the monk(僧侣)-第83节

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save　me　from　eternal　perdition　but　punishing　my　guilt　with　the
utmost　severity。　　The　Superior's　word　is　an　oracle　to　but　too
many　of　a　Convent's　Inhabitants。　　The　Nuns　believed　whatever　the
Prioress　chose　to　assert：　　Though　contradicted　by　reason　and
charity；　they　hesitated　not　to　admit　the　truth　of　her　arguments。　
They　followed　her　injunctions　to　the　very　letter；　and　were　fully
persuaded　that　to　treat　me　with　lenity；　or　to　show　the　least
pity　for　my　woes；　would　be　a　direct　means　to　destroy　my　chance
for　salvation。

Camilla；　being　most　employed　about　me；　was　particularly　charged
by　the　Prioress　to　treat　me　with　harshness。　In　compliance　with
these　orders；　She　frequently　strove　to　convince　me；　how　just　was
my　punishment；　and　how　enormous　was　my　crime：　　She　bad　me　think
myself　too　happy　in　saving　my　soul　by　mortifying　my　body；　and
even　threatened　me　sometimes　with　eternal　perdition。　　Yet　as　I
before　observed；　She　always　concluded　by　words　of　encouragement
and　comfort；　and　though　uttered　by　Camilla's　lips；　I　easily
recognised　the　Domina's　expressions。　　Once；　and　once　only；　the
Prioress　visited　me　in　my　dungeon。　　She　then　treated　me　with　the
most　unrelenting　cruelty：　　She　loaded　me　with　reproaches；　taunted
me　with　my　frailty；　and　when　I　implored　her　mercy；　told　me　to　ask
it　of　heaven；　since　I　deserved　none　on　earth。　　She　even　gazed
upon　my　lifeless　Infant　without　emotion；　and　when　She　left　me；　I
heard　her　charge　Camilla　to　increase　the　hardships　of　my
Captivity。　　Unfeeling　Woman！　　But　let　me　check　my　resentment：　
She　has　expiated　her　errors　by　her　sad　and　unexpected　death。　
Peace　be　with　her；　and　may　her　crimes　be　forgiven　in　heaven；　as　I
forgive　her　my　sufferings　on　earth！

Thus　did　I　drag　on　a　miserable　existence。　　Far　from　growing
familiar　with　my　prison；　I　beheld　it　every　moment　with　new
horror。　　The　cold　seemed　more　piercing　and　bitter；　the　air　more
thick　and　pestilential。　　My　frame　became　weak；　feverish；　and
emaciated。　　I　was　unable　to　rise　from　the　bed　of　Straw；　and
exercise　my　limbs　in　the　narrow　limits；　to　which　the　length　of　my
chain　permitted　me　to　move。　　Though　exhausted；　faint；　and　weary；
I　trembled　to　profit　by　the　approach　of　Sleep：　　My　slumbers　were
constantly　interrupted　by　some　obnoxious　Insect　crawling　over　me。

Sometimes　I　felt　the　bloated　Toad；　hideous　and　pampered　with　the
poisonous　vapours　of　the　dungeon；　dragging　his　loathsome　length
along　my　bosom：　　Sometimes　the　quick　cold　Lizard　rouzed　me
leaving　his　slimy　track　upon　my　face；　and　entangling　itself　in
the　tresses　of　my　wild　and　matted　hair：　　Often　have　I　at　waking
found　my　fingers　ringed　with　the　long　worms　which　bred　in　the
corrupted　flesh　of　my　Infant。　　At　such　times　I　shrieked　with
terror　and　disgust；　and　while　I　shook　off　the　reptile；　trembled
with　all　a　Woman's　weakness。

