look of self-pity, rather than reproach, she pressed her hands tightly
to her bosom, and said,--
“He was right! Pardon me, Englishman; I see now, indeed, that I am the
Pariah and the outcast.”
“Hear me. I retract. Viola, Viola! it is for you to forgive!”
But Viola waved him from her, and, smiling mournfully as she passed him
by, glided from the chamber; and he did not dare to detain her.
CHAPTER 3.IX.
Dafne: Ma, chi lung’ e d’Amor?
Tirsi: Chi teme e fugge.
Dafne: E che giova fuggir da lui ch’ ha l’ ali?
Tirsi: AMOR NASCENTE HA CORTE L’ ALI!
“Aminta,” At. ii. Sc. ii.
(Dafne: But, who is far from Love?
Tirsi: He who fears and flies.
Dafne: What use to flee from one who has wings?
Tirsi: The wings of Love, while he yet grows, are short.)
When Glyndon found himself without Viola’s house, Mervale, still
loitering at the door, seized his arm. Glyndon shook him off abruptly.
“Thou and thy counsels,” said he, bitterly, “have made me a coward and
a wretch. But I will go home,--I will write to her. I will pour out my
whole soul; she will forgive me yet.”
Mervale, who was a man of imperturbable temper, arranged his ruffles,
which his friend’s angry gesture had a little discomposed, and not till
Glyndon had exhausted himself awhile by passionate exclamations and
reproaches, did the experienced angler begin to tighten the line. He
then drew from Glyndon the explanation of what had passed, and artfully
sought not to irritate, but soothe him. Mervale, indeed, was by no means
a bad man; he had stronger moral notions than are common amongst the
young. He sincerely reproved his friend for harbouring dishonourable
intentions with regard to the actress. “Because I would not have her thy
wife, I never dreamed that thou shouldst degrade her to thy mistress.
Better of the two an imprudent match than an illicit connection. But
pause yet, do not act on the impulse of the moment.”
“But there is no time to lose. I have promised to Zanoni to give him my
answer by to-morrow night. Later than that time, all option ceases.”
“Ah!” said Mervale, “this seems suspicious. Explain yourself.”
And Glyndon, in the earnestness of his passion, told his friend what
had passed between himself and Zanoni,--suppressing only, he scarce knew
why, the reference to his ancestor and the mysterious brotherhood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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