ROMEO AND JULIET
Valancourt, meanwhile, suffered the tortures of remorse1 and despair. The sight of Emily had renewed all the ardour, with which he first loved her, and which had suffered a temporary abatement2 from absence and the passing scenes of busy life. When, on the receipt of her letter, he set out for Languedoc, he then knew, that his own folly3 had involved him in ruin, and it was no part of his design to conceal4 this from her. But he lamented5 only the delay which his ill-conduct must give to their marriage, and did not foresee, that the information could induce her to break their connection forever. While the prospect6 of this separation overwhelmed his mind, before stung with self-reproach, he awaited their second interview, in a state little short of distraction7, yet was still inclined to hope, that his pleadings might prevail upon her not to exact it. In the morning, he sent to know at what hour she would see him; and his note arrived, when she was with the Count, who had sought an opportunity of again conversing8 with her of Valancourt; for he perceived the extreme distress9 of her mind, and feared, more than ever, that her fortitude10 would desert her. Emily having dismissed the messenger, the Count returned to the subject of their late conversation, urging his fear of Valancourt’s entreaties11, and again pointing out to her the lengthened12 misery13, that must ensue, if she should refuse to encounter some present uneasiness. His repeated arguments could, indeed, alone have protected her from the affection she still felt for Valancourt, and she resolved to be governed by them.
The hour of interview, at length, arrived. Emily went to it, at least, with composure of manner, but Valancourt was so much agitated14, that he could not speak, for several minutes, and his first words were alternately those of lamentation15, entreaty16, and self-reproach. Afterward17, he said, ‘Emily, I have loved you — I do love you, better than my life; but I am ruined by my own conduct. Yet I would seek to entangle18 you in a connection, that must be miserable19 for you, rather than subject myself to the punishment, which is my due, the loss of you. I am a wretch20, but I will be a villain21 no longer.— I will not endeavour to shake your resolution by the pleadings of a selfish passion. I resign you, Emily, and will endeavour to find consolation22 in considering, that, though I am miserable, you, at least, may be happy. The merit of the sacrifice is, indeed, not my own, for I should never have attained23 strength of mind to surrender you, if your prudence24 had not demanded it.’
He paused a moment, while Emily attempted to conceal the tears, which came to her eyes. She would have said, ‘You speak now, as you were wont25 to do,’ but she checked herself.—‘Forgive me, Emily,’ said he, ‘all the sufferings I have occasioned you, and, sometimes, when you think of the wretched Valancourt, remember, that his only consolation would be to believe, that you are no longer unhappy by his folly.’ The tears now fell fast upon her cheek, and he was relapsing into the phrensy of despair, when Emily endeavoured to recall her fortitude and to terminate an interview, which only seemed to increase the distress of both. Perceiving her tears and that she was rising to go, Valancourt struggled, once more, to overcome his own feelings and to sooth hers. ‘The remembrance of this sorrow,’ said he, ‘shall in future be my protection. O! never again will example, or temptation have power to seduce26 me to evil, exalted27 as I shall be by the recollection of your grief for me.’
Emily was somewhat comforted by this assurance. ‘We are now parting for ever,’ said she; ‘but, if my happiness is dear to you, you will always remember, that nothing can contribute to it more, than to believe, that you have recovered your own esteem28.’ Valancourt took her hand;— his eyes were covered with tears, and the farewell he would have spoken was lost in sighs. After a few moments, Emily said, with difficulty and emotion, ‘Farewell, Valancourt, may you be happy!’ She repeated her ‘farewell,’ and attempted to withdraw her hand, but he still held it and bathed it with his tears. ‘Why prolong these moments?’ said Emily, in a voice scarcely audible, ‘they are too painful to us both.’ ‘This is too — too much,’ exclaimed Valancourt, resigning her hand and throwing himself into a chair, where he covered his face with his hands and was overcome, for some moments, by convulsive sighs. After a long pause, during which Emily wept in silence, and Valancourt seemed struggling with his grief, she again rose to take leave of him. Then, endeavouring to recover his composure, ‘I am again afflicting29 you,’ said he, ‘but let the anguish30 I suffer plead for me.’ He then added, in a solemn voice, which frequently trembled with the agitation31 of his heart, ‘Farewell, Emily, you will always be the only object of my tenderness. Sometimes you will think of the unhappy Valancourt, and it will be with pity, though it may not be with esteem. O! what is the whole world to me, without you — without your esteem!’ He checked himself —‘I am falling again into the error I have just lamented. I must not intrude32 longer upon your patience, or I shall relapse into despair.’
He once more bade Emily adieu, pressed her hand to his lips, looked at her, for the last time, and hurried out of the room.
Emily remained in the chair, where he had left her, oppressed with a pain at her heart, which scarcely permitted her to breathe, and listening to his departing steps, sinking fainter and fainter, as he crossed the hall. She was, at length, roused by the voice of the Countess in the garden, and, her attention being then awakened33, the first object, which struck her sight, was the vacant chair, where Valancourt had sat. The tears, which had been, for some time, repressed by the kind of astonishment34, that followed his departure, now came to her relief, and she was, at length, sufficiently35 composed to return to her own room.
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1
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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2
abatement
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| n.减(免)税，打折扣，冲销 | |
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3
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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4
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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5
lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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7
distraction
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| n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐 | |
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8
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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9
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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10
fortitude
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| n.坚忍不拔；刚毅 | |
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11
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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12
lengthened
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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14
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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15
lamentation
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| n.悲叹，哀悼 | |
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16
entreaty
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| n.恳求，哀求 | |
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17
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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18
entangle
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| vt.缠住，套住；卷入，连累 | |
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19
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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20
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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21
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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22
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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23
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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24
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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25
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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26
seduce
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| vt.勾引，诱奸，诱惑，引诱 | |
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27
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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28
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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29
afflicting
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| 痛苦的 | |
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30
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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31
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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32
intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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33
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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34
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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35
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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