05-the enemy conquered-第6章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



exhibition　this　evening；　we　certainly　will　see　something　worthy

of　our　attention。　　One　of　the　most　tragical　scenes　is　to　be　acted

that　has　ever　been　witnessed；　and　one　that　every　jealous…hearted　person


should　learn　a　lesson　from。　　It　cannot　fail　to　have　a　good　effect；

as　it　will　be　performed　by　those　who　are　young　and　vigorous；

and　learned　as　well　as　enticing。　　You　are　aware；　Major　Elfonzo；　who　are

to　appear　on　the　stage；　and　what　the　characters　are　to　represent。〃　

〃I　am　acquainted　with　the　circumstances；〃　replied　Elfonzo；　〃and　as　I

am　to　be　one　of　the　musicians　upon　that　interesting　occasion；

I　should　be　much　gratified　if　you　would　favor　me　with　your　company

during　the　hours　of　the　exercises。〃



〃What　strange　notions　are　in　your　mind？〃　inquired　Ambulinia。　

〃Now　I　know　you　have　something　in　view；　and　I　desire　you　to　tell

me　why　it　is　that　you　are　so　anxious　that　I　should　continue

with　you　while　the　exercises　are　going　on；　though　if　you　think　I

can　add　to　your　happiness　and　predilections；　I　have　no　particular

objection　to　acquiesce　in　your　request。　　Oh；　I　think　I　foresee；

now；　what　you　anticipate。〃　　〃And　will　you　have　the　goodness　to　tell

me　what　you　think　it　will　be？〃　inquired　Elfonzo。　　〃By　all　means；〃

answered　Ambulinia；　〃a　rival；　sir；　you　would　fancy　in　your　own　mind；

but　let　me　say　for　you；　fear　not！　fear　not！　　I　will　be　one　of　the

last　persons　to　disgrace　my　sex　by　thus　encouraging　every　one　who

may　feel　disposed　to　visit　me；　who　may　honor　me　with　their　graceful

bows　and　their　choicest　compliments。　　It　is　true　that　young　men　too

often　mistake　civil　politeness　for　the　finer　emotions　of　the　heart；

which　is　tantamount　to　courtship；　but；　ah！　how　often　are　they　deceived；

when　they　come　to　test　the　weight　of　sunbeams　with　those　on　whose

strength　hangs　the　future　happiness　of　an　untried　life。〃



The　people　were　now　rushing　to　the　Academy　with　impatient　anxiety；

the　band　of　music　was　closely　followed　by　the　students；　then　the　parents

and　guardians；　nothing　interrupted　the　glow　of　spirits　which　ran

through　every　bosom；　tinged　with　the　songs　of　a　Virgil　and　the　tide

of　a　Homer。　　Elfonzo　and　Ambulinia　soon　repaired　to　the　scene；

and　fortunately　for　them　both　the　house　was　so　crowded　that　they　took

their　seats　together　in　the　music　department；　which　was　not　in　view

of　the　auditory。　　This　fortuitous　circumstances　added　more　the　bliss

of　the　Major　than　a　thousand　such　exhibitions　would　have　done。　

He　forgot　that　he　was　man；　music　had　lost　its　charms　for　him；

whenever　he　attempted　to　carry　his　part；　the　string　of　the　instrument

would　break；　the　bow　became　stubborn；　and　refused　to　obey　the　loud

calls　of　the　audience。　　Here；　he　said；　was　the　paradise　of　his　home；

the　long…sought…for　opportunity；　he　felt　as　though　he　could

send　a　million　supplications　to　the　throne　of　Heaven　for　such

an　exalted　privilege。　　Poor　Leos；　who　was　somewhere　in　the　crowd；

looking　as　attentively　as　if　he　was　searching　for　a　needle　in　a　haystack；

here　is　stood；　wondering　to　himself　why　Ambulinia　was　not　there。　

〃Where　can　she　be？　　Oh！　if　she　was　only　here；　how　I　could　relish

the　scene！　　Elfonzo　is　certainly　not　in　town；　but　what　if　he　is？　

I　have　got　the　wealth；　if　I　have　not　the　dignity；　and　I　am　sure　that

the　squire　and　his　lady　have　always　been　particular　friends　of　mine；

and　I　think　with　this　assurance　I　shall　be　able　to　get　upon　the　blind

side　of　the　rest　of　the　family　and　make　the　heaven…born　Ambulinia

the　mistress　of　all　I　possess。〃　　Then；　again；　he　would　drop　his　head；

as　if　attempting　to　solve　the　most　difficult　problem　in　Euclid。　

While　he　was　thus　conjecturing　in　his　own　mind；　a　very　interesting

part　of　the　exhibition　was　going　on；　which　called　the　attention

of　all　present。　　The　curtains　of　the　stage　waved　continually

by　the　repelled　forces　that　were　given　to　them；　which　caused

Leos　to　behold　Ambulinia　leaning　upon　the　chair　of　Elfonzo。　

