perceive；　and　She　redoubled　her　attention　to　the　Invalid。　　When
  He　parted　from　her　at　the　door　of　her　Father's　Palace；　the　Duke
  entreated　permission　to　enquire　occasionally　after　her　health。
  His　request　was　readily　granted：　　Virginia　assured　him　that　the
  Marquis　de　Villa…Franca　would　be　proud　of　an　opportunity　to　thank
  him　in　person　for　the　protection　afforded　to　her。　　They　now
  separated；　He　enchanted　with　her　beauty　and　gentleness；　and　She
  much　pleased　with　him　and　more　with　his　Nephew。
  On　entering　the　Palace；　Virginia's　first　care　was　to　summon　the
  family　Physician；　and　take　care　of　her　unknown　charge。　　Her
  Mother　hastened　to　share　with　her　the　charitable　office。　　Alarmed
  by　the　riots；　and　trembling　for　his　Daughter's　safety；　who　was
  his　only　child；　the　Marquis　had　flown　to　St。　Clare's　Convent；　and
  was　still　employed　in　seeking　her。　　Messengers　were　now
  dispatched　on　all　sides　to　inform　him　that　He　would　find　her
  safe　at　his　Hotel；　and　desire　him　to　hasten　thither　immediately。
  His　absence　gave　Virginia　liberty　to　bestow　her　whole　attention
  upon　her　Patient；　and　though　much　disordered　herself　by　the
  adventures　of　the　night；　no　persuasion　could　induce　her　to　quit
  the　bedside　of　the　Sufferer。　　Her　constitution　being　much
  enfeebled　by　want　and　sorrow；　it　was　some　time　before　the
  Stranger　was　restored　to　her　senses。　　She　found　great　difficulty
  in　swallowing　the　medicines　prescribed　to　her：　　But　this　obstacle
  being　removed；　She　easily　conquered　her　disease　which　proceeded
  from　nothing　but　weakness。　　The　attention　which　was　paid　her；　the
  wholesome　food　to　which　She　had　been　long　a　Stranger；　and　her　joy
  at　being　restored　to　liberty；　to　society；　and；　as　She　dared　to
  hope；　to　Love；　all　this　combined　to　her　speedy　re…establishment。
  From　the　first　moment　of　knowing　her；　her　melancholy　situation；
  her　sufferings　almost　unparalleled　had　engaged　the　affections　of
  her　amiable　Hostess：　Virginia　felt　for　her　the　most　lively
  interest；　But　how　was　She　delighted；　when　her　Guest　being
  sufficiently　recovered　to　relate　her　History；　She　recognized　in
  the　captive　Nun　the　Sister　of　Lorenzo！
  This　victim　of　monastic　cruelty　was　indeed　no　other　than　the
  unfortunate　Agnes。　　During　her　abode　in　the　Convent；　She　had　been
  well　known　to　Virginia：　　But　her　emaciated　form；　her　features
  altered　by　affliction；　her　death　universally　credited；　and　her
  overgrown　and　matted　hair　which　hung　over　her　face　and　bosom　in
  disorder　at　first　had　prevented　her　being　recollected。　　The
  Prioress　had　put　every　artifice　in　practice　to　induce　Virginia　to
  take　the　veil；　for　the　Heiress　of　Villa…Franca　would　have　been　no
  despicable　acquisition。　　Her　seeming　kindness　and　unremitted
  attention　so　far　succeeded　that　her　young　Relation　began　to
  think　seriously　upon　compliance。　　Better　instructed　in　the
  disgust　and　ennui　of　a　monastic　life；　Agnes　had　penetrated　the
  designs　of　the　Domina：　　She　trembled　for　the　innocent　Girl；　and
  endeavoured　to　make　her　sensible　of　her　error。　　She　painted　in
  their　true　colours　the　numerous　inconveniencies　attached　to　a
