CHAPTER XIX.

Our pilgrims again are on their way. They were passed on the road by about seven or eight persons on horseback; among them was a woman seated upon a rich side saddle, on a mule¹, and dressed in a travelling habit, all green, except her hat, the rich plumes² of which floated on the breeze, and her face was covered with a green veil. They went by, and passed on before them without turning their heads, or speaking a word, but silently saluted³ them, and went forwards. The others did the same, they also bowed and said nothing.

One of the party remained behind the rest, and coming up to the pilgrims and their friends, asked if they could afford them a little water. They gave it, and inquired who the persons were that had gone on, and who was the lady in green; to which the traveller answered, "He who rides yonder, is Signor Alexander Castrucho, a gentleman of Capua, and one of the richest men, not only in Capua, but of the whole kingdom of Naples. The lady is his niece, the lady Isabella Castrucho, who was born in Spain, where she has left her father buried, and in consequence of his death her uncle is bringing her to Capua to be married, and I believe she is not very well pleased with this."

"That may be very likely," said the aged⁴ squire⁵ of the lady Ruperta, (for she and Croriano were now added to the party,) "not because she is going to be married, but because the journey is long. I hold it that no woman alive but is longing⁶ for the other half she wants,—a husband."

"I cannot tell about these philosophies," replied the traveller, "all I know is, that she looks very melancholy⁷, and she probably knows why; and now I must say adieu, for my masters are much in advance," and so spurring on, he was shortly out of sight.

The French ladies had determined⁸ to give up going to Paris, and to travel straight to Rome with the pilgrims, who had decided⁹ to leave France by Dauphiny, and crossing Piedmont and the States of Milan, visit Florence, and proceed on to Rome.

For many days they travelled without meeting any adventure worth relating. They entered Milan, admired the grandeur¹⁰ of the town, its wealth, its gilding¹¹, its warlike forges, as if Vulcan himself had set up there. The infinite abundance of its fruits, the size of its churches, and lastly, the sharp wits of its inhabitants. They had heard from their host that the thing best worth seeing was the Academy of the Entronados,[S] which boasted of some of the most eminent¹² academicians, whose subtle reasonings and arguments had gained renown¹³ for them throughout the whole world. They heard that this was a day when an argument would be held, and that it was to be, Whether love could exist without jealousy¹⁴?

"It can," said Periander. "To decide this it is not necessary to lose much time."

"I," said Auristella, "do not know what is meant by love, although I know what it is to love well."

To which Bellarmina answered, "I cannot understand this mode of talking, nor the difference between love and loving well."

"It is," said Auristella, "that loving well may be without any very great or violent emotion, as one can love a faithful servant, or a statue, or a picture, which pleases one very much, and this does not cause jealousy, nor can give it; but the passion which is generally called love, and which is a violent emotion of the soul, even when it does not produce jealousy can cause such fears as go nigh to destroy life itself, and from this it seems to me that love cannot be free."

"You say well, lady," observed Periander, "for when did there ever exist a lover, who, possessing the beloved one, does not tremble lest he should lose it? There is no happiness so secure that it may not be overturned;—no nail so strong as to stop the wheel of fortune;—and if it were not that we are anxious not to delay our journey, perhaps I might prove to-day in the academy, that love can exist without jealousy, but not without fear."

Thus ended the conversation. They stayed in Milan four days, during which they saw a great part of its grandeur, but not all, as that would have taken them four years.

From thence they went to Lucca, a small town, but beautiful and free, which, under the wings of the empire and of Spain, looks loftily down upon the cities of the surrounding princes, who long to possess her. Here Spaniards are better received and regarded than in any other place; and here our travellers met with one of the strangest adventures that had yet befallen them.

1 mule   

n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人

参考例句：

• A mule is a cross between a mare and a donkey.骡子是母马和公驴的杂交后代。
• He is an old mule.他是个老顽固。

2 plumes   

羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物

参考例句：

• The dancer wore a headdress of pink ostrich plumes. 那位舞蹈演员戴着粉色鸵鸟毛制作的头饰。
• The plumes on her bonnet barely moved as she nodded. 她点点头，那帽子的羽毛在一个劲儿颤动。

3 saluted   

v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂

参考例句：

• The sergeant stood to attention and saluted. 中士立正敬礼。
• He saluted his friends with a wave of the hand. 他挥手向他的朋友致意。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

5 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

6 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

7 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

8 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 grandeur   

n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华

参考例句：

• The grandeur of the Great Wall is unmatched.长城的壮观是独一无二的。
• These ruins sufficiently attest the former grandeur of the place.这些遗迹充分证明此处昔日的宏伟。

11 gilding   

n.贴金箔，镀金

参考例句：

• The dress is perfect. Don't add anything to it at all. It would just be gilding the lily. 这条裙子已经很完美了，别再作任何修饰了，那只会画蛇添足。
• The gilding is extremely lavish. 这层镀金极为奢华。

12 eminent   

adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的

参考例句：

• We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
• He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。

13 renown   

n.声誉，名望

参考例句：

• His renown has spread throughout the country.他的名声已传遍全国。
• She used to be a singer of some renown.她曾是位小有名气的歌手。

14 jealousy   

n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌

参考例句：

• Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
• I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。