Agnes, or, Beauty and Pleasure — page 373: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AGNES ; OR, BEAUTY AND PLEASURE. The Princess was conducted into a very plainly- furnished parlour, at the extremity of which there was a sort of grating, whereat visitors conversed with those friends or relations who having taken the extremest and most rigorous vows of separa- tion from the world, could only be permitted to hold occasional intercourse with any of ita denizens from the other side of that iron trellis. The Princess was not long kept waiting : the door presently opened, and the Abbess made her appearance. She was an elderly lady—tall and thin—and her very pale face looked almost corpse- like surrounded as it was with the folds of the whitest and finest linen, which seemed to be a sbroud. The expression of that face was per- fectly serene: and it retained the traces of some beauty which in former :ears it must have pos- sessed. On perceiving that the visitress was a complete stranver to her—and algo observing at a glance that she was a lady of the most distin- guished appearance, notwithstanding that she was dressed in plain mourning garments—the Abbess requested her to be seated ; and then in silence awaited whatsoever explanations might be given to account for her presence. Nevertheless the holy dame bent a benignant look upon Bianca, as if she almost penetrated her thoughts, and was thus encouraging her to enter into the bosom of that peaceful seclusion. “1 ecarcely know how to open my purpose to your ladyship,” began thé Princ:ss, in a hesitat- ing and faltering voice: “indeed I now feel dif dent to a degree It seems as :f I were about to ask a boon of such megnitude that it is certain to be refused ? “Speak, daughter,” said the Abbess, at once addressing Bianca with a species of maternal be- nevolence that was even more encouraging than her lvoks had previously been. ‘‘ What boon is this that you would ask me P Your appearance— your manners—all indicate that you are incapable of saying aught to which I may not listen. “ Let me hope that it is on your euul’s behalf you have found your way within these walls ?” ‘It is on wy soul’s behalf,” replied the Princess. “ T would fain abandon a world of whose turmoil and strite 1 am a-weary; and | could lay down my head to rest upon the humblest pallet in any of your convent-cells !” “You will be received amongst us,” answered the Abbess, “ with open arms. To any one who seeks this conventual pile in such a spirit as that which has impelled your footsteps bither, shall the welcome ot a buly fervour be accorded.” “I already long,” answered Bianca, “to see that door,’—and ehe glanced towards the portal at the entrance, for the door leading from the parlour into the vestibule stood open—“I long to see that portal closed for ever betwixt me and the great world without !” “ Daughter,” asked the Abbess, “ is it sorrow or ig it sin which has impelled you hither, and which now elicits such words from your lips P” “ Both, boly mother,” was the response: “ but truth compels me to add that my sorrows pro- ceeded from my sins.” * You shall confess your sins—and if penitence be displayed, there shall be absolution granted.” “1 bave borne—TI still bear,” continued Bianes, “a great name in the world: I am of priocely i ee rank—and my riches are great. All this wealth will I give as an endowment tv religious institu- tions; but when once I enter into your commu- nity, holy mother, I would fain that the name which I bore in the world should rest unknown amidst the sisterhood.” “Unknown,” rejoined the Abbess, “ unto every one except myself and the father confessor. When will you come amongst us, daughter? Delay not, I conjure you !” “T shall not delay, holy mother. Would to heaven that I could remain here now, and not be compelled to go forth again !” “What ?” asked the Abbess, severely: “ have you still to do with a world whence you ere now expressed yourself so anxious to fly? Have you not yet committed enough of its sing to endure a proportionate amount of its svrrows ?” “Oh, yes,” responded the Princess: “I have already seen too much, and mv heart is seared as it were with the hot iron of affliction! But still [ cannot leave that world all in a moment—I have others to think of—duties to perform—interests which cannot be neglected He ‘ Daugbter, you are right,” said the Abbess, her countenance speedi'y recovering its benignity: “leave no duties unperformed —and then you will have naught to excite your regrets when once these portals shall have closed upon you for ever. Let it therefore be an understanding that at any moment when you knock it shall be opened unto you ; and then may you enter upon a life of peace and serene bliss such a8 you have never known and never could know in the great world which you are quitting |” “‘ Within a very few hours, boly mother,” said the Princess, ““I shall return to kneel at your feet and crave your blessing.” ““T will bestow it now,” said the Abbess. “No, no!” ejaculated Bianca, with a shudder that was almost visible: “it would seem as if I were passing from the midst of sacred things into the vortex of those which are profane and im- pious, if I were to receive your blessing now, and then go forth into the great world again! You shall bless me when I return, and when I throw myself at your feet and for the future invoke your guidance, as a child may kneel in the presence of its mother!” ‘“‘ And again I assure you, daughter, of a sincere welcome, The name which you bore in the world shall be lost in the humble and simple one which you will assume the very instant you returo within these precinets.” “And let that name be one,” cried the Princess, “‘ which shall remind me tbat I have been sinful and that I have endured mental agonies on account of my misdeeds! Let it be a name to bear which shall be in itself a species of penance! Tell me, holy motber—is there such a name as this which you can bestow upon me P” “There is,” answered the Abbess, after a few moments’ reflection, ‘‘ When you return into my presence ard kneel at my feet to invoke my bless- ing, I shall raise you up and say, ‘ Welcome, poor sinner! welcome, thou penitent to this abode of peace! Be thou welcome, Sister Agonia !’” The Princess bowed her head tor a few mo- ments : then suddenly drawing the veil over her face, she murmured, ‘‘ Thanks, holy mother! COMmMiclboo SaGO iin