The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 3: Books for ChildrenLamb, Charles
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The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 3: Books for Children
Lamb, Charles
Children's poetry; Children's stories
Sir Rowland de Boys, the father of Orlando, had been dead some years;
but when he was living, he had been a true subject and dear friend of
the banished duke: therefore when Frederick heard Orlando was the son
of his banished brother's friend, all his liking for this brave young
man was changed into displeasure, and he left the place in very ill
humour. Hating to hear the very name of any of his brother's friends,
and yet still admiring the valour of the youth, he said, as he went
out, that he wished Orlando had been the son of any other man.
Rosalind was delighted to hear that her new favourite was the son
of her father's old friend; and she said to Celia, "My father loved
sir Rowland de Boys, and if I had known this young man was his son,
I would have added tears to my entreaties before he should have
ventured."
The ladies then went up to him; and seeing him abashed by the sudden
displeasure shewn by the duke, they spoke kind and encouraging words
to him; and Rosalind, when they were going away, turned back to speak
some more civil things to the brave young son of her father's old
friend; and taking a chain from off her neck, she said, "Gentleman,
wear this for me. I am out of suits with fortune, or I would give you
a more valuable present."
When the ladies were alone, Rosalind's talk being still of Orlando,
Celia began to perceive her cousin had fallen in love with the
handsome young wrestler, and she said to Rosalind, "Is it possible
you should fall in love so suddenly?" Rosalind replied, "The duke,
my father, loved his father dearly." "But," said Celia, "does it
therefore follow that you should love his son dearly? for then I
ought to hate him, for my father hated his father; yet I do not hate
Orlando."
Frederick being enraged at the sight of sir Rowland de Boys' son,
which reminded him of the many friends the banished duke had among the
nobility, and having been for some time displeased with his niece,
because the people praised her for her virtues, and pitied her for her
good father's sake, his malice suddenly broke out against her; and
while Celia and Rosalind were talking of Orlando, Frederick entered
the room, and with looks full of anger ordered Rosalind instantly
to leave the palace, and follow her father into banishment; telling
Celia, who in vain pleaded for her, that he had only suffered Rosalind
to stay upon her account. "I did not then," said Celia, "entreat you
to let her stay; for I was too young at that time to value her; but
now that I know her worth, and that we so long have slept together,
rose at the same instant, learned, played and eat together, I cannot
live out of her company." Frederick replied, "She is too subtle for
you; her smoothness, her very silence, and her patience, speak to the
people, and they pity her. You are a fool to plead for her, for you
will seem more bright and virtuous when she is gone; therefore open
not your lips in her favour, for the doom which I have passed upon her
is irrevocable."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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