the monk(僧侣)-第59章

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be　a　sufficient　crime　to　condemn　me；　and　though　till　now　these
Vaults　have　afforded　me　a　retreat。　。　。　。　。　。　。'

Here　looking　up；　her　eye　fell　upon　Lorenzo；　who　had　continued　to
approach　softly。

'The　Murderers！'　She　cried

She　started　away　from　the　Statue's　Pedestal　on　which　She　had　been
seated；　and　attempted　to　escape　by　flight。　　Her　Companions　at　the
same　moment　uttered　a　terrified　scream；　while　Lorenzo　arrested
the　Fugitive　by　the　arm。　　Frightened　and　desperate　She　sank　upon
her　knees　before　him。

'Spare　me！'　She　exclaimed；　'For　Christ's　sake；　spare　me！　　I　am
innocent；　indeed；　I　am！'

While　She　spoke；　her　voice　was　almost　choaked　with　fear。　　The
beams　of　the　Lamp　darting　full　upon　her　face　which　was　unveiled；
Lorenzo　recognized　the　beautiful　Virginia　de　Villa…Franca。　　He
hastened　to　raise　her　from　the　ground；　and　besought　her　to　take
courage。　　He　promised　to　protect　her　from　the　Rioters；　assured
her　that　her　retreat　was　still　a　secret；　and　that　She　might
depend　upon　his　readiness　to　defend　her　to　the　last　drop　of　his
blood。　　During　this　conversation；　the　Nuns　had　thrown　themselves
into　various　attitudes：　　One　knelt；　and　addressed　herself　to
heaven；　Another　hid　her　face　in　the　lap　of　her　Neighbour；　Some
listened　motionless　with　fear　to　the　discourse　of　the　supposed
Assassin；　while　Others　embraced　the　Statue　of　St。　Clare；　and
implored　her　protection　with　frantic　cries。　　On　perceiving　their
mistake；　they　crowded　round　Lorenzo　and　heaped　benedictions　on
him　by　dozens。　　He　found　that；　on　hearing　the　threats　of　the　Mob；
and　terrified　by　the　cruelties　which　from　the　Convent　Towers
they　had　seen　inflicted　on　the　Superior；　many　of　the　Pensioners
and　Nuns　had　taken　refuge　in　the　Sepulchre。　　Among　the　former　was
to　be　reckoned　the　lovely　Virginia。　　Nearly　related　to　the
Prioress；　She　had　more　reason　than　the　rest　to　dread　the　Rioters；
and　now　besought　Lorenzo　earnestly　not　to　abandon　her　to　their
rage。　　Her　Companions；　most　of　whom　were　Women　of　noble　family；
made　the　same　request；　which　He　readily　granted。　　He　promised　not
to　quit　them；　till　He　had　seen　each　of　them　safe　in　the　arms　of
her　Relations：　　But　He　advised　their　deferring　to　quit　the
Sepulchre　for　some　time　longer；　when　the　popular　fury　should　be
somewhat　calmed；　and　the　arrival　of　military　force　have　dispersed
the　multitude。

'Would　to　God！'　cried　Virginia；　'That　I　were　already　safe　in　my
Mother's　embraces！　　How　say　you；　Segnor；　Will　it　be　long；　ere　we
may　leave　this　place？　　Every　moment　that　I　pass　here；　I　pass　in
torture！'

'I　hope；　not　long；'　said　He；　'But　till　you　can　proceed　with
security；　this　Sepulchre　will　prove　an　impenetrable　asylum。　　Here
you　run　no　risque　of　a　discovery；　and　I　would　advise　your
remaining　quiet　for　the　next　two　or　three　hours。'

'Two　or　three　hours？'　exclaimed　Sister　Helena；　'If　I　stay　another
hour　in　these　vaults；　I　shall　expire　with　fear！　　Not　the　wealth
of　worlds　should　bribe　me　to　undergo　again　what　I　have　suffered
since　my　coming　hither。　Blessed　Virgin！　　To　be　in　this　melancholy
place　in　the　middle　of　night；　surrounded　by　the　mouldering　bodies
of　my　deceased　Companions；　and　expecting　every　moment　to　be　torn
in　pieces　by　their　Ghosts　who　wander　about　me；　and　complain；　and
groan；　and　wail　in　accents　that　make　my　blood　run　cold；　。　。　。　。　。
。　Christ　Jesus！　　It　is　enough　to　drive　me　to　madness！'

'Excuse　me；'　replied　Lorenzo；　'if　I　am　surprized　that　while
menaced　by　real　woes　you　are　capable　of　yielding　to　imaginary
dangers。　　These　terrors　are　puerile　and　groundless：　　Combat　them；
holy　Sister；　I　have　promised　to　guard　you　from　the　Rioters；　but
against　the　attacks　of　superstition　you　must　depend　for
protection　upon　yourself。　The　idea　of　Ghosts　is　ridiculous　in　the
extreme；　And　if　you　continue　to　be　swayed　by　ideal　terrors　。　。　。
。　。　。'

