It appears to me that unless patience had been supported by the pleasure which Arnoldo and Polycarp had in only looking at Auristella, and Sinforosa in gazing upon Periander, they must have lost it in listening to so tedious a story, touching1 which Maurice and Ladislaus were of opinion, that it was much too long and very little to the purpose, for instead of a narration2 of his own misfortunes, he had been detailing the pleasures of other people. Nevertheless, they liked to listen to him, and were willing to hear his tale to an end, so agreeable was his manner and style in relating anything.
Meanwhile Antonio had sought out Zenotia, whom he found in the royal apartments. The moment he saw her he approached with an unsheathed dagger3 in his hand, and seizing her by the right arm, and lifting his dagger on high, he cried, "Sorceress! instantly restore my son to me alive and well, or thy last hour is at hand. Perfidious4 creature! in what collection of eyeless needles, or headless pins, dost thou hold his life enwrapped; or hast thou hidden it in some nook or secret corner thou only knowest where?" Zenotia was terrified, seeing her life threatened by a furious Spaniard, with a dagger drawn5 in his hand, and trembling, she promised to restore life and health to his son. She would have readily promised to give it to the whole world, had he required it of her, so completely had he filled her whole soul with terror; so she said, "Loose me, O Spaniard, and put thy weapon into its sheath; it was owing to thy son's over-readiness to use his, that has brought him into his present state. Thou knowest that women are naturally revengeful, and most when we are aroused to vengeance6 by scorn and disdain7. Marvel8 not, then, if thy son's harshness should have hardened my heart; advise him henceforth to treat with more humanity those who humble9 themselves before him, and not to repulse10 those scornfully who only implore11 his pity. Go in peace, for to-morrow thou shalt see thy son restored to health."
"And if it should not be so," answered Antonio, "depend upon it, I shall not want means to seek thee out, nor shall I fail to take thy life." So saying, he left her, and she was so overpowered with fear, that forgetting her affronts12, she drew from behind the door, the incantations which she had prepared, little by little to consume away the life of the hard-hearted boy, whose grace and beauty had so entirely13 captivated her affections.
No sooner had Zenotia thrown away her infernal preparations, than Antonio recovered his lost health, the colour returned to his cheek, his eyes regained14 their lustre15, and his limbs their strength, to the joy of all his friends. When his father was alone with him he said, "I wish to bestow16 upon thee some advice my son, which is—never offend God in any way. During the fifteen or sixteen years of thy life I have taught thee the law which my parents taught to me, and that is the Catholic faith, the true one by which alone we can be saved, and which has saved all who have ever embraced it, and will save all who desire to enter the kingdom of Heaven. This law teaches us that we are not to chastise17 all who offend us, but to advise them to amend18 their faults; punishment belongs to the Judge, but we may all give reproof19 and counsel. Whenever thou art tempted20 to do anything that is contrary to the service of God, thou need'st not bend thy bow, nor launch thy arrows, nor use injurious words, but reject the evil counsel and retire from the opportunity. Thou wilt21 then come off conqueror22, and wilt be safe from again incurring23 such peril24 as I have now seen thee in. Thou wert bewitched by Zenotia, and with such potent25 enchantments26, that in less than ten days thou wouldst, little by little, have lost thy life, if God and my good speed had not prevented it. Now, come along with me, and rejoice our friends with the sight of thy recovered health, and we will hear the adventures of Periander, which he is to finish to-night."
Antonio promised to attend to his father's counsels with God's help, in spite of all the snares27 that might beset28 his path through life.
Meanwhile, Zenotia, affronted29 and grieved by the scorn of the son and the anger of the father, sought how she could avenge30 her injuries through the means of others, without depriving herself of the presence of her unloving barbarian31; and thus meditating32, she went to King Polycarp, and said, "you know, sire, that ever since I entered into your house and service, I have tried to serve you with the greatest zeal33 and attention: you know also, that trusting to my fidelity34 and truth, you have made me the depositary of all your secrets; and you know well how prudent35 I am in all peculiar36 cases, especially if a love affair be in question, and it is on this account I wish to tell you that, in allowing Arnoldo and all his party to go away, you are acting37 imprudently and unwisely. Tell me, if when present, you cannot gain Auristella's consent, how are you to gain it when she is absent?
"And how is it likely she will keep her word, and return to marry an old man, as you in fact are, (for we cannot conceal38 such truths from ourself,) when she has Periander with her, who may or may not be, her brother; and Arnoldo, a princely youth, who desires nothing more ardently39 than to make her his wife? Do not, sire, let slip the opportunity that you now possess: you can take the present one, which offers itself for detaining them, saying that it is necessary to punish the monstrous40 barbarity of one of the company, who has slain41 the man they call Clodio, even in your own palace."
Polycarp listened with attention to the advice of the malicious42 Zenotia; every word she uttered went straight through his heart, as if each had been a sharp nail, and he would fain have gone directly to carry her advice into effect. In fancy he beheld43 Auristella in the arms of Periander, not as her brother, but as a lover. In fancy he beheld her seated on the throne of Denmark, and Arnoldo making a joke of him and his amorous44 intentions; in fine, jealousy45 took possession of his whole soul in such a manner that he could scarce refrain from giving it utterance46, and vowing47 vengeance upon those who had never offended him. But Zenotia, when she saw that her words had taken effect, and how ready he was to do all she wished him to do, advised him to remain quiet for the present, for that Periander was to finish his story that night, and it would give them time to consider what would be most convenient to be done. Polycarp agreed, and she, still hopelessly enamoured of the young Antonio, gave loose to her imagination how best to accomplish the king's wishes and her own.
The night came on, and Polycarp, with his daughters, joined the company as they had done before; Periander took up his history where he had left off after the wedding festivities.
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1
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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2
narration
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| n.讲述，叙述；故事；记叙体 | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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perfidious
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| adj.不忠的，背信弃义的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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7
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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8
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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9
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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10
repulse
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| n.击退，拒绝；vt.逐退，击退，拒绝 | |
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11
implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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12
affronts
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| n.（当众）侮辱，（故意）冒犯( affront的名词复数 )v.勇敢地面对( affront的第三人称单数 )；相遇 | |
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13
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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chastise
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| vt.责骂，严惩 | |
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18
amend
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| vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿 | |
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19
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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21
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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22
conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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incurring
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| 遭受，招致，引起( incur的现在分词 ) | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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enchantments
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| n.魅力( enchantment的名词复数 )；迷人之处；施魔法；着魔 | |
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27
snares
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| n.陷阱( snare的名词复数 )；圈套；诱人遭受失败（丢脸、损失等）的东西；诱惑物v.用罗网捕捉，诱陷，陷害( snare的第三人称单数 ) | |
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28
beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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29
affronted
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| adj.被侮辱的，被冒犯的v.勇敢地面对( affront的过去式和过去分词 )；相遇 | |
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30
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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31
barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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32
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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35
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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38
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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39
ardently
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| adv.热心地，热烈地 | |
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40
monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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41
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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42
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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43
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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44
amorous
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| adj.多情的；有关爱情的 | |
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45
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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46
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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47
vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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