  Convent；　the　continued　restraint；　the　low　jealousies；　the　petty
  intrigues；　the　servile　court　and　gross　flattery　expected　by　the
  Superior。　　She　then　bad　Virginia　reflect　on　the　brilliant
  prospect　which　presented　itself　before　her：　　The　Idol　of　her
  Parents；　the　admiration　of　Madrid；　endowed　by　nature　and
  education　with　every　perfection　of　person　and　mind；　She　might
  look　forward　to　an　establishment　the　most　fortunate。　　Her　riches
  furnished　her　with　the　means　of　exercising　in　their　fullest
  extent；　charity　and　benevolence；　those　virtues　so　dear　to　her；
  and　her　stay　in　the　world　would　enable　her　discovering　Objects
  worthy　her　protection；　which　could　not　be　done　in　the　seclusion
  of　a　Convent。
  Her　persuasions　induced　Virginia　to　lay　aside　all　thoughts　of　the
  Veil：　　But　another　argument；　not　used　by　Agnes；　had　more　weight
  with　her　than　all　the　others　put　together。　　She　had　seen　Lorenzo；
  when　He　visited　his　Sister　at　the　Grate。　　His　Person　pleased　her；
  and　her　conversations　with　Agnes　generally　used　to　terminate　in
  some　question　about　her　Brother。　　She；　who　doted　upon　Lorenzo；
  wished　for　no　better　than　an　opportunity　to　trumpet　out　his
  praise。　　She　spoke　of　him　in　terms　of　rapture；　and　to　convince
  her　Auditor　how　just　were　his　sentiments；　how　cultivated　his
  mind；　and　elegant　his　expressions；　She　showed　her　at　different
  times　the　letters　which　She　received　from　him。　　She　soon
  perceived　that　from　these　communications　the　heart　of　her　young
  Friend　had　imbibed　impressions；　which　She　was　far　from　intending
  to　give；　but　was　truly　happy　to　discover。　　She　could　not　have
  wished　her　Brother　a　more　desirable　union：　　Heiress　of
  Villa…Franca；　virtuous；　affectionate；　beautiful；　and
  accomplished；　Virginia　seemed　calculated　to　make　him　happy。　　She
  sounded　her　Brother　upon　the　subject；　though　without　mentioning
  names　or　circumstances。　He　assured　her　in　his　answers　that　his
  heart　and　hand　were　totally　disengaged；　and　She　thought　that
  upon　these　grounds　She　might　proceed　without　danger。　She　in
  consequence　endeavoured　to　strengthen　the　dawning　passion　of　her
  Friend。　　Lorenzo　was　made　the　constant　topic　of　her　discourse；
  and　the　avidity　with　which　her　Auditor　listened；　the　sighs　which
  frequently　escaped　from　her　bosom；　and　the　eagerness　with　which
  upon　any　digression　She　brought　back　the　conversation　to　the
  subject　whence　it　had　wandered；　sufficed　to　convince　Agnes　that
  her　Brother's　addresses　would　be　far　from　disagreeable。　　She　at
  length　ventured　to　mention　her　wishes　to　the　Duke：　　Though　a
  Stranger　to　the　Lady　herself；　He　knew　enough　of　her　situation　to
  think　her　worthy　his　Nephew's　hand。　　It　was　agreed　between　him
  and　his　Niece；　that　She　should　insinuate　the　idea　to　Lorenzo；　and
  She　only　waited　his　return　to　Madrid　to　propose　her　Friend　to　him
  as　his　Bride。　　The　unfortunate　events　which　took　place　in　the
  interim；　prevented　her　from　executing　her　design。　　Virginia　wept
  her　loss　sincerely；　both　as　a　Companion；　and　as　the　only　Person
  to　whom　She　could　speak　of　Lorenzo。　　Her　passion　continued　to
  prey　upon　her　heart　in　secret；　and　She　had　almost　determined　to