'Ideal？'　exclaimed　the　Nuns　with　one　voice；　'Why　we　heard　it
ourselves；　Segnor！　　Every　one　of　us　heard　it！　　It　was　frequently
repeated；　and　it　sounded　every　time　more　melancholy　and　deep。　
You　will　never　persuade　me　that　we　could　all　have　been　deceived。　
Not　we；　indeed；　No；　no；　Had　the　noise　been　merely　created　by
fancy　。　。　。　。'

'Hark！　　Hark！'　interrupted　Virginia　in　a　voice　of　terror；　'God
preserve　us！　　There　it　is　again！'

The　Nuns　clasped　their　hands　together；　and　sank　upon　their　knees。

Lorenzo　looked　round　him　eagerly；　and　was　on　the　point　of
yielding　to　the　fears　which　already　had　possessed　the　Women。　
Universal　silence　prevailed。　　He　examined　the　Vault；　but　nothing
was　to　be　seen。　　He　now　prepared　to　address　the　Nuns；　and
ridicule　their　childish　apprehensions；　when　his　attention　was
arrested　by　a　deep　and　long…drawn　groan。

'What　was　that？'　He　cried；　and　started。

'There；　Segnor！'　said　Helena；　'Now　you　must　be　convinced！　　You
have　heard　the　noise　yourself！　　Now　judge；　whether　our　terrors
are　imaginary。　　Since　we　have　been　here；　that　groaning　has　been
repeated　almost　every　five　minutes。　　Doubtless；　it　proceeds　from
some　Soul　in　pain；　who　wishes　to　be　prayed　out　of　purgatory：　　But
none　of　us　here　dares　ask　it　the　question。　　As　for　me；　were　I　to
see　an　Apparition；　the　fright；　I　am　very　certain；　would　kill　me
out　of　hand。'

As　She　said　this；　a　second　groan　was　heard　yet　more　distinctly。　
The　Nuns　crossed　themselves；　and　hastened　to　repeat　their　prayers
against　evil　Spirits。　　Lorenzo　listened　attentively。　　He　even
thought　that　He　could　distinguish　sounds；　as　of　one　speaking　in
complaint；　But　distance　rendered　them　inarticulate。　　The　noise
seemed　to　come　from　the　midst　of　the　small　Vault　in　which　He　and
the　Nuns　then　were；　and　which　a　multitude　of　passages　branching
out　in　various　directions；　formed　into　a　sort　of　Star。　　Lorenzo's
curiosity　which　was　ever　awake；　made　him　anxious　to　solve　this
mystery。　　He　desired　that　silence　might　be　kept。　　The　Nuns　obeyed
him。　　All　was　hushed；　till　the　general　stillness　was　again
disturbed　by　the　groaning；　which　was　repeated　several　times
successively。　　He　perceived　it　to　be　most　audible；　when　upon
following　the　sound　He　was　conducted　close　to　the　shrine　of　St。
Clare；

'The　noise　comes　from　hence；'　said　He；　'Whose　is　this　Statue？'

Helena；　to　whom　He　addressed　the　question；　paused　for　a　moment。　
Suddenly　She　clapped　her　hands　together。

'Aye！'　cried　She；　'it　must　be　so。　　I　have　discovered　the　meaning
of　these　groans。'

The　Nuns　crowded　round　her；　and　besought　her　eagerly　to　explain
herself。　　She　gravely　replied　that　for　time　immemorial　the
Statue　had　been　famous　for　performing　miracles：　　From　this　She
inferred　that　the　Saint　was　concerned　at　the　conflagration　of　a
Convent　which　She　protected；　and　expressed　her　grief　by　audible
lamentations。　Not　having　equal　faith　in　the　miraculous　Saint；
Lorenzo　did　not　think　this　solution　of　the　mystery　quite　so
satisfactory；　as　the　Nuns；　who　subscribed　to　it　without
hesitation。　　In　one　point；　'tis　true；　that　He　agreed　with　Helena。

He　suspected　that　the　groans　proceeded　from　the　Statue：　　The　more
He　listened；　the　more　was　He　confirmed　in　this　idea。　　He　drew
nearer　to　the　Image；　designing　to　inspect　it　more　closely：　　But
perceiving　his　intention；　the　Nuns　besought　him　for　God's　sake　to
desist；　since　if　He　touched　the　Statue；　his　death　was　inevitable。

