me　not　till　I　had　compelled　her　to　promise　that　on　the　following
  night　She　would　be　at　the　same　place　at　the　same　hour。　　These
  meetings　continued　for　several　Weeks　uninterrupted；　and　'tis　now；
  Lorenzo；　that　I　must　implore　your　indulgence。　　Reflect　upon　our
  situation；　our　youth；　our　long　attachment：　Weigh　all　the
  circumstances　which　attended　our　assignations；　and　you　will
  confess　the　temptation　to　have　been　irresistible；　you　will　even
  pardon　me　when　I　acknowledge；　that　in　an　unguarded　moment；　the
  honour　of　Agnes　was　sacrificed　to　my　passion。'
  （Lorenzo's　eyes　sparkled　with　fury：　　A　deep　crimson　spread　itself
  over　his　face。　　He　started　from　his　seat；　and　attempted　to　draw
  his　sword。　　The　Marquis　was　aware　of　his　movement；　and　caught　his
  hand：　　He　pressed　it　affectionately。
  'My　Friend！　My　Brother！　Hear　me　to　the　conclusion！　　Till　then
  restrain　your　passion；　and　be　at　least　convinced；　that　if　what　I
  have　related　is　criminal；　the　blame　must　fall　upon　me；　and　not
  upon　your　Sister。'
  Lorenzo　suffered　himself　to　be　prevailed　upon　by　Don　Raymond's
  entreaties。　　He　resumed　his　place；　and　listened　to　the　rest　of
  the　narrative　with　a　gloomy　and　impatient　countenance。　　The
  Marquis　thus　continued。）
  'Scarcely　was　the　first　burst　of　passion　past　when　Agnes；
  recovering　herself；　started　from　my　arms　with　horror。　　She　called
  me　infamous　Seducer；　loaded　me　with　the　bitterest　reproaches；　and
  beat　her　bosom　in　all　the　wildness　of　delirium。　　Ashamed　of　my
  imprudence；　I　with　difficulty　found　words　to　excuse　myself。　　I
  endeavoured　to　console　her；　I　threw　myself　at　her　feet；　and
  entreated　her　forgiveness。　　She　forced　her　hand　from　me；　which　I
  had　taken；　and　would　have　prest　to　my　lips。
  'Touch　me　not！'　She　cried　with　a　violence　which　terrified　me；
  'Monster　of　perfidy　and　ingratitude；　how　have　I　been　deceived　in
  you！　　I　looked　upon　you　as　my　Friend；　my　Protector：　　I　trusted
  myself　in　your　hands　with　confidence；　and　relying　upon　your
  honour；　thought　that　mine　ran　no　risque。　　And　'tis　by　you；　whom　I
  adored；　that　I　am　covered　with　infamy！　　'Tis　by　you　that　I　have
  been　seduced　into　breaking　my　vows　to　God；　that　I　am　reduced　to　a
  level　with　the　basest　of　my　sex！　　Shame　upon　you；　Villain；　you
  shall　never　see　me　more！'
  She　started　from　the　Bank　on　which　She　was　seated。　　I　endeavoured
  to　detain　her；　But　She　disengaged　herself　from　me　with　violence；
  and　took　refuge　in　the　Convent。
  I　retired；　filled　with　confusion　and　inquietude。　　The　next
  morning　I　failed　not　as　usual　to　appear　in　the　Garden；　but　Agnes
  was　no　where　to　be　seen。　　At　night　I　waited　for　her　at　the　place
  where　we　generally　met；　I　found　no　better　success。　　Several　days
  and　nights　passed　away　in　the　same　manner。　　At　length　I　saw　my
  offended　Mistress　cross　the　walk　on　whose　borders　I　was　working：
  She　was　accompanied　by　the　same　young　Pensioner；　on　whose　arm　She
  seemed　from　weakness　obliged　to　support　herself。　　She　looked　upon
  me　for　a　moment；　but　instantly　turned　her　head　away。　　I　waited
  her　return；　But　She　passed　on　to　the　Convent　without　paying　any
