volume01- 第2部分

'And　has　so　little　sense？'　said　Don　Christoval　with　feigned　astonishment；　'How　very　Extraordinary！'

'Very　true；　Segnor；　Is　it　not　strange？　　However；　such　is　the　fact；　and　yet　only　to　see　the　luck　of　some　people！　　A　young　Nobleman；　of　the　very　first　quality；　took　it　into　his　head　that　Elvira　had　some　pretensions　to　BeautyAs　to　pretensions；　in　truth；　She　had　always　enough　of　THEM；　But　as　to　Beauty。　。　。　。！　　If　I　had　only　taken　half　the　pains　to　set　myself　off　which　She　did。　。　。　。！　　But　this　is　neither　here　nor　there。　　As　I　was　saying；　Segnor；　a　young　Nobleman　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　married　her　unknown　to　his　Father。　　Their　union　remained　a　secret　near　three　years；　But　at　last　it　came　to　the　ears　of　the　old　Marquis；　who；　as　you　may　well　suppose；　was　not　much　pleased　with　the　intelligence。　　Away　He　posted　in　all　haste　to　Cordova；　determined　to　seize　Elvira；　and　send　her　away　to　some　place　or　other；　where　She　would　never　be　heard　of　more。　　Holy　St。　Paul！　　How　He　stormed　on　finding　that　She　had　escaped　him；　had　joined　her　Husband；　and　that　they　had　embarked　together　for　the　Indies。　　He　swore　at　us　all；　as　if　the　Evil　Spirit　had　possessed　him；　He　threw　my　Father　into　prison；　as　honest　a　painstaking　Shoe…maker　as　any　in　Cordova；　and　when　He　went　away；　He　had　the　cruelty　to　take　from　us　my　Sister's　little　Boy；　then　scarcely　two　years　old；　and　whom　in　the　abruptness　of　her　flight；　She　had　been　obliged　to　leave　behind　her。　　I　suppose；　that　the　poor　little　Wretch　met　with　bitter　bad　treatment　from　him；　for　in　a　few　months　after；　we　received　intelligence　of　his　death。'

'Why；　this　was　a　most　terrible　old　Fellow；　Segnora！'

'Oh！　shocking！　and　a　Man　so　totally　devoid　of　taste！　Why；　would　you　believe　it；　Segnor？　　When　I　attempted　to　pacify　him；　He　cursed　me　for　a　Witch；　and　wished　that　to　punish　the　Count；　my　Sister　might　become　as　ugly　as　myself！　　Ugly　indeed！　　I　like　him　for　that。'

'Ridiculous'；　cried　Don　Christoval；　'Doubtless　the　Count　would　have　thought　himself　fortunate；　had　he　been　permitted　to　exchange　the　one　Sister　for　the　other。'

'Oh！　　Christ！　　Segnor；　you　are　really　too　polite。　　However；　I　am　heartily　glad　that　the　Conde　was　of　a　different　way　of　thinking。　　A　mighty　pretty　piece　of　business；　to　be　sure；　Elvira　has　made　of　it！　　After　broiling　and　stewing　in　the　Indies　for　thirteen　long　years；　her　Husband　dies；　and　She　returns　to　Spain；　without　an　House　to　hide　her　head；　or　money　to　procure　her　one！　　This　Antonia　was　then　but　an　Infant；　and　her　only　remaining　Child。　　She　found　that　her　Father…in…Law　had　married　again；　that　he　was　irreconcileable　to　the　Conde；　and　that　his　second　Wife　had　produced　him　a　Son；　who　is　reported　to　be　a　very　fine　young　Man。　　The　old　Marquis　refused　to　see　my　Sister　or　her　Child；　But　sent　her　word　that　on　condition　of　never　hearing　any　more　of　her；　He　would　assign　her　a　small　pension；　and　She　might　live　in　an　old　Castle　which　He　possessed　in　Murcia；　This　had　been　the　favourite　habitation　of　his　eldest　Son；　But　since　his　flight　from　Spain；　the　old　Marquis　could　not　bear　the　place；　but　let　it　fall　to　ruin　and　confusionMy　Sister　accepted　the　proposal；　She　retired　to　Murcia；　and　has　remained　there　till　within　the　last　Month。'

'And　what　brings　her　now　to　Madrid？'　enquired　Don　Lorenzo；　whom　admiration　of　the　young　Antonia　compelled　to　take　a　lively　interest　in　the　talkative　old　Woman's　narration。

