No marriage I esteem1 it, where the friends
Is not so truly given as betrayed.
I can by no means call them lovers--make
---Combat of Love and Friendship.
Eleanor Mowbray had witnessed her mother's withdrawal7 from her side with much uneasiness, and was with difficulty prevented by Sybil from breaking upon her conference with the gipsy queen. Barbara's dark eye was fixed8 upon them during the whole of the interview, and communicated an indefinite sense of dread9 to Eleanor.
"Who--who is that old woman?" asked Eleanor, under her breath. "Never, even in my wildest dreams, have I seen aught so terrible. Why does she look so at us? She terrifies me; and yet she cannot mean me ill, or my mother--we have never injured her?"
"You sigh!" exclaimed Eleanor, in alarm. "Is there any real danger, then? Help us to avoid it. Quick, warn my mother; she seems agitated11. Oh, let me go to her."
"Hush12!" whispered Sybil, maintaining an unmoved demeanor13 under the lynx-like gaze of Barbara. "Stir not, as you value your life; you know not where you are, or what may befall you. Your safety depends upon your composure. Your life is not in danger; but what is dearer than life, your love, is threatened with a fatal blow. There is a dark design to wed5 you to another."
"Heavens!" ejaculated Eleanor, "and to whom?"
"To Sir Luke Rookwood."
"I would die sooner! Marry him? They shall kill me ere they force me to it!"
"Could you not love him?"
"Love him! I have only seen him within this hour. I knew not of his existence. He rescued me from peril14. I would thank him. I would love him, if I could, for Ranulph's sake; and yet for Ranulph's sake I hate him."
"Speak not of him thus to me," said Sybil, angrily. "If you love him not, I love him. Oh! forgive me, lady; pardon my impatience--my heart is breaking, yet it has not ceased to beat for him. You say you will die sooner than consent to this forced union. Your faith shall not be so cruelly attested15. If there must be a victim, I will be the sacrifice. God grant I may be the only one. Be happy! as happy as I am wretched. You shall see what the love of a gipsy can do."
As she spoke17, Sybil burst into a flood of passionate18 tears. Eleanor regarded her with the deepest commiseration19; but the feeling was transient; for Barbara, now advancing, exclaimed: "Hence to your mother. The bridegroom is waiting: to your mother, girl!" And she motioned Eleanor fiercely away. "What means this?" continued the old gipsy. "What have you said to that girl? Did I not caution you against speech with her? and you have dared to disobey me. You, my grandchild--the daughter of my Agatha, with whom my slightest wish was law. I abandon you! I curse you!"
"Oh, curse me not!" cried Sybil. "Add not to my despair."
"Then follow my advice implicitly20. Cast off this weakness; all is in readiness. Luke shall descend21 into the vaulted23 chapel24, the ceremony shall there take place--there also shall Eleanor die--and there again shall you be wedded25. Take this phial, place it within the folds of your girdle. When all is over, I will tell you how to use it. Are you prepared? Shall we set out?"
"I am prepared," replied Sybil, in accents hollow as despair; "but let me speak with Luke before we go."
"Be brief, then--each moment is precious. Keep a guard upon your tongue. I will to Mrs. Mowbray. You have placed the phial in safety. A drop will free you from your troubles."
"'Tis in that hope I guard it," replied Sybil, as she departed in the direction of Luke. Barbara watched her join him, and then turned shortly towards Mrs. Mowbray and her daughter.
"You are ill, dear Luke," said Sybil, who had silently approached her faithless lover; "very ill."
"Ill!" echoed Luke, breaking into frantic26 laughter. "Ill! Ha, ha!--upon my wedding-day. No, I am well--well. Your eyes are jaundiced by jealousy27."
"Luke, dear Luke, laugh not thus. It terrifies me. I shall think you insane. There, you are calmer--you are more like yourself--more human. You looked just now--oh God! that I should say it of you--as if you were possessed28 by demons29."
"And if I were possessed, what then?"
