volume02-第16节

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for　his　Brother's　Widow；　and　that　till　it　was　in　his　power　to　pay　his　compliments　to　her　in　person；　Lorenzo　was　commissioned　to　supply　his　place。　　This　intelligence　relieved　Elvira　from　an　heavy　weight　of　uneasiness：　　She　had　now　found　a　Protector　for　the　fatherless　Antonia；　for　whose　future　fortunes　She　had　suffered　the　greatest　apprehensions。　　She　was　not　sparing　of　her　thanks　to　him　who　had　interfered　so　generously　in　her　behalf；　But　still　She　gave　him　no　invitation　to　repeat　his　visit。

However；　when　upon　rising　to　depart　He　requested　permission　to　enquire　after　her　health　occasionally；　the　polite　earnestness　of　his　manner；　gratitude　for　his　services；　and　respect　for　his　Friend　the　Marquis；　would　not　admit　of　a　refusal。　　She　consented　reluctantly　to　receive　him：　　He　promised　not　to　abuse　her　goodness；　and　quitted　the　House。

Antonia　was　now　left　alone　with　her　Mother：　　A　temporary　silence　ensued。　　Both　wished　to　speak　upon　the　same　subject；　but　Neither　knew　how　to　introduce　it。　　The　one　felt　a　bashfulness　which　sealed　up　her　lips；　and　for　which　She　could　not　account：　　The　other　feared　to　find　her　apprehensions　true；　or　to　inspire　her　Daughter　with　notions　to　which　She　might　be　still　a　Stranger。　　At　length　Elvira　began　the　conversation。

'That　is　a　charming　young　Man；　Antonia；　I　am　much　pleased　with　him。　　Was　He　long　near　you　yesterday　in　the　Cathedral？'

'He　quitted　me　not　for　a　moment　while　I　staid　in　the　Church：　　He　gave　me　his　seat；　and　was　very　obliging　and　attentive。'

'Indeed？　　Why　then　have　you　never　mentioned　his　name　to　me？　　Your　Aunt　lanched　out　in　praise　of　his　Friend；　and　you　vaunted　Ambrosio's　eloquence：　　But　Neither　said　a　word　of　Don　Lorenzo's　person　and　accomplishments。　　Had　not　Leonella　spoken　of　his　readiness　to　undertake　our　cause；　I　should　not　have　known　him　to　be　in　existence。'

She　paused。　　Antonia　coloured；　but　was　silent。

'Perhaps　you　judge　him　less　favourably　than　I　do。　　In　my　opinion　his　figure　is　pleasing；　his　conversation　sensible；　and　manners　engaging。　　Still　He　may　have　struck　you　differently：　　You　may　think　him　disagreeable；　and　。　。　。'。

'Disagreeable？　Oh！　dear　Mother；　how　should　I　possibly　think　him　so？　　I　should　be　very　ungrateful　were　I　not　sensible　of　his　kindness　yesterday；　and　very　blind　if　his　merits　had　escaped　me。　　His　figure　is　so　graceful；　so　noble！　　His　manners　so　gentle；　yet　so　manly！　　I　never　yet　saw　so　many　accomplishments　united　in　one　person；　and　I　doubt　whether　Madrid　can　produce　his　equal。'

'Why　then　were　you　so　silent　in　praise　of　this　Phoenix　of　Madrid？

Why　was　it　concealed　from　me　that　his　society　had　afforded　you　pleasure？'

'In　truth；　I　know　not：　　You　ask　me　a　question　which　I　cannot　resolve　myself。　　I　was　on　the　point　of　mentioning　him　a　thousand　times：　　His　name　was　constantly　upon　my　lips；　but　when　I　would　have　pronounced　it；　I　wanted　courage　to　execute　my　design。　　However；　if　I　did　not　speak　of　him；　it　was　not　that　I　thought　of　him　the　less。'