  confess　her　sentiments　to　her　Mother；　when　accident　once　more
  threw　their　object　in　her　way。　　The　sight　of　him　so　near　her；　his
  politeness；　his　compassion；　his　intrepidity；　had　combined　to　give
  new　ardour　to　her　affection。　　When　She　now　found　her　Friend　and
  Advocate　restored　to　her；　She　looked　upon　her　as　a　Gift　from
  Heaven；　She　ventured　to　cherish　the　hope　of　being　united　to
  Lorenzo；　and　resolved　to　use　with　him　his　Sister's　influence。
  Supposing　that　before　her　death　Agnes　might　possibly　have　made
  the　proposal；　the　Duke　had　placed　all　his　Nephew's　hints　of
  marriage　to　Virginia's　account：　Consequently；　He　gave　them　the
  most　favourable　reception。　On　returning　to　his　Hotel；　the
  relation　given　him　of　Antonia's　death；　and　Lorenzo's　behaviour　on
  the　occasion；　made　evident　his　mistake。　　He　lamented　the
  circumstances；　But　the　unhappy　Girl　being　effectually　out　of　the
  way；　He　trusted　that　his　designs　would　yet　be　executed。　　'Tis
  true　that　Lorenzo's　situation　just　then　ill…suited　him　for
  a　Bridegroom。　　His　hopes　disappointed　at　the　moment　when　He
  expected　to　realize　them；　and　the　dreadful　and　sudden　death　of
  his　Mistress　had　affected　him　very　severely。　　The　Duke　found　him
  upon　the　Bed　of　sickness。　　His　Attendants　expressed　serious
  apprehensions　for　his　life；　But　the　Uncle　entertained　not　the
  same　fears。　　He　was　of　opinion；　and　not　unwisely；　that　'Men　have
  died；　and　worms　have　eat　them；　but　not　for　Love！'　　He　therefore
  flattered　himself　that　however　deep　might　be　the　impression　made
  upon　his　Nephew's　heart；　Time　and　Virginia　would　be　able　to
  efface　it。　　He　now　hastened　to　the　afflicted　Youth；　and
  endeavoured　to　console　him：　He　sympathised　in　his　distress；　but
  encouraged　him　to　resist　the　encroachments　of　despair。　　He
  allowed　that　He　could　not　but　feel　shocked　at　an　event　so
  terrible；　nor　could　He　blame　his　sensibility；　But　He　besought　him
  not　to　torment　himself　with　vain　regrets；　and　rather　to　struggle
  with　affliction；　and　preserve　his　life；　if　not　for　his　own　sake；
  at　least　for　the　sake　of　those　who　were　fondly　attached　to　him。
  While　He　laboured　thus　to　make　Lorenzo　forget　Antonia's　loss；　the
  Duke　paid　his　court　assiduously　to　Virginia；　and　seized　every
  opportunity　to　advance　his　Nephew's　interest　in　her　heart。
  It　may　easily　be　expected　that　Agnes　was　not　long　without
  enquiring　after　Don　Raymond。　　She　was　shocked　to　hear　the
  wretched　situation　to　which　grief　had　reduced　him；　Yet　She　could
  not　help　exulting　secretly；　when　She　reflected；　that　his　illness
  proved　the　sincerity　of　his　love。　The　Duke　undertook　the　office
  himself；　of　announcing　to　the　Invalid　the　happiness　which　awaited
  him。　　Though　He　omitted　no　precaution　to　prepare　him　for　such　an
  event；　at　this　sudden　change　from　despair　to　happiness　Raymond's
  transports　were　so　violent；　as　nearly　to　have　proved　fatal　to
  him。　　These　once　passed；　the　tranquillity　of　his　mind；　the
  assurance　of　felicity；　and　above　all　the　presence　of　Agnes；　（Who
  was　no　sooner　reestablished　by　the　care　of　Virginia　and　the
  Marchioness；　than　She　hastened　t