the monk(僧侣)-第35节

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denied　to　me　for　ever！'

Here　the　Stranger　prepared　to　quit　the　apartment。

'Stay　yet　one　moment！'　said　I；　'You　have　satisfied　my　curiosity
with　regard　to　the　Spectre；　but　you　leave　me　in　prey　to　yet
greater　respecting　yourself。　　Deign　to　inform　me；　to　whom　I　am
under　such　real　obligations。　　You　mention　circumstances　long
past；　and　persons　long　dead：　　You　were　personally　acquainted　with
the　Exorciser；　who　by　your　own　account　has　been　deceased　near　a
Century。　　How　am　I　to　account　for　this？　　What　means　that　burning
Cross　upon　your　forehead；　and　why　did　the　sight　of　it　strike
such　horror　to　my　soul？'

On　these　points　He　for　some　time　refused　to　satisfy　me。　　At
length　overcome　by　my　entreaties；　He　consented　to　clear　up　the
whole；　on　condition　that　I　would　defer　his　explanation　till　the
next　day。　　With　this　request　I　was　obliged　to　comply；　and　He　left
me。　　In　the　Morning　my　first　care　was　to　enquire　after　the
mysterious　Stranger。　　Conceive　my　disappointment　when　informed
that　He　had　already　quitted　Ratisbon。　　I　dispatched　messengers　in
pursuit　of　him　but　in　vain。　　No　traces　of　the　Fugitive　were
discovered。　　Since　that　moment　I　never　have　heard　any　more　of
him；　and　'tis　most　probable　that　I　never　shall。'

（Lorenzo　here　interrupted　his　Friend's　narrative。

'How？'　said　He；　'You　have　never　discovered　who　He　was；　or　even
formed　a　guess？'

'Pardon　me；'　replied　the　Marquis；　'When　I　related　this　adventure
to　my　Uncle；　the　Cardinal…Duke；　He　told　me　that　He　had　no　doubt
of　this　singular　Man's　being　the　celebrated　Character　known
universally　by　the　name　of　'the　wandering　Jew。'　　His　not　being
permitted　to　pass　more　than　fourteen　days　on　the　same　spot；　the
burning　Cross　impressed　upon　his　forehead；　the　effect　which　it
produced　upon　the　Beholders；　and　many　other　circumstances　give
this　supposition　the　colour　of　truth。　　The　Cardinal　is　fully
persuaded　of　it；　and　for　my　own　part　I　am　inclined　to　adopt　the
only　solution　which　offers　itself　to　this　riddle。　　I　return　to
the　narrative　from　which　I　have　digressed。'）

From　this　period　I　recovered　my　health　so　rapidly　as　to　astonish
my　Physicians。　　The　Bleeding　Nun　appeared　no　more；　and　I　was　soon
able　to　set　out　for　Lindenberg。　　The　Baron　received　me　with　open
arms。　　I　confided　to　him　the　sequel　of　my　adventure；　and　He　was
not　a　little　pleased　to　find　that　his　Mansion　would　be　no　longer
troubled　with　the　Phantom's　quiennial　visits。　　I　was　sorry　to
perceive　that　absence　had　not　weakened　Donna　Rodolpha's
imprudent　passion。　　In　a　private　conversation　which　I　had　with
her　during　my　short　stay　at　the　Castle；　She　renewed　her　attempts
to　persuade　me　to　return　her　affection。　　Regarding　her　as　the
primary　cause　of　all　my　sufferings；　I　entertained　for　her　no
other　sentiment　than　disgust。　　The　Skeleton　of　Beatrice　was　found
in　the　place　which　She　had　mentioned。　　This　being　all　that　I
sought　at　Lindenberg；　I　hastened　to　quit　the　Baron's　domains；
equally　anxious　to　perform　the　obsequies　of　the　murdered　Nun；　and
escape　the　importunity　of　a　Woman　whom　I　detested。　　I　departed；
followed　by　Donna　Rodolpha's　menaces　that　my　contempt　should　not
be　long　unpunished。

