Scarcely a week after Vincenzio’s arrest, the unusually strict retirement9 of the Lady Elvira was disturbed by an earnest petition for a private interview, on the part of a Neapolitan boy, who, the attendant said, had been so urgent, and appeared so exhausted10, that he could not refuse him entrance. He would not tell his business to any save the Lady Elvira. Permission was given, and he was conducted to her presence, clothed in a coarse folding cloak of Neapolitan cloth, with the red picturesque11 cap of the country slouched upon his brow. He stood at the threshold of the apartment, his arms folded in his mantle12, his head bent13 on his breast, as if either physical or mental strength had for the moment utterly14 failed him. “Retire,” was the first word that met his ear; and he perceived the Lady Elvira addressed her attendants, who still lingered. “Retire, all of you. The boy asked a private audience, and I have promised it. Treachery! danger!—I fear them not!—begone!” and they obeyed. One searching glance the boy cast around, and ere the lady could address him, he had darted15 across the room, and flung himself at her feet, clasping her knees with the convulsive grasp of agony, struggling for words, but so ineffectually that nought16 but quivering anguish17 convulsed those parched18 lips, nought but agonized19 sobs20 found vent21. Mantle and cap had both fallen in the quickness of the movement, and though the inner dress was still the boy’s, that exquisite22 face, that swelling23 bosom24 told a different tale.
“Ha! who art thou? What wouldst thou?—speak, silly trembler,” and even at the moment that an indescribable thrill passed through the heart of Gonzalvo’s daughter, she struggled to speak playfully. “In sooth, thou art too lovely to wander forth25 alone, save in this strange guise26; speak—what is thy boon27?”
“A life! a life they say is forfeited28! Lady, kind, generous lady, oh, have mercy! I thought I had words to plead his cause, to beseech29, implore30, adjure31 thee, but I have none—none! Mercy, oh, have mercy!”
“Mercy! I am no sovereign to give life or death, poor child! How may I serve thee, and whom is it thou wouldst save?”
“Art thou not Elvira?—art thou not Gonzalvo’s daughter?—and will he not pardon at thy word? Oh, seek him! Tell him Constance, princess of Naples, is in his power! yields herself his prisoner, to be dealt with as he lists, let him but spare Luigi—Luigi, my own noble love! Give him but pardon, life, liberty! Lady, lady! plead for him! let them hold me prisoner in his stead. Wherefore lookest thou thus? Mercy, oh, have mercy—save him!”
“Whom saidst thou, girl? Whom wouldst thou save?—speak, I command thee!” exclaimed Elvira, in a voice so changed, so unnatural32, that Constance shuddered33, vainly endeavouring to shrink from the heavy hand that grasped her shoulders, the eyes that flashed upon her, as if fire had dwelt within their depths. “As thou hopest for mercy, speak!”
“Save! whom but my own, my plighted34 lord! Is there one in the wide world to love me now as Luigi—Luigi Vincenzio, he who hath honoured Constance with his troth? Oh, save—”
“Love! thou DAREST not tell me that he loves thee!—false—false—he does not love thee!” She sprang up, cheek, lip, brow, flushing for a single instant crimson35, then fading into a white so ghastly, it seemed as if life itself must have passed, save for the mighty36 passion which held it chained.
“Thee! one like thee, poor foolish child! art thou one to bid Luigi Vincenzio love, to hold his heart enchained? Yet thou art lovely, good God of Heaven, how exquisitely37 lovely! Poor child, poor child, I have appalled38 thee!—does he so love thee?” She had sunk back on the cushion, her hands convulsively pressed together, as to conceal39 their trembling, but the wild light of those eyes, now still movelessly fixed40 on Constance, who had risen from that posture41 of entreaty42, as if the deep emotion of another had stilled her into composure.
“Love me! yes, as none but Luigi can love; daughter of a ruined, a persecuted43 house, with little to make me worthy44 of such love, yet doth he love me, as I in truth were all in all to him, as he is all to me—love me! Oh! did they bid me die, or wander forth an exile, an outcast, like all of my race, yet queens might envy Constance for Luigi Vincenzio’s love!”
“And thou wouldst save him?”
