This Ambrosio was determined not to do:
He persuaded himself that however great might be his iniquity,
so long as he preserved his claim to salvation, He need not
despair of pardon. He therefore resolutely refused to enter into
any bond or compact with the Fiends; and Matilda finding him
obstinate upon this point, forbore to press him further. She
exerted her invention to discover some means of putting Antonia
into the Abbot's power: Nor was it long before that means
presented itself.
While her ruin was thus meditating, the unhappy Girl herself
suffered severely from the loss of her Mother. Every morning on
waking, it was her first care to hasten to Elvira's chamber. On
that which followed Ambrosio's fatal visit, She woke later than
was her usual custom: Of this She was convinced by the
Abbey Chimes. She started from her bed, threw on a few loose
garments hastily, and was speeding to enquire how her Mother had
passed the night, when her foot struck against something which
lay in her passage. She looked down. What was her horror at
recognizing Elvira's livid Corse! She uttered a loud shriek, and
threw herself upon the floor. She clasped the inanimate form to
her bosom, felt that it was dead-cold, and with a movement of
disgust, of which She was not the Mistress, let it fall again
from her arms. The cry had alarmed Flora, who hastened to her
assistance. The sight which She beheld penetrated her with
horror; but her alarm was more audible than Antonia's.
Pages:
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366