the monk(僧侣)-第86节

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the　mortifications　of　shame　and　infamy！　　Who　can　reflect　without
horror　on　such　a　doom？　　Let　me　then　exult　in　my　exchange。　　I　have
sold　distant　and　uncertain　happiness　for　present　and　secure：　I
have　preserved　a　life　which　otherwise　I　had　lost　in　torture；　and
I　have　obtained　the　power　of　procuring　every　bliss　which　can
make　that　life　delicious！　　The　Infernal　Spirits　obey　me　as　their
Sovereign：　　By　their　aid　shall　my　days　be　past　in　every
refinement　of　luxury　and　voluptuousness。　　I　will　enjoy
unrestrained　the　gratification　of　my　senses：　　Every　passion　shall
be　indulged；　even　to　satiety；　Then　will　I　bid　my　Servants　invent
new　pleasures；　to　revive　and　stimulate　my　glutted　appetites！　　I
go　impatient　to　exercise　my　newly…gained　dominion。　I　pant　to　be
at　liberty。　　Nothing　should　hold　me　one　moment　longer　in　this
abhorred　abode；　but　the　hope　of　persuading　you　to　follow　my
example。　　Ambrosio；　I　still　love　you：　　Our　mutual　guilt　and
danger　have　rendered　you　dearer　to　me　than　ever；　and　I　would　fain
save　you　from　impending　destruction。　　Summon　then　your　resolution
to　your　aid；　and　renounce　for　immediate　and　certain　benefits　the
hopes　of　a　salvation；　difficult　to　obtain；　and　perhaps　altogether
erroneous。　　Shake　off　the　prejudice　of　vulgar　souls；　Abandon　a
God　who　has　abandoned　you；　and　raise　yourself　to　the　level　of
superior　Beings！'

She　paused　for　the　Monk's　reply：　　He　shuddered；　while　He　gave　it。

'Matilda！'　He　said　after　a　long　silence　in　a　low　and　unsteady
voice；　'What　price　gave　you　for　liberty？'

She　answered　him　firm　and　dauntless。

'Ambrosio；　it　was　my　Soul！'

'Wretched　Woman；　what　have　you　done？　　Pass　but　a　few　years；　and
how　dreadful　will　be　your　sufferings！'

'Weak　Man；　pass　but　this　night；　and　how　dreadful　will　be　your
own！　　Do　you　remember　what　you　have　already　endured？　　Tomorrow
you　must　bear　torments　doubly　exquisite。　　Do　you　remember　the
horrors　of　a　fiery　punishment？　　In　two　days　you　must　be　led　a
Victim　to　the　Stake！　　What　then　will　become　of　you？　　Still　dare
you　hope　for　pardon？　　Still　are　you　beguiled　with　visions　of
salvation？　　Think　upon　your　crimes！　　Think　upon　your　lust；　your
perjury；　inhumanity；　and　hypocrisy！　　Think　upon　the　innocent
blood　which　cries　to　the　Throne　of　God　for　vengeance；　and　then
hope　for　mercy！　　Then　dream　of　heaven；　and　sigh　for　worlds　of
light；　and　realms　of　peace　and　pleasure！　　Absurd！　　Open　your
eyes；　Ambrosio；　and　be　prudent。　　Hell　is　your　lot；　You　are　doomed
to　eternal　perdition；　Nought　lies　beyond　your　grave　but　a　gulph
of　devouring　flames。　　And　will　you　then　speed　towards　that　Hell？　
Will　you　clasp　that　perdition　in　your　arms；　ere　'tis　needful？　
Will　you　plunge　into　those　flames　while　you　still　have　the　power
to　shun　them？　　'Tis　a　Madman's　action。　　No；　no；　Ambrosio：　　Let　us
for　awhile　fly　from　divine　vengeance。　　Be　advised　by　me；　Purchase
by　one　moment's　courage　the　bliss　of　years；　Enjoy　the　present；
and　forget　that　a　future　lags　behind。'

