ons should deprive her vengeance of its intended victim.
She took care therefore to give the Lover of Agnes no cause to suppose
that his design was discovered, and his Mistress on the point of
suffering the punishment of her fault. The same reason made her reject
the idea of arresting the unknown Seducer in the Garden; Such a
proceeding would have created much disturbance, and the disgrace of her
Convent would have been noised about Madrid. She contented herself
with confining Agnes closely; As to the Lover, She left him at liberty
to pursue his designs. What She had expected was the result. The
Marquis and Lorenzo waited in vain till the break of day: They then
retired without noise, alarmed at the failure of their plan, and
ignorant of the cause of its ill-success.

The next morning Lorenzo went to the Convent, and requested to see his
Sister. The Prioress appeared at the Grate with a melancholy
countenance: She informed him that for several days Agnes had appeared
much agitated; That She had been prest by the Nuns in vain to reveal
the cause, and apply to their tenderness for advice and consolation;
That She had obstinately persisted in concealing the cause of her
distress; But that on Thursday Evening it had produced so violent an
effect upon her constitution, that She had fallen ill, and was actually
confined to her bed. Lorenzo did not credit a syllable of this
account: He insisted upon seeing his Sister; If She was unable to come
to the Grate, He desired to be admitted to her Cell. The Prioress
crossed herself! She was shocked at the very idea of a Man's profane
eye pervading the interior of her holy Mansion, and professed herself
astonished that Lorenzo could think of such a thing. She told him that
his request could not be granted; But that if He returned the next day,
She hoped that her beloved Daughter would then be sufficiently
recovered to join him at the Parlour grate.

With this answer Lorenzo was obliged to retire, unsatisfied and
trembling for his Sister's safety.

He returned the next morning at an early hour. 'Agnes was worse; The
Physician had pronounced her to be in imminent danger; She was ordered
to remain quiet, and it was utterly impossible for her to receive her
Brother's visit.' Lorenzo stormed at this answer, but there was no
resource. He raved, He entreated, He threatened: No means were left
untried to obtain a sight of Agnes. His endeavours were as fruitless
as those of th