'Alas！　Segnor；　her　Father…in…Law　being　lately　dead；　the　Steward　of　his　Murcian　Estates　has　refused　to　pay　her　pension　any　longer。

With　the　design　of　supplicating　his　Son　to　renew　it；　She　is　now　come　to　Madrid；　But　I　doubt；　that　She　might　have　saved　herself　the　trouble！　You　young　Noblemen　have　always　enough　to　do　with　your　money；　and　are　not　very　often　disposed　to　throw　it　away　upon　old　Women。　　I　advised　my　Sister　to　send　Antonia　with　her　petition；　But　She　would　not　hear　of　such　a　thing。　　She　is　so　obstinate！　　Well！　　She　will　find　herself　the　worse　for　not　following　my　counsels：　the　Girl　has　a　good　pretty　face；　and　possibly　might　have　done　much。'

'Ah！　Segnora；'　interrupted　Don　Christoval；　counterfeiting　a　passionate　air；　'If　a　pretty　face　will　do　the　business；　why　has　not　your　Sister　recourse　to　you？'

'Oh！　Jesus！　my　Lord；　I　swear　you　quite　overpower　me　with　your　gallantry！　　But　I　promise　you　that　I　am　too　well　aware　of　the　danger　of　such　Expeditions　to　trust　myself　in　a　young　Nobleman's　power！　　No；　no；　I　have　as　yet　preserved　my　reputation　without　blemish　or　reproach；　and　I　always　knew　how　to　keep　the　Men　at　a　proper　distance。'

'Of　that；　Segnora；　I　have　not　the　least　doubt。　　But　permit　me　to　ask　you；　Have　you　then　any　aversion　to　Matrimony？'

'That　is　an　home　question。　　I　cannot　but　confess；　that　if　an　amiable　Cavalier　was　to　present　himself。　。　。　。'

Here　She　intended　to　throw　a　tender　and　significant　look　upon　Don　Christoval；　But；　as　She　unluckily　happened　to　squint　most　abominably；　the　glance　fell　directly　upon　his　Companion：　　Lorenzo　took　the　compliment　to　himself；　and　answered　it　by　a　profound　bow。

'May　I　enquire；'　said　He；　'the　name　of　the　Marquis？'

'The　Marquis　de　las　Cisternas。'

'I　know　him　intimately　well。　　He　is　not　at　present　in　Madrid；　but　is　expected　here　daily。　　He　is　one　of　the　best　of　Men；　and　if　the　lovely　Antonia　will　permit　me　to　be　her　Advocate　with　him；　I　doubt　not　my　being　able　to　make　a　favourable　report　of　her　cause。'

Antonia　raised　her　blue　eyes；　and　silently　thanked　him　for　the　offer　by　a　smile　of　inexpressible　sweetness。　　Leonella's　satisfaction　was　much　more　loud　and　audible：　Indeed；　as　her　Niece　was　generally　silent　in　her　company；　She　thought　it　incumbent　upon　her　to　talk　enough　for　both：　　This　She　managed　without　difficulty；　for　She　very　seldom　found　herself　deficient　in　words。

'Oh！　Segnor！'　She　cried；　'You　will　lay　our　whole　family　under　the　most　signal　obligations！　　I　accept　your　offer　with　all　possible　gratitude；　and　return　you　a　thousand　thanks　for　the　generosity　of　your　proposal。　Antonia；　why　do　not　you　speak；　Child？　　While　the　Cavalier　says　all　sorts　of　civil　things　to　you；　you　sit　like　a　Statue；　and　never　utter　a　syllable　of　thanks；　either　bad；　good；　or　indifferent！'

'My　dear　Aunt；　I　am　very　sensible　that。　。　。　。'

'Fye；　Niece！　　How　often　have　I　told　you；　that　you　never　should　interrupt　a　Person　who　is　speaking！？　　When　did　you　ever　know　me　do　such　a　thing？　　Are　these　your　Murcian　manners？　　Mercy　on　me！　　I　shall　never　be　able　to　make　this　Girl　any　thing　like　a　Person　of　good　breeding。　　But　pray；　Segnor；'　She　continued；　addressing　herself　to　Don　Christoval；　'inform　me；　why　such　a　Crowd　is　assembled　today　in　this　Cathedral？'

