What had already passed between those loving ones it is needless to record; nor the deep suffocating12 emotion which had for several minutes utterly13 deprived Vincenzio of voice, when his Constance so strangely, so unexpectedly sprang into his arms. What cared he now that his guards were present; that she was not permitted to see him alone, save to smile at Gonzalvo’s idle fear that she could bring him means to escape? He felt nothing but her presence, drinking in for the first few moments the sweet faint accents of her beloved voice, as if nothing of ill or misery14 could touch him more. But soon, oh! how much too soon, the sweet dream fled, and but one truth remained—that he was doomed15 to death, to close his eyes on that beloved one, and for ever! A shudder16 had convulsed his frame, a deep groan17 had been wrung18 from him by that thought, and Constance had heard and guessed its import. She knew not at first what she said, but one thought, one feeling, one stern necessity was distinct upon her mind; all else was confused and painful, as if a dark cloud had folded up her brain, leaving nought19 clear but the letters of fire in which that one stern necessity was written.
“And dost thou indeed, in very deed, so love me, Luigi? Oh! then thou will grant my boon20; thou wilt21 not let thy Constance plead to thee in vain,” said she, after many, many minutes had rolled by, unheeded in that sad commune, and she lifted up her pale and mournful face, as the white rose that, beat by some heavy storm, droops22 its lovely head to earth, ere one leaf had lost its freshness.
“Boon—in vain. Constance, mine own sweet love, is there aught thou canst ask Luigi will deny?”
“Ah! thou knowest not the weight of what I crave23; nor will I speak it on thy simple word. Thou must pledge it me, my love; aye, by solemn oath—by hallowed vow—I claim it on thy love, thy fealty25, and how mayst thou refuse me?”
Playfully he besought26 her to speak it first, and then, dreaming not her object, unconscious even that the offered conditions were known to her, he knelt at her feet, and placing his hands between both hers, which felt strangely and fearfully cold, he solemnly swore to do her bidding, whatever it might be. The words were said, and Constance sank upon his bosom27.
“Saved! saved! oh, I have saved thee, Luigi; thou wilt live—be free—thou shalt not die!”
He started to his feet; the whole truth bursting on his mind, and yet, if so, why did she so cling to him, as if he were spared to her? no, no, it could not be. “Live! Constance, my blessed one, what canst thou mean? my life is forfeited28!”
“No, no, no!” she reiterated29, “it is granted thee, and on conditions easy to accept. Luigi! thou hast sworn to grant my boon—to do my bidding; and I bid thee live! live, to be happy, glorious, as I know thou wilt be! Speak not; hear me. Frederic is no longer a king; Naples no longer a kingdom; she is parcelled out to others; she hath no sons—no name—one hour acknowledging the rights of France, the next bowed to the arms of Spain. To one or other of these mighty30 potentates31 she must belong. My poor, poor father can never claim her more. Luigi, my own Luigi, banish32 the vain hope of her freedom—her future influence. Were Frederic here, thou knowest he would say to thee, as he did to all when he departed, ‘My children, ’tis vain to struggle; make peace with whom ye will; Frederic absolves33 you of your allegiance. No oath of fealty restrains you.’ Hast thou forgotten this? no, no; then wherefore shouldst thou pause; many have bowed to Louis, why not to Ferdinand?—Luigi, my own Luigi, thou shalt live!”
“Constance,” he answered, and he drew her closer to his bosom, while his own frame shook, “Constance, were this the sole condition, for thy sake, beloved, I had not paused—even thus I would have lived; for this poor, unhappy country, I feel, will never rise again; such oath reflects no shame upon her sons. Constance, was this all they told thee?”
“Luigi, no; there is another,—we must part—for ever! Yet—yet, I bid thee live.” Slowly every word fell; but so distinctly, so expressively34, that despite that low gasping35 tone, he heard them all, and not he alone.
“Ha! thou knowest this. Part, Constance! and thou bidst me live! I choose death instead. I will not lose thee; I will not wed24 another.”
“Thou wilt—thou shalt! Luigi, Luigi, ’twill be but a brief, a brief pang36, followed by years of bliss37. Oh! do not think this moment’s agony will never, never pass away. The hero’s glory,—the warrior’s fame,—the statesman’s pride—all, all, shall be thine own. Ambition, with her hundred paths to immortality38, shall lure39 thee to forgetfulness, and then to peace; and she—she, who will be thy bride,—oh, if she love thee as they say she does, even she at length will woo thee into joy. Luigi, my own, my own, why dost thou turn from me? Speak, oh, speak; tell me thou wilt live!” She sunk on her knees before him, as if that action should continue the entreaty40 for which voice for the moment had utterly failed.
“Constance, Constance! Dost thou urge me? Thou—wilt thou give me to another? Is it thou who bidst me thus be happy? No, no, thou knowest not how much I love thee!”
“Do I not love thee, Luigi?—Oh! it is only thus that I can save thee,—only thus they will grant thy life,—and what care I for my happiness? Luigi, if thou diest, how mayst thou love me,—guard me as thou wouldst? Oh, live, live!-in my lonely convent cell let me think of thee as I know thou wilt be,—honoured, loved—aye, and in time so blessed! Let the bright thought be mine,—that I, even I, poor simple Constance, have saved thee. Luigi, deny me not this, turn not away. Thou canst not refuse me,—thou DAREST not—thou art SWORN!”
The countenance of Vincenzio became more and more terribly agitated,—he struggled to break from her hold; but the grasp of agony was upon his cloak, and either held him with a giant strength, or his every limb had lost its power, and chained him there. He sought to speak; but only unintelligible41 murmurs42 came, and again that voice of impassioned appeal came upon his heart, crushing it almost to madness. It bade him live; she might need his friendship, though denied his love, when time permitted such intercourse43 innocently to both. That tall form bowed, as stricken by a mighty wind: a moment, and he had caught her to his bosom, had murmured some inarticulate words, and a burst of passionate44 weeping convulsed his frame. Ere the paroxysm passed, he was alone; soldiers, officers, Constance, all were gone.
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收听单词发音
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1
loathsome
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| adj.讨厌的，令人厌恶的 | |
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dungeon
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| n.地牢，土牢 | |
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rambling
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| adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的 | |
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citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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8
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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9
plume
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| n.羽毛；v.整理羽毛，骚首弄姿，用羽毛装饰 | |
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10
affixed
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| adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章） | |
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11
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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suffocating
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| a.使人窒息的 | |
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13
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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15
doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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16
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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17
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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18
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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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
droops
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的名词复数 ) | |
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23
crave
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| vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求 | |
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24
wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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fealty
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| n.忠贞，忠节 | |
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26
besought
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| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
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27
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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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
reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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potentates
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| n.君主，统治者( potentate的名词复数 )；有权势的人 | |
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32
banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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33
absolves
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| 宣告…无罪，赦免…的罪行，宽恕…的罪行( absolve的第三人称单数 )； 不受责难，免除责任 [义务] ,开脱（罪责） | |
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34
expressively
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| ad.表示(某事物)地；表达地 | |
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35
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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36
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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37
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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38
immortality
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| n.不死，不朽 | |
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39
lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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40
entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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41
unintelligible
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| adj.无法了解的，难解的，莫明其妙的 | |
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42
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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43
intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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44
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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