loaded with her benedictions.

It was broad day when He returned to the Abbey. His first care was to
communicate what had past to his Confident. He felt too sincere a
passion for Antonia to have heard unmoved the prediction of her speedy
death, and He shuddered at the idea of losing an object so dear to him.
Upon this head Matilda reassured him. She confirmed the arguments
which Himself had already used: She declared Antonia to have been
deceived by the wandering of her brain, by the Spleen which opprest her
at the moment, and by the natural turn of her mind to superstition, and
the marvellous. As to Jacintha's account, the absurdity refuted
itself; The Abbot hesitated not to believe that She had fabricated the
whole story, either confused by terror, or hoping to make him comply
more readily with her request. Having overruled the Monk's
apprehensions, Matilda continued thus.

'The prediction and the Ghost are equally false; But it must be your
care, Ambrosio, to verify the first. Antonia within three days must
indeed be dead to the world; But She must live for you.

Her present illness, and this fancy which She has taken into her head,
will colour a plan which I have long meditated, but which was
impracticable without your procuring access to Antonia. She shall be
yours, not for a single night, but for ever. All the vigilance of her
Duenna shall not avail her: You shall riot unrestrained in the charms
of your Mistress. This very day must the scheme be put in execution,
for you have no time to lose. The Nephew of the Duke of Medina Celi
prepares to demand Antonia for his Bride: In a few days She will be
removed to the Palace of her Relation, the Marquis de las Cisternas,
and there She will be secure from your attempts. Thus during your
absence have I been informed by my Spies, who are ever employed in
bringing me intelligence for your service. Now then listen to me.
There is a juice extracted from certain herbs, known but to few, which
brings on the Person who drinks it the exact image of Death. Let this
be administered to Antonia: You may easily find means to pour a few
drops into her medicine. The effect will be throwing her into strong
convulsions for an hour: After which her blood will gradually cease to
flow, and heart to beat; A mortal paleness will spread itself over her
features, and She will appear a Corse to every eye. She has no Friends
about her: You may charge yourself unsuspected with t