Such　was　my　situation；　when　Camilla　was　suddenly　taken　ill。　　A
dangerous　fever；　supposed　to　be　infectious；　confined　her　to　her
bed。　　Every　one　except　the　Lay…Sister　appointed　to　nurse　her；
avoided　her　with　caution；　and　feared　to　catch　the　disease。　　She
was　perfectly　delirious；　and　by　no　means　capable　of　attending　to
me。　　The　Domina　and　the　Nuns　admitted　to　the　mystery；　had
latterly　given　me　over　entirely　to　Camilla's　care：　　In
consequence；　they　busied　themselves　no　more　about　me；　and
occupied　by　preparing　for　the　approaching　Festival；　it　is　more
than　probable　that　I　never　once　entered　into　their　thoughts。　　Of
the　reason　of　Camilla's　negligence；　I　have　been　informed　since　my
release　by　the　Mother　St。　Ursula；　At　that　time　I　was　very　far
from　suspecting　its　cause。　　On　the　contrary；　I　waited　for　my
Gaoler's　appearance　at　first　with　impatience；　and　afterwards　with
despair。　One　day　passed　away；　Another　followed　it；　The　Third
arrived。　　Still　no　Camilla！　　Still　no　food！　　I　knew　the　lapse　of
time　by　the　wasting　of　my　Lamp；　to　supply　which　fortunately　a
week's　supply　of　Oil　had　been　left　me。　　I　supposed；　either　that
the　Nuns　had　forgotten　me；　or　that　the　Domina　had　ordered　them　to
let　me　perish。　　The　latter　idea　seemed　the　most　probable；　Yet　so
natural　is　the　love　of　life；　that　I　trembled　to　find　it　true。　
Though　embittered　by　every　species　of　misery；　my　existence　was
still　dear　to　me；　and　I　dreaded　to　lose　it。　　Every　succeeding
minute　proved　to　me　that　I　must　abandon　all　hopes　of　relief。　　I
was　become　an　absolute　skeleton：　　My　eyes　already　failed　me；　and

my　limbs　were　beginning　to　stiffen。　　I　could　only　express　my
anguish；　and　the　pangs　of　that　hunger　which　gnawed　my
heart…strings；　by　frequent　groans；　whose　melancholy　sound　the
vaulted　roof　of　the　dungeon　re…echoed。　　I　resigned　myself　to　my
fate：　　I　already　expected　the　moment　of　dissolution；　when　my
Guardian　Angel；　when　my　beloved　Brother　arrived　in　time　to　save
me。　　My　sight　grown　dim　and　feeble　at　first　refused　to　recognize
him；　and　when　I　did　distinguish　his　features；　the　sudden　burst　of
rapture　was　too　much　for　me　to　bear。　　I　was　overpowered　by　the
swell　of　joy　at　once　more　beholding　a　Friend；　and　that　a　Friend
so　dear　to　me。　　Nature　could　not　support　my　emotions；　and　took
her　refuge　in　insensibility。

You　already　know；　what　are　my　obligations　to　the　Family　of
Villa…Franca：　　But　what　you　cannot　know　is　the　extent　of　my
gratitude；　boundless　as　the　excellence　of　my　Benefactors。　
Lorenzo！　　Raymond！　　Names　so　dear　to　me！　　Teach　me　to　bear　with
fortitude　this　sudden　transition　from　misery　to　bliss。　　So　lately
a　Captive；　opprest　with　chains；　perishing　with　hunger；　suffering
every　in　convenience　of　cold　and　want；　hidden　from　the　light；
excluded　from　society；　hopeless；　neglected；　and　as　I　feared；
forgotten；　Now　restored　to　life　and　liberty；　enjoying　all　the
comforts　of　affluence　and　ease；　surrounded　by　those　who　are　most
loved　by　me；　and　on　the　point　of　becoming　his　Bride　who　has　long
been　wedded　to　my　heart；　my　happiness　is　so　exquisite；　so
perfect；　that　scarcely　can　my　brain　sustain　the　weight。　　One　only
wish　remains　ungratified：　　It　is　to　see　my　Brother　in　his　former
health；　and　to　know　that　Antonia's　memory　is　buried　in　her　grave。