  attention　to　me；　or　the　penitent　looks　with　which　I　implored　her
  forgiveness。
  As　soon　as　the　Nuns　were　retired；　the　old　Gardener　joined　me　with
  a　sorrowful　air。
  'Segnor；'　said　He；　'it　grieves　me　to　say；　that　I　can　be　no　longer
  of　use　to　you。　　The　Lady　whom　you　used　to　meet　has　just　assured
  me　that　if　I　admitted　you　again　into　the　Garden；　She　would
  discover　the　whole　business　to　the　Lady　Prioress。　　She　bade　me
  tell　you　also；　that　your　presence　was　an　insult；　and　that　if　you
  still　possess　the　least　respect　for　her；　you　will　never　attempt
  to　see　her　more。　　Excuse　me　then　for　informing　you　that　I　can
  favour　your　disguise　no　longer。　　Should　the　Prioress　be
  acquainted　with　my　conduct；　She　might　not　be　contented　with
  dismissing　me　her　service：　　Out　of　revenge　She　might　accuse　me　of
  having　profaned　the　Convent；　and　cause　me　to　be　thrown　into　the
  Prisons　of　the　Inquisition。'
  Fruitless　were　my　attempts　to　conquer　his　resolution。　　He　denied
  me　all　future　entrance　into　the　Garden；　and　Agnes　persevered　in
  neither　letting　me　see　or　hear　from　her。　　In　about　a　fortnight
  after；　a　violent　illness　which　had　seized　my　Father　obliged　me　to
  set　out　for　Andalusia。　　I　hastened　thither；　and　as　I　imagined；
  found　the　Marquis　at　the　point　of　death。　　Though　on　its　first
  appearance　his　complaint　was　declared　mortal；　He　lingered　out
  several　Months；　during　which　my　attendance　upon　him　during　his
  malady；　and　the　occupation　of　settling　his　affairs　after　his
  decease；　permitted　not　my　quitting　Andalusia。　　Within　these　four
  days　I　returned　to　Madrid；　and　on　arriving　at　my　Hotel；　I　there
  found　this　letter　waiting　for　me。
  （Here　the　Marquis　unlocked　the　drawer　of　a　Cabinet：　He　took　out　a
  folded　paper；　which　He　presented　to　his　Auditor。　　Lorenzo　opened
  it；　and　recognised　his　Sister's　hand。　　The　Contents　were　as
  follows。
  Into　what　an　abyss　of　misery　have　you　plunged　me！　　Raymond；　you
  force　me　to　become　as　criminal　as　yourself。　　I　had　resolved　never
  to　see　you　more；　if　possible；　to　forget　you；　If　not；　only　to
  remember　you　with　hate。　　A　Being　for　whom　I　already　feel　a
  Mother's　tenderness；　solicits　me　to　pardon　my　Seducer；　and　apply
  to　his　love　for　the　means　of　preservation。　　Raymond；　your　child
  lives　in　my　bosom。　　I　tremble　at　the　vengeance　of　the　Prioress；　I
  tremble　much　for　myself；　yet　more　for　the　innocent　Creature　whose
  existence　depends　upon　mine。　　Both　of　us　are　lost；　should　my
  situation　be　discovered。　　Advise　me　then　what　steps　to　take；　but
  seek　not　to　see　me。　　The　Gardener；　who　undertakes　to　deliver
  this；　is　dismissed；　and　we　have　nothing　to　hope　from　that
  quarter：　　The　Man　engaged　in　his　place　is　of　incorruptible
  fidelity。　　The　best　means　of　conveying　to　me　your　answer；　is　by
  concealing　it　under　the　great　Statue　of　St。　Francis；　which　stands
  in　the　Capuchin　Cathedral。　　Thither　I　go　every　Thursday　to
  confession；　and　shall　easily　have　an　opportunity　of　securing　your
  letter。　　I　hear　that　you　are　now　absent　from　Madrid；　Need　I
  entreat　you　to　write　the　very　moment　of　your　return？　　I　will　not
