he
superintendence of her funeral, and cause her to be buried in the
Vaults of St. Clare. Their solitude and easy access render these
Caverns favourable to your designs. Give Antonia the soporific draught
this Evening: Eight and forty hours after She has drank it, Life will
revive to her bosom. She will then be absolutely in your power: She
will find all resistance unavailing, and necessity will compel her to
receive you in her arms.'

'Antonia will be in my power!' exclaimed the Monk; 'Matilda, you
transport me! At length then, happiness will be mine, and that
happiness will be Matilda's gift, will be the gift of friendship!

I shall clasp Antonia in my arms, far from every prying eye, from every
tormenting Intruder! I shall sigh out my soul upon her bosom; Shall
teach her young heart the first rudiments of pleasure, and revel
uncontrouled in the endless variety of her charms! And shall this
delight indeed by mine? Shall I give the reins to my desires, and
gratify every wild tumultuous wish? Oh! Matilda, how can I express to
you my gratitude?'

'By profiting by my counsels. Ambrosio, I live but to serve you:

Your interest and happiness are equally mine. Be your person Antonia's,
but to your friendship and your heart I still assert my claim.
Contributing to yours forms now my only pleasure. Should my exertions
procure the gratification of your wishes, I shall consider my trouble
to be amply repaid. But let us lose no time. The liquor of which I
spoke is only to be found in St. Clare's Laboratory. Hasten then to
the Prioress; Request of her admission to the Laboratory, and it will
not be denied. There is a Closet at the lower end of the great Room,
filled with liquids of different colours and qualities. The Bottle in
question stands by itself upon the third shelf on the left. It
contains a greenish liquor: Fill a small phial with it when you are
unobserved, and Antonia is your own.'

The Monk hesitated not to adopt this infamous plan. His desires, but
too violent before, had acquired fresh vigour from the sight of
Antonia. As He sat by her bedside, accident had discovered to him some
of those charms which till then had been concealed from him: He found
them even more perfect, than his ardent imagination had pictured them.
Sometimes her white and polished arm was displayed in arranging the
pillow: Sometimes a sudden movement discovered part of her swelling
bosom: But whereever the new-found charm