volume02- 第26部分

　So　will　I　strive　with　zealous　fire　　　Each　vice　to　shun；　each　fault　correct；　　Will　love　the　lessons　you　inspire；　　　And　Prize　the　virtues　you　protect。

　Then　when　at　length　by　high　command　　　My　body　seeks　the　Grave's　repose；　　　When　Death　draws　nigh　with　friendly　hand　　　My　failing　Pilgrim　eyes　to　close；

　Pleased　that　my　soul　has　'scaped　the　wreck；　　　Sighless　will　I　my　life　resign；　　　And　yield　to　God　my　Spirit　back；　　　As　pure　as　when　it　first　was　mine。


Having　finished　her　usual　devotions；　Antonia　retired　to　bed。　　Sleep　soon　stole　over　her　senses；　and　for　several　hours　She　enjoyed　that　calm　repose　which　innocence　alone　can　know；　and　for　which　many　a　Monarch　with　pleasure　would　exchange　his　Crown。　



CHAPTER　IV

　　　Ah！　how　dark　　　These　long…extended　realms　and　rueful　wastes；　　　Where　nought　but　silence　reigns；　and　night；　dark　night；　　Dark　as　was　Chaos　ere　the　Infant　Sun　　　Was　rolled　together；　or　had　tried　its　beams　　　Athwart　the　gloom　profound！　　　The　sickly　Taper　　By　glimmering　through　thy　low…browed　misty　vaults；　　　Furred　round　with　mouldy　damps；　and　ropy　slime；　　　Lets　fall　a　supernumerary　horror；　　　And　only　serves　to　make　　Thy　night　more　irksome！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Blair。

Returned　undiscovered　to　the　Abbey；　Ambrosio's　mind　was　filled　with　the　most　pleasing　images。　　He　was　wilfully　blind　to　the　danger　of　exposing　himself　to　Antonia's　charms：　　He　only　remembered　the　pleasure　which　her　society　had　afforded　him；　and　rejoiced　in　the　prospect　of　that　pleasure　being　repeated。　　He　failed　not　to　profit　by　Elvira's　indisposition　to　obtain　a　sight　of　her　Daughter　every　day。　　At　first　He　bounded　his　wishes　to　inspire　Antonia　with　friendship：　　But　no　sooner　was　He　convinced　that　She　felt　that　sentiment　in　its　fullest　extent；　than　his　aim　became　more　decided；　and　his　attentions　assumed　a　warmer　colour。　　The　innocent　familiarity　with　which　She　treated　him；　encouraged　his　desires：　　Grown　used　to　her　modesty；　it　no　longer　commanded　the　same　respect　and　awe：　　He　still　admired　it；　but　it　only　made　him　more　anxious　to　deprive　her　of　that　quality　which　formed　her　principal　charm。　　Warmth　of　passion；　and　natural　penetration；　of　which　latter　unfortunately　both　for　himself　and　Antonia　He　possessed　an　ample　share；　supplied　a　knowledge　of　the　arts　of　seduction。　　He　easily　distinguished　the　emotions　which　were　favourable　to　his　designs；　and　seized　every　means　with　avidity　of　infusing　corruption　into　Antonia's　bosom。　　This　He　found　no　easy　matter。　　Extreme　simplicity　prevented　her　from　perceiving　the　aim　to　which　the　Monk's　insinuations　tended；　But　the　excellent　morals　which　She　owed　to　Elvira's　care；　the　solidity　and　correctness　of　her　understanding；　and　a　strong　sense　of　what　was　right　implanted　in　her　heart　by　Nature；　made　her　feel　that　his　precepts　must　be　faulty。　By　a　few　simple　words　She　frequently　overthrew　the　whole　bulk　of　his　sophistical　arguments；　and　made　him　conscious　how　weak　they　were　when　opposed　to　Virtue　and　Truth。　　On　such　occasion　He　took　refuge　in　his　eloquence；　He　overpowered　her　with　a　torrent　of　Philosophical　paradoxes；　to　which；　not　understanding　them；　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　reply；　And　thus　though　He　did　not　convince　her　that　his　reasoning　was　just；　He　at　least　prevented　her　from　discovering　it　to　be　false。　　He　perceived　that　her　respect　for　his　judgment　augmented　daily；　and　doubted　not　with　time　to　bring　her　to　the　point　desired。