Granted　this　prayer；　I　have　nothing　more　to　desire。　　I　trust；
that　my　past　sufferings　have　purchased　from　heaven　the　pardon　of
my　momentary　weakness。　That　I　have　offended；　offended　greatly　and
grievously；　I　am　fully　conscious；　But　let　not　my　Husband；　because
He　once　conquered　my　virtue；　doubt　the　propriety　of　my　future
conduct。　　I　have　been　frail　and　full　of　error：　　But　I　yielded　not
to　the　　warmth　of　constitution；　Raymond；　affection　for　you
betrayed　me。　　I　was　too　confident　of　my　strength；　But　I　depended
no　less　on　your　honour　than　my　own。　　I　had　vowed　never　to　see　you
more：　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　consequences　of　that　unguarded
moment；　my　resolution　had　been　kept。　　Fate　willed　it　otherwise；
and　I　cannot　but　rejoice　at　its　decree。　　Still　my　conduct　has
been　highly　blameable；　and　while　I　attempt　to　justify　myself；　I
blush　at　recollecting　my　imprudence。　　Let　me　then　dismiss　the
ungrateful　subject；　First　assuring　you；　Raymond；　that　you　shall
have　no　cause　to　repent　our　union；　and　that　the　more　culpable
have　been　the　errors　of　your　Mistress；　the　more　exemplary　shall
be　the　conduct　of　your　Wife。

Here　Agnes　ceased；　and　the　Marquis　replied　to　her　address　in
terms　equally　sincere　and　affectionate。　Lorenzo　expressed　his
satisfaction　at　the　prospect　of　being　so　closely　connected　with　a
Man　for　whom　He　had　ever　entertained　the　highest　esteem。　　The
Pope's　Bull　had　fully　and　effectually　released　Agnes　from　her
religious　engagements：　　The　marriage　was　therefore　celebrated　as
soon　as　the　needful　preparations　had　been　made；　for　the　Marquis
wished　to　have　the　ceremony　performed　with　all　possible　splendour
and　publicity。　　This　being　over；　and　the　Bride　having　received
the　compliments　of　Madrid；　She　departed　with　Don　Raymond　for　his
Castle　in　Andalusia：　　Lorenzo　accompanied　them；　as　did　also　the
Marchioness　de　Villa…Franca　and　her　lovely　Daughter。　　It　is
needless　to　say　that　Theodore　was　of　the　party；　and　would　be
impossible　to　describe　his　joy　at　his　Master's　marriage。　
Previous　to　his　departure；　the　Marquis；　to　atone　in　some　measure
for　his　past　neglect；　made　some　enquiries　relative　to　Elvira。　
Finding　that　She　as　well　as　her　Daughter　had　received　many
services　from　Leonella　and　Jacintha；　He　showed　his　respect　to　the
memory　of　his　Sister…in…law　by　making　the　two　Women　handsome
presents。　　Lorenzo　followed　his　exampleLeonella　was　highly
flattered　by　the　attentions　of　Noblemen　so　distinguished；　and
Jacintha　blessed　the　hour　on　which　her　House　was　bewitched。

On　her　side；　Agnes　failed　not　to　reward　her　Convent　Friends。　
The　worthy　Mother　St。　Ursula；　to　whom　She　owed　her　liberty；　was
named　at　her　request　Superintendent　of　'The　Ladies　of　Charity：'　
This　was　one　of　the　best　and　most　opulent　Societies　throughout
Spain。　　Bertha　and　Cornelia　not　choosing　to　quit　their　Friend；
were　appointed　to　principal　charges　in　the　same　establishment。　
As　to　the　Nuns　who　had　aided　the　Domina　in　persecuting　Agnes；
Camilla　being　confined　by　illness　to　her　bed；　had　perished　in　the
flames　which　consumed　St。　Clare's　Convent。　　Mariana；　Alix；　and
Violante；　as　well　as　two　more；　had　fallen　victims　to　the　popular
rage