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