'Matilda；　your　counsels　are　dangerous：　　I　dare　not；　I　will　not
follow　them。　　I　must　not　give　up　my　claim　to　salvation。　
Monstrous　are　my　crimes；　But　God　is　merciful；　and　I　will　not
despair　of　pardon。'

'Is　such　your　resolution？　　I　have　no　more　to　say。　　I　speed　to　joy
and　liberty；　and　abandon　you　to　death　and　eternal　torments。'

'Yet　stay　one　moment；　Matilda！　　You　command　the　infernal　Daemons：

You　can　force　open　these　prison　doors；　You　can　release　me　from
these　chains　which　weigh　me　down。　　Save　me；　I　conjure　you；　and
bear　me　from　these　fearful　abodes！'

'You　ask　the　only　boon　beyond　my　power　to　bestow。　　I　am　forbidden
to　assist　a　Churchman　and　a　Partizan　of　God：　　Renounce　those
titles；　and　command　me。'

'I　will　not　sell　my　soul　to　perdition。'

'Persist　in　your　obstinacy；　till　you　find　yourself　at　the　Stake：　
Then　will　you　repent　your　error；　and　sigh　for　escape　when　the
moment　is　gone　by。　　I　quit　you。　　Yet　ere　the　hour　of　death
arrives　should　wisdom　enlighten　you；　listen　to　the　means　of
repairing　your　present　fault。　　I　leave　with　you　this　Book。　　Read
the　four　first　lines　of　the　seventh　page　backwards：　　The　Spirit
whom　you　have　already　once　beheld　will　immediately　appear　to
you。　　If　you　are　wise；　we　shall　meet　again：　　If　not；　farewell　for
ever！'

She　let　the　Book　fall　upon　the　ground。　　A　cloud　of　blue　fire
wrapped　itself　round　her：　　She　waved　her　hand　to　Ambrosio；　and
disappeared。　　The　momentary　glare　which　the　flames　poured　through
the　dungeon；　on　dissipating　suddenly；　seemed　to　have　increased
its　natural　gloom。　　The　solitary　Lamp　scarcely　gave　light
sufficient　to　guide　the　Monk　to　a　Chair。　　He　threw　himself　into
his　seat；　folded　his　arms；　and　leaning　his　head　upon　the　table；
sank　into　reflections　perplexing　and　unconnected。

He　was　still　in　this　attitude　when　the　opening　of　the　prison　door
rouzed　him　from　his　stupor。　　He　was　summoned　to　appear　before　the
Grand　Inquisitor。　　He　rose；　and　followed　his　Gaoler　with　painful
steps。　　He　was　led　into　the　same　Hall；　placed　before　the　same
Examiners；　and　was　again　interrogated　whether　Hewould　confess。　
He　replied　as　before；　that　having　no　crimes；　He　could　acknowledge
none：　　But　when　the　Executioners　prepared　to　put　him　to　the
question；　when　He　saw　the　engines　of　torture；　and　remembered　the
pangs　which　they　had　already　inflicted；　his　resolution　failed　him
entirely。　　Forgetting　the　consequences；　and　only　anxious　to
escape　the　terrors　of　the　present　moment；　He　made　an　ample
confession。　　He　disclosed　every　circumstance　of　his　guilt；　and
owned　not　merely　the　crimes　with　which　He　was　charged；　but　those
of　which　He　had　never　been　suspected。　　Being　interrogated　as　to
Matilda's　flight　which　had　created　much　confusion；　He　confessed
that　She　had　sold　herself　to　Satan；　and　that　She　was　indebted　to
Sorcery　for　her　escape。　　He　still　assured　his　Judges　that　for
his　own　part　He　had　never　entered　into　any　compact　with　the
infernal　Spirits；　But　the　threat　of　being　tortured　made　him
declare　himself　to　be　a　Sorcerer；　and　Heretic；　and　whatever　other
title　the　Inquisitors　chose　to　fix　upon　him。　　In　consequence　of
this　avowal；　his　sentence　was　immediately　pronounced。　　He　was
ordered　to　prepare　himself　to　perish　in　the　Auto　da　Fe；　which　was
to　be　solemnized　at　twelve　o'clock　that　night。　　This　hour　was
chosen　from　the　idea　that　the　horror　of　the　flames　being
heightened　by　the　gloom　of　midnight；　the　execution　would　have　a
greater　effect　upon　the　mind　of　the　People。

