the monk(僧侣)-第42部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



The　Friar　returned　the　embrace　which　had　set　his　blood　on　fire。　
The　luxurious　and　unbounded　excesses　of　the　former　night　were
renewed；　and　they　separated　not　till　the　Bell　rang　for　Matins。

The　same　pleasures　were　frequently　repeated。　　The　Monks　rejoiced
in　the　feigned　Rosario's　unexpected　recovery；　and　none　of　them
suspected　his　real　sex。　　The　Abbot　possessed　his　Mistress　in
tranquillity；　and　perceiving　his　frailty　unsuspected；　abandoned
himself　to　his　passions　in　full　security。　　Shame　and　remorse　no
longer　tormented　him。　　Frequent　repetitions　made　him　familiar
with　sin；　and　his　bosom　became　proof　against　the　stings　of
Conscience。　　In　these　sentiments　He　was　encouraged　by　Matilda；
But　She　soon　was　aware　that　She　had　satiated　her　Lover　by　the
unbounded　freedom　of　her　caresses。　　Her　charms　becoming
accustomed　to　him；　they　ceased　to　excite　the　same　desires　which
at　first　they　had　inspired。　　The　delirium　of　passion　being　past；
He　had　leisure　to　observe　every　trifling　defect：　　Where　none　were
to　be　found；　Satiety　made　him　fancy　them。　　The　Monk　was　glutted
with　the　fullness　of　pleasure：　　A　Week　had　scarcely　elapsed
before　He　was　wearied　of　his　Paramour：　His　warm　constitution
still　made　him　seek　in　her　arms　the　gratification　of　his　lust：　
But　when　the　moment　of　passion　was　over；　He　quitted　her　with
disgust；　and　his　humour；　naturally　inconstant；　made　him　sigh
impatiently　for　variety。

Possession；　which　cloys　Man；　only　increases　the　affection　of
Woman。　　Matilda　with　every　succeeding　day　grew　more　attached　to
the　Friar。　　Since　He　had　obtained　her　favours；　He　was　become
dearer　to　her　than　ever；　and　She　felt　grateful　to　him　for　the
pleasures　in　which　they　had　equally　been　Sharers。　　Unfortunately
as　her　passion　grew　ardent；　Ambrosio's　grew　cold；　The　very　marks
of　her　fondness　excited　his　disgust；　and　its　excess　served　to
extinguish　the　flame　which　already　burned　but　feebly　in　his
bosom。　　Matilda　could　not　but　remark　that　her　society　seemed　to
him　daily　less　agreeable：　　He　was　inattentive　while　She　spoke：
her　musical　talents；　which　She　possessed　in　perfection；　had　lost
the　power　of　amusing　him；　Or　if　He　deigned　to　praise　them；　his
compliments　were　evidently　forced　and　cold。　　He　no　longer　gazed
upon　her　with　affection；　or　applauded　her　sentiments　with　a
Lover's　partiality。　　This　Matilda　well　perceived；　and　redoubled
her　efforts　to　revive　those　sentiments　which　He　once　had　felt。　
She　could　not　but　fail；　since　He　considered　as　importunities　the
pains　which　She　took　to　please　him；　and　was　disgusted　by　the　very
means　which　She　used　to　recall　the　Wanderer。　　Still；　however；
their　illicit　Commerce　continued：　　But　it　was　clear　that　He　was
led　to　her　arms；　not　by　love；　but　the　cravings　of　brutal
appetite。　　His　constitution　made　a　Woman　necessary　to　him；　and
Matilda　was　the　only　one　with　whom　He　could　indulge　his　passions
safely：　　In　spite　of　her　beauty；　He　gazed　upon　every　other　Female
with　more　desire；　But　fearing　that　his　Hypocrisy　should　be　made
public；　He　confined　his　inclinations　to　his　own　breast。

