05-the enemy conquered-第6章

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A。　Then；　O　Lord；　have　mercy　upon　me；　give　me　courage；　give　me　grace

and　fortitude　to　stand　this　hour　of　trial。



F。　Amen；　I　say；　with　all　my　heart。



A。　And；　oh；　Farcillo；　will　you　have　mercy；　too？　　I　never

intentionally　offended　you　in　all　my　life；　never　LOVED　Malos；

never　gave　him　cause　to　think　so；　as　the　high　court　of　Justice

will　acquit　me　before　its　tribunal。



F。　Oh；　false；　perjured　woman；　thou　didst　chill　my　blood；　and　makest

me　a　demon　like　thyself。　　I　saw　the　ring。



A。　He　found　it；　then；　or　got　it　clandestinely；　send　for　him；

and　let　him　confess　the　truth；　let　his　confession　be　sifted。



F。　And　you　still　with　to　see　him！　　I　tell　you；　madam；　he　hath

already　confessed；　and　thou　knowest　the　darkness　of　thy　heart。



A。　What；　my　deceived　Farcillo；　that　I　gave　him　the　ring；　in　which

all　my　affections　were　concentrated？　　Oh；　surely　not。



F。　Aye；　he　did。　　Ask　thy　conscience；　and　it　will　speak　with　a　voice

of　thunder　to　thy　soul。



A。　He　will　not　say　so；　he　dare　not；　he　cannot。



F。　No；　he　will　not　say　so　now；　because　his　mouth；　I　trust；　is　hushed

in　death；　and　his　body　stretched　to　the　four　winds　of　heaven；

to　be　torn　to　pieces　by　carnivorous　birds。



A。　What；　he　is　dead；　and　gone　to　the　world　of　spirits　with　that

declaration　in　his　mouth？　　Oh；　unhappy　man！　　Oh；　insupportable　hour！



F。　Yes；　and　had　all　his　sighs　and　looks　and　tears　been　lives；　my　great

revenge　could　have　slain　them　all；　without　the　least　condemnation。



A。　Alas！　he　is　ushered　into　eternity　without　testing　the　matter

for　which　I　am　abused　and　sentenced　and　condemned　to　die。



F。　Cursed；　infernal　woman！　　Weepest　thou　for　him　to　my　face？　　He　that

hath　robbed　me　of　my　peace；　my　energy；　the　whole　love　of　my　life？　

Could　I　call　the　fabled　Hydra；　I　would　have　him　live　and　perish；

survive　and　die；　until　the　sun　itself　would　grow　dim　with　age。　

I　would　make　him　have　the　thirst　of　a　Tantalus；　and　roll　the

wheel　of　an　Ixion；　until　the　stars　of　heaven　should　quit　their

brilliant　stations。



A。　Oh；　invincible　God；　save　me！　　Oh；　unsupportable　moment！　　Oh；　heavy

hour！　　Banish　me；；　Farcillosend　me　where　no　eye　can　ever　see　me；　where

no　sound　shall　ever　great　my　ear；　but；　oh；　slay　me　not；　Farcillo；　vent　thy

rage　and　thy　spite　upon　this　emaciated　frame　of　mine；　only　spare　my　life。



F。　Your　petitions　avail　nothing；　cruel　Amelia。



A。　Oh；　Farcillo；　perpetrate　the　dark　deed　tomorrow；　let　me　live

till　then；　for　my　past　kindness　to　you；　and　it　may　be　some　kind

angel　will　show　to　you　that　I　am　not　only　the　object　of　innocence；

but　one　who　never　loved　another　but　your　noble　self。



F。　Amelia；　the　decree　has　gone　forth；　it　is　to　be　done；　and　that　quickly；

thou　art　to　die；　madam。



A。　But　half　an　hour　allow　me；　to　see　my　father　and　my　only　child；

to　tell　her　the　treachery　and　vanity　of　this　world。



F。　There　is　no　alternative；　there　is　no　pause：　　my　daughter　shall

not　see　its　deceptive　mother　die；　your　father　shall　not　know　that　his

daughter　fell　disgraced；　despised　by　all　but　her　enchanting　Malos。



A。　Oh；　Farcillo；　put　up　thy　threatening　dagger　into　its　scabbard；

let　it　rest　and　be　still；　just　while　I　say　one　prayer　for　thee　and

for　my　child。



F。　It　is　too　late；　thy　doom　is　fixed；　thou　hast　not　confessed

to　Heaven　or　to　me；　my　child's　protectorthou　art　to　die。　

Ye　powers　of　earth　and　heaven；　protect　and　defend　me　in　this　alone。　

（STABS　HER　WHILE　IMPLORING　FOR　MERCY。）



A。　Oh；　Farcillo；　Farcillo；　a　guiltless　death　I　die。



F。　Die！　die！　die！





（Gracia　enters　running；　falls　on　her　knees　weeping；　and　kisses　Amelia。）





