‘Ah! Ungrateful and Undutiful Wretch (cry’d he) ‘how hast thou requited
all my Care and Tenderness of thee? Now when I might have expected some
return of Comfort, to throw thy self away upon an unknown Person, and,
for ought I know, a Villain; to me I’m sure he is a Villain, who has
robb’d me of my Treasure, my Darling Joy, and all the future Happiness
of my Life prevented. Go—go, thou now-to-be-forgotten Leonora, go and
enjoy thy unprosperous Choice; you who wanted not a Father’s Counsel,
cannot need, or else will slight his Blessing.
These last Words were spoken with so much Passion and feeling Concern,
that Leonora, moved with Excess of Grief, fainted at his Feet, just as
she had caught hold to Embrace his Knees. The Old Man would have shook
her off, but Compassion and Fatherly Affection came upon him in the
midst of his Resolve, and melted him into Tears, he Embraced his
Daughter in his Arms, and wept over her, while they endeavoured to
restore her Senses.
Hippolito was in such Concern he could not speak, but was busily
employed in rubbing and chafing her Temples; when she opening her Eyes
laid hold of his Arm, and cry’d out—Oh my Aurelian—how unhappy have you
made me! With that she had again like to have fainted away, but he took
her in his Arms, and begg’d Don Mario to have some pity on his
Daughter, since by his Severity she was reduced to that Condition. The
Old Man hearing his Daughter name Aurelian, was a little revived, and
began to hope Things were in a pretty good Condition; he was perswaded
to comfort her, and having brought her wholly to her self, was content
to hear her Excuse, and in a little time was so far wrought upon as to
beg Hippolito’s Pardon for the Ill Opinion he had conceived of him, and
not long after gave his Consent.
The Night was spent in this Conflict, and it was now clear Day, when
Don Mario Conducting his new Son and Daughter through the Garden, was
met by some Servants of the Marquess of Viterbo, who had been enquiring
for Donna Leonora, to know if Juliana had lately been with her; for
that she was missing from her Father’s House, and no conjectures could
be made of what might become of her. Don Mario and Leonora were
surprized at the News, for he knew well enough of the Match that was
design’d for Juliana; and having enquired where the Marquess was, it
was told him, That he was gone with Don Fabio and Fabritio toward
Aurelian’s Lodgings. Don Mario having assured the Servants that Juliana
had not been there, dismissed them, and advised with his Son and
Daughter how they should undeceive the Marquess and Don Fabio in their
Expectations of Aurelian. Hippolito could oftentimes scarce forbear
smiling at the old Man’s Contrivances who was most deceived himself; he
at length advised them to go all down together to his Lodging, where he
would present himself before his Father, and ingenuously confess to him
the truth, and he did not question his approving of his Choice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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