I　now　bent　my　course　towards　Spain　with　all　diligence。　　Lucas
with　my　Baggage　had　joined　me　during　my　abode　at　Lindenberg。　　I
arrived　in　my　native　Country　without　any　accident；　and
immediately　proceeded　to　my　Father's　Castle　in　Andalusia。　　The
remains　of　Beatrice　were　deposited　in　the　family　vault；　all　due
ceremonies　performed；　and　the　number　of　Masses　said　which　She　had
required。　　Nothing　now　hindered　me　from　employing　all　my
endeavours　to　discover　the　retreat　of　Agnes。　　The　Baroness　had
assured　me　that　her　Niece　had　already　taken　the　veil：　　This
intelligence　I　suspected　to　have　been　forged　by　jealousy；　and
hoped　to　find　my　Mistress　still　at　liberty　to　accept　my　hand。　　I
enquired　after　her　family；　I　found　that　before　her　Daughter　could
reach　Madrid；　Donna　Inesilla　was　no　more：　　You；　my　dear　Lorenzo；
were　said　to　be　abroad；　but　where　I　could　not　discover：　　Your
Father　was　in　a　distant　Province　on　a　visit　to　the　Duke　de
Medina；　and　as　to　Agnes；　no　one　could　or　would　inform　me　what　was
become　of　her。　　Theodore；　according　to　promise；　had　returned　to
Strasbourg；　where　He　found　his　Grandfather　dead；　and　Marguerite
in　possession　of　his　fortune。　　All　her　persuations　to　remain　with
her　were　fruitless：　　He　quitted　her　a　second　time；　and　followed
me　to　Madrid。　　He　exerted　himself　to　the　utmost　in　forwarding　my
search：　But　our　united　endeavours　were　unattended　by　success。　
The　retreat；　which　concealed　Agnes　remained　an　impenetrable
mystery；　and　I　began　to　abandon　all　hopes　of　recovering　her。

About　eight　months　ago　I　was　returning　to　my　Hotel　in　a
melancholy　humour；　having　past　the　evening　at　the　Play…House。　
The　Night　was　dark；　and　I　was　unaccompanied。　　Plunged　in
reflections　which　were　far　from　being　agreeable；　I　perceived　not
that　three　Men　had　followed　me　from　the　Theatre；　till；　on　turning
into　an　unfrequented　Street；　they　all　attacked　me　at　the　same
time　with　the　utmost　fury。　　I　sprang　back　a　few　paces；　drew　my
sword；　and　threw　my　cloak　over　my　left　arm。　　The　obscurity　of　the
night　was　in　my　favour。　　For　the　most　part　the　blows　of　the
Assassins；　being　aimed　at　random；　failed　to　touch　me。　　I　at
length　was　fortunate　enough　to　lay　one　of　my　Adversaries　at　my
feet；　But　before　this　I　had　already　received　so　many　wounds；　and
was　so　warmly　pressed；　that　my　destruction　would　have　been
inevitable；　had　not　the　clashing　of　swords　called　a　Cavalier　to
my　assistance。　　He　ran　towards　me　with　his　sword　drawn：　　Several
Domestics　followed　him　with　torches。　　His　arrival　made　the　combat
equal：　　Yet　would　not　the　Bravoes　abandon　their　design　till　the
Servants　were　on　the　point　of　joining　us。　　They　then　fled　away；
and　we　lost　them　in　the　obscurity。

