f the Vestry opened, and the Prioress entered the Chapel,
followed by her Nuns.

'Cruel! Cruel!' exclaimed Agnes, relinquishing her hold.

Wild and desperate, She threw herself upon the ground, beating her
bosom and rending her veil in all the delirium of despair. The Nuns
gazed with astonishment upon the scene before them. The Friar now
presented the fatal paper to the Prioress, informed her of the manner
in which he had found it, and added, that it was her business to
decide, what penance the delinquent merited.

While She perused the letter, the Domina's countenance grew inflamed
with passion. What! Such a crime committed in her Convent, and made
known to Ambrosio, to the Idol of Madrid, to the Man whom She was most
anxious to impress with the opinion of the strictness and regularity of
her House! Words were inadequate to express her fury. She was silent,
and darted upon the prostrate Nun looks of menace and malignity.

'Away with her to the Convent!' said She at length to some of her
Attendants.

Two of the oldest Nuns now approaching Agnes, raised her forcibly from
the ground, and prepared to conduct her from the Chapel.

'What!' She exclaimed suddenly shaking off their hold with distracted
gestures; 'Is all hope then lost? Already do you drag me to
punishment? Where are you, Raymond? Oh! save me! save me!'

Then casting upon the Abbot a frantic look, 'Hear me!' She continued;
'Man of an hard heart! Hear me, Proud, Stern, and Cruel! You could
have saved me; you could have restored me to happiness and virtue, but
would not! You are the destroyer of my Soul; You are my Murderer, and
on you fall the curse of my death and my unborn Infant's! Insolent in
your yet-unshaken virtue, you disdained the prayers of a Penitent; But
God will show mercy, though you show none. And where is the merit of
your boasted virtue? What temptations have you vanquished? Coward!
you have fled from it, not opposed seduction. But the day of Trial
will arrive! Oh! then when you yield to impetuous passions! when you
feel that Man is weak, and born to err; When shuddering you look back
upon your crimes, and solicit with terror the mercy of your God, Oh! in
that fearful moment think upon me! Think upon your Cruelty! Think
upon Agnes, and despair of pardon!'

As She uttered these last words, her strength was exhausted, and She
sank inanimate upon the bosom of a Nun who stood near her. She was
immediately conveyed from t