 no pains to discover
what had occasioned his plot to fail. Don Christoval, to whom the affair was now
entrusted, endeavoured to worm out the secret from the old porteress of St.
Clare, with whom he had formed an acquaintance; but she was too much upon her
guard, and he gained from her no intelligence. The marquis was almost
distracted, and Lorenzo felt scarcely less inquietude. Both were convinced that
the purposed elopement must have been discovered: they doubted not but the
malady of Agnes was a pretence, but they knew not by what means to rescue her
from the hands of the prioress.
    Regularly every day did Lorenzo visit the convent: as regularly was he
informed that his sister rather grew worse than better. Certain that her
indisposition was feigned, these accounts did not alarm him: but his ignorance
of her fate, and of the motives which induced the prioress to keep her from him,
excited the most serious uneasiness. He was still uncertain what steps he ought
to take, when the marquis received a letter from the cardinal-duke of Lerma. It
inclosed the pope's expected bull, ordering that Agnes should be released from
her vows, and restored to her relations. This essential paper decided at once
the proceedings of her friends; they resolved that Lorenzo should carry it to
the domina without delay, and demand that his sister should be instantly given
up to him. Against this mandate illness could not be pleaded: it gave her
brother the power of removing her instantly to the palace de Medina, and he
determined to use that power on the following day.
    His mind relieved from inquietude respecting his sister, and his spirits
raised by the hope of soon restoring her to freedom, he now had time to give a
few moments to love and to Antonia. At the same hour as on his former visit, he
repaired to Donna Elvira's. She had given orders for his admission. As soon as
he was announced, her daughter retired with Leonella; and when he entered the
chamber, he found the lady of the house alone. She received him with less
distance than before, and desired him to place himself near her upon the sopha.
She then, without losing time, opened her business, as had been agreed between
herself and Antonia.
    »You must not think me ungrateful, Don Lorenzo, or forgetful how essential
are the services which you have rendered me with the marquis. I feel the weight
of my obligations: nothing under the sun should induce my taking the step to
which I am now compelled, but the interest of my child, of