The　Stranger　now　addressed　himself　to　me　with　politeness；　and
enquired　whether　I　was　wounded。　　Faint　with　the　loss　of　blood；　I
could　scarcely　thank　him　for　his　seasonable　aid；　and　entreat　him
to　let　some　of　his　Servants　convey　me　to　the　Hotel　de　las
Cisternas。　　I　no　sooner　mentioned　the　name　than　He　profest
himself　an　acquaintance　of　my　Father's；　and　declared　that　He
would　not　permit　my　being　transported　to　such　a　distance　before
my　wounds　had　been　examined。　　He　added　that　his　House　was　hard
by；　and　begged　me　to　accompany　him　thither。　　His　manner　was　so
earnest；　that　I　could　not　reject　his　offer；　and　leaning　upon　his
arm；　a　few　minutes　brought　me　to　the　Porch　of　a　magnificent
Hotel。

On　entering　the　House；　an　old　grey…headed　Domestic　came　to
welcome　my　Conductor：　　He　enquired　when　the　Duke；　his　Master；
meant　to　quit　the　Country；　and　was　answered　that　He　would　remain
there　yet　some　months。　　My　Deliverer　then　desired　the
family　Surgeon　to　be　summoned　without　delay。　　His　orders　were
obeyed。　　I　was　seated　upon　a　Sopha　in　a　noble　apartment；　and　my
wounds　being　examined；　they　were　declared　to　be　very　slight。　　The
Surgeon；　however；　advised　me　not　to　expose　myself　to　the
night　air；　and　the　Stranger　pressed　me　so　earnestly　to　take　a　bed
in　his　House；　that　I　consented　to　remain　where　I　was　for　the
present。

Being　now　left　alone　with　my　Deliverer；　I　took　the　opportunity　of
thanking　him　in　more　express　terms；　than　I　had　done　hitherto：　
But　He　begged　me　to　be　silent　upon　the　subject。

'I　esteem　myself　happy；'　said　He；　'in　having　had　it　in　my　power
to　render　you　this　little　service；　and　I　shall　think　myself
eternally　obliged　to　my　Daughter　for　detaining　me　so　late　at　the
Convent　of　St。　Clare。　　The　high　esteem　in　which　I　have　ever　held
the　Marquis　de　las　Cisternas；　though　accident　has　not　permitted
our　being　so　intimate　as　I　could　wish；　makes　me　rejoice　in　the
opportunity　of　making　his　Son's　acquaintance。　　I　am　certain　that
my　Brother　in　whose　House　you　now　are；　will　lament　his　not　being
at　Madrid　to　receive　you　himself：　But　in　the　Duke's　absence　I　am
Master　of　the　family；　and　may　assure　you　in　his　name；　that　every
thing　in　the　Hotel　de　Medina　is　perfectly　at　your　disposal。'

Conceive　my　surprize；　Lorenzo；　at　discovering　in　the　person　of　my
Preserver　Don　Gaston　de　Medina：　　It　was　only　to　be　equalled　by　my
secret　satisfaction　at　the　assurance　that　Agnes　inhabited　the
Convent　of　St。　Clare。　　This　latter　sensation　was　not　a　little
weakened；　when　in　answer　to　my　seemingly　indifferent　questions　He
told　me　that　his　Daughter　had　really　taken　the　veil。　　I　suffered
not　my　grief　at　this　circumstance　to　take　root　in　my　mind：　　I
flattered　myself　with　the　idea　that　my　Uncle's　credit　at　the
Court　of　Rome　would　remove　this　obstacle；　and　that　without
difficulty　I　should　obtain　for　my　Mistress　a　dispensation　from
her　vows。　　Buoyed　up　with　this　hope　I　calmed　the　uneasiness　of　my
bosom；　and　I　redoubled　my　endeavours　to　appear　grateful　for　the
attention　and　pleased　with　the　society　of　Don　Gaston。

A　Domestic　now　entered　the　room；　and　informed　me　that　the　Bravo
whom　I　had　wounded　discovered　some　signs　of　life。　　I　desired
that　He　might　be　carried　to　my　Father's　Hotel；　and　that　as　soon
as　He　recovered　his　voice；　I　would　examine　him　respecting　his
reasons　for　attempting　my　life。　　I　was　answered　that　He　was
already　able　to　speak；　th