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
Ganimed, who well approved of this arrangement, said, that if Orlando
really loved Rosalind as well as he professed to do, he should have
his wish; for on the morrow he would engage to make Rosalind appear
in her own person, and also that Rosalind should be willing to marry
Orlando.
This seemingly wonderful event, which, as Ganimed was the lady
Rosalind, he could so easily perform, he pretended he would bring to
pass by the aid of magic, which he said he had learnt of an uncle who
was a famous magician.
The fond lover Orlando, half believing and half doubting what he
heard, asked Ganimed if he spoke in sober meaning. "By my life I do,"
said Ganimed; "therefore put on your best clothes, and bid the duke
and your friends to your wedding; for if you desire to be married
to-morrow to Rosalind, she shall be here."
The next morning, Oliver having obtained the consent of Aliena, they
came into the presence of the duke, and with them also came Orlando.
They being all assembled to celebrate this double marriage, and as
yet only one of the brides appearing, there was much of wondering and
conjecture, but they mostly thought that Ganimed was making a jest of
Orlando.
The duke, hearing that it was his own daughter that was to be brought
in this strange way, asked Orlando if he believed the shepherd-boy
could really do what he had promised; and while Orlando was answering
that he knew not what to think, Ganimed entered, and asked the duke,
if he brought his daughter, whether he would consent to her marriage
with Orlando. "That I would," said the duke, "if I had kingdoms to
give with her." Ganimed then said to Orlando, "And you say you will
marry her if I bring her here." "That I would," said Orlando, "if I
were king of many kingdoms."
Ganimed and Aliena then went out together, and Ganimed throwing off
his male attire, and being once more dressed in woman's apparel,
quickly became Rosalind without the power of magic; and Aliena,
changing her country garb for her own rich clothes, was with as little
trouble transformed into the lady Celia.
While they were gone, the duke said to Orlando, that he thought the
shepherd Ganimed very like his daughter Rosalind; and Orlando said, he
also had observed the resemblance.
They had no time to wonder how all this would end, for Rosalind and
Celia in their own clothes entered; and no longer pretending that it
was by the power of magic that she came there, Rosalind threw herself
on her knees before her father, and begged his blessing. It seemed so
wonderful to all present that she should so suddenly appear, that it
might well have passed for magic; but Rosalind would no longer trifle
with her father, and told him the story of her banishment, and of her
dwelling in the forest as a shepherd-boy, her cousin Celia passing as
her sister.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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