for her Mother. Ambrosio beheld this reestablishment with
displeasure. He saw that Elvira's knowledge of the world would
not be the Dupe of his sanctified demeanour, and that She would
easily perceive his views upon her Daughter. He resolved
therefore, before She quitted her chamber, to try the extent of
his influence over the innocent Antonia.

One evening, when He had found Elvira almost perfectly restored
to health, He quitted her earlier than was his usual custom. Not
finding Antonia in the Antichamber, He ventured to follow her
to her own. It was only separated from her Mother's by a Closet,
in which Flora, the Waiting-Woman, generally slept. Antonia sat
upon a Sopha with her back towards the door, and read
attentively. She heard not his approach, till He had seated
himself by her. She started, and welcomed him with a look of
pleasure: Then rising, She would have conducted him to the
sitting-room; But Ambrosio taking her hand, obliged her by gentle
violence to resume her place. She complied without difficulty:
She knew not that there was more impropriety in conversing with
him in one room than another. She thought herself equally secure
of his principles and her own, and having replaced herself upon
the Sopha, She began to prattle to him with her usual ease and
vivacity.

He examined the Book which She had been reading, and had now
placed upon the Table. It was the Bible.

'How!' said the Friar to himself; 'Antonia reads the Bible, and
is still so ignorant?'