He　was　not　unconscious　that　his　attempts　were　highly　criminal：　　He　saw　clearly　the　baseness　of　seducing　the　innocent　Girl：　　But　his　passion　was　too　violent　to　permit　his　abandoning　his　design。　　He　resolved　to　pursue　it；　let　the　consequences　be　what　they　might。　　He　depended　upon　finding　Antonia　in　some　unguarded　moment；　And　seeing　no　other　Man　admitted　into　her　society；　nor　hearing　any　mentioned　either　by　her　or　by　Elvira；　He　imagined　that　her　young　heart　was　still　unoccupied。　While　He　waited　for　the　opportunity　of　satisfying　his　unwarrantable　lust；　every　day　increased　his　coldness　for　Matilda。　　Not　a　little　was　this　occasioned　by　the　consciousness　of　his　faults　to　her。　　To　hide　them　from　her　He　was　not　sufficiently　master　of　himself：　　Yet　He　dreaded　lest；　in　a　transport　of　jealous　rage；　She　should　betray　the　secret　on　which　his　character　and　even　his　life　depended。　Matilda　could　not　but　remark　his　indifference：　　He　was　conscious　that　She　remarked　it；　and　fearing　her　reproaches；　shunned　her　studiously。　　Yet　when　He　could　not　avoid　her；　her　mildness　might　have　convinced　him　that　He　had　nothing　to　dread　from　her　resentment。　　She　had　resumed　the　character　of　the　gentle　interesting　Rosario：　She　taxed　him　not　with　ingratitude；　But　her　eyes　filled　with　involuntary　tears；　and　the　soft　melancholy　of　her　countenance　and　voice　uttered　complaints　far　more　touching　than　words　could　have　conveyed。　　Ambrosio　was　not　unmoved　by　her　sorrow；　But　unable　to　remove　its　cause；　He　forbore　to　show　that　it　affected　him。　　As　her　conduct　convinced　him　that　He　needed　not　fear　her　vengeance；　He　continued　to　neglect　her；　and　avoided　her　company　with　care。　　Matilda　saw　that　She　in　vain　attempted　to　regain　his　affections：　　Yet　She　stifled　the　impulse　of　resentment；　and　continued　to　treat　her　inconstant　Lover　with　her　former　fondness　and　attention。

By　degrees　Elvira's　constitution　recovered　itself。　　She　was　no　longer　troubled　with　convulsions；　and　Antonia　ceased　to　tremble　for　her　Mother。　　Ambrosio　beheld　this　reestablishment　with　displeasure。　　He　saw　that　Elvira's　knowledge　of　the　world　would　not　be　the　Dupe　of　his　sanctified　demeanour；　and　that　She　would　easily　perceive　his　views　upon　her　Daughter。　　He　resolved　therefore；　before　She　quitted　her　chamber；　to　try　the　extent　of　his　influence　over　the　innocent　Antonia。