'Can　you　possibly　be　ignorant；　that　Ambrosio；　Abbot　of　this　Monastery；　pronounces　a　Sermon　in　this　Church　every　Thursday？　　All　Madrid　rings　with　his　praises。　　As　yet　He　has　preached　but　thrice；　But　all　who　have　heard　him　are　so　delighted　with　his　eloquence；　that　it　is　as　difficult　to　obtain　a　place　at　Church；　as　at　the　first　representation　of　a　new　Comedy。　　His　fame　certainly　must　have　reached　your　ears'

'Alas！　Segnor；　till　yesterday　I　never　had　the　good　fortune　to　see　Madrid；　and　at　Cordova　we　are　so　little　informed　of　what　is　passing　in　the　rest　of　the　world；　that　the　name　of　Ambrosio　has　never　been　mentioned　in　its　precincts。'

'You　will　find　it　in　every　one's　mouth　at　Madrid。　　He　seems　to　have　fascinated　the　Inhabitants；　and　not　having　attended　his　Sermons　myself；　I　am　astonished　at　the　Enthusiasm　which　He　has　excited。　　The　adoration　paid　him　both　by　Young　and　Old；　by　Man　and　Woman　is　unexampled。　　The　Grandees　load　him　with　presents；　Their　Wives　refuse　to　have　any　other　Confessor；　and　he　is　known　through　all　the　city　by　the　name　of　the　''Man　of　Holiness''。'

'Undoubtedly；　Segnor；　He　is　of　noble　origin'

'That　point　still　remains　undecided。　　The　late　Superior　of　the　Capuchins　found　him　while　yet　an　Infant　at　the　Abbey　door。　　All　attempts　to　discover　who　had　left　him　there　were　vain；　and　the　Child　himself　could　give　no　account　of　his　Parents。　　He　was　educated　in　the　Monastery；　where　He　has　remained　ever　since。　　He　early　showed　a　strong　inclination　for　study　and　retirement；　and　as　soon　as　He　was　of　a　proper　age；　He　pronounced　his　vows。　　No　one　has　ever　appeared　to　claim　him；　or　clear　up　the　mystery　which　conceals　his　birth；　and　the　Monks；　who　find　their　account　in　the　favour　which　is　shewn　to　their　establishment　from　respect　to　him；　have　not　hesitated　to　publish　that　He　is　a　present　to　them　from　the　Virgin。　　In　truth　the　singular　austerity　of　his　life　gives　some　countenance　to　the　report。　　He　is　now　thirty　years　old；　every　hour　of　which　period　has　been　passed　in　study；　total　seclusion　from　the　world；　and　mortification　of　the　flesh。　　Till　these　last　three　weeks；　when　He　was　chosen　superior　of　the　Society　to　which　He　belongs；　He　had　never　been　on　the　outside　of　the　Abbey　walls：　　Even　now　He　never　quits　them　except　on　Thursdays；　when　He　delivers　a　discourse　in　this　Cathedral　which　all　Madrid　assembles　to　hear。　　His　knowledge　is　said　to　be　the　most　profound；　his　eloquence　the　most　persuasive。　　In　the　whole　course　of　his　life　He　has　never　been　known　to　transgress　a　single　rule　of　his　order；　The　smallest　stain　is　not　to　be　discovered　upon　his　character；　and　He　is　reported　to　be　so　strict　an　observer　of　Chastity；　that　He　knows　not　in　what　consists　the　difference　of　Man　and　Woman。　　The　common　People　therefore　esteem　him　to　be　a　Saint。'

'Does　that　make　a　Saint？'　enquired　Antonia；　'Bless　me！　　Then　am　I　one？'

'Holy　St。　Barbara！'　exclaimed　Leonella；　'What　a　question！　　Fye；　Child；　Fye！　　These　are　not　fit　subjects　for　young　Women　to　handle。　　You　should　not　seem　to　remember　that　there　is　such　a　thing　as　a　Man　in　the　world；　and　you　ought　to　imagine　every　body　to　be　of　the　same　sex　with　yourself。　　I　should　like　to　see　you　give　people　to　understand；　that　you　know　that　a　Man　has　no　breasts；　and　no　hips；　and　no　。　。　。'。

Luckily　for　Antonia's　ignorance　which　her　Aunt's　lecture　would　soon　have　dispelled；　an　universal　murmur　through　the　Church　announced　the　Preacher's　arrival。　Donna　Leonella　rose　from　her　seat　to　take　a　better　view　of　him；　and　Antonia　followed　her　example。

He　was　a　Man　of　noble　port　and　commanding　presence。　　His　stature　was　lofty；　and　his　features　uncommonly　handsome。　　His　Nose　was　aquiline；　his　eyes　large