The Chautauquan, Vol. 03, December 1882: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Promotion of True Culture.; Organ of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific CircleChautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Religion
The Chautauquan, Vol. 03, December 1882: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Promotion of True Culture.; Organ of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Chautauqua Institution -- Periodicals; Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle -- Periodicals
When Viola made her second visit to Olivia, she found no difficulty
in gaining access to her. Servants soon discover when their ladies
delight to converse with handsome young messengers; and the instant
Viola arrived, the gates were thrown wide open, and the duke’s page
was shown into Olivia’s apartment with great respect; and when Viola
told Olivia that she was come once more to plead in her lord’s behalf,
this lady said, “I desired you never to speak of him again; but if you
would undertake another suit, I had rather hear you solicit than music
from the spheres.” This was pretty plain speaking, but Olivia soon
explained herself still more plainly, and openly confessed her love:
and when she saw displeasure with perplexity expressed in Viola’s face,
she said, “O what a deal of scorn looks beautiful in the contempt and
anger of his lip! Cesario, by the roses of the spring, by maidhood,
honor, and by truth, I love you so, that, in spite of your pride, I
have neither wit nor reason to conceal my passion.” But in vain the
lady wooed; Viola hastened from her presence, threatening never more
to come to plead Orsino’s love: and all the reply she made to Olivia’s
fond solicitations was a declaration of a resolution, _Never to love
any woman_.
No sooner had Viola left the lady than a claim was made upon her valor.
A gentleman, a rejected suitor of Olivia, who had learned how that lady
had favored the duke’s messenger, challenged him to fight a duel. What
should poor Viola do, who, though she carried a man-like outside, had a
true woman’s heart, and feared to look on her own sword?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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