'That　I　believe；　But　shall　I　tell　you　why　you　wanted　courage？　　It　was　because；　accustomed　to　confide　to　me　your　most　secret　thoughts；　you　knew　not　how　to　conceal；　yet　feared　to　acknowledge；　that　your　heart　nourished　a　sentiment　which　you　were　conscious　I　should　disapprove。　　Come　hither　to　me；　my　Child。'

Antonia　quitted　her　embroidery　frame；　threw　herself　upon　her　knees　by　the　Sopha；　and　hid　her　face　in　her　Mother's　lap。

'Fear　not；　my　sweet　Girl！　　Consider　me　equally　as　your　Friend　and　Parent；　and　apprehend　no　reproof　from　me。　　I　have　read　the　emotions　of　your　bosom；　you　are　yet　ill…skilled　in　concealing　them；　and　they　could　not　escape　my　attentive　eye。　　This　Lorenzo　is　dangerous　to　your　repose；　He　has　already　made　an　impression　upon　your　heart。　　'Tis　true　that　I　perceive　easily　that　your　affection　is　returned；　But　what　can　be　the　consequences　of　this　attachment？　　You　are　poor　and　friendless；　my　Antonia；　Lorenzo　is　the　Heir　of　the　Duke　of　Medina　Celi。　　Even　should　Himself　mean　honourably；　his　Uncle　never　will　consent　to　your　union；　Nor　without　that　Uncle's　consent；　will　I。　　By　sad　experience　I　know　what　sorrows　She　must　endure；　who　marries　into　a　family　unwilling　to　receive　her。　　Then　struggle　with　your　affection：　　Whatever　pains　it　may　cost　you；　strive　to　conquer　it。　　Your　heart　is　tender　and　susceptible：　　It　has　already　received　a　strong　impression；　But　when　once　convinced　that　you　should　not　encourage　such　sentiments；　I　trust；　that　you　have　sufficient　fortitude　to　drive　them　from　your　bosom。'

Antonia　kissed　her　hand；　and　promised　implicit　obedience。　　Elvira　then　continued。

'To　prevent　your　passion　from　growing　stronger；　it　will　be　needful　to　prohibit　Lorenzo's　visits。　　The　service　which　He　has　rendered　me　permits　not　my　forbidding　them　positively；　But　unless　I　judge　too　favourably　of　his　character；　He　will　discontinue　them　without　taking　offence；　if　I　confess　to　him　my　reasons；　and　throw　myself　entirely　on　his　generosity。　　The　next　time　that　I　see　him；　I　will　honestly　avow　to　him　the　embarrassment　which　his　presence　occasions。　　How　say　you；　my　Child？　　Is　not　this　measure　necessary？'

Antonia　subscribed　to　every　thing　without　hesitation；　though　not　without　regret。　　Her　Mother　kissed　her　affectionately；　and　retired　to　bed。　　Antonia　followed　her　example；　and　vowed　so　frequently　never　more　to　think　of　Lorenzo；　that　till　Sleep　closed　her　eyes　She　thought　of　nothing　else。

While　this　was　passing　at　Elvira's；　Lorenzo　hastened　to　rejoin　the　Marquis。　　Every　thing　was　ready　for　the　second　elopement　of　Agnes；　and　at　twelve　the　two　Friends　with　a　Coach　and　four　were　at　the　Garden　wall　of　the　Convent。　　Don　Raymond　drew　out　his　Key；　and　unlocked　the　door。　　They　entered；　and　waited　for　some　time　in　expectation　of　being　joined　by　Agnes。　　At　length　the　Marquis　grew　impatient：　　Beginning　to　fear　that　his　second　attempt　would　succeed　no　better　than　the　first；　He　proposed　to　reconnoitre　the　Convent。　　The　Friends　advanced　towards　it。　　Every　thing　was　still　and　dark。　　The　Prioress　was　anxious　to　keep　the　story　a　secret；　fearing　lest　the　crime　of　one　of　its　members　should　bring　disgrace　upon　the　whole　community；　or　that　the　interposition　of　powerful　Relations　should　deprive　her　vengeance　of　its　intended　victim。　　She　took　care　therefore　to　give　the　Lover　of　Agnes　no　cause　to　suppose　that　his　design　was　discovered；　and　his　Mistress　on　the　point　of　suffering　the　punishment　of　her　fault。　　The　same　reason　made　her　reject　the　idea　of　arresting　the　unknown　Seducer　in　the　Garden；　Such　a　proceeding　would　have　created　much　disturbance；　and　the　disgrace　of　her　Convent　would　have　been　noised　about　Madrid。　　She　contented　herself　with　confining　Agnes　closely；　As　to　the　Lover；　She　left　him　at　liberty　to　pursue　his　designs。　　What　She　had　expected　was　the　result。　　The　Marquis　and　Lorenzo　waited　in　vain　till　the　break　of　day：　　They　then　retired　without　noise；　alarmed　at　the　failure　of　their　plan；　and　ignorant　of　the　cause　of　its　ill…success。

