the monk(僧侣)-第72章

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Woman。　　He　interrupted　her；　and　protested　that　if　She　did　not
immediately　tell　her　story　and　have　done　with　it；　He　should　quit
the　Parlour；　and　leave　her　to　get　out　of　her　difficulties　by
herself。　　This　threat　had　the　desired　effect。　　Jacintha　related
her　business　in　as　few　words　as　She　could　manage；　But　her　account
was　still　so　prolix　that　Ambrosio　had　need　of　his　patience　to
bear　him　to　the　conclusion。

'And　so；　your　Reverence；'　said　She；　after　relating　Elvira's　death
and　burial；　with　all　their　circumstances；　'And　so；　your
Reverence；　upon　hearing　the　shriek；　I　put　away　my　work；　and　away
posted　I　to　Donna　Antonia's　chamber。　　Finding　nobody　there；　I
past　on　to　the　next；　But　I　must　own；　I　was　a　little　timorous　at
going　in；　for　this　was　the　very　room　where　Donna　Elvira　used　to
sleep。　　However；　in　I　went；　and　sure　enough；　there　lay　the　young
Lady　at　full　length　upon　the　floor；　as　cold　as　a　stone；　and　as
white　as　a　sheet。　　I　was　surprized　at　this；　as　your　Holiness　may
well　suppose；　But　Oh　me！　how　I　shook　when　I　saw　a　great　tall
figure　at　my　elbow　whose　head　touched　the　ceiling！　　The　face　was
Donna　Elvira's；　I　must　confess；　But　out　of　its　mouth　came　clouds
of　fire；　its　arms　were　loaded　with　heavy　chains　which　it　rattled
piteously；　and　every　hair　on　its　head　was　a　Serpent　as　big　as　my
arm！　　At　this　I　was　frightened　enough；　and　began　to　say　my
Ave…Maria：　　But　the　Ghost　interrupting　me　uttered　three　loud
groans；　and　roared　out　in　a　terrible　voice；　''Oh！　That　Chicken's
wing！　　My　poor　soul　suffers　for　it！''　　As　soon　as　She　had　said
this；　the　Ground　opened；　the　Spectre　sank　down；　I　heard　a　clap　of
thunder；　and　the　room　was　filled　with　a　smell　of　brimstone。　　When
I　recovered　from　my　fright；　and　had　brought　Donna　Antonia　to
herself；　who　told　me　that　She　had　cried　out　upon　seeing　her
Mother's　Ghost；　（And　well　might　She　cry；　poor　Soul！　　Had　I　been
in　her　place；　I　should　have　cried　ten　times　louder）　it　directly
came　into　my　head；　that　if　any　one　had　power　to　quiet　this
Spectre；　it　must　be　your　Reverence。　　So　hither　I　came　in　all
diligence；　to　beg　that　you　will　sprinkle　my　House　with　holy
water；　and　lay　the　Apparition　in　the　Red　Sea。'

Ambrosio　stared　at　this　strange　story；　which　He　could　not　credit。

'Did　Donna　Antonia　also　see　the　Ghost？'　said　He。

'As　plain　as　I　see　you；　Reverend　Father！'

Ambrosio　paused　for　a　moment。　　Here　was　an　opportunity　offered
him　of　gaining　access　to　Antonia；　but　He　hesitated　to　employ　it。　
The　reputation　which　He　enjoyed　in　Madrid　was　still　dear　to　him；
and　since　He　had　lost　the　reality　of　virtue；　it　appeared　as　if
its　semblance　was　become　more　valuable。　　He　was　conscious　that
publicly　to　break　through　the　rule　never　to　quit　the
Abbey　precincts；　would　derogate　much　from　his　supposed　austerity。
In　visiting　Elvira；　He　had　always　taken　care　to　keep　his　features
concealed　from　the　Domestics。　　Except　by　the　Lady；　her　Daughter；
and　the　faithful　Flora；　He　was　known　in　the　Family　by　no　other
name　than　that　of　Father　Jerome。　　Should　He　comply　with
Jacintha's　request；　and　accompany　her　to　her　House；　He　knew　that
the　violation　of　his　rule　could　not　be　kept　a　secret。　　However；
his　eagerness　to　see　Antonia　obtained　the　victory：　He　even　hoped；
that　the　singularity　of　this　adventure　would　justify　him　in　the
eyes　of　Madrid：　　But　whatever　might　be　the　consequences；　He
resolved　to　profit　by　the　opportunity　which　chance　had　presented
to　him。　　An　expressive　look　from　Matilda　confirmed　him　in　this
resolution。

'Good　Woman；'　said　He　to　Jacintha；　'what　you　tell　me　is　so
extraordinary　that　I　can　scarcely　credit　your　assertions。　
However；　I　will　comply　with　your　request。　　Tomorrow　after　Matins
you　may　expect　me　at　your　House：　　I　will　then　examine　into　what　I
can　do　for　you；　and　if　it　is　in　my　power；　will　free　you　from　this
unwelcome　Visitor。　　Now　then　go　home；　and　peace　be　with　you！'

