He turned his eyes upon Matilda's: They were filled with tears; Her cheeks were covered with blushes, and her supplicating looks seemed to solicit his compassion.
'Dangerous Woman!' said He; 'Into what an abyss of misery have you plunged me! Should your sex be discovered, my honour, nay my life, must pay for the pleasure of a few moments.

Fool that I was, to trust myself to your seductions! What can now be done?
How can my offence be expiated?
What atonement can purchase the pardon of my crime?
Wretched Matilda, you have destroyed my quiet for ever!' 'To me these reproaches, Ambrosio?
To me, who have sacrificed for you the world's pleasures, the luxury of wealth, the delicacy of sex, my Friends, my fortune, and my fame?
What have you lost, which I preserved?
Have _I_ not shared in YOUR guilt?
Have YOU not shared in MY pleasure?
Guilt, did I say?
In what consists ours, unless in the opinion of an ill-judging World?
Let that World be ignorant of them, and our joys become divine and blameless! Unnatural were your vows of Celibacy; Man was not created for such a state; And were Love a crime, God never would have made it so sweet, so irresistible! Then banish those clouds from your brow, my Ambrosio! Indulge in those pleasures freely, without which life is a worthless gift: Cease to reproach me with having taught you what is bliss, and feel equal transports with the Woman who adores you!' As She spoke, her eyes were filled with a delicious languor.

Her bosom panted: She twined her arms voluptuously round him, drew him towards her, and glewed her lips to his.

Ambrosio again raged with desire: The die was thrown: His vows were already broken; He had already committed the crime, and why should He refrain from enjoying its reward?
He clasped her to his breast with redoubled ardour.

No longer repressed by the sense of shame, He gave a loose to his intemperate appetites.