volume01-第19章

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Her　golden　Hair　poured　itself　over　his　Chest。）　'Folded　in　your　arms；　I　shall　sink　to　sleep；　Your　hand　shall　close　my　eyes　for　ever；　and　your　lips　receive　my　dying　breath。　　And　will　you　not　sometimes　think　of　me？　　Will　you　not　sometimes　shed　a　tear　upon　my　Tomb？　　Oh！　　Yes！　　Yes！　　Yes！　　That　kiss　is　my　assurance！'

The　hour　was　night。　　All　was　silence　around。　　The　faint　beams　of　a　solitary　Lamp　darted　upon　Matilda's　figure；　and　shed　through　the　chamber　a　dim　mysterious　light。　　No　prying　eye；　or　curious　ear　was　near　the　Lovers：　Nothing　was　heard　but　Matilda's　melodious　accents。　　Ambrosio　was　in　the　full　vigour　of　Manhood。　　He　saw　before　him　a　young　and　beautiful　Woman；　the　preserver　of　his　life；　the　Adorer　of　his　person；　and　whom　affection　for　him　had　reduced　to　the　brink　of　the　Grave。　　He　sat　upon　her　Bed；　His　hand　rested　upon　her　bosom；　Her　head　reclined　voluptuously　upon　his　breast。　　Who　then　can　wonder；　if　He　yielded　to　the　temptation？　　Drunk　with　desire；　He　pressed　his　lips　to　those　which　sought　them：　　His　kisses　vied　with　Matilda's　in　warmth　and　passion。　　He　clasped　her　rapturously　in　his　arms；　He　forgot　his　vows；　his　sanctity；　and　his　fame：　　He　remembered　nothing　but　the　pleasure　and　opportunity。

'Ambrosio！　Oh！　my　Ambrosio！'　sighed　Matilda。

'Thine；　ever　thine！'　murmured　the　Friar；　and　sank　upon　her　bosom。


CHAPTER　III

　These　are　the　Villains　　　Whom　all　the　Travellers　do　fear　so　much。　　　Some　of　them　are　Gentlemen　　　Such　as　the　fury　of　ungoverned　Youth　　　Thrust　from　the　company　of　awful　Men。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Two　Gentlemen　of　Verona。　

The　Marquis　and　Lorenzo　proceeded　to　the　Hotel　in　silence。　　The　Former　employed　himself　in　calling　every　circumstance　to　his　mind；　which　related　might　give　Lorenzo's　the　most　favourable　idea　of　his　connexion　with　Agnes。　　The　Latter；　justly　alarmed　for　the　honour　of　his　family；　felt　embarrassed　by　the　presence　of　the　Marquis：　The　adventure　which　He　had　just　witnessed　forbad　his　treating　him　as　a　Friend；　and　Antonia's　interests　being　entrusted　to　his　mediation；　He　saw　the　impolicy　of　treating　him　as　a　Foe。　　He　concluded　from　these　reflections；　that　profound　silence　would　be　the　wisest　plan；　and　waited　with　impatience　for　Don　Raymond's　explanation。

They　arrived　at　the　Hotel　de　las　Cisternas。　　The　Marquis　immediately　conducted　him　to　his　apartment；　and　began　to　express　his　satisfaction　at　finding　him　at　Madrid。　　Lorenzo　interrupted　him。

'Excuse　me；　my　Lord；'　said　He　with　a　distant　air；　'if　I　reply　somewhat　coldly　to　your　expressions　of　regard。　　A　Sister's　honour　is　involved　in　this　affair：　　Till　that　is　established；　and　the　purport　of　your　correspondence　with　Agnes　cleared　up；　I　cannot　consider　you　as　my　Friend。　　I　am　anxious　to　hear　the　meaning　of　your　conduct；　and　hope　that　you　will　not　delay　the　promised　explanation。'

'First　give　me　your　word；　that　you　will　listen　with　patience　and　indulgence。'

'I　love　my　Sister　too　well　to　judge　her　harshly；　and　till　this　moment　I　possessed　no　Friend　so　dear　to　me　as　yourself。　　I　will　also　confess；　that　your　having　it　in　your　power　to　oblige　me　in　a　business　which　I　have　much　at　heart；　makes　me　very　anxious　to　find　you　still　deserving　my　esteem。'

'Lorenzo；　you　transport　me！　　No　greater　pleasure　can　be　given　me；　than　an　opportunity　of　serving　the　Brother　of　Agnes。'

'Convince　me　that　I　can　accept　your　favours　without　dishonour；　and　there　is　no　Man　in　the　world　to　whom　I　am　more　willing　to　be　obliged。'

'Probably；　you　have　already　heard　your　Sister　mention　the　name　of　Alphonso　d'Alvarada？'

'Never。　　Though　I　feel　for　Agnes　an　affection　truly　fraternal；　circumstances　have　prevented　us　from　being　much　together。　　While　yet　a　Child　She　was　consigned　to　the　care　of　her　Aunt；　who　had　married　a　German　Nobleman。　　At　his　Castle　She　remained　till　two　years　since；　when　She　returned　to　Spain；　determined　upon　secluding　herself　from　the　world。'

'Good　God！　　Lorenzo；　you　knew　of　her　intention；　and　yet　strove　not　to　make　her　change　it？'