'Home？'　exclaimed　Jacintha；　'I　go　home？　　Not　I　by　my　troth！
except　under　your　protection；　I　set　no　foot　of　mine　within　the
threshold。　　God　help　me；　the　Ghost　may　meet　me　upon　the　Stairs；
and　whisk　me　away　with　her　to　the　devil！　　Oh！　　That　I　had
accepted　young　Melchior　Basco's　offer！　　Then　I　should　have　had
somebody　to　protect　me；　But　now　I　am　a　lone　Woman；　and　meet　with
nothing　but　crosses　and　misfortunes！　　Thank　Heaven；　it　is　not　yet
too　late　to　repent！　　There　is　Simon　Gonzalez　will　have　me　any　day
of　the　week；　and　if　I　live　till　daybreak；　I　will　marry　him　out
of　hand：　　An　Husband　I　will　have；　that　is　determined；　for　now
this　Ghost　is　once　in　my　House；　I　shall　be　frightened　out　of　my
wits　to　sleep　alone。　　But　for　God's　sake；　reverend　Father；　come
with　me　now。　I　shall　have　no　rest　till　the　House　is　purified；　or
the　poor　young　Lady　either。　　The　dear　Girl！　　She　is　in　a　piteous
taking：　　I　left　her　in　strong　convulsions；　and　I　doubt；　She　will
not　easily　recover　her　fright。'

The　Friar　started；　and　interrupted　her　hastily。

'In　convulsions；　say　you？　　Antonia　in　convulsions？　　Lead　on；　good
Woman！　　I　follow　you　this　moment！'

Jacintha　insisted　upon　his　stopping　to　furnish　himself　with　the
vessel　of　holy　water：　　With　this　request　He　complied。　　Thinking
herself　safe　under　his　protection　should　a　Legion　of　Ghosts
attack　her；　the　old　Woman　returned　the　Monk　a　profusion　of
thanks；　and　they　departed　together　for　the　Strada　di　San　Iago。

So　strong　an　impression　had　the　Spectre　made　upon　Antonia；　that
for　the　first　two　or　three　hours　the　Physician　declared　her　life
to　be　in　danger。　　The　fits　at　length　becoming　less　frequent
induced　him　to　alter　his　opinion。　　He　said　that　to　keep　her　quiet
was　all　that　was　necessary；　and　He　ordered　a　medicine　to　be
prepared　which　would　tranquillize　her　nerves；　and　procure　her
that　repose　which　at　present　She　much　wanted。　　The　sight　of
Ambrosio；　who　now　appeared　with　Jacintha　at　her　Bedside；
contributed　essentially　to　compose　her　ruffled　spirits。　　Elvira
had　not　sufficiently　explained　herself　upon　the　nature　of　his
designs；　to　make　a　Girl　so　ignorant　of　the　world　as　her　Daughter
aware　how　dangerous　was　his　acquaintance。　　At　this　moment；　when
penetrated　with　horror　at　the　scene　which　had　just　past；　and
dreading　to　contemplate　the　Ghost's　prediction；　her　mind　had　need
of　all　the　succours　of　friendship　and　religion；　Antonia　regarded
the　Abbot　with　an　eye　doubly　partial。　　That　strong　prepossession
in　his　favour　still　existed　which　She　had　felt　for　him　at　first
sight：　　She　fancied；　yet　knew　not　wherefore；　that　his　presence
was　a　safeguard　to　her　from　every　danger；　insult；　or　misfortune。　

She　thanked　him　gratefully　for　his　visit；　and　related　to　him　the
adventure；　which　had　alarmed　her　so　seriously。

The　Abbot　strove　to　reassure　her；　and　convince　her　that　the
whole　had　been　a　deception　of　her　overheated　fancy。　　The
solitude　in　which　She　had　passed　the　Evening；　the　gloom　of　night；
the　Book　which　She　had　been　reading；　and　the　Room　in　which　She
sat；　were　all　calculated　to　place　before　her　such　a　vision。　　He
treated　the　idea　of　Ghosts　with　ridicule；　and　produced　strong
arguments　to　prove　the　fallacy　of　such　a　system。　　His
conversation　tranquillized　and　comforted　her；　but　did　not
convince　her。　　She　could　not　believe　that　the　Spectre　had　been　a
mere　creature　of　her　imagination；　Every　circumstance　was
impressed　upon　her　mind　too　forcibly；　to　permit　her　flattering
herself　with　such　an　idea。　　She　persisted　in　asserting　that　She
had　really　seen　her　Mother's　Ghost；　had　heard　the　period　of　her
dissolution　announced　and　declared　that　She　never　should　quit
her　bed　alive。　　Ambrosio　advised　her　against　encouraging　these
sentiments；　and　then　quitted　her　chamber；　having　promised　to
repeat　his　visit　on　the　morrow。　　Antonia　received　this　assurance
with　every　mark　of　joy：　　But　the　Monk　easily　perceived　that　He
was　not　equally　acceptable　to　her　Attendant。　　Flora　obeyed
Elvira's　injunctions　with　the　most　scrupulous　observance。　　She
examined　every　circumstance　with　an　anxious　eye　likely　in　the
least　to　prejudice　her　young　Mistress；　to　whom　She　had　been
attached　for　many　years。　　She　was　a　Native　of　Cuba；　had　followed
Elvira　to　Spain；　and　loved　the　young　Antonia　with　a　Mother's
affection。　　Flora　quitted　not　the　room　for　a　moment　while　the