the monk(僧侣)-第32节

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fidelity。　　However；　I　depended　upon　Theodore's　discretion；　and
trusted　that　my　letter　to　the　Baroness　would　convince　her　of　the
rectitude　of　my　intentions。　　These　considerations　somewhat
lightened　my　inquietude　upon　her　account：　　But　the　impression
left　upon　my　mind　by　my　nocturnal　Visitor　grew　stronger　with
every　succeeding　moment。　　The　night　drew　near；　I　dreaded　its
arrival。　　Yet　I　strove　to　persuade　myself　that　the　Ghost　would
appear　no　more；　and　at　all　events　I　desired　that　a　Servant　might
sit　up　in　my　chamber。

The　fatigue　of　my　body　from　not　having　slept　on　the　former　night；
co…operating　with　the　strong　opiates　administered　to　me　in
profusion；　at　length　procured　me　that　repose　of　which　I　was　so
much　in　need。　　I　sank　into　a　profound　and　tranquil　slumber；　and
had　already　slept　for　some　hours；　when　the　neighbouring　Clock
rouzed　me　by　striking　'One'。　　Its　sound　brought　with　it　to　my
memory　all　the　horrors　of　the　night　before。　　The　same　cold
shivering　seized　me。　　I　started　up　in　my　bed；　and　perceived　the
Servant　fast　asleep　in　an　armed…Chair　near　me。　　I　called　him　by
his　name：　　He　made　no　answer。　　I　shook　him　forcibly　by　the　arm；
and　strove　in　vain　to　wake　him。　　He　was　perfectly　insensible　to
my　efforts。　　I　now　heard　the　heavy　steps　ascending　the
staircase；　The　Door　was　thrown　open；　and　again　the　Bleeding　Nun
stood　before　me。　　Once　more　my　limbs　were　chained　in　second
infancy。　　Once　more　I　heard　those　fatal　words　repeated；

　　　　　　''Raymond！　Raymond！　　Thou　art　mine！
　　　　　　　Raymond！　Raymond！　　I　am　thine！　&c。''

The　scene　which　had　shocked　me　so　sensibly　on　the　former　night；
was　again　presented。　　The　Spectre　again　pressed　her　lips　to　mine；
again　touched　me　with　her　rotting　fingers；　and　as　on　her　first
appearance；　quitted　the　chamber　as　soon　as　the　Clock　told　'Two。'

Even　night　was　this　repeated。　　Far　from　growing　accustomed　to　the
Ghost；　every　succeeding　visit　inspired　me　with　greater　horror。　
Her　idea　pursued　me　continually；　and　I　became　the　prey　of
habitual　melancholy。　　The　constant　agitation　of　my　mind　naturally
retarded　the　re…establishment　of　my　health。　　Several　months
elapsed　before　I　was　able　to　quit　my　bed；　and　when　at　length　I
was　moved　to　a　Sopha；　I　was　so　faint；　spiritless；　and　emaciated；
that　I　could　not　cross　the　room　without　assistance。　　The　looks　of
my　Attendants　sufficiently　denoted　the　little　hope；　which　they
entertained　of　my　recovery。　　The　profound　sadness；　which
oppressed　me　without　remission　made　the　Physician　consider　me　to
be　an　Hypochondriac。　　The　cause　of　my　distress　I　carefully
concealed　in　my　own　bosom；　for　I　knew　that　no　one　could　give　me
relief：　　The　Ghost　was　not　even　visible　to　any　eye　but　mine。　　I
had　frequently　caused　Attendants　to　sit　up　in　my　room：　　But　the
moment　that　the　Clock　struck　'One；'　irresistible　slumber　seized
them；　nor　left　them　till　the　departure　of　the　Ghost。

You　may　be　surprized　that　during　this　time　I　made　no　enquiries
after　your　Sister。　　Theodore；　who　with　difficulty　had　discovered
my　abode；　had　quieted　my　apprehensions　for　her　safety：　　At　the
same　time　He　convinced　me　that　all　attempts　to　release　her　from
captivity　must　be　fruitless　till　I　should　be　in　a　condition　to
return　to　Spain。　　The　particulars　of　her　adventure　which　I　shall
now　relate　to　you；　were　partly　communicated　to　me　by　Theodore；
and　partly　by　Agnes　herself。

On　the　fatal　night　when　her　elopement　was　to　have　taken　place；
accident　had　not　permitted　her　to　quit　her　chamber　at　the
appointed　time。　　At　length　She　ventured　into　the　haunted　room；
descended　the　staircase　leading　into　the　Hall；　found　the　Gates
open　as　She　expected；　and　left　the　Castle　unobserved。　　What　was
her　surprize　at　not　finding　me　ready　to　receive　her！　　She
examined　the　Cavern；　ranged　through　every　Alley　of　the
neighbouring　wood；　and　passed　two　full　hours　in　this　fruitless
enquiry。　She　could　discover　no　traces　either　of　me　or　of　the
Carriage。　　Alarmed　and　disappointed；　her　only　resource　was　to
return　to　the　Castle　before　the　Baroness　missed　her：　　But　here
She　found　herself　in　a　fresh　embarrassment。　The　Bell　had　already
tolled　'Two：'　The　Ghostly　hour　was　past；　and　the　careful　Porter
had　locked　the　folding　gates。　　After　much　irresolution　She
ventured　to　knock　softly。　　Luckily　for　her；　Conrad　was　still
awake：　　He　heard　the　noise　and　rose；　murmuring　at　being　called
up　a　second　time。　　No　sooner　had　He　opened　one　of　the　Doors；　and
beheld　the　supposed　Apparition　waiting　there　for　admittance；　than
He　uttered　a　loud　cry；　and　sank　upon　his　knees。　　Agnes　profited
by　his　terror。　　She　glided　by　him；　flew　to　her　own　apartment；　and
having　thrown　off　her　Spectre's　trappings；　retired　to　bed
endeavouring　in　vain　to　account　for　my　disappearing。

