The Monk | Page 4

the
idea that the Crowd was assembled either from motives of piety or
thirst of information. But very few were influenced by those reasons;
and in a city where superstition reigns with such despotic sway as in
Madrid, to seek for true devotion would be a fruitless attempt. The
Audience now assembled in the Capuchin Church was collected by
various causes, but all of them were foreign to the ostensible motive.
The Women came to show themselves, the Men to see the Women:
Some were attracted by curiosity to hear an Orator so celebrated; Some
came because they had no better means of employing their time till the
play began; Some, from being assured that it would be impossible to

find places in the Church; and one half of Madrid was brought thither
by expecting to meet the other half. The only persons truly anxious to
hear the Preacher were a few antiquated devotees, and half a dozen
rival Orators, determined to find fault with and ridicule the discourse.
As to the remainder of the Audience, the Sermon might have been
omitted altogether, certainly without their being disappointed, and very
probably without their perceiving the omission.
Whatever was the occasion, it is at least certain that the Capuchin
Church had never witnessed a more numerous assembly. Every corner
was filled, every seat was occupied. The very Statues which
ornamented the long aisles were pressed into the service. Boys
suspended themselves upon the wings of Cherubims; St. Francis and St.
Mark bore each a spectator on his shoulders; and St. Agatha found
herself under the necessity of carrying double. The consequence was,
that in spite of all their hurry and expedition, our two newcomers, on
entering the Church, looked round in vain for places.
However, the old Woman continued to move forwards. In vain were
exclamations of displeasure vented against her from all sides: In vain
was She addressed with--'I assure you, Segnora, there are no places
here.'-- 'I beg, Segnora, that you will not crowd me so
intolerably!'--'Segnora, you cannot pass this way. Bless me! How can
people be so troublesome!'--The old Woman was obstinate, and on She
went. By dint of perseverance and two brawny arms She made a
passage through the Crowd, and managed to bustle herself into the very
body of the Church, at no great distance from the Pulpit. Her
companion had followed her with timidity and in silence, profiting by
the exertions of her conductress.
'Holy Virgin!' exclaimed the old Woman in a tone of disappointment,
while She threw a glance of enquiry round her; 'Holy Virgin! What heat!
What a Crowd! I wonder what can be the meaning of all this. I believe
we must return: There is no such thing as a seat to be had, and nobody
seems kind enough to accommodate us with theirs.'
This broad hint attracted the notice of two Cavaliers, who occupied
stools on the right hand, and were leaning their backs against the

seventh column from the Pulpit. Both were young, and richly habited.
Hearing this appeal to their politeness pronounced in a female voice,
they interrupted their conversation to look at the speaker. She had
thrown up her veil in order to take a clearer look round the Cathedral.
Her hair was red, and She squinted. The Cavaliers turned round, and
renewed their conversation.
'By all means,' replied the old Woman's companion; 'By all means,
Leonella, let us return home immediately; The heat is excessive, and I
am terrified at such a crowd.'
These words were pronounced in a tone of unexampled sweetness. The
Cavaliers again broke off their discourse, but for this time they were
not contented with looking up: Both started involuntarily from their
seats, and turned themselves towards the Speaker.
The voice came from a female, the delicacy and elegance of whose
figure inspired the Youths with the most lively curiosity to view the
face to which it belonged. This satisfaction was denied them. Her
features were hidden by a thick veil; But struggling through the crowd
had deranged it sufficiently to discover a neck which for symmetry and
beauty might have vied with the Medicean Venus. It was of the most
dazzling whiteness, and received additional charms from being shaded
by the tresses of her long fair hair, which descended in ringlets to her
waist. Her figure was rather below than above the middle size: It was
light and airy as that of an Hamadryad. Her bosom was carefully veiled.
Her dress was white; it was fastened by a blue sash, and just permitted
to peep out from under it a little foot of the most delicate proportions.
A chaplet of large grains hung upon her arm, and her face was covered
with a veil of thick black gauze. Such was the female, to