CHAPTER III.
Oh! could I worship aught beneath the skies That earth hath seen or fancy could devise, Thine altar, sacred Liberty, should stand, Built by no mercenary vulgar hand, With fragrant turf, and flowers as wild and fair, As ever dressed a bank, or scented summer air.
Cowper.
His whole attention bent upon bringing to justice the Assassins of his Sister, Lorenzo little thought how severely his interest was suffering in another quarter.

As was before mentioned, He returned not to Madrid till the evening of that day on which Antonia was buried.

Signifying to the Grand Inquisitor the order of the Cardinal-Duke (a ceremony not to be neglected, when a Member of the Church was to be arrested publicly) communicating his design to his Uncle and Don Ramirez, and assembling a troop of Attendants sufficiently to prevent opposition, furnished him with full occupation during the few hours preceding midnight.
Consequently, He had no opportunity to enquire about his Mistress, and was perfectly ignorant both of her death and her Mother's.
The Marquis was by no means out of danger: His delirium was gone, but had left him so much exhausted that the Physicians declined pronouncing upon the consequences likely to ensue.

As for Raymond himself, He wished for nothing more earnestly than to join Agnes in the grave.
Existence was hateful to him: He saw nothing in the world deserving his attention; and He hoped to hear that Agnes was revenged, and himself given over in the same moment.
Followed by Raymond's ardent prayers for success, Lorenzo was at the Gates of St.Clare a full hour before the time appointed by the Mother St.Ursula.

He was accompanied by his Uncle, by Don Ramirez de Mello, and a party of chosen Archers.