It　was　by　no　means　his　nature　to　be　timid：　　But　his　education　had
impressed　his　mind　with　fear　so　strongly；　that　apprehension　was
now　become　part　of　his　character。　Had　his　Youth　been　passed　in
the　world；　He　would　have　shown　himself　possessed　of　many
brilliant　and　manly　qualities。　　He　was　naturally　enterprizing；
firm；　and　fearless：　　He　had　a　Warrior's　heart；　and　He　might　have
shone　with　splendour　at　the　head　of　an　Army。　　There　was　no　want
of　generosity　in　his　nature：　　The　Wretched　never　failed　to　find
in　him　a　compassionate　Auditor：　His　abilities　were　quick　and
shining；　and　his　judgment；　vast；　solid；　and　decisive。　　With　such
qualifications　He　would　have　been　an　ornament　to　his　Country：　
That　He　possessed　them；　He　had　given　proofs　in　his　earliest
infancy；　and　his　Parents　had　beheld　his　dawning　virtues　with　the
fondest　delight　and　admiration。　　Unfortunately；　while　yet　a　Child
He　was　deprived　of　those　Parents。　　He　fell　into　the　power　of　a
Relation　whose　only　wish　about　him　was　never　to　hear　of　him
more；　For　that　purpose　He　gave　him　in　charge　to　his　Friend；　the
former　Superior　of　the　Capuchins。　　The　Abbot；　a　very　Monk；　used
all　his　endeavours　to　persuade　the　Boy　that　happiness　existed
not　without　the　walls　of　a　Convent。　　He　succeeded　fully。　　To
deserve　admittance　into　the　order　of　St。　Francis　was　Ambrosio's
highest　ambition。　　His　Instructors　carefully　repressed　those
virtues　whose　grandeur　and　disinterestedness　were　ill…suited　to
the　Cloister。　　Instead　of　universal　benevolence；　He　adopted　a
selfish　partiality　for　his　own　particular　establishment：　　He　was
taught　to　consider　compassion　for　the　errors　of　Others　as　a　crime
of　the　blackest　dye：　　The　noble　frankness　of　his　temper　was
exchanged　for　servile　humility；　and　in　order　to　break　his　natural
spirit；　the　Monks　terrified　his　young　mind　by　placing　before　him
all　the　horrors　with　which　Superstition　could　furnish　them：　　They
painted　to　him　the　torments　of　the　Damned　in　colours　the　most
dark；　terrible；　and　fantastic；　and　threatened　him　at　the
slightest　fault　with　eternal　perdition。　　No　wonder　that　his
imagination　constantly　dwelling　upon　these　fearful　objects　should
have　rendered　his　character　timid　and　apprehensive。　　Add　to　this；
that　his　long　absence　from　the　great　world；　and　total
unacquaintance　with　the　common　dangers　of　life；　made　him　form　of
them　an　idea　far　more　dismal　than　the　reality。　　While　the　Monks
were　busied　in　rooting　out　his　virtues　and　narrowing　his
sentiments；　they　allowed　every　vice　which　had　fallen　to　his
share　to　arrive　at　full　perfection。　　He　was　suffered　to　be
proud；　vain；　ambitious；　and　disdainful：　　He　was　jealous　of　his
Equals；　and　despised　all　merit　but　his　own：　　He　was　implacable
when　offended；　and　cruel　in　his　revenge。　Still　in　spite　of　the
pains　taken　to　pervert　them；　his　natural　good　qualities　would
occasionally　break　through　the　gloom　cast　over　them　so　carefully：

