_Fernandez_ (for that was her brother’s name)——tho’ the camp-bed was as
soft as any one in _Alsace_, yet he could not shut his eyes in it.——As
soon as it was day he rose, and hearing _Diego_ was risen too, he
entered his chamber, and discharged his sister’s commission.
The letter was as follows:
“Seig. DIEGO,
“Whether my suspicions of your nose were justly excited or not——’tis
not now to inquire—it is enough I have not had firmness to put them to
farther tryal.
“How could I know so little of myself, when I sent my _Duenna_ to
forbid your coming more under my lattice? or how could I know so little
of you, _Diego_, as to imagine you would not have staid one day in
_Valadolid_ to have given ease to my doubts?—Was I to be abandoned,
_Diego_, because I was deceived? or was it kind to take me at my word,
whether my suspicions were just or no, and leave me, as you did, a prey
to much uncertainty and sorrow?
“In what manner _Julia_ has resented this——my brother, when he puts
this letter into your hands, will tell you; He will tell you in how few
moments she repented of the rash message she had sent you——in what
frantic haste she flew to her lattice, and how many days and nights
together she leaned immoveably upon her elbow, looking through it
towards the way which _Diego_ was wont to come.
“He will tell you, when she heard of your departure—how her spirits
deserted her——how her heart sicken’d——how piteously she mourned——how
low she hung her head. O _Diego!_ how many weary steps has my brother’s
pity led me by the hand languishing to trace out yours; how far has
desire carried me beyond strength——and how oft have I fainted by the
way, and sunk into his arms, with only power to cry out—O my _Diego!_
“If the gentleness of your carriage has not belied your heart, you will
fly to me, almost as fast as you fled from me—haste as you will——you
will arrive but to see me expire.——’Tis a bitter draught, _Diego_, but
oh! ’tis embittered still more by dying _un_———”
She could proceed no farther.
_Slawkenbergius_ supposes the word intended was unconvinced, but her
strength would not enable her to finish her letter.
The heart of the courteous _Diego_ over-flowed as he read the
letter——he ordered his mule forthwith and _Fernandez_’s horse to be
saddled; and as no vent in prose is equal to that of poetry in such
conflicts——chance, which as often directs us to remedies as to
_diseases_, having thrown a piece of charcoal into the window——_Diego_
availed himself of it, and whilst the hostler was getting ready his
mule, he eased his mind against the wall as follows.
O D E.
_Harsh and untuneful are the notes of love_,
_Unless my_ Julia _strikes the key_,
_Her hand alone can touch the part_,
_Whose dulcet movement charms the heart_,
_And governs all the man with sympathetick sway._
2d.
_O_ Julia!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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