The　next　morning　Lorenzo　went　to　the　Convent；　and　requested　to　see　his　Sister。　　The　Prioress　appeared　at　the　Grate　with　a　melancholy　countenance：　　She　informed　him　that　for　several　days　Agnes　had　appeared　much　agitated；　That　She　had　been　prest　by　the　Nuns　in　vain　to　reveal　the　cause；　and　apply　to　their　tenderness　for　advice　and　consolation；　That　She　had　obstinately　persisted　in　concealing　the　cause　of　her　distress；　But　that　on　Thursday　Evening　it　had　produced　so　violent　an　effect　upon　her　constitution；　that　She　had　fallen　ill；　and　was　actually　confined　to　her　bed。　　Lorenzo　did　not　credit　a　syllable　of　this　account：　　He　insisted　upon　seeing　his　Sister；　If　She　was　unable　to　come　to　the　Grate；　He　desired　to　be　admitted　to　her　Cell。　　The　Prioress　crossed　herself！　　She　was　shocked　at　the　very　idea　of　a　Man's　profane　eye　pervading　the　interior　of　her　holy　Mansion；　and　professed　herself　astonished　that　Lorenzo　could　think　of　such　a　thing。　　She　told　him　that　his　request　could　not　be　granted；　But　that　if　He　returned　the　next　day；　She　hoped　that　her　beloved　Daughter　would　then　be　sufficiently　recovered　to　join　him　at　the　Parlour　grate。

With　this　answer　Lorenzo　was　obliged　to　retire；　unsatisfied　and　trembling　for　his　Sister's　safety。

He　returned　the　next　morning　at　an　early　hour。　　'Agnes　was　worse；　The　Physician　had　pronounced　her　to　be　in　imminent　danger；　She　was　ordered　to　remain　quiet；　and　it　was　utterly　impossible　for　her　to　receive　her　Brother's　visit。'　　Lorenzo　stormed　at　this　answer；　but　there　was　no　resource。　　He　raved；　He　entreated；　He　threatened：　　No　means　were　left　untried　to　obtain　a　sight　of　Agnes。　　His　endeavours　were　as　fruitless　as　those　of　the　day　before；　and　He　returned　in　despair　to　the　Marquis。　　On　his　side；　the　Latter　had　spared　no　pains　to　discover　what　had　occasioned　his　plot　to　fail：　　Don　Christoval；　to　whom　the　affair　was　now　entrusted；　endeavoured　to　worm　out　the　secret　from　the　Old　Porteress　of　St。　Clare；　with　whom　He　had　formed　an　acquaintance；　But　She　was　too　much　upon　her　guard；　and　He　gained　from　her　no　intelligence。　The　Marquis　was　almost　distracted；　and　Lorenzo　felt　scarcely　less　inquietude。　　Both　were　convinced　that　the　purposed　elopement　must　have　been　discovered：　　They　doubted　not　but　the　malady　of　Agnes　was　a　pretence；　But　they　knew　not　by　what　means　to　rescue　h