the monk(僧侣)-第2节

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fair　Neighbour；　'It　is　impossible　that　such　charms　should　have
long　remained　unobserved；　and　had　not　this　been　your　first　public
appearance；　the　envy　of　the　Women　and　adoration　of　the　Men　would
have　rendered　you　already　sufficiently　remarkable。'

He　paused；　in　expectation　of　an　answer。　　As　his　speech　did　not
absolutely　require　one；　the　Lady　did　not　open　her　lips：　　After　a
few　moments　He　resumed　his　discourse：

'Am　I　wrong　in　supposing　you　to　be　a　Stranger　to　Madrid？'

The　Lady　hesitated；　and　at　last；　in　so　low　a　voice　as　to　be
scarcely　intelligible；　She　made　shift　to　answer；　'No；　Segnor。'

'Do　you　intend　making　a　stay　of　any　length？'

'Yes；　Segnor。'

'I　should　esteem　myself　fortunate；　were　it　in　my　power　to
contribute　to　making　your　abode　agreeable。　I　am　well　known　at
Madrid；　and　my　Family　has　some　interest　at　Court。　　If　I　can　be　of
any　service；　you　cannot　honour　or　oblige　me　more　than　by
permitting　me　to　be　of　use　to　you。''Surely；'　said　He　to
himself；　'She　cannot　answer　that　by　a　monosyllable；　now　She　must
say　something　to　me。'

Lorenzo　was　deceived；　for　the　Lady　answered　only　by　a　bow。

By　this　time　He　had　discovered　that　his　Neighbour　was　not　very
conversible；　But　whether　her　silence　proceeded　from　pride；
discretion；　timidity；　or　idiotism；　He　was　still　unable　to　decide。

After　a　pause　of　some　minutes'It　is　certainly　from　your　being　a
Stranger；'　said　He；　'and　as　yet　unacquainted　with　our　customs；
that　you　continue　to　wear　your　veil。　Permit　me　to　remove　it。'

At　the　same　time　He　advanced　his　hand　towards　the　Gauze：　　The
Lady　raised　hers　to　prevent　him。

'I　never　unveil　in　public；　Segnor。'

'And　where　is　the　harm；　I　pray　you？'　interrupted　her　Companion
somewhat　sharply；　'Do　not　you　see　that　the　other　Ladies　have　all
laid　their　veils　aside；　to　do　honour　no　doubt　to　the　holy　place
in　which　we　are？　　I　have　taken　off　mine　already；　and　surely　if　I
expose　my　features　to　general　observation；　you　have　no　cause　to
put　yourself　in　such　a　wonderful　alarm！　　Blessed　Maria！　Here　is　a
fuss　and　a　bustle　about　a　chit's　face！　　Come；　come；　Child！　
Uncover　it；　I　warrant　you　that　nobody　will　run　away　with　it　from
you'

'Dear　aunt；　it　is　not　the　custom　in　Murcia。'

'Murcia；　indeed！　　Holy　St。　Barbara；　what　does　that　signify？　　You
are　always　putting　me　in　mind　of　that　villainous　Province。　　If　it
is　the　custom　in　Madrid；　that　is　all　that　we　ought　to　mind；　and
therefore　I　desire　you　to　take　off　your　veil　immediately。　　Obey
me　this　moment　Antonia；　for　you　know　that　I　cannot　bear
contradiction'

Her　niece　was　silent；　but　made　no　further　opposition　to　Don
Lorenzo's　efforts；　who；　armed　with　the　Aunt's　sanction　hastened
to　remove　the　Gauze。　　What　a　Seraph's　head　presented　itself　to
his　admiration！　　Yet　it　was　rather　bewitching　than　beautiful；　It
wasnot　so　lovely　from　regularity　of　features　as　from　sweetness
and　sensibility　of　Countenance。　　The　several　parts　of　her　face
considered　separately；　many　of　them　were　far　from　handsome；　but
when　examined　together；　the　whole　was　adorable。　　Her　skin　though
fair　was　not　entirely　without　freckles；　Her　eyes　were　not　very
large；　nor　their　lashes　particularly　long。　　But　then　her　lips
were　of　the　most　rosy　freshness；　Her　fair　and　undulating　hair；
confined　by　a　simple　ribband；　poured　itself　below　her　waist　in　a
profusion　of　ringlets；　Her　throat　was　full　and　beautiful　in　the
extreme；　Her　hand　and　arm　were　formed　with　the　most　perfect
symmetry；　Her　mild　blue　eyes　seemed　an　heaven　of　sweetness；　and
the　crystal　in　which　they　moved　sparkled　with　all　the　brilliance
of　Diamonds：　　She　appeared　to　be　scarcely　fifteen；　An　arch　smile；
playing　round　her　mouth；　declared　her　to　be　possessed　of
liveliness；　which　excess　of　timidity　at　present　represt；　She
looked　round　her　with　a　bashful　glance；　and　whenever　her　eyes
accidentally　met　Lorenzo's；　She　dropt　them　hastily　upon　her
Rosary；　Her　cheek　was　immediately　suffused　with　blushes；　and　She
began　to　tell　her　beads；　though　her　manner　evidently　showed　that
She　knew　not　what　She　was　about。

