passion：　　I　grew　melancholy　and　despondent；　I　fled　from　society；
  and　my　health　declined　daily。　　At　length　no　longer　able　to　exist
  in　this　state　of　torture；　I　resolved　to　assume　the　disguise　in
  which　you　see　me。　　My　artifice　was　fortunate：　　I　was　received
  into　the　Monastery；　and　succeeded　in　gaining　your　esteem。
  'Now　then　I　should　have　felt　compleatly　happy；　had　not　my　quiet
  been　disturbed　by　the　fear　of　detection。　　The　pleasure　which　I
  received　from　your　society；　was　embittered　by　the　idea　that
  perhaps　I　should　soon　be　deprived　of　it：　and　my　heart　throbbed　so
  rapturously　at　obtaining　the　marks　of　your　friendship；　as　to
  convince　me　that　I　never　should　survive　its　loss。　　I　resolved；
  therefore；　not　to　leave　the　discovery　of　my　sex　to　chance；　to
  confess　the　whole　to　you；　and　throw　myself　entirely　on　your　mercy
  and　indulgence。　　Ah！　Ambrosio；　can　I　have　been　deceived？　　Can　you
  be　less　generous　than　I　thought　you？　　I　will　not　suspect　it。　　You
  will　not　drive　a　Wretch　to　despair；　I　shall　still　be　permitted　to
  see　you；　to　converse　with　you；　to　adore　you！　　Your　virtues　shall
  be　my　example　through　life；　and　when　we　expire；　our　bodies　shall
  rest　in　the　same　Grave。'
  She　ceased。　　While　She　spoke；　a　thousand　opposing　sentiments
  combated　in　Ambrosio's　bosom。　　Surprise　at　the　singularity　of
  this　adventure；　Confusion　at　her　abrupt　declaration；　Resentment
  at　her　boldness　in　entering　the　Monastery；　and　Consciousness　of
  the　austerity　with　which　it　behoved　him　to　reply；　such　were　the
  sentiments　of　which　He　was　aware；　But　there　were　others　also
  which　did　not　obtain　his　notice。　　He　perceived　not；　that　his
  vanity　was　flattered　by　the　praises　bestowed　upon　his　eloquence
  and　virtue；　that　He　felt　a　secret　pleasure　in　reflecting　that　a
  young　and　seemingly　lovely　Woman　had　for　his　sake　abandoned　the
  world；　and　sacrificed　every　other　passion　to　that　which　He　had
  inspired：　　Still　less　did　He　perceive　that　his　heart　throbbed
  with　desire；　while　his　hand　was　pressed　gently　by　Matilda's　ivory
  fingers。
  By　degrees　He　recovered　from　his　confusion。　　His　ideas　became
  less　bewildered：　　He　was　immediately　sensible　of　the　extreme
  impropriety；　should　Matilda　be　permitted　to　remain　in　the　Abbey
  after　this　avowal　of　her　sex。　　He　assumed　an　air　of　severity；　and
  drew　away　his　hand。
  'How；　Lady！'　said　He；　'Can　you　really　hope　for　my　permission　to
  remain　amongst　us？　　Even　were　I　to　grant　your　request；　what　good
  could　you　derive　from　it？　　Think　you　that　I　ever　can　reply　to　an
  affection；　which　。　。　。'。
  'No；　Father；　No！　　I　expect　not　to　inspire　you　with　a　love　like
  mine。　　I　only　wish　for　the　liberty　to　be　near　you；　to　pass　some
  hours　of　the　day　in　your　society；　to　obtain　your　compassion；　your
  friendship　and　esteem。　　Surely　my　request　is　not　unreasonable。'
  'But　reflect；　Lady！　　Reflect　only　for　a　moment　on　the　impropriety
  of　my　harbouring　a　Woman　in　the　Abbey；　and　that　too　a　Woman；　who
  confesses　that　She　loves　me。　　It　must　not　be。　　The　risque　of　your
  being　discovered　is　too　great；　and　I　will　not　expose　myself　to　so
  dangerous　a　temptation。'