'Marquis；　you　wrong　me。　　The　intelligence；　which　I　received　at　Naples；　shocked　me　extremely；　and　I　hastened　my　return　to　Madrid　for　the　express　purpose　of　preventing　the　sacrifice。　　The　moment　that　I　arrived；　I　flew　to　the　Convent　of　St。　Clare；　in　which　Agnes　had　chosen　to　perform　her　Noviciate。　　I　requested　to　see　my　Sister。　　Conceive　my　surprise　when　She　sent　me　a　refusal；　She　declared　positively；　that　apprehending　my　influence　over　her　mind；　She　would　not　trust　herself　in　my　society　till　the　day　before　that　on　which　She　was　to　receive　the　Veil。　　I　supplicated　the　Nuns；　I　insisted　upon　seeing　Agnes；　and　hesitated　not　to　avow　my　suspicions　that　her　being　kept　from　me　was　against　her　own　inclinations。　To　free　herself　from　the　imputation　of　violence；　the　Prioress　brought　me　a　few　lines　written　in　my　Sister's　well…known　hand；　repeating　the　message　already　delivered。　　All　future　attempts　to　obtain　a　moment's　conversation　with　her　were　as　fruitless　as　the　first。　　She　was　inflexible；　and　I　was　not　permitted　to　see　her　till　the　day　preceding　that　on　which　She　entered　the　Cloister　never　to　quit　it　more。　　This　interview　took　place　in　the　presence　of　our　principal　Relations。　　It　was　for　the　first　time　since　her　childhood　that　I　saw　her；　and　the　scene　was　most　affecting。　　She　threw　herself　upon　my　bosom；　kissed　me；　and　wept　bitterly。　　By　every　possible　argument；　by　tears；　by　prayers；　by　kneeling；　I　strove　to　make　her　abandon　her　intention。　　I　represented　to　her　all　the　hardships　of　a　religious　life；　I　painted　to　her　imagination　all　the　pleasures　which　She　was　going　to　quit；　and　besought　her　to　disclose　to　me；　what　occasioned　her　disgust　to　the　world。　　At　this　last　question　She　turned　pale；　and　her　tears　flowed　yet　faster。　　She　entreated　me　not　to　press　her　on　that　subject；　That　it　sufficed　me　to　know　that　her　resolution　was　taken；　and　that　a　Convent　was　the　only　place　where　She　could　now　hope　for　tranquillity。　　She　persevered　in　her　design；　and　made　her　profession。　　I　visited　her　frequently　at　the　Grate；　and　every　moment　that　I　passed　with　her；　made　me　feel　more　affliction　at　her　loss。　　I　was　shortly　after　obliged　to　quit　Madrid；　I　returned　but　yesterday　evening；　and　since　then　have　not　had　time　to　call　at　St。　Clare's　Convent。'

'Then　till　I　mentioned　it；　you　never　heard　the　name　of　Alphonso　d'Alvarada？'

'Pardon　me：　my　Aunt　wrote　me　word　that　an　Adventurer　so　called　had　found　means　to　get　introduced　into　the　Castle　of　Lindenberg；　That　He　had　insinuated　himself　into　my　Sister's　good　graces；　and　that　She　had　even　consented　to　elope　with　him。　　However；　before　the　plan　could　be　executed；　the　Cavalier　discovered　that　the　estates　which　He　believed　Agnes　to　possess　in　Hispaniola；　in　reality　belonged　to　me。　　This　intelligence　made　him　change　his　intention；　He　disappeared　on　the　day　that　the　elopement　was　to　have　taken　place；　and　Agnes；　in　despair　at　his　perfidy　and　meanness；　had　resolved　upon　seclusion　in　a　Convent。　　She　added；　that　as　this　adventurer　had　given　himself　out　to　be　a　Friend　of　mine；　She　wished　to　know　whether　I　had　any　knowledge　of　him。　　I　replied　in　the　negative。　　I　had　then　very　little　idea；　that　Alphonso　d'Alvarada　and　the　Marquis　de　las　Cisternas　were　one　and　the　same　person：　　The　description　given　me　of　the　first　by　no　means　tallied　with　what　I　knew　of　the　latter。'

'In　this　I　easily　recognize　Donna　Rodolpha's　perfidious　character。　　Every　word　of　this　account　is　stamped　with　marks　of　her　malice；　of　her　falsehood；　of　her　talents　for　misrepresenting　those　whom　She　wishes　to　injure。　　Forgive　me；　Medina；　for　speaking　so　freely　of　your　Relation。　　The　mischief　which　She　has　done　me　authorises　my　resentment；　and　when　you　have　heard　my　story；　you　will　be　convinced　that　my　expressions　have　not　been　too　severe。'

He　then　began　his　narrative　in　the　following　manner。

HISTORY　OF　DON　RAYMOND；　MARQUIS　DE　LAS　CISTERNAS

Long　experience；　my　dear　Lorenzo；　has　convinced　me　how　generous　is　your　nature：　　I　waited　not　for　your　declaration　of　ignorance　respecting　your　Sister's　adventures　to　suppose　that　they　had　been　purposely　concealed　from　you。　　Had　they　reached　your　knowledge；　from　what　misfortunes　should　both　Agnes　and　myself　have　escaped！　　Fate　had　ordained　it　otherwise！　　You　were　on　your　Travels　when　I　first　be