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14 14

Agnes

of

[January,

Sorrento.

AGNES OF SORRENTO. XVIII.

subjection. The discipline conventual life, the extraordinary austerities which to

of

CHAPTER

THE PENANCE.

himself, the monoto his existence, all tended

to a

all

is

in

of

to

of

of

for Agnes

be

few days

must again meet

the confessional. He must meet her, not with weak tremblings and pas Fate, inexora sionate fears, but calm ble the Judgment-Day. He must hear God; man, but her confession, not must pronounce

as

his judgments

with

a

to

to

in

in

to a

ed

to

he

flowers: nor could shun that tempta tion, nor cease inhale that fatal sweet ness, without confessing himself vanquish point where, yield his view, was be lost. The subtle and deceitful visit of Father Johannes his cell had

done with himself, and done immediate

ly;

as

sweetest and most life-giving

he

of

perfume

utterly bewilders the most prac self-government. tised But felt that something must

times

as

in

in of

to

had come love her. The temptation had duty; the met him the direct path poison had been breathed with the

developed;

he

heed he

no

life guilty compliances, From less running into temptation,

times disproportionately

and when those weird harp-strings the nerves are once thoroughly unstrung, the fury and tempest the discord some

at in a

the future

as

the irresistible

must direct

exalt the vivacity the nervous sys tem, which, the Italian constitution, at

its

of

which Agnes.

no

his hands

authority

is

in

rior; for

nous solitude

he

course of our story requires us to return to the Capuchin convent, and Supe to the struggles and trials of

of

he had condemned

THE



cessity

courses

he he to

all

their blind way towards

an

of

of

by on a its

those fibres which were feeling earthly love,

of

all

of

of

bringing the energy his will, all the resources his nature

of

divine dispassionateness. He must dive into the recesses her secret heart, and, following with subtile analysis the fine

of

thoroughly rousing him the effect complete sense his position, and mak ing him feel the immediate, absolute ne

must tear them remorselessly away. Well could he warn her of the insidiousness of

treating his female peni maliciously noted. The military education his early days had

was blended with her prayers and borne before the sacred shrine her most

bring the rebel

to

conscience

to

and

a

in

at

a

all

to

he

its

up

to

hur

the irrevoca

himself

he

But ere

done,

must subdue

in

it

an

her,

must

all

If

must become calm and pulseless, deadly resolve; and what prayer, what penance might avail for this? that miserably had already tried had quit failed, what hope He resolved society, for season human and enter to

so

the other authority, reason,

awaited

this was before him.

2

passionate, demented;

vainly endeavoring

by

bulent,

All could

all

seemed him that there were two men within him: the one tur

marriage

be

in

to of

passion.

It

of

so

a

of

he

felt that sense divided personal ity which often becomes vivid the history strong will and individuals

unearthly

sealed and spiritual bride; her footsteps onward ble issue.

ry

to

as

a

of

a

survey

and therefore flint for victory. his interior world, and the work before him,

and solemn hours might last presence come fill her heart with too dangerously dear. He must direct her gaze those mystical heights where retired

he

as

conquer,

set his face But reviewing

taking

he

ought

to

he

it

a

in

strong residuum his mind personal courage and honor, which made dastardly him regard flee when

still left

he

of

of

his mode tents, would

earthly affections; better than any one else he could show her hów name that

a

in

felt,

be of

present difficulties. For fine intuition, that already was watched and suspected;— any falter ing step now, any wavering, any change

bear