
this　disturbance。　　A　Physician　was　immediately　sent　for：　　But　on
the　first　moment　of　beholding　the　Corse；　He　declared　that
Elvira's　recovery　was　beyond　the　power　of　art。　　He　proceeded
therefore　to　give　his　assistance　to　Antonia；　who　by　this　time　was
truly　in　need　of　it。　　She　was　conveyed　to　bed；　while　the　Landlady
busied　herself　in　giving　orders　for　Elvira's　Burial。　　Dame
Jacintha　was　a　plain　good　kind　of　Woman；　charitable；　generous；
and　devout：　　But　her　intellects　were　weak；　and　She　was　a
Miserable　Slave　to　fear　and　superstition。　　She　shuddered　at　the
idea　of　passing　the　night　in　the　same　House　with　a　dead　Body：　
She　was　persuaded　that　Elvira's　Ghost　would　appear　to　her；　and　no
less　certain　that　such　a　visit　would　kill　her　with　fright。　　From
this　persuasion；　She　resolved　to　pass　the　night　at　a　Neighbour's；
and　insisted　that　the　Funeral　should　take　place　the　next　day。　
St。　Clare's　Cemetery　being　the　nearest；　it　was　determined　that
Elvira　should　be　buried　there。　　Dame　Jacintha　engaged　to　defray
every　expence　attending　the　burial。　　She　knew　not　in　what
circumstances　Antonia　was　left；　but　from　the　sparing　manner　in
which　the　Family　had　lived；　She　concluded　them　to　be　indifferent。

Consequently；　She　entertained　very　little　hope　of　ever　being
recompensed；　But　this　consideration　prevented　her　not　from　taking
care　that　the　Interment　was　performed　with　decency；　and　from
showing　the　unfortunate　Antonia　all　possible　respect。

Nobody　dies　of　mere　grief；　Of　this　Antonia　was　an　instance。　
Aided　by　her　youth　and　healthy　constitution；　She　shook　off　the
malady　which　her　Mother's　death　had　occasioned；　But　it　was　not
so　easy　to　remove　the　disease　of　her　mind。　　Her　eyes　were
constantly　filled　with　tears：　Every　trifle　affected　her；　and　She
evidently　nourished　in　her　bosom　a　profound　and　rooted
melancholy。　　The　slightest　mention　of　Elvira；　the　most　trivial
circumstance　recalling　that　beloved　Parent　to　her　memory；　was
sufficient　to　throw　her　into　serious　agitation。　　How　much　would
her　grief　have　been　increased；　had　She　known　the　agonies　which
terminated　her　Mother's　existence！　　But　of　this　no　one
entertained　the　least　suspicion。　　Elvira　was　subject　to　strong
convulsions：　　It　was　supposed　that；　aware　of　their　approach；　She
had　dragged　herself　to　her　Daughter's　chamber　in　hopes　of
assistance；　that　a　sudden　access　of　her　fits　had　seized　her；　too
violent　to　be　resisted　by　her　already　enfeebled　state　of　health；
and　that　She　had　expired　ere　She　had　time　to　reach　the　medicine
which　generally　relieved　her；　and　which　stood　upon　a　shelf　in
Antonia's　room。　　This　idea　was　firmly　credited　by　the　few　people；
who　interested　themselves　about　Elvira：　　Her　Death　was　esteemed　a
natural　event；　and　soon　forgotten　by　all　save　by　her；　who　had　but
too　much　reason　to　deplore　her　loss。

In　truth　Antonia's　situation　was　sufficiently　embarrassing　and
unpleasant。　　She　was　alone　in　the　midst　of　a　dissipated　and
expensive　City；　She　was　ill　provided　with　money；　and　worse　with
Friends。　　Her　aunt　Leonella　was　still　at　Cordova；　and　She　knew
not　her　direction。　　Of　the　Marquis　de　las　Cisternas　She　heard　no
news：　　As　to　Lorenzo；　She　had　long　given　up　the　idea　of
possessing　any　interest　in　his　bosom。　　She　knew　not　to　whom　She
could　address　herself　in　her　present　dilemma。　　She　wished　to
consult　Ambrosio；　But　She　remembered　her　Mother's　injunctions　to
shun　him　as　much　as　possible；　and　the　last　conversation　which
Elvira　had　held　with　her　upon　the　subject　had　given　her
sufficient　lights　respecting　his　designs　to　put　her　upon　her
guard　against　him　in　future。　　Still　all　her　Mother's　warnings
could　not　make　her　change　her　good　opinion　of　the　Friar。　　She
continued　to　feel　that　his　friendship　and　society　were　requisite
to　her　happiness：　　She　looked　upon　his　failings　with　a　partial
eye；　and　could　not　persuade　herself　that　He　really　had　intended
her　ruin。　　However；　Elvira　had　positively　commanded　her　to　drop
his　acquaintance；　and　She　had　too　much　respect　for　her　orders　to
disobey　them。

At　length　She　resolved　to　address　herself　for　advice　and
protection　to　the　Marquis　de　las　Cisternas；　as　being　her　nearest
Relation。　　She　wrote　to　him；　briefly　stating　her　desolate
situation；　She　besought　him　to　compassionate　his　Brother's　Child；
to　continue　to　her　Elvira's　pension；　and　to　authorise　her
retiring　to　his　old　Castle　in　Murcia；　which　till　now　had　been　her
retreat。　　Having　sealed　her　letter；　She　gave　it　to　the　trusty
Flora；　who　immediately　set　out　to　execute　her　commission。　　But
Antonia　was　born　under　an　unlucky　Star。　　Had　She　made　her
application　to　the　Marquis　but　one　day　sooner；　received　as　his
Niece　and　placed　at　the　head　of　his　Family；　She　would　have
escaped　all　the　misfortunes　with　which　She　was　now　threatened。　
Raymond　had　always　intended　to　execute　this　plan：　　But　first；　his
hopes　of　making　the　proposal　to　Elvira　through　the　lips　of　Agnes；
and　afterwards；　his　disappointment　at　losing　his　intended　Bride；
as　well　as　the　severe　illness　which　for　some　time　had　confined
him　to　his　Bed；　made　hi