the monk(僧侣)-第57章

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pale；　and　trembled。　　The　general　silence　convinced　her　that　She
had　nothing　to　hope　but　from　innocence；　and　She　besought　Don
Ramirez　in　a　faultering　voice；　to　inform　her　of　what　crime　She
was　accused。

'That　you　shall　know　in　time；'　replied　He；　'But　first　I　must
secure　the　Mother　St。　Ursula。'

'The　Mother　St。　Ursula？'　repeated　the　Domina　faintly。

At　this　moment　casting　her　eyes　round；　She　saw　near　her　Lorenzo
and　the　Duke；　who　had　followed　Don　Ramirez。

'Ah！　great　God！'　She　cried；　clasping　her　hands　together　with　a
frantic　air；　'I　am　betrayed！'

'Betrayed？'　replied　St。　Ursula；　who　now　arrived　conducted　by　some
of　the　Archers；　and　followed　by　the　Nun　her　Companion　in　the
procession：　　'Not　betrayed；　but　discovered。　　In　me　recognise　your
Accuser：　　You　know　not　how　well　I　am　instructed　in　your
guilt！Segnor！'　She　continued；　turning　to　Don　Ramirez；　'I　commit
myself　to　your　custody。　　I　charge　the　Prioress　of　St。　Clare　with
murder；　and　stake　my　life　for　the　justice　of　my　accusation。'

A　general　cry　of　surprize　was　uttered　by　the　whole　Audience；　and
an　explanation　was　demanded　loudly。n　The　trembling　Nuns；
terrifiedat　the　noise　and　universal　confusion；　had　dispersed；　and
fleddifferent　ways。　　Some　regained　the　Convent；　Others　sought
refugein　the　dwellings　of　their　Relations；　and　Many；　only
sensible　oftheir　present　danger；　and　anxious　to　escape　from　the
tumult；　ran　through　the　Streets；　and　wandered；　they　knew　not
whither。　　The　lovely　Virginia　was　one　of　the　first　to　fly：　　And
in　order　that　She　might　be　better　seen　and　heard；　the　People
desired　that　St。　Ursula　should　harangue　them　from　the　vacant
Throne。　　The　Nun　complied；　She　ascended　the　glittering　Machine；
and　then　addressed　the　surrounding　multitude　as　follows。

'However　strange　and　unseemly　may　appear　my　conduct；　when
considered　to　be　adopted　by　a　Female　and　a　Nun；　necessity　will
justify　it　most　fully。　　A　secret；　an　horrible　secret　weighs　heavy
upon　my　soul：　　No　rest　can　be　mine　till　I　have　revealed　it　to　the
world；　and　satisfied　that　innocent　blood　which　calls　from　the
Grave　for　vengeance。　　Much　have　I　dared　to　gain　this　opportunity
of　lightening　my　conscience。　　Had　I　failed　in　my　attempt　to
reveal　the　crime；　had　the　Domina　but　suspected　that　the　mystery
was　none　to　me；　my　ruin　was　inevitable。　　Angels　who　watch
unceasingly　over　those　who　deserve　their　favour；　have　enabled　me
to　escape　detection：　　I　am　now　at　liberty　to　relate　a　Tale；　whose
circumstances　will　freeze　every　honest　soul　with　horror。　　Mine　is
the　task　to　rend　the　veil　from　Hypocrisy；　and　show　misguided
Parents　to　what　dangers　the　Woman　is　exposed；　who　falls　under　the
sway　of　a　monastic　Tyrant。

'Among　the　Votaries　of　St。　Clare；　none　was　more　lovely；　none　more
gentle；　than　Agnes　de　Medina。　　I　knew　her　well；　She　entrusted　to
me　every　secret　of　her　heart；　I　was　her　Friend　and　Confident；　and
I　loved　her　with　sincere　affection。　　Nor　was　I　singular　in　my
attachment。　　　Her　piety　unfeigned；　her　willingness　to　oblige；　and
her　angelic　disposition；　rendered　her　the　Darling　of　all　that　was
estimable　in　the　Convent。　　The　Prioress　herself；　proud；
scrupulous　and　forbidding；　could　not　refuse　Agnes　that　tribute　of
approbation　which　She　bestowed　upon　no　one　else。　　Every　one　has
some　fault：　　Alas！　Agnes　had　her　weakness！　　She　violated　the　laws
of　our　order；　and　incurred　the　inveterate　hate　of　the　unforgiving
Domina。　　St。　Clare's　rules　are　severe：　　But　grown　antiquated　and
neglected；　many　of　late　years　have　either　been　forgotten；　or
changed　by　universal　consent　into　milder　punishments。　　The
penance；　adjudged　to　the　crime　of　Agnes；　was　most　cruel；　most
inhuman！　　The　law　had　been　long　exploded：　　Alas！　　It　still
existed；　and　the　revengeful　Prioress　now　determined　to　revive　it。