At　such　times　the　contest　for　superiority　between　his　real　and
acquired　character　was　striking　and　unaccountable　to　those
unacquainted　with　his　original　disposition。　　He　pronounced　the
most　severe　sentences　upon　Offenders；　which；　the　moment　after；
Compassion　induced　him　to　mitigate：　　He　undertook　the　most　daring
enterprizes；　which　the　fear　of　their　consequences　soon　obliged
him　to　abandon：　　His　inborn　genius　darted　a　brilliant　light　upon
subjects　the　most　obscure；　and　almost　instantaneously　his
Superstition　replunged　them　in　darkness　more　profound　than　that
from　which　they　had　just　been　rescued。　　His　Brother　Monks；
regarding　him　as　a　Superior　Being；　remarked　not　this
contradiction　in　their　Idol's　conduct。　　They　were　persuaded　that
what　He　did　must　be　right；　and　supposed　him　to　have　good　reasons
for　changing　his　resolutions。　　The　fact　was；　that　the　different
sentiments　with　which　Education　and　Nature　had　inspired　him
were　combating　in　his　bosom：　　It　remained　for　his　passions；　which
as　yet　no　opportunity　had　called　into　play；　to　decide　the
victory。　　Unfortunately　his　passions　were　the　very　worst　Judges；
to　whom　He　could　possibly　have　applied。　　His　monastic　seclusion
had　till　now　been　in　his　favour；　since　it　gave　him　no　room　for
discovering　his　bad　qualities。　　The　superiority　of　his　talents
raised　him　too　far　above　his　Companions　to　permit　his　being
jealous　of　them：　　His　exemplary　piety；　persuasive　eloquence；　and
pleasing　manners　had　secured　him　universal　Esteem；　and
consequently　He　had　no　injuries　to　revenge：　　His　Ambition　was
justified　by　his　acknowledged　merit；　and　his　pride　considered　as
no　more　than　proper　confidence。　　He　never　saw；　much　less
conversed　with；　the　other　sex：　　He　was　ignorant　of　the　pleasures
in　Woman's　power　to　bestow；　and　if　He　read　in　the　course　of　his
studies

　　　'That　Men　were　fond；　He　smiled；　and　wondered　how！'　

For　a　time；　spare　diet；　frequent　watching；　and　severe　penance
cooled　and　represt　the　natural　warmth　of　his　constitution：　　But
no　sooner　did　opportunity　present　itself；　no　sooner　did　He　catch
a　glimpse　of　joys　to　which　He　was　still　a　Stranger；　than
Religion's　barriers　were　too　feeble　to　resist　the　overwhelming
torrent　of　his　desires。　　All　impediments　yielded　before　the　force
of　his　temperament；　warm；　sanguine；　and　voluptuous　in　the　excess。

As　yet　his　other　passions　lay　dormant；　But　they　only　needed　to　be
once　awakened；　to　display　themselves　with　violence　as　great　and
irresistible。

He　continued　to　be　the　admiration　of　Madrid。　　The　Enthusiasm
created　by　his　eloquence　seemed　rather　to　increase　than　diminish。

Every　Thursday；　which　was　the　only　day　when　He　appeared　in
public；　the　Capuchin　Cathedral　was　crowded　with　Auditors；　and
his　discourse　was　always　received　with　the　same　approbation。　　He
was　named　Confessor　to　all　the　chief　families　in　Madrid；　and　no
one　was　counted　fashionable　who　was　injoined　penance　by　any
other　than　Ambrosio。　　In　his　resolution　of　never　stirring　out　of
his　Convent；　He　still　persisted。　This　circumstance　created　a
still　greater　opinion　of　his　sanctity　and　self…denial。　　Above
all；　the　Women　sang　forth　his　praises　loudly；　less　influenced　by
devotion　than　by　his　noble　countenance；　majestic　air；　and
well…turned；　graceful　figure。　　The　Abbey　door　was　thronged　with
Carriages　from　morning　to　night；　and　the　noblest　and　fairest
Dames　of　Madrid　confessed　to　the　Abbot　their　secret　peccadilloes。

The　eyes　of　the　luxurious　Friar　devoured　their　charms：　　Had　his
Penitents　consulted　those　Interpreters；　He　would　have　needed　no
other　means　of　expressing　his　desires。　　For　his　misfortune；　they
were　so　strongly　persuaded　of　his　continence；　that　the
possibility　of　his　harbouring　indecent　thoughts　never　once
entered　their　imaginations。　　The　climate's　heat；　'tis　well　known；
operates　with　no　small　influence　upon　the　constitutions　of　the
Spanish　Ladies：　　But　the　most　abandoned　would　have　thought　it　an
easier　task　to　inspire　with　passion　the　marble　Statue　of　St。
Francis　than　the　cold　and　rigid　heart　of　the　immaculate　Ambrosio。

On　his　part；　the　Friar　was　little　acquainted　with　the　depravity
of　the　world；　He　suspected　not　that　but　few　of　his　Penitents
would　have　rejected　his　addresses。　　Yet　had　He　been　better
instructed　on　this　head；　the