One　evening；　when　He　had　found　Elvira　almost　perfectly　restored　to　health；　He　quitted　her　earlier　than　was　his　usual　custom。　　Not　finding　Antonia　in　the　Antichamber；　He　ventured　to　follow　her　to　her　own。　　It　was　only　separated　from　her　Mother's　by　a　Closet；　in　which　Flora；　the　Waiting…Woman；　generally　slept。　　Antonia　sat　upon　a　Sopha　with　her　back　towards　the　door；　and　read　attentively。　　She　heard　not　his　approach；　till　He　had　seated　himself　by　her。　　She　started；　and　welcomed　him　with　a　look　of　pleasure：　　Then　rising；　She　would　have　conducted　him　to　the　sitting…room；　But　Ambrosio　taking　her　hand；　obliged　her　by　gentle　violence　to　resume　her　place。　　She　complied　without　difficulty：　　She　knew　not　that　there　was　more　impropriety　in　conversing　with　him　in　one　room　than　another。　　She　thought　herself　equally　secure　of　his　principles　and　her　own；　and　having　replaced　herself　upon　the　Sopha；　She　began　to　prattle　to　him　with　her　usual　ease　and　vivacity。

He　examined　the　Book　which　She　had　been　reading；　and　had　now　placed　upon　the　Table。　　It　was　the　Bible。

'How！'　said　the　Friar　to　himself；　'Antonia　reads　the　Bible；　and　is　still　so　ignorant？'

But；　upon　a　further　inspection；　He　found　that　Elvira　had　made　exactly　the　same　remark。　　That　prudent　Mother；　while　She　admired　the　beauties　of　the　sacred　writings；　was　convinced　that；　unrestricted；　no　reading　more　improper　could　be　permitted　a　young　Woman。　　Many　of　the　narratives　can　only　tend　to　excite　ideas　the　worst　calculated　for　a　female　breast：　　Every　thing　is　called　plainly　and　roundly　by　its　name；　and　the　annals　of　a　Brothel　would　scarcely　furnish　a　greater　choice　of　indecent　expressions。　　Yet　this　is　the　Book　which　young　Women　are　recommended　to　study；　which　is　put　into　the　hands　of　Children；　able　to　comprehend　little　more　than　those　passages　of　which　they　had　better　remain　ignorant；　and　which　but　too　frequently　inculcates　the　first　rudiments　of　vice；　and　gives　the　first　alarm　to　the　still　sleeping　passions。　　Of　this　was　Elvira　so　fully　convinced；　that　She　would　have　preferred　putting　into　her　Daughter's　hands　'Amadis　de　Gaul；'　or　'The　Valiant　Champion；　Tirante　the　White；'　and　would　sooner　have　authorised　her　studying　the　lewd　exploits　of　'Don　Galaor；'　or　the　lascivious　jokes　of　the　'Damsel　Plazer　di　mi　vida。'　　She　had　in　consequence　made　two　resolutions　respecting　the　Bible。　　The　first　was　that　Antonia　should　not　read　it　till　She　was　of　an　age　to　feel　its　beauties；　and　profit　by　its　morality：　　The　second；　that　it　should　be　copied　out　with　her　own　hand；　and　all　improper　passages　either　altered　or　omitted。　　She　had　adhered　to　this　determination；　and　such　was　the　Bible　which　Antonia　was　reading：　　It　had　been　lately　delivered　to　her；　and　She　perused　it　with　an　avidity；　with　a　delight　that　was　inexpressible。　　Ambrosio　perceived　his　mistake；　and　replaced　the　Book　upon　the　Table。

Antonia　spoke　of　her　Mother's　health　with　all　the　enthusiastic　joy　of　a　youthful　heart。

'I　admire　your　filial　affection；'　said　the　Abbot；　'It　proves　the　excellence　and　sensibility　of　your　character；　It　promises　a　treasure　to　him　whom　Heaven　has　destined　to　possess　your　affections。　　The　Breast；　so　capable　of　fondness　for　a　Parent；　what　will　it　feel　for　a　Lover？　　Nay；　perhaps；　what　feels　it　for　one　even　now？　　Tell　me；　my　lovely　Daughter；　Have　you　known　what　it　is　to　love？　　Answer　me　with　sincerity：　　Forget　my　habit；　and　consider　me　only　as　a　Friend。'

'What　it　is　to　love？'　said　She；　repeating　his　question；　'Oh！　yes；　undoubtedly；　I　have　loved　many；　many　People。'

'That