But as they were so speaking, the young ladies came, to whom, Mopsa,
curious in anything but her own good behaviour, having followed and
seen Zelmane fighting, had cried, what she had seen, while they were
drying themselves: and the water, with some drops, seemed to weep,
that it should pass from such bodies. But they careful of Zelmane,
assuring themselves that any Arcadian would bear reverence to them,
Pamela with a noble mind, and Philoclea with a loving, hastily, hiding
the beauties, whereof nature was proud, and they ashamed, they made
quick work to come to save Zelmane. But already they found them in
talk, and Zelmane careful of his wound. But when they saw him, they
knew it was their cousin-german, the famous Amphialus, whom yet with a
sweet graced bitterness they blamed for breaking their father’s
commandment, especially while themselves were in such sort retired.
But he craved pardon, protesting unto them that he had only been to
seek solitary places, by an extreme melancholy that had a good while
possessed him, and guided to that place by his spaniel, where while
the dog hunted in the river, he had withdrawn himself to pacify with
sleep his over watched eyes, till a dream waked him, and made him see
that whereof he had dreamed, and withal not obscurely signified, that
he felt the smart of his {186} own doings. But Philoclea, that was
even jealous of herself for Zelmane, would needs have her glove, and
not without so mighty a lower as that face could yield. As for Zelmane
when she knew it was Amphialus; “Lord Amphialus,” said she, “I have
long desired to know you heretofore, I must confess, with more
goodwill, but still with honouring your virtue, though I love not your
person: and at this time I pray you let us take care of your wound,
upon condition you shall hereafter promise that a more knightly combat
shall be performed between us.” Amphialus answered in honourable sort,
but with such excusing himself, that more and more accused his love to
Philoclea, and provoked more hate in Zelmane. But Mopsa had already
called certain shepherds not far off, who knew and well observed their
limits, to come and help to carry away Amphialus, whose wound suffered
him not without danger to strain it: and so he leaving himself with
them, departed from them, faster bleeding in his heart than at his
wound, which bound up by the sheets, wherewith Philoclea had been
wrapped, made him thank the wound, and bless the sword for that
favour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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