This　law　decreed　that　the　Offender　should　be　plunged　into　a
private　dungeon；　expressly　constituted　to　hide　from　the　world　for
ever　the　Victim　of　Cruelty　and　tyrannic　superstition。　　In　this
dreadful　abode　She　was　to　lead　a　perpetual　solitude；　deprived　of
all　society；　and　believed　to　be　dead　by　those　whom　affection
might　have　prompted　to　attempt　her　rescue。　　Thus　was　She　to
languish　out　the　remainder　of　her　days；　with　no　other　food　than
bread　and　water；　and　no　other　comfort　than　the　free　indulgence　of
her　tears。'

The　indignation　created　by　this　account　was　so　violent；　as　for
some　moments　to　interrupt　St。　Ursula's　narrative。　　When　the
disturbance　ceased；　and　silence　again　prevailed　through　the
Assembly；　She　continued　her　discourse；　while　at　every　word　the
Domina's　countenance　betrayed　her　increasing　terrors。

'A　Council　of　the　twelve　elder　Nuns　was　called：　　I　was　of　the
number。　　The　Prioress　in　exaggerated　colours　described　the
offence　of　Agnes；　and　scrupled　not　to　propose　the　revival　of　this
almost　forgotten　law。　　To　the　shame　of　our　sex　be　it　spoken；　that
either　so　absolute　was　the　Domina's　will　in　the　Convent；　or　so
much　had　disappointment；　solitude；　and　self…denial　hardened　their
hearts　and　sowered　their　tempers　that　this　barbarous　proposal
was　assented　to　by　nine　voices　out　of　the　twelve。　　I　was　not　one
of　the　nine。　　Frequent　opportunities　had　convinced　me　of　the
virtues　of　Agnes；　and　I　loved　and　pitied　her　most　sincerely。　　The
Mothers　Bertha　and　Cornelia　joined　my　party：　　We　made　the
strongest　opposition　possible；　and　the　Superior　found　herself
compelled　to　change　her　intention。　　In　spite　of　the　majority　in
her　favour；　She　feared　to　break　with　us　openly。　　She　knew　that
supported　by　the　Medina　family；　our　forces　would　be　too　strong
for　her　to　cope　with：　　And　She　also　knew　that　after　being　once
imprisoned　and　supposed　dead；　should　Agnes　be　discovered；　her
ruin　would　be　inevitable。　　She　therefore　gave　up　her　design；
though　which　much　reluctance。　　She　demanded　some　days　to　reflect
upon　a　mode　of　punishment　which　might　be　agreeable　to　the　whole
Community；　and　She　promised；　that　as　soon　as　her　resolution　was
fixed；　the　same　Council　should　be　again　summoned。　　Two　days
passed　away：　　On　the　Evening　of　the　Third　it　was　announced　that
on　the　next　day　Agnes　should　be　examined；　and　that　according　to
her　behaviour　on　that　occasion；　her　punishment　should　be　either
strengthened　or　mitigated。

'On　the　night　preceding　this　examination；　I　stole　to　the　Cell　of
Agnes　at　an　hour　when　I　supposed　the　other　Nuns　to　be　buried　in
sleep。　　I　comforted　her　to　the　best　of　my　power：　　I　bad　her　take
courage；　told　her　to　rely　upon　the　support　of　her　friends；　and
taught　her　certain　signs；　by　which　I　might　instruct　her　to　answer
the　Domina's　questions　by　an　assent　or　negative。　　Conscious　that
her　Enemy　would　strive　to　confuse；　embarrass；　and　daunt　her；　I
feared　her　being　ensnared　into　some　confession　prejudicial　to　her
interests。　　Being　anxious　to　keep　my　visit　secret；　I　stayed　with
Agnes　but　a　short　time。　　I　bad　her　not　let　her　spirits　be　cast
down；　I　mingled　my　tears　with　those　which　streamed　down　her
cheek；　embraced　her　fondly；　and　was　on　the　point　of　retiring；
when　I　heard　the　sound　of　steps　approaching　the　Cell。　　I　started
back。　　A　Curtain　which　veiled　a　large　Crucifix　offered　me　a
retreat；　and　I　hastened　to　place　myself　behind　it。　　The　door
opened。　　The　Prioress　entered；　followed　by　four　other　Nuns。　　They
advanced　towards　the　bed　of　Agnes。　The　Superior　reproached　her
with　her　errors　in　the　bitterest　terms：　　She　told　her　that　She
was　a　disgrace　to　the　Convent；　that　She　was　resolved　to　deliver
the　world　and　herself　from　such　a　Monster；　and　commanded　her　to
drink　the　contents　of　a　Goblet　now　presented　to　her　by　one　of　the
Nuns。　　Aware　of　the　fatal　properties　of　the　liquor；　and　trembling
to　find　herself　upon　the　brink　of　Eternity；　the　unhappy　Girl
strove　to　excite　the　Domina's　pity　by　the　most　affecting　prayers。