Lorenzo　gazed　upon　her　with　mingled　surprise　and　admiration；　but
the　Aunt　thought　it　necessary　to　apologize　for　Antonia's
mauvaise　honte。

'　'Tis　a　young　Creature；'　said　She；　'who　is　totally　ignorant　of
the　world。　　She　has　been　brought　up　in　an　old　Castle　in　Murcia；
with　no　other　Society　than　her　Mother's；　who；　God　help　her！　has
no　more　sense；　good　Soul；　than　is　necessary　to　carry　her　Soup　to
her　mouth。　Yet　She　is　my　own　Sister；　both　by　Father　and　Mother。'

'And　has　so　little　sense？'　said　Don　Christoval　with　feigned
astonishment；　'How　very　Extraordinary！'

'Very　true；　Segnor；　Is　it　not　strange？　　However；　such　is　the
fact；　and　yet　only　to　see　the　luck　of　some　people！　　A　young
Nobleman；　of　the　very　first　quality；　took　it　into　his　head　that
Elvira　had　some　pretensions　to　BeautyAs　to　pretensions；　in
truth；　She　had　always　enough　of　THEM；　But　as　to　Beauty。　。　。　。！　
If　I　had　only　taken　half　the　pains　to　set　myself　off　which　She
did。　。　。　。！　　But　this　is　neither　here　nor　there。　　As　I　was
saying；　Segnor；　a　young　Nobleman　fell　in　love　with　her；　and
married　her　unknown　to　his　Father。　　Their　union　remained　a　secret
near　three　years；　But　at　last　it　came　to　the　ears　of　the　old
Marquis；　who；　as　you　may　well　suppose；　was　not　much　pleased　with
the　intelligence。　　Away　He　posted　in　all　haste　to　Cordova；
determined　to　seize　Elvira；　and　send　her　away　to　some　place　or
other；　where　She　would　never　be　heard　of　more。　　Holy　St。　Paul！　
How　He　stormed　on　finding　that　She　had　escaped　him；　had　joined
her　Husband；　and　that　they　had　embarked　together　for　the　Indies。　
He　swore　at　us　all；　as　if　the　Evil　Spirit　had　possessed　him；　He
threw　my　Father　into　prison；　as　honest　a　painstaking　Shoe…maker
as　any　in　Cordova；　and　when　He　went　away；　He　had　the　cruelty　to
take　from　us　my　Sister's　little　Boy；　then　scarcely　two　years　old；
and　whom　in　the　abruptness　of　her　flight；　She　had　been　obliged　to
leave　behind　her。　　I　suppose；　that　the　poor　little　Wretch　met
with　bitter　bad　treatment　from　him；　for　in　a　few　months　after；　we
received　intelligence　of　his　death。'

'Why；　this　was　a　most　terrible　old　Fellow；　Segnora！'

'Oh！　shocking！　and　a　Man　so　totally　devoid　of　taste！　Why；　would
you　believe　it；　Segnor？　　When　I　attempted　to　pacify　him；　He
cursed　me　for　a　Witch；　and　wished　that　to　punish　the　Count；　my
Sister　might　become　as　ugly　as　myself！　　Ugly　indeed！　　I　like　him
for　that。'

'Ridiculous'；　cried　Don　Christoval；　'Doubtless　the　Count　would
have　thought　himself　fortunate；　had　he　been　permitted　to　exchange
the　one　Sister　for　the　other。'

'Oh！　　Christ！　　Segnor；　you　are　really　too　polite。　　However；　I　am
heartily　glad　that　the　Conde　was　of　a　different　way　of　thinking。　
A　mighty　pretty　piece　of　business；　to　be　sure；　Elvira　has　made　of
it！　　After　broiling　and　stewing　in　the　Indies　for　thirteen　long
years；　her　Husband　dies；　and　She　returns　to　Spain；　without　an
House　to　hide　her　head；　or　money　to　procure　her　one！　　This
Antonia　was　then　but　an　Infant；　and　her　only　remaining　Child。　
She　found　that　her　Father…in…Law　had　married　again；　that　he　was
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。