Page:The Monk, A Romance - Lewis (1796, 1st ed., Volume 1).djvu/89

 informed her of the manner in which he had found it, and added, that it was her business to decide what penance the delinquent merited.

While she perused the letter, the domina's countenance grew inflamed with passion. What! such a crime committed in her convent, and made known to Ambrosio, to the idol of Madrid, to the man whom she was most anxious to impress with the opinion of the strictness and regularity of her house! Words were inadequate to express her fury. She was silent, and darted upon the prostrate nun looks of menace and malignity.

"Away with her to the convent!" said she at length to some of her attendants.

Two of the oldest nuns now approaching Agnes, raised her forcibly from the ground, and prepared to conduct her from the chapel.

"What!" she exclaimed suddenly, shaking off their hold with distracted gestures, "is all hope then lost? Already do you