Her　lofty　beauty；　seen　by　the　glimmering　of　the　chandelier；

filled　his　heart　with　rapture；　he　knew　not　how　to　contain　himself；

to　go　where　they　were　would　expose　him　to　ridicule；　to　continue

where　he　was；　with　such　an　object　before　him；　without　being　allowed

an　explanation　in　that　trying　hour；　would　be　to　the　great　injury

of　his　mental　as　well　as　of　his　physical　powers；　and；　in　the　name

of　high　heaven；　what　must　he　do？　　Finally；　he　resolved　to　contain

himself　as　well　as　he　conveniently　could；　until　the　scene　was　over；

and　then　he　would　plant　himself　at　the　door；　to　arrest　Ambulinia　from

the　hands　of　the　insolent　Elfonzo；　and　thus　make　for　himself　a　more

prosperous　field　of　immortality　than　ever　was　decreed　by　Omnipotence；

or　ever　pencil　drew　or　artist　imagined。　　Accordingly　he　made

himself　sentinel；　immediately　after　the　performance　of　the　evening

retained　his　position　apparently　in　defiance　of　all　the　world；　he　waited；

he　gazed　at　every　lady；　his　whole　frame　trembled；　here　he　stood；

until　everything　like　human　shape　had　disappeared　from　the　institution；

and　he　had　done　nothing；　he　had　failed　to　accomplish　that　which　he

so　eagerly　sought　for。　　Poor；　unfortunate　creature！　he　had　not

the　eyes　of　an　Argus；　or　he　might　have　seen　his　Juno　and　Elfonzo；

assisted　by　his　friend　Sigma；　make　their　escape　from　the　window；

and；　with　the　rapidity　of　a　race…horse；　hurry　through　the　blast　of

the　storm　to　the　residence　of　her　father；　without　being　recognized。　

He　did　not　tarry　long；　but　assured　Ambulinia　the　endless　chain

of　their　existence　was　more　closely　connected　than　ever；　since　he

had　seen　the　virtuous；　innocent；　imploring；　and　the　constant

Amelia　murdered　by　the　jealous…hearted　Farcillo；　the　accursed　of

the　land。



The　following　is　the　tragical　scene；　which　is　only　introduced

to　show　the　subject…matter　that　enabled　Elfonzo　to　come　to　such

a　determinate　resolution　that　nothing　of　the　kind　should　ever

dispossess　him　of　his　true　character；　should　he　be　so　fortunate

as　to　succeed　in　his　present　undertaking。



Amelia　was　the　wife　of　Farcillo；　and　a　virtuous　woman；　Gracia；

a　young　lady；　was　her　particular　friend　and　confidant。　　Farcillo　grew

jealous　of　Amelia；　murders　her；　finds　out　that　he　was　deceived；

AND　STABS　HIMSELF。　　Amelia　appears　alone；　talking　to　herself。



A。　Hail；　ye　solitary　ruins　of　antiquity；　ye　sacred　tombs　and

silent　walks！　it　is　your　aid　I　invoke；　it　is　to　you；　my　soul；

wrapt　in　deep　mediating；　pours　forth　its　prayer。　　Here　I　wander　upon

the　stage　of　mortality；　since　the　world　hath　turned　against　me。　

Those　whom　I　believed　to　be　my　friends；　alas！　are　now　my　enemies；

planting　thorns　in　all　my　paths；　poisoning　all　my　pleasures；

and　turning　the　past　to　pain。　　What　a　lingering　catalogue　of　sighs

and　tears　lies　just　before　me；　crowding　my　aching　bosom　with

the　fleeting　dream　of　humanity；　which　must　shortly　terminate。　

And　to　what　purpose　will　all　this　bustle　of　life；　these　agitations

and　emotions　of　the　heart　have　conduced；　if　it　leave　behind　it

nothing　of　utility；　if　it　leave　no　traces　of　improvement？　　Can　it

be　that　I　am　deceived　in　my　conclusions？　　No；　I　see　that　I　have

nothing　to　hope　for；　but　everything　for　fear；　which　tends　to　drive

me　from　the　walks　of　time。





Oh！　in　this　dead　night；　if　loud　winds　arise；



To　lash　the　surge　and　bluster　in　the　skies；



May　the　west　its　furious　rage　display；



Toss　me　with　storms　in　the　watery　way。





（Enter　Gracia。）





G。　Oh；　Amelia；　is　it　you；　the　object　of　grief；　the　daughter　of　opulence；

of　wisdom　and　philosophy；　that　thus　complaineth？　　It　cannot　be　you

are　the　child　of　misfortune；　speaking　of　the　monuments　of　former　ages；

which　were　allotted　not　for　the　reflection　of　the　distressed；

but　for　the　fearless　and　bold。



A。　Not　the　child　of　poverty；　Gracia；　or　the　heir　of　glory　and　peace；

but　of　fate。　　Remember；　I　have　wealth　more　than　wit　can　number；　I　have

had　power　more　than　kings　could　emcompass；　yet　the　world　seems　a　desert；

all　nature　appears　an　afflictive　spectacle　of　warring　passions。