In　the　mean　while　Theodore　having　seen　my　Carriage　drive　off　with
the　false　Agnes；　returned　joyfully　to　the　Village。　　The　next
morning　He　released　Cunegonda　from　her　confinement；　and
accompanied　her　to　the　Castle。　　There　He　found　the　Baron；　his
Lady；　and　Don　Gaston；　disputing　together　upon　the　Porter's
relation。　　All　of　them　agreed　in　believing　the　existence　of
Spectres：　　But　the　Latter　contended；　that　for　a　Ghost　to　knock
for　admittance　was　a　proceeding　till　then　unwitnessed；　and
totally　incompatible　with　the　immaterial　nature　of　a　Spirit。　
They　were　still　discussing　this　subject　when　the　Page　appeared
with　Cunegonda　and　cleared　up　the　mystery。　　On　hearing　his
deposition；　it　was　agreed　unanimously　that　the　Agnes　whom
Theodore　had　seen　step　into　my　Carriage　must　have　been　the
Bleeding　Nun；　and　that　the　Ghost　who　had　terrified　Conrad　was　no
other　than　Don　Gaston's　Daughter。

The　first　surprize　which　this　discovery　occasioned　being　over；
the　Baroness　resolved　to　make　it　of　use　in　persuading　her　Niece
to　take　the　veil。　　Fearing　lest　so　advantageous　an　establishment
for　his　Daughter　should　induce　Don　Gaston　to　renounce　his
resolution；　She　suppressed　my　letter；　and　continued　to　represent
me　as　a　needy　unknown　Adventurer。　　A　childish　vanity　had　led　me
to　conceal　my　real　name　even　from　my　Mistress；　I　wished　to　be
loved　for　myself；　not　for　being　the　Son　and　Heir　of　the　Marquis
de　las　Cisternas。　　The　consequence　was　that　my　rank　was　known　to
no　one　in　the　Castle　except　the　Baroness；　and　She　took　good　care
to　confine　the　knowledge　to　her　own　breast。　　Don　Gaston　having
approved　his　Sister's　design；　Agnes　was　summoned　to　appear　before
them。　　She　was　taxed　with　having　meditated　an　elopement；　obliged
to　make　a　full　confession；　and　was　amazed　at　the　gentleness　with
which　it　was　received：　　But　what　was　her　affliction；　when
informed　that　the　failure　of　her　project　must　be　attributed　to
me！　　Cunegonda；　tutored　by　the　Baroness；　told　her　that　when　I
released　her；　I　had　desired　her　to　inform　her　Lady　that　our
connexion　was　at　an　end；　that　the　whole　affair　was　occasioned　by
a　false　report；　and　that　it　by　no　means　suited　my　circumstances
to　marry　a　Woman　without　fortune　or　expectations。

To　this　account　my　sudden　disappearing　gave　but　too　great　an　air
of　probability。　　Theodore；　who　could　have　contradicted　the　story；
by　Donna　Rodolpha's　order　was　kept　out　of　her　sight：　　What　proved
a　still　greater　confirmation　of　my　being　an　Impostor；　was　the
arrival　of　a　letter　from　yourself　declaring　that　you　had　no　sort
of　acquaintance　with　Alphonso　d'Alvarada。　　These　seeming　proofs
of　my　perfidy；　aided　by　the　artful　insinuations　of　her　Aunt；　by
Cunegonda's　flattery；　and　her　Father's　threats　and　anger；
entirely　conquered　your　Sister's　repugnance　to　a　Convent。　
Incensed　at　my　behaviour；　and　disgusted　with　the　world　in
general；　She　consented　to　receive　the　veil。　　She　past　another
Month　at　the　Castle　of　Lindenberg；　during　which　my　non…appearance
confirmed　her　in　her　resolution；　and　then　accompanied　Don　Gaston
into　Spain。　　Theodore　was　now　set　at　liberty。　　He　hastened　to
Munich；　where　I　had　promised　to　let　him　hear　from　me；　But　finding
from　Lucas　that　I　had　never　arrived　there；　He　pursued　his　search
with　indefatigable　perseverance；　and　at　length　succeeded　in
rejoining　me　at　Ratisbon。

So　much　was　I　altered；　that　scarcely　could　He　recollect　my
features：　　The　distress　visible　upon　his　sufficiently　testified
how　lively　was　the　interest　which　He　felt　for　me。　　The　society　of
this　amiable　Boy；　whom　I　had　always　considered　rather　as　a
Companion　than　a　Servant；　was　now　my　only　comfort。　　His
conversation　was　gay　yet　sensible；　and　his　observations　shrewd
and　entertaining：　He　had　picked　up　much　more　knowledge　than　is
usual　at　his　Age：　　But　what　rendered　him　most　agreeable　to　me；
was　his　having　a　delightful　voice；　and　some　skill　in　Music。　　He
had　also　acquired　some　taste　in　poetry；　and　even　ventured
sometimes　to　write　verses　himself。　　He　occasionally　composed
little　Ballads　in　Spanish；　his　compositions　were　but　indifferent；
I　must　confess；　yet　they　were　pleasing　to　me　from　their　novelty；
and　hearing　him　sing　them　to　his　guitar　was　the　only　amusement；
which　I　was　capable　of　receiving。　　Theodore　perceived　well　enough
that　something　preyed　upon　my　mind；　But　as　I　concealed　the　cause
of　my　grief　even　from　him；　Respect　would　not　permit　him　to　pry
into　my　secrets。

One　Evening　I　was　lying　upon　my　Sopha；　plunged　in　reflections
very　far　from　a