Ambrosio　rather　dead　than　alive　was　left　alone　in　his　dungeon。　
The　moment　in　which　this　terrible　decree　was　pronounced　had
nearly　proved　that　of　his　dissolution。　He　looked　forward　to　the
morrow　with　despair；　and　his　terrors　increased　with　the　approach
of　midnight。　　Sometimes　He　was　buried　in　gloomy　silence：　　At
others　He　raved　with　delirious　passion；　wrung　his　hands；　and
cursed　the　hour　when　He　first　beheld　the　light。　　In　one　of　these
moments　his　eye　rested　upon　Matilda's　mysterious　gift。　　His
transports　of　rage　were　instantly　suspended。　　He　looked　earnestly
at　the　Book；　He　took　it　up；　but　immediately　threw　it　from　him
with　horror。　　He　walked　rapidly　up　and　down　his　dungeon：　　Then
stopped；　and　again　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　spot　where　the　Book　had
fallen。　　He　reflected　that　here　at　least　was　a　resource　from　the
fate　which　He　dreaded。　　He　stooped；　and　took　it　up　a　second　time。

He　remained　for　some　time　trembling　and　irresolute：　　He　longed　to
try　the　charm；　yet　feared　its　consequences。　　The　recollection　of
his　sentence　at　length　fixed　his　indecision。　　He　opened　the
Volume；　but　his　agitation　was　so　great　that　He　at　first　sought
in　vain　for　the　page　mentioned　by　Matilda。　　Ashamed　of　himself；
He　called　all　his　courage　to　his　aid。　　He　turned　to　the　seventh
leaf。　　He　began　to　read　it　aloud；　But　his　eyes　frequently
wandered　from　the　Book；　while　He　anxiously　cast　them　round　in
search　of　the　Spirit；　whom　He　wished；　yet　dreaded　to　behold。　
Still　He　persisted　in　his　design；　and　with　a　voice　unassured　and
frequent　interruptions；　He　contrived　to　finish　the　four　first
lines　of　the　page。

They　were　in　a　language；　whose　import　was　totally　unknown　to　him。

Scarce　had　He　pronounced　the　last　word　when　the　effects　of　the
charm　were　evident。　　A　loud　burst　of　Thunder　was　heard；　The
prison　shook　to　its　very　foundations；　A　blaze　of　lightning
flashed　through　the　Cell；　and　in　the　next　moment；　borne　upon
sulphurous　whirl…winds；　Lucifer　stood　before　him　a　second　time。
But　He　came　not　as　when　at　Matilda's　summons　He　borrowed　the
Seraph's　form　to　deceive　Ambrosio。　　He　appeared　in　all　that
ugliness　which　since　his　fall　from　heaven　had　been　his　portion：　
His　blasted　limbs　still　bore　marks　of　the　Almighty's　thunder：　　A
swarthy　darkness　spread　itself　over　his　gigantic　form：　　His　hands
and　feet　were　armed　with　long　Talons：　　Fury　glared　in　his　eyes；
which　might　have　struck　the　bravest　heart　with　terror：　Over　his
huge　shoulders　waved　two　enormous　sable　wings；　and　his　hair　was
supplied　by　living　snakes；　which　twined　themselves　round　his
brows　with　frightful　hissings。　　In　one　hand　He　held　a　roll　of
parchment；　and　in　the　other　an　iron　pen。　　Still　the　lightning
flashed　around　him；　and　the　Thunder　with　repeated　bursts；　seemed
to　announce　the　dissolution　of　Nature。