“Aye, with my life—with all that they may deem precious, Constance of Naples is no common prize; ’tis said, Ferdinand would give a jewel from his coronet for all of Frederic’s unhappy offspring placed within his power; I am here; bid Gonzalvo send me a state prisoner, as he so nobly did my brother. Ha! lady, noble lady, forgive the word; ’tis not for the captive, the suppliant45, to arraign46 the captor and the judge. Grief makes the speech unwary—heed47 it not, heed it not; take my life, my liberty for his!”
“Constance of Naples, thou mayst save both! Gonzalvo wars not with women!” The princess threw herself at her feet, with a wild cry of gratitude48: the strangeness of that voice, the rigid49 expression of that face, she heeded50 not, knew not, she only dreamed of hope.
“Aye, but I have not said how, girl; pardon, life, liberty, all have been offered to him for whom thou pleadest, on the sole condition of swearing allegiance to Ferdinand, fealty51 to Spain.”
“And he hath refused,” she interrupted; “oh! give me entrance to him—I will plead, kneel, move not from his feet till he hath done this; he will submit for me, he will hear me, live for Constance—let me but plead.”
“Peace! there is more; he must be naturalized in Spain, WED52 one of her noblest daughters, aye, one that LOVES him; let him do this, and he shall have life, riches, honour, all that can make life glad. Ha! dost thou fail! bid him do this, and he shall live.”
“Yes, even this!” was the reply, after one single moment’s pause; and the quivering lip, the ashy cheek, the trembling frame, alone betrayed that young heart’s agony. “Let Luigi Vincenzio be free, be happy—for if she whom he must wed in truth thus love him, the dream of his youth will fade beneath the glory of his manhood, and he shall, he must be blessed—if such things be, what recks it that Constance droops53 alone? I shall have saved him, have given him back to life, to his fellows, to honour, to glory, and my death will be happy, oh! so happy! Lady, I will do this.”
“Death! who spoke54 of death for thee? bid Luigi thus accept his life, and thine is secured, is free.”
“Free! speakest thou of love, yet dreamest thou life could exist apart from him—peace, peace—let me but save him, let him but live, give me but admission to his presence, let me but speak with him. Lady, lady, wherefore tarry? I will do this, take me but to him.”
“Thou wilt55 SWEAR!” That low terrible whisper was a more fearful index of passionate56 agony in the speaker than even that which crushed her who stood in such meek57, mournful, yet heroic suffering before her; one only feeling prompted Constance, but in Elvira it was the fierce contest of the evil and the good; one whelming passion straggling for dominion58 over all that had been so fair, so bright, so beautiful before.
“Swear to sacrifice my all of selfish bliss59 for him? aye, without one moment’s pause! Oh! lady, thou knowest not love, if thou deemest it needs oath to hallow that which I have said. If thou doubtest me, bid one thou mayst trust, be witness of my truth; but oh! keep me no longer from him; let me save his life!”
Without a word or notice in reply, the Lady Elvira sat a moment in deep thought, then rose, and signed to the princess to follow her.
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收听单词发音
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1
strenuously
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| adv.奋发地，费力地 | |
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2
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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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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yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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5
galleys
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| n.平底大船，战舰( galley的名词复数 )；（船上或航空器上的）厨房 | |
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6
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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7
rumoured
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| adj.谣传的；传说的；风 | |
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8
transpired
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| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
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9
retirement
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| n.退休，退职 | |
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10
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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11
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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12
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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13
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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14
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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15
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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16
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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18
parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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19
agonized
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| v.使（极度）痛苦，折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 )；苦斗；苦苦思索；感到极度痛苦 | |
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20
sobs
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| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
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21
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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22
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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23
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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24
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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25
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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26
guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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27
boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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28
forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
beseech
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| v.祈求，恳求 | |
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30
implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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31
adjure
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| v.郑重敦促(恳请) | |
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32
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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33
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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34
plighted
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| vt.保证，约定（plight的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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35
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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36
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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37
exquisitely
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| adv.精致地；强烈地；剧烈地；异常地 | |
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38
appalled
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| v.使惊骇，使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的；丧胆的 | |
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39
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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40
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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41
posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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42
entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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43
persecuted
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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44
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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45
suppliant
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| adj.哀恳的；n.恳求者，哀求者 | |
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46
arraign
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| v.提讯；控告 | |
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47
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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48
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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49
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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50
heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
fealty
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| n.忠贞，忠节 | |
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52
wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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53
droops
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的名词复数 ) | |
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54
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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55
wilt
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| v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱 | |
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56
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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57
meek
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| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
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58
dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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59
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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