She next stated, that as He had before
rendered himself suspected to Elvira, it was a fortunate event
for him that her lips were closed by death; since without this
last adventure, her suspicions if made public might have produced
very disagreeable consequences. He had therefore freed himself
from an Enemy, to whom the errors of his conduct were
sufficiently known to make her dangerous, and who was the
greatest obstacle to his designs upon Antonia. Those designs She
encouraged him not to abandon. She assured him that, no longer
protected by her Mother's watchful eye, the Daughter would fall
an easy conquest; and by praising and enumerating Antonia's
charms, She strove to rekindle the desires of the Monk. In this
endeavour She succeeded but too well.
As if the crimes into which his passion had seduced him had only
increased its violence, He longed more eagerly than ever to enjoy
Antonia. The same success in concealing his present guilt, He
trusted would attend his future. He was deaf to the murmurs of
conscience, and resolved to satisfy his desires at any price. He
waited only for an opportunity of repeating his former
enterprize; But to procure that opportunity by the same means was
now impracticable. In the first transports of despair He had
dashed the enchanted Myrtle into a thousand pieces: Matilda told
him plainly that He must expect no further assistance from the
infernal Powers unless He was willing to subscribe to their
established conditions.
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