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As soon as He had finished； Ambrosio bent an eye stern and angry
upon the imprudent Nun。
'This letter must to the Prioress！' said He； and passed her。
His words sounded like thunder to her ears： She awoke from her
torpidity only to be sensible of the dangers of her situation。
She followed him hastily； and detained him by his garment。
'Stay！ Oh！ stay！' She cried in the accents of despair； while She
threw herself at the Friar's feet； and bathed them with her
tears。 'Father； compassionate my youth！ Look with indulgence on
a Woman's weakness； and deign to conceal my frailty！ The
remainder of my life shall be employed in expiating this single
fault； and your lenity will bring back a soul to heaven！'
'Amazing confidence！ What！ Shall St。 Clare's Convent become the
retreat of Prostitutes？ Shall I suffer the Church of Christ to
cherish in its bosom debauchery and shame？ Unworthy Wretch！ such
lenity would make me your accomplice。 Mercy would here be
criminal。 You have abandoned yourself to a Seducer's lust； You
have defiled the sacred habit by your impurity； and still dare
you think yourself deserving my compassion？ Hence； nor detain me
longer！ Where is the Lady Prioress？' He added； raising his
voice。
'Hold！ Father； Hold！ Hear me but for one moment！ Tax me not with
impurity； nor think that I have erred from the warmth of
temperament。 Long before I took the veil； Raymond was Master of
my heart： He inspired me with the purest； the most
irreproachable passion； and was on the point of becoming my
lawful husband。 An horrible adventure； and the treachery of a
Relation； separated us from each other： I believed him for ever
lost to me； and threw myself into a Convent from motives of
despair。 Accident again united us； I could not refuse myself the
melancholy pleasure of mingling my tears with his： We met
nightly in the Gardens of St。 Clare； and in an unguarded moment I
violated my vows of Chastity。 I shall soon become a Mother：
Reverend Ambrosio； take compassion on me； take compassion on the
innocent Being whose existence is attached to mine。 If you
discover my imprudence to the Domina； both of us are lost： The
punishment which the laws of St。 Clare assign to Unfortunates
like myself is most severe and cruel。 Worthy； worthy Father！
Let not your own untainted conscience render you unfeeling
towards those less able to withstand temptation！ Let not mercy
be the only virtue of which your heart is unsusceptible！ Pity
me； most reverend！ Restore my letter； nor doom me to inevitable
destruction！'
'Your boldness confounds me！ Shall I conceal your crime； I whom
you have deceived by your feigned confession？ No； Daughter； no！
I will render you a more essential service。 I will rescue you
from perdition in spite of yourself； Penance and mortification
shall expiate your offence； and Severity force you back to the
paths of holiness。 What； Ho！ Mother St。 Agatha！'
'Father！ By all that is sacred； by all that is most dear to you；
I supplicate； I entreat。 。 。 。'
'Release me！ I will not hear you。 Where is the Domina？ Mother
St。 Agatha； where are you？'
The door of the Vestry opened； and the Prioress entered the
Chapel； followed by her Nuns。
'Cruel！ Cruel！' exclaimed Agnes； relinquishing her hold。
Wild and desperate； She threw herself upon the ground； beating
her bosom and rending her veil in all the delirium of despair。
The Nuns gazed with astonishment upon the scene before them。 The
Friar now presented the fatal paper to the Prioress； informed her
of the manner in which he had found it； and added； that it was
her business to decide； what penance the delinquent merited。
While She perused the letter； the Domina's countenance grew
inflamed with passion。 What！ Such a crime committed in her
Convent； and made known to Ambrosio； to the Idol of Madrid； to
the Man whom She was most anxious to impress with the opinion of
the strictness and regularity of her House！ Words were
inadequate to express her fury。 She was silent； and darted upon
the prostrate Nun looks of menace and malignity。
'Away with her to the Convent！' said She at length to some of her
Attendants。
Two of the oldest Nuns now approaching Agnes； raised her forcibly
from the ground； and prepared to conduct her from the Chapel。
'What！' She exclaimed suddenly shaking off their hold with
distracted gestures； 'Is all hope then lost？ Already do you drag
me to punishment？ Where are you； Raymond？ Oh！ save me！ save
me！'
Then casting upon the Abbot a frantic look； 'Hear me！' She
continued； 'Man of an hard heart！ Hear me； Proud； Stern； and
Cruel！ You could have saved me； you could have restored me to
happiness and virtue； but would not！ You are the destroyer of my
Soul； You are my Murderer； and on you fall the curse of my death
and my unborn Infant's！ Insolent in your yet…unshaken virtue；
you disdained the prayers of a Penitent； But God will show mercy；
though you show none。 And where is the merit of your boasted
virtue？ What temptations have you vanquished？ Coward！ you have
fled from it； not opposed seduction。 But the day of Trial will
arrive！ Oh！ then when you yield to impetuous passions！ when you
feel that Man is weak； and born to err； When shuddering you look
back upon your crimes； and solicit with terror the mercy of your
God； Oh！ in that fearful moment think upon me！ Think upon your
Cruelty！ Think upon Agnes； and despair of pardon！'
As She uttered these last words； her strength was exhausted； and
She sank inanimate upon the bosom of a Nun who stood near her。
She was immediately conveyed from the Chapel； and her Companions
followed her。
Ambrosio had not listened to her reproaches without emotion。 A
secret pang at his heart made him feel； that He had treated this
Unfortunate with too great severity。 He therefore detained the
Prioress and ventured to pronounce some words in favour of the
Delinquent。
'The violence of her despair；' said He； 'proves； that at least
Vice is not become familiar to her。 Perhaps by treating her with
somewhat less rigour than is generally practised； and mitigating
in some degree the accustomed penance。 。 。 。'
'Mitigate it； Father？' interrupted the Lady Prioress； 'Not I；
believe me。 The laws of our order are strict and severe； they
have fallen into disuse of late； But the crime of Agnes shows me
the necessity of their revival。 I go to signify my intention to
the Convent； and Agnes shall be the first to feel the rigour of
those laws； which shall be obeyed to the very letter。 Father；
Farewell。'
Thus saying； She hastened out of the Chapel。
'I have done my duty；' said Ambrosio to himself。
Still did He not feel perfectly satisfied by this reflection。 To
dissipate the unpleasant ideas which this scene had excited in
him； upon quitting the Chapel He descended into the Abbey Garden。
In all Madrid there was no spot more beautiful or better
regulated。 It was laid out with the most exquisite taste； The
choicest flowers adorned it in the height of luxuriance； and
though artfully arranged； seemed only planted by the hand of
Nature： Fountains； springing from basons of white Marble； cooled
the air with perpetual showers； and the Walls were entirely
covered by Jessamine； vines； and Honeysuckles。 The hour now
added to the beauty of the scene。 The full Moon； ranging through
a blue and cloudless sky； shed upon the trees a trembling lustre；
and the waters of the fountains sparkled in the silver beam： A
gentle breeze breathed the fragrance of Orange…blossoms along the
Alleys； and the Nightingale poured forth her melodious murmur
from the shelter of an artificial wilderness。 Thither the Abbot
bent his steps。
In the bosom of this little Grove stood a rustic Grotto； formed
in imitation of an Hermitage。 The walls were constructed of
roots of trees； and the interstices filled up with Moss and Ivy。
Seats of Turf were placed on either side； and a natural Cascade
fell from the Rock above。 Buried in himself the Monk approached
the spot。 The universal calm had communicated itself to his
bosom； and a voluptuous tranquillity spread languor through his
soul。
He reached the Her