Page:The Monk, A Romance - Lewis (1796, 1st ed., Volume 1).djvu/145

 with all those charms which his heated imagination could supply. Every beauty which he had seen appeared embellished; and those still concealed fancy represented to him in glowing colours. Still, however, his vows, and the necessity of keeping to them, were present to his memory. He struggled with desire, and shuddered when he beheld how deep was the precipice before him.

Matilda ceased to sing. Dreading the influence of her charms, Ambrosio remained with his eyes closed, and offered up his prayers to St. Francis to assist him in this dangerous trial! Matilda believed that he was sleeping: she rose from her seat, approached the bed softly, and for some minutes gazed upon him attentively.

"He sleeps!" said she at length in a low voice, but whose accents the abbot distinguished perfectly: "now then I may gaze upon him without offence; I may mix my breath with his; I may doat upon his features, and he cannot suspect me of impurity and deceit. He fears my seducing him to