  'Temptation；　say　you？　　Forget　that　I　am　a　Woman；　and　it　no
  longer　exists：　　Consider　me　only　as　a　Friend；　as　an　Unfortunate；
  whose　happiness；　whose　life　depends　upon　your　protection。　　Fear
  not　lest　I　should　ever　call　to　your　remembrance　that　love　the
  most　impetuous；　the　most　unbounded；　has　induced　me　to　disguise　my
  sex；　or　that　instigated　by　desires；　offensive　to　YOUR　vows　and　my
  own　honour；　I　should　endeavour　to　seduce　you　from　the　path　of
  rectitude。　　No；　Ambrosio；　learn　to　know　me　better。　　I　love　you
  for　your　virtues：　　Lose　them；　and　with　them　you　lose　my
  affections。　　I　look　upon　you　as　a　Saint；　Prove　to　me　that　you　are
  no　more　than　Man；　and　I　quit　you　with　disgust。　　Is　it　then　from
  me　that　you　fear　temptation？　　From　me；　in　whom　the　world's
  dazzling　pleasures　created　no　other　sentiment　than　contempt？
  From　me；　whose　attachment　is　grounded　on　your　exemption　from
  human　frailty？　　Oh！　dismiss　such　injurious　apprehensions！　　Think
  nobler　of　me；　think　nobler　of　yourself。　　I　am　incapable　of
  seducing　you　to　error；　and　surely　your　Virtue　is　established　on　a
  basis　too　firm　to　be　shaken　by　unwarranted　desires。　　Ambrosio；
  dearest　Ambrosio！　drive　me　not　from　your　presence；　Remember　your
  promise；　and　authorize　my　stay！'
  'Impossible；　Matilda；　YOUR　interest　commands　me　to　refuse　your
  prayer；　since　I　tremble　for　you；　not　for　myself。　　After
  vanquishing　the　impetuous　ebullitions　of　Youth；　After　passing
  thirty　years　in　mortification　and　penance；　I　might　safely　permit
  your　stay；　nor　fear　your　inspiring　me　with　warmer　sentiments　than
  pity。　　But　to　yourself；　remaining　in　the　Abbey　can　produce　none
  but　fatal　consequences。　　You　will　misconstrue　my　every　word　and
  action；　You　will　seize　every　circumstance　with　avidity；　which
  encourages　you　to　hope　the　return　of　your　affection；　Insensibly
  your　passions　will　gain　a　superiority　over　your　reason；　and　far
  from　these　being　repressed　by　my　presence；　every　moment　which　we
  pass　together；　will　only　serve　to　irritate　and　excite　them。
  Believe　me；　unhappy　Woman！　you　possess　my　sincere　compassion。　　I
  am　convinced　that　you　have　hitherto　acted　upon　the　purest
  motives；　But　though　you　are　blind　to　the　imprudence　of　your
  conduct；　in　me　it　would　be　culpable　not　to　open　your　eyes。　　I
  feel　that　Duty　obliges　my　treating　you　with　harshness：　　I　must
  reject　your　prayer；　and　remove　every　shadow　of　hope　which　may
  aid　to　nourish　sentiments　so　pernicious　to　your　repose。　　Matilda；
  you　must　from　hence　tomorrow。'
  'Tomorrow；　Ambrosio？　　Tomorrow？　　Oh！　surely　you　cannot　mean　it！
  You　cannot　resolve　on　driving　me　to　despair！　　You　cannot　have　the
  cruelty。　。　。　。'
  'You　have　heard　my　decision；　and　it　must　be　obeyed。　The　Laws　of
  our　Order　forbid　your　stay：　　It　would　be　perjury　to　conceal　that
  a　Woman　is　within　these　Walls；　and　my　vows　will　oblige　me　to
  declare　your　story　to　the　Community。　　You　must　from　hence！I
  pity　you；　but　can　do　no　more！'
  He　pronounced　these　words　in　a　faint　and　trembling　voice：　　Then
  rising　from　his　seat；　He　would　have　hastened　towards　the
  Monastery。　　Uttering　a　loud　shriek；　Matilda　followed；　and
