The New-York Weekly Magazine, or Miscellaneous Repository: Forming an Interesting Collection of Original and Select Literary Productions in Prose and Verse
General
The New-York Weekly Magazine, or Miscellaneous Repository: Forming an Interesting Collection of Original and Select Literary Productions in Prose and Verse
American periodicals
After having walked about for a few minutes, I sat down on a stone
bench, which was placed at the foot of a tower, whose ancient
architecture I had been some time considering. I remained for a few
seconds enveloped in reflection, when a tile fell at my feet. I thought
that it had dropped from the roof of this old building; and, to avoid
the effects of a similar accident, I went and placed myself at the other
end of the seat. A few moments after, a second tile fell by my side. The
circumstance appeared surprising: I arose with some degree of
inquietude, and attentively examined the tower. I perceived at about
twenty-five or thirty feet from the ground, a narrow opening. On this I
picked up the tiles which had been thrown at me, and on the first I
discovered the following words, written with a bit of plaister;
“+LOVZINSKI, is it you! Do you still live!+”
And on the second these:
“+Deliver me! save Lodoiska.+”
It is impossible to conceive how many different sentiments occupied my
mind at one and the same time: my astonishment, my joy, my grief, my
embarrassment, cannot be expressed. I examined once more the prison of
Lodoiska, and plotted in my own mind how I could procure her liberty.
She at length threw down another tile, and I read as follows:
“At midnight, bring me paper, ink, and pens; and to-morrow, an hour
after sun-rise, come and receive a letter.--------Begone.”--
Having returned towards my chamber, I called to Boleslas, who assisted
me in re-entering through the window. I then informed my faithful
servant, of the unexpected accident that had put an end to my
wanderings, and redoubled my inquietude.
How could I penetrate into this tower? How could we procure arms? By
what means were we to deliver Lodoiska from captivity! How could we
carry her off under the eye of Dourlinski, in the midst of his people,
from a fortified castle? and supposing that so many obstacles were not
unsurmountable, could I attempt such an enterprize during the short
delay prescribed by Titsikan?
Did not the Tartar enjoin me to stay with Dourlinski three days, but not
to remain longer than eight?
Would it not be to expose ourselves to the attacks of the enemy, to
leave this castle before the third, or after the expiration of the
eighth day? Should I release my dear Lodoiska from a prison, on purpose
to deliver her into the hands of robbers, to be forever separated from
her either by slavery or death? This would be a horrible idea!
But wherefore was she confined in such a frightful prison? The letter
which she had promised would doubtless instruct me: It was therefore
necessary to procure paper, pen and ink. I accordingly charged Boleslas
with this employment, and began to prepare myself for acting the
delicate part of an emissary of Pulaski in the presence of Dourlinski.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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