G。　Oh；　Farcillo；　Farcillo！　oh；　Farcillo！



F。　I　am　here；　the　genius　of　the　age；　and　the　avenger　of　my　wrongs。



G。　Oh；　lady；　speak　once　more；　sweet　Amelia；　on；　speak　again。　

Gone；　goneyes；　forever　gone！　　Farcillo；　oh；　cold…hearted　Farcillo；

some　evil　fiend　hath　urged　you　to　do　this；　Farcillo。



F。　Say　not　so　again；　or　you　shall　receive　the　same　fate。　　I　did

the　glorious　deed；　madambeware；　then；　how　you　talk。



G。　I　fear　not　your　implements　of　war；　I　will　let　you　know　you　have

not　the　power　to　do　me　harm。　　If　you　have　a　heart　of　triple　brass；

it　shall　be　reached　and　melted；　and　thy　blood　shall　chill　thy　veins

and　grow　stiff　in　thy　arteries。　　Here　is　the　ring　of　the　virtuous

and　innocent　murdered　Amelia；　I　obtained　it　from　Malos；　who　yet　lives；

in　hopes　that　he　will　survive　the　wound　given　him；　and　says　he　got

it　clandestinelydeclares　Amelia　to　be　the　princess　of　truth　and　virtue；

invulnerable　to　anything　like　forgetting　her　first　devotion　to　thee。　

The　world　has　heard　of　your　conduct　and　your　jealousy；　and　with

one　universal　voice　declares　her　to　be　the　best　of　all　in　piety；

that　she　is　the　star　of　this　great　universe；　and　a　more　virtuous

woman　never　lived　since　the　wheels　of　time　began。　　Oh；　had　you　waited

till　tomorrow；　or　until　I　had　returned；　some　kind　window　would　have

been　opened　to　her　relief。　　But；　alas！　she　is　goneyes；　forever　gone；

to　try　the　realities　of　an　unknown　world！





（Farcillo　leaning　over　the　body　of　Amelia。）





F。　Malos　not　dead；　and　here　is　my　ring！　　Oh；　Amelia！　falsely　murdered！　

Oh；　bloody　deed！　　Oh；　wretch　that　I　am！　　Oh；　angels　forgive　me！　　Oh；　God；

withhold　thy　vengeance！　　Oh；　Amelia！　if　Heaven　would　make　a　thousand

worlds　like　this；　set　with　diamonds；　and　all　of　one　perfect　chrysolite；

I　would　not　have　done　this　for　them　all；　I　would　not　have　frowned

and　cursed　as　I　did。　　Oh；　she　was　heavenly　true；　nursed　in　the　very

lap　of　bright　angels！　　Cursed　slave　that　I　am！　　Jealousy；　oh！　thou

infernal　demon！　　Lost；　lost　to　every　sense　of　honor！　　Oh！　　Amelia

heaven…born　Ameliadead；　dead！　　Oh！　oh！　oh！then　let　me　die　with

thee。　　Farewell！　farewell！　ye　world　that　deceived　me！　　（STABS　HIMSELF。）





Soon　after　the　excitement　of　this　tragical　scene　was　over；

and　the　enlisted　feeling　for　Amelia　had　grown　more　buoyant　with

Elfonzo　and　Ambulinia；　he　determined　to　visit　his　retired　home；

and　make　the　necessary　improvements　to　enjoy　a　better　day；

consequently　he　conveyed　the　following　lines　to　Ambulinia：





Go　tell　the　world　that　hope　is　glowing；



Go　bid　the　rocks　their　silence　break；



Go　tell　the　stars　that　love　is　glowing；



Then　bid　the　hero　his　lover　take。





In　the　region　where　scarcely　the　foot　of　man　hath　ever　trod；

where　the　woodman　hath　not　found　his　way；　lies　a　blooming　grove；

seen　only　by　the　sun　when　he　mounts　his　lofty　throne；　visited　only

by　the　light　of　the　stars；　to　whom　are　entrusted　the　guardianship

of　earth；　before　the　sun　sinks　to　rest　in　his　rosy　bed。　　High　cliffs

of　rocks　surround　the　romantic　place；　and　in　the　small　cavity　of

the　rocky　wall　grows　the　daffodil　clear　and　pure；　and　as　the　wind

blows　along　the　enchanting　little　mountain　which　surrounds　the

lonely　spot；　it　nourishes　the　flowers　with　the　dew…drops　of　heaven。　

Here　is　the　seat　of　Elfonzo；　darkness　claims　but　little　victory　over

this　dominion；　and　in　vain　does　she　spread　out　her　gloomy　wings。　

Here　the　waters　flow　perpetually；　and　the　trees　lash　their　tops

together　to　bid　the　welcome　visitor　a　happy　muse。　　Elfonzo；　during　his

short　stay　in　the　country；　had　fully　persuaded　himself　that　it　was

his　duty　to　bring　this　solemn　matter　to　an　issue。　　A　duty　that　he