'And　in　what　consists　the　danger？'　said　He。

'Mother　of　God！　　In　what？'　replied　Helena；　ever　eager　to　relate　a
miraculous　adventure；　'If　you　had　only　heard　the　hundredth　part
of　those　marvellous　Stories　about　this　Statue　which　the　Domina
used　to　recount！　　She　assured　us　often　and　often；　that　if　we　only
dared　to　lay　a　finger　upon　it；　we　might　expect　the　most　fatal
consequences。　Among　other　things　She　told　us　that　a　Robber
having　entered　these　Vaults　by　night；　He　observed　yonder　Ruby；
whose　value　is　inestimable。　　Do　you　see　it；　Segnor？　　It　sparkles
upon　the　third　finger　of　the　hand；　in　which　She　holds　a　crown　of
Thorns。　　This　Jewel　naturally　excited　the　Villain's　cupidity。　　He
resolved　to　make　himself　Master　of　it。　　For　this　purpose　He
ascended　the　Pedestal：　　He　supported　himself　by　grasping　the
Saint's　right　arm；　and　extended　his　own　towards　the　Ring。　　What
was　his　surprize；　when　He　saw　the　Statue's　hand　raised　in　a
posture　of　menace；　and　heard　her　lips　pronounce　his　eternal
perdition！　　Penetrated　with　awe　and　consternation；　He　desisted
from　his　attempt；　and　prepared　to　quit　the　Sepulchre。　　In　this　He
also　failed。　　Flight　was　denied　him。　　He　found　it　impossible　to
disengage　the　hand；　which　rested　upon　the　right　arm　of　the
Statue。　　In　vain　did　He　struggle：　　He　remained　fixed　to　the
Image；　till　the　insupportable　and　fiery　anguish　which　darted
itself　through　his　veins；　compelled　his　shrieking　for　assistance。

The　Sepulchre　was　now　filled　with　Spectators。　　The　Villain
confessed　his　sacrilege；　and　was　only　released　by　the　separation
of　his　hand　from　his　body。　　It　has　remained　ever　since　fastened
to　the　Image。　　The　Robber　turned　Hermit；　and　led　ever　after　an
exemplary　life：　　But　yet　the　Saint's　decree　was　performed；　and
Tradition　says　that　He　continues　to　haunt　this　Sepulchre；　and
implore　St。　Clare's　pardon　with　groans　and　lamentations。　　Now　I
think　of　it；　those　which　we　have　just　heard；　may　very　possibly
have　been　uttered　by　the　Ghost　of　this　Sinner：　But　of　this　I　will
not　be　positive。　　All　that　I　can　say　is；　that　since　that　time　no
one　has　ever　dared　to　touch　the　Statue：　　Then　do　not　be
foolhardy；　good　Segnor！　　For　the　love　of　heaven；　give　up　your
design；　nor　expose　yourself　unnecessarily　to　certain
destruction。'

Not　being　convinced　that　his　destruction　would　be　so　certain　as
Helena　seemed　to　think　it；　Lorenzo　persisted　in　his　resolution。　
The　Nuns　besought　him　to　desist　in　piteous　terms；　and　even
pointed　out　the　Robber's　hand；　which　in　effect　was　still　visible
upon　the　arm　of　the　Statue。　　This　proof；　as　they　imagined；　must
convince　him。　It　was　very　far　from　doing　so；　and　they　were
greatly　scandalized　when　he　declared　his　suspicion　that　the
dried　and　shrivelled　fingers　had　been　placed　there　by　order　of
the　Prioress。　　In　spite　of　their　prayers　and　threats　He
approached　the　Statue。　　He　sprang　over　the　iron　Rails　which
defended　it；　and　the　Saint　underwent　a　thorough　examination。　
The　Image　at　first　appeared　to　be　of　Stone；　but　proved　on　further
inspection　to　be　formed　of　no　more　solid　materials　than　coloured
Wood。　　He　shook　it；　and　attempted　to　move　it；　But　it　appeared　to
be　of　a　piece　with　the　Base　which　it　stood　upon。　　He　examined　it
over　and　over：　　Still　no　clue　guided　him　to　the　solution　of　this
mystery；　for　which　the　Nuns　were　become　equally　solicitous；　when
they　saw　that　He　touched　the　Statue　with　impunity。　　He　paused；
and　listened：　　The　groans　were　repeated　at　intervals；　and　He　was
convinced　of　being　in　the　spot　nearest　to　them。　　He　mused　upon
this　singular　event；　and　ran　over　the　Statue　with　enquiring　eyes。
Suddenly　they　rested　upon　the　shrivelled　hand。　　It　struck　him；
that　so　particular　an　injunction　was　not　given　without　cause；　not
to　touch　the　arm　of　the　Image。　　He　again　ascended　the　Pedestal；
He　examined　the　object　of　his　attention；　and　discovered　a　small
knob　of　iron　concealed　between　the　Saint's　shoulder　and　what　was
supposed　to　have　been　the　hand　of　the　Robber。　　This　observation
delighted　him。　　He　app