  think　it。　　Ah！　Raymond！　　Mine　is　a　cruel　situation！　　Deceived　by
  my　nearest　Relations；　compelled　to　embrace　a　profession　the
  duties　of　which　I　am　ill…calculated　to　perform；　conscious　of　the
  sanctity　of　those　duties；　and　seduced　into　violating　them　by　One
  whom　I　least　suspected　of　perfidy；　I　am　now　obliged　by
  circumstances　to　chuse　between　death　and　perjury。　　Woman's
  timidity；　and　maternal　affection；　permit　me　not　to　balance　in　the
  choice。　　I　feel　all　the　guilt　into　which　I　plunge　myself；　when　I
  yield　to　the　plan　which　you　before　proposed　to　me。　　My　poor
  Father's　death　which　has　taken　place　since　we　met；　has　removed
  one　obstacle。　　He　sleeps　in　his　grave；　and　I　no　longer　dread　his
  anger。　　But　from　the　anger　of　God；　Oh！　Raymond！　who　shall　shield
  me？　　Who　can　protect　me　against　my　conscience；　against　myself？　　I
  dare　not　dwell　upon　these　thoughts；　They　will　drive　me　mad。　　I
  have　taken　my　resolution：　　Procure　a　dispensation　from　my　vows；　I
  am　ready　to　fly　with　you。　　Write　to　me；　my　Husband！　　Tell　me；
  that　absence　has　not　abated　your　love；　tell　me　that　you　will
  rescue　from　death　your　unborn　Child；　and　its　unhappy　Mother。　　I
  live　in　all　the　agonies　of　terror：　　Every　eye　which　is　fixed　upon
  me　seems　to　read　my　secret　and　my　shame。　　And　you　are　the　cause
  of　those　agonies！　　Oh！　When　my　heart　first　loved　you；　how　little
  did　it　suspect　you　of　making　it　feel　such　pangs！
  Agnes。
  Having　perused　the　letter；　Lorenzo　restored　it　in　silence。　　The
  Marquis　replaced　it　in　the　Cabinet；　and　then　proceeded。）
  'Excessive　was　my　joy　at　reading　this　intelligence　so
  earnestly…desired；　so　little　expected。　　My　plan　was　soon
  arranged。　　When　Don　Gaston　discovered　to　me　his　Daughter's
  retreat；　I　entertained　no　doubt　of　her　readiness　to　quit　the
  Convent：　　I　had；　therefore；　entrusted　the　Cardinal…Duke　of　Lerma
  with　the　whole　affair；　who　immediately　busied　himself　in
  obtaining　the　necessary　Bull。　　Fortunately　I　had　afterwards
  neglected　to　stop　his　proceedings。　　Not　long　since　I　received　a
  letter　from　him；　stating　that　He　expected　daily　to　receive　the
  order　from　the　Court　of　Rome。　　Upon　this　I　would　willingly　have
  relyed：　　But　the　Cardinal　wrote　me　word；　that　I　must　find　some
  means　of　conveying　Agnes　out　of　the　Convent；　unknown　to　the
  Prioress。　　He　doubted　not　but　this　Latter　would　be　much　incensed
  by　losing　a　Person　of　such　high　rank　from　her　society；　and
  consider　the　renunciation　of　Agnes　as　an　insult　to　her　House。　　He
  represented　her　as　a　Woman　of　a　violent　and　revengeful　character；
  capable　of　proceeding　to　the　greatest　extremities。　　It　was
  therefore　to　be　feared；　lest　by　confining　Agnes　in　the　Convent
  She　should　frustrate　my　hopes；　and　render　the　Pope's　mandate
  unavailing。　　Influenced　by　this　consideration；　I　resolved　to
  carry　off　my　Mistress；　and　conceal　her　till　the　arrival　of　the
  expected　Bull　in　the　Cardinal…Duke's　Estate。　　He　approved　of　my
  design；　and　profest　himself　ready　to　give　a　shelter　to　the
  Fugitive。　　I　next　caused　the　new　Gardener　of　St。　Clare　to　be
  seized　privately；　and　confined　in　my　Hotel。　　By　this　means　I
  became　M