individually　owed；　as　a　gentleman；　to　the　parents　of　Ambulinia；

a　duty　in　itself　involving　not　only　his　own　happiness　and　his　own

standing　in　society；　but　one　that　called　aloud　the　act　of　the　parties

to　make　it　perfect　and　complete。　　How　he　should　communicate　his

intentions　to　get　a　favorable　reply；　he　was　at　a　loss　to　know；

he　knew　not　whether　to　address　Esq。　Valeer　in　prose　or　in　poetry；

in　a　jocular　or　an　argumentative　manner；　or　whether　he　should　use

moral　suasion；　legal　injunction；　or　seizure　and　take　by　reprisal；

if　it　was　to　do　the　latter；　he　would　have　no　difficulty　in　deciding

in　his　own　mind；　but　his　gentlemanly　honor　was　at　stake；　so　he

concluded　to　address　the　following　letter　to　the　father　and　mother

of　Ambulinia；　as　his　address　in　person　he　knew　would　only　aggravate

the　old　gentleman；　and　perhaps　his　lady。







Cumming；　Ga。；　January　22；　1844



Mr。　and　Mrs。　Valeer





Again　I　resume　the　pleasing　task　of　addressing　you；　and　once　more　beg

an　immediate　answer　to　my　many　salutations。　　From　every　circumstance

that　has　taken　place；　I　feel　in　duty　bound　to　comply　with　my　obligations；

to　forfeit　my　word　would　be　more　than　I　dare　do；　to　break　my　pledge；

and　my　vows　that　have　been　witnessed；　sealed；　and　delivered　in　the

presence　of　an　unseen　Deity；　would　be　disgraceful　on　my　part；　as　well

as　ruinous　to　Ambulinia。　　I　wish　no　longer　to　be　kept　in　suspense

about　this　matter。　　I　wish　to　act　gentlemanly　in　every　particular。　

It　is　true；　the　promises　I　have　made　are　unknown　to　any　but　Ambulinia；

and　I　think　it　unnecessary　to　here　enumerate　them；　as　they　who

promise　the　most　generally　perform　the　least。　　Can　you　for　a　moment

doubt　my　sincerity　or　my　character？　　My　only　wish　is；　sir；　that　you

may　calmly　and　dispassionately　look　at　the　situation　of　the　case；

and　if　your　better　judgment　should　dictate　otherwise；　my　obligations

may　induce　me　to　pluck　the　flower　that　you　so　diametrically　opposed。　

We　have　sword　by　the　saintsby　the　gods　of　battle；　and　by　that

faith　whereby　just　men　are　made　perfectto　be　united。　　I　hope；

my　dear　sir；　you　will　find　it　convenient　as　well　as　agreeable

to　give　me　a　favorable　answer；　with　the　signature　of　Mrs。　Valeer；

as　well　as　yourself。





With　very　great　esteem；



your　humble　servant；



J。　I。　Elfonzo。







The　moon　and　stars　had　grown　pale　when　Ambulinia　had　retired

to　rest。　　A　crowd　of　unpleasant　thoughts　passed　through　her　bosom。　

Solitude　dwelt　in　her　chamberno　sound　from　the　neighboring

world　penetrated　its　stillness；　it　appeared　a　temple　of　silence；

of　repose；　and　of　mystery。　　At　that　moment　she　heard　a　still　voice

calling　her　father。　　In　an　instant；　like　the　flash　of　lightning；

a　thought　ran　through　her　mind　that　it　must　be　the　bearer

of　Elfonzo's　communication。　　〃It　is　not　a　dream！〃　she　said；

〃no；　I　cannot　read　dreams。　　Oh！　　I　would　to　Heaven　I　was　near

that　glowing　eloquencethat　poetical　languageit　charms　the

mind　in　an　inexpressible　manner；　and　warms　the　coldest　heart。〃　

While　consoling　herself　with　this　strain；　her　father　rushed　into

her　room　almost　frantic　with　rage；　exclaiming：　　〃Oh；　Ambulinia！　

Ambulinia！！　undutiful；　ungrateful　daughter！　　What　does　this　mean？　

Why　does　this　letter　bear　such　heart…rending　intelligence？　

Will　you　quit　a　father's　house　with　this　debased　wretch；　without　a

place　to　lay　his　distracted　head；　going　up　and　down　the　country；

with　every　novel　object　that　many　chance　to　wander　through　this　region。　

He　is　a　pretty　man　to　make　love　known　to　his　superiors；　and　you；

Ambulinia；　have　done　but　little　credit　to　yourself　by　honoring

his　visits。　　Oh；　wretchedness