ed up
a second time. No sooner had He opened one of the Doors, and beheld
the supposed Apparition waiting there for admittance, than He uttered a
loud cry, and sank upon his knees. Agnes profited by his terror. She
glided by him, flew to her own apartment, and having thrown off her
Spectre's trappings, retired to bed endeavouring in vain to account for
my disappearing.

In the mean while Theodore having seen my Carriage drive off with the
false Agnes, returned joyfully to the Village. The next morning He
released Cunegonda from her confinement, and accompanied her to the
Castle. There He found the Baron, his Lady, and Don Gaston, disputing
together upon the Porter's relation. All of them agreed in believing
the existence of Spectres: But the Latter contended, that for a Ghost
to knock for admittance was a proceeding till then unwitnessed, and
totally incompatible with the immaterial nature of a Spirit. They were
still discussing this subject when the Page appeared with Cunegonda and
cleared up the mystery. On hearing his deposition, it was agreed
unanimously that the Agnes whom Theodore had seen step into my Carriage
must have been the Bleeding Nun, and that the Ghost who had terrified
Conrad was no other than Don Gaston's Daughter.

The first surprize which this discovery occasioned being over, the
Baroness resolved to make it of use in persuading her Niece to take the
veil. Fearing lest so advantageous an establishment for his Daughter
should induce Don Gaston to renounce his resolution, She suppressed my
letter, and continued to represent me as a needy unknown Adventurer. A
childish vanity had led me to conceal my real name even from my
Mistress; I wished to be loved for myself, not for being the Son and
Heir of the Marquis de las Cisternas. The consequence was that my rank
was known to no one in the Castle except the Baroness, and She took
good care to confine the knowledge to her own breast. Don Gaston
having approved his Sister's design, Agnes was summoned to appear
before them. She was taxed with having meditated an elopement, obliged
to make a full confession, and was amazed at the gentleness with which
it was received: But what was her affliction, when informed that the
failure of her project must be attributed to me! Cunegonda, tutored by
the Baroness, told her that when I released her, I had desired her to
inform her Lady that our connexion was at an end, that the whole affair
was occasioned