She　sued　for　life　in　terms　which　might　have　melted　the　heart　of　a
Fiend：　　She　promised　to　submit　patiently　to　any　punishment；　to
shame；　imprisonment；　and　torture；　might　She　but　be　permitted　to
live！　　Oh！　might　She　but　live　another　month；　or　week；　or　day！　
Her　merciless　Enemy　listened　to　her　complaints　unmoved：　　She　told
her　that　at　first　She　meant　to　have　spared　her　life；　and　that　if
She　had　altered　her　intention；　She　had　to　thank　the　opposition　of
her　Friends。　　She　continued　to　insist　upon　her　swallowing　the
poison：　　She　bad　her　recommend　herself　to　the　Almighty's　mercy；
not　to　hers；　and　assured　her　that　in　an　hour　She　would　be
numbered　with　the　Dead。　　Perceiving　that　it　was　vain　to　implore
this　unfeeling　Woman；　She　attempted　to　spring　from　her　bed；　and
call　for　assistance：　　She　hoped；　if　She　could　not　escape　the　fate
announced　to　her；　at　least　to　have　witnesses　of　the　violence
committed。　　The　Prioress　guessed　her　design。　　She　seized　her
forcibly　by　the　arm；　and　pushed　her　back　upon　her　pillow。　　At　the
same　time　drawing　a　dagger；　and　placing　it　at　the　breast　of　the
unfortunate　Agnes；　She　protested　that　if　She　uttered　a　single
cry；　or　hesitated　a　single　moment　to　drink　the　poison；　She　would
pierce　her　heart　that　instant。　　Already　half…dead　with　fear；　She
could　make　no　further　resistance。　　The　Nun　approached　with　the
fatal　Goblet。　　The　Domina　obliged　her　to　take　it；　and　swallow　the
contents。　　She　drank；　and　the　horrid　deed　was　accomplished。　　The
Nuns　then　seated　themselves　round　the　Bed。　　They　answered　her
groans　with　reproaches；　They　interrupted　with　sarcasms　the
prayers　in　which　She　recommended　her　parting　soul　to　mercy：　　They
threatened　her　with　heaven's　vengeance　and　eternal　perdition：　
They　bad　her　despair　of　pardon；　and　strowed　with　yet　sharper
thorns　Death's　painful　pillow。　　Such　were　the　sufferings　of　this
young　Unfortunate；　till　released　by　fate　from　the　malice　of　her
Tormentors。　　She　expired　in　horror　of　the　past；　in　fears　for　the
future；　and　her　agonies　were　such　as　must　have　amply　gratified
the　hate　and　vengeance　of　her　Enemies。　　As　soon　as　her　Victim
ceased　to　breathe；　the　Domina　retired；　and　was　followed　by　her
Accomplices。

'It　was　now　that　I　ventured　from　my　concealment。　　I　dared　not　to
assist　my　unhappy　Friend；　aware　that　without　preserving　her；　I
should　only　have　brought　on　myself　the　same　destruction。　　Shocked
and　terrified　beyond　expression　at　this　horrid　scene；　scarcely
had　I　sufficient　strength　to　regain　my　Cell。　　As　I　reached　the
door　of　that　of　Agnes；　I　ventured　to　look　towards　the　bed；　on
which　lay　her　lifeless　body；　once　so　lovely　and　so　sweet！　　I
breathed　a　prayer　for　her　departed　Spirit；　and　vowed　to　revenge
her　death　by　the　shame　and　punishment　of　her　Assassins。　　With
danger　and　difficulty　have　I　kept　my　oath。　　I　unwarily　dropped
some　words　at　the　funeral　of　Agnes；　while　thrown　off　my　guard　by
excessive　grief；　which　alarmed　the　guilty　conscience　of　the
Prioress。　　My　every　action　was　observed；　My　every　step　was
traced。　　I　was　constantly　surrounded　by　the　Superior's　spies。　　It
was　long　before　I　could　find　the　means　of　conveying　to　the
unhappy　Girl's　Relations　an　intimation　of　my　secret。　　It　was
given　out　that　Agnes　had　expired　suddenly：　This　account　was
credited　not　only　by　her　Friends　in　Madrid；　but　even　by　those
within　the　Convent。　　The　poison　had　left　no　marks　upon　her　body：　
No　one　suspected　the　true　cause　of　her　death；　and　it　remained
unknown　to　all；　save　the　Assassins　and　Myself。

'I　h