  detained　him。
  'Stay　yet　one　moment；　Ambrosio！　　Hear　me　yet　speak　one　word！'
  'I　dare　not　listen！　　Release　me！　　You　know　my　resolution！'
  'But　one　word！　　But　one　last　word；　and　I　have　done！'
  'Leave　me！　　Your　entreaties　are　in　vain！　　You　must　from　hence
  tomorrow！'
  'Go　then；　Barbarian！　　But　this　resource　is　still　left　me。'
  As　She　said　this；　She　suddenly　drew　a　poignard：　　She　rent　open
  her　garment；　and　placed　the　weapon's　point　against　her　bosom。
  'Father；　I　will　never　quit　these　Walls　alive！'
  'Hold！　　Hold；　Matilda！　　What　would　you　do？'
  'You　are　determined；　so　am　I：　　The　Moment　that　you　leave　me；　I
  plunge　this　Steel　in　my　heart。'
  'Holy　St。　Francis！　　Matilda；　have　you　your　senses？　　Do　you　know
  the　consequences　of　your　action？　　That　Suicide　is　the　greatest　of
  crimes？　　That　you　destroy　your　Soul？　　That　you　lose　your　claim　to
  salvation？　　That　you　prepare　for　yourself　everlasting　torments？'
  'I　care　not！　I　care　not！'　She　replied　passionately；　'Either　your
  hand　guides　me　to　Paradise；　or　my　own　dooms　me　to　perdition！
  Speak　to　me；　Ambrosio！　　Tell　me　that　you　will　conceal　my　story；
  that　I　shall　remain　your　Friend　and　your　Companion；　or　this
  poignard　drinks　my　blood！'
  As　She　uttered　these　last　words；　She　lifted　her　arm；　and　made　a
  motion　as　if　to　stab　herself。　　The　Friar's　eyes　followed　with
  dread　the　course　of　the　dagger。　　She　had　torn　open　her　habit；　and
  her　bosom　was　half　exposed。　The　weapon's　point　rested　upon　her
  left　breast：　　And　Oh！　that　was　such　a　breast！　　The　Moonbeams
  darting　full　upon　it　enabled　the　Monk　to　observe　its　dazzling
  whiteness。　　His　eye　dwelt　with　insatiable　avidity　upon　the
  beauteous　Orb。　　A　sensation　till　then　unknown　filled　his　heart
  with　a　mixture　of　anxiety　and　delight：　　A　raging　fire　shot
  through　every　limb；　The　blood　boiled　in　his　veins；　and　a　thousand
  wild　wishes　bewildered　his　imagination。
  'Hold！'　He　cried　in　an　hurried　faultering　voice；　'I　can　resist　no
  longer！　　Stay；　then；　Enchantress；　Stay　for　my　destruction！'
  He　said；　and　rushing　from　the　place；　hastened　towards　the
  Monastery：　　He　regained　his　Cell　and　threw　himself　upon　his
  Couch；　distracted　irresolute　and　confused。
  He　found　it　impossible　for　some　time　to　arrange　his　ideas。　　The
  scene　in　which　He　had　been　engaged　had　excited　such　a　variety　of
  sentiments　in　his　bosom；　that　He　was　incapable　of　deciding　which
  was　predominant。　He　was　irresolute　what　conduct　He　ought　to　hold
  with　the　disturber　of　his　repose。　　He　was　conscious　that
  prudence；
  religion；　and　propriety　necessitated　his　obliging　her　to　quit　the
  Abbey：　　But　on　the　other　hand　such　powerful　reasons　authorized
  her　stay　that　He　was　but　too　much　inclined　to　consent　to　her
  remaining。　　He　could　not　avoid　being　flattered　by　Matilda's
  declaration；　and　at　reflecting　that　He　had　unconsciously
  vanquished　an　heart　which　had　resisted　the　attacks　of　Spain's
  noblest　Cavaliers：　　The　manner　in　which　He　had　gained　her
  affections　was　also　the　most　satisfactory　to　his　vanity：　He
  remembered　the　many　happy　hours　which　He　had　passed　in　Rosario's
  society；　and　dr