"Horrible! hint not at it. You almost make me credit the dreadful tales I have heard, that on their wedding-day the Rookwoods are subject to the power of the 'Evil One.'"
"Upon their wedding-day--and I look thus?"
"She is mine--she is mine! I care not though fiends possess me, if it is my wedding-day, and Eleanor is my bride. And you say I look like a Rookwood. Ha, ha!"
"I will not bear reproaches."
"I mean not to reproach you. I come to bless you--to forgive you--to bid you farewell. Will you not say farewell?"
"Farewell."
"Not so--not so. Mercy! my God! compassionate32 him and me! My heart will break with agony. Luke, if you would not kill me, recall that word. Let not the guilt34 of my death be yours. 'Tis to save you from that remorse35 that I die!"
"Sybil, you have said rightly, I am not myself. I know not what demons have possession of my soul, that I can behold36 your agonies without remorse; that your matchless affection should awaken37 no return. Yet so it is. Since the fatal moment when I beheld38 yon maid, I have loved her."
"No more. Now I can part with you. Farewell!"
"Stay, stay! wretch16 that I am. Stay, Sybil! If we must part--and that it must be so I feel--let me receive your pardon, if you can bestow39 it. Let me clasp you once more within my arms. May you live to happier days--may you----"
"Oh, to die thus!" sobbed40 Sybil, disengaging herself from his embrace. "Live to happier days, said you? When have I given you reason to doubt, for an instant, the sincerity41 of my love, that you should insult me thus?"
"Then live with me--live for me."
"If you can love me still, I will live as your slave, your minion42, your wife; aught you will have me be. You have raised me from wretchedness. Oh!" continued she in an altered tone, "have I mistaken your meaning? Did you utter those words in false compassion33 for my sufferings?--Speak, it is not yet too late--all may be well. My fate--my life is in your hands. If you love me yet--if you can forsake43 Eleanor, speak--if not, be silent."
"Enough!" continued Sybil, in a voice of agony; "I understand. May God forgive you! Fare you well! We shall meet no more."
"Do we part for ever?" asked Luke, without daring to regard her.
"FOR EVER!" answered Sybil.
Before her lover could reply, she shot from his side, and plunging45 amidst the dark and dense46 assemblage near the door, disappeared from view. An instant after, she emerged into the open air. She stood within the roofless hall. It was filled with sunshine--with the fresh breath of morn. The ivied ruins, the grassy47 floor, the blue vault22 of heaven, seemed to greet her with a benignant smile. All was riant and rejoicing--all, save her heart. Amid such brightness, her sorrow seemed harsh and unnatural48; as she felt the glad influence of day, she was scarcely able to refrain from tears. It was terrible to leave this beautiful world, that blue sky, that sunshine, and all she loved--so young, so soon.
Entering a low arch that yawned within the wall, she vanished like a ghost at the approach of morn.
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收听单词发音
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1
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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3
betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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5
wed
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| v.娶，嫁，与…结婚 | |
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wedlock
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| n.婚姻，已婚状态 | |
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7
withdrawal
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| n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销 | |
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8
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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9
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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10
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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12
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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13
demeanor
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| n.行为；风度 | |
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14
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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15
attested
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| adj.经检验证明无病的，经检验证明无菌的v.证明( attest的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓 | |
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16
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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17
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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18
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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19
commiseration
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| n.怜悯，同情 | |
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implicitly
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| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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21
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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22
vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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vaulted
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| adj.拱状的 | |
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24
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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25
wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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26
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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28
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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29
demons
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| n.恶人( demon的名词复数 )；恶魔；精力过人的人；邪念 | |
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30
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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31
implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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32
compassionate
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| adj.有同情心的，表示同情的 | |
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33
compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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34
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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35
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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36
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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37
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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38
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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39
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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40
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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41
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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42
minion
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| n.宠仆；宠爱之人 | |
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43
forsake
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| vt.遗弃，抛弃；舍弃，放弃 | |
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44
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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45
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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46
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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47
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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48
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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