Intruder towards the Table, and holding up the light, discovered the
features of ...... Madona Flora!

Incensed at having been betrayed by this trifling cause into fears so
ridiculous, He asked her sternly, what business had brought her to that
chamber. Flora, ashamed at being found out, and terrified at the
severity of Ambrosio's looks, fell upon her knees, and promised to make
a full confession.

'I protest, reverend Father,' said She, 'that I am quite grieved at
having disturbed you: Nothing was further from my intention. I meant
to get out of the room as quietly as I got in; and had you been
ignorant that I watched you, you know, it would have been the same
thing as if I had not watched you at all. To be sure, I did very wrong
in being a Spy upon you, that I cannot deny; But Lord! your Reverence,
how can a poor weak Woman resist curiosity? Mine was so strong to know
what you were doing, that I could not but try to get a little peep,
without any body knowing any thing about it. So with that I left old
Dame Jacintha sitting by my Lady's Bed, and I ventured to steal into
the Closet. Being unwilling to interrupt you, I contented myself at
first with putting my eye to the Keyhole; But as I could see nothing by
this means, I undrew the bolt, and while your back was turned to the
Alcove, I whipt me in softly and silently. Here I lay snug behind the
curtain, till your Reverence found me out, and seized me ere I had time
to regain the Closet door. This is the whole truth, I assure you, Holy
Father, and I beg your pardon a thousand times for my impertinence.'

During this speech the Abbot had time to recollect himself: He was
satisfied with reading the penitent Spy a lecture upon the dangers of
curiosity, and the meanness of the action in which She had been just
discovered. Flora declared herself fully persuaded that She had done
wrong; She promised never to be guilty of the same fault again, and was
retiring very humble and contrite to Antonia's chamber, when the Closet
door was suddenly thrown open, and in rushed Jacintha pale and out of
breath.

'Oh! Father! Father!' She cried in a voice almost choaked with
terror; 'What shall I do! What shall I do! Here is a fine piece of
work! Nothing but misfortunes! Nothing but dead people, and dying
people! Oh! I shall go distracted! I shall go distracted!'

'Speak! Speak!' cried Flora and the Monk at the same time; 'What has
happened? What is the matter?'