登陆注册
5289100000015

第15章 CHAPTER XII

With the evening twilight the lovely lady returned and spent the night in converse with the pious youth, leaving him in the morning with her mind more humble, pure, and devout; and thus matters went on for many days. "Thy palm-wine and thy dates must be coming to an end," said Zelinda one evening as she presented the youth with a flask of rich wine and some costly fruits. He, however, gently put aside the gift and said, "Noble lady, I would accept your gift gladly, but I fear some of your magic arts may perhaps cleave to it.

Or could you assure me to the contrary by Him whom you are now beginning to know?" Zelinda cast down her eyes in silent confusion and took her presents back. On the following evening, however, she brought similar gifts, and, smiling confidently, gave the desired assurance. Heimbert then partook of them without hesitation, and from henceforth the disciple carefully provided for the sustenance of her teacher in the wilderness.

And so, as the blessed knowledge of the truth sank more and more deeply into Zelinda's soul, so that she was often sitting till dawn before the youth, with cheeks glowing and hair dishevelled, her eyes gleaming with delight and her hands folded, unable to withdraw herself from his words, he, on his part, endeavored to make her sensible at all times that it was only Fadrique's love for her which had urged him, his friend, into this fatal desert, and that it was this same love that had thus become the means for the attainment of her highest spiritual good. She still well remembered the handsome and terrible captain who had stormed the height that he might clasp her in his arms; and she related to her friend how the same hero had afterward saved her in the burning library. Heimbert too had many pleasant things to tell of Fadrique--of his high knightly courage, of his grave and noble manners, and of his love to Zelinda, which in the night after the battle of Tunis was no longer concealed within his passionate breast, but was betrayed to the young German in a thousand unconscious expressions between sleeping and waking. Divine truth and the image of her loving hero both at once sank deep within Zelinda's heart, and struck root there with tender but indestructible power. Heimbert's presence and the almost adoring admiration with which his pupil regarded him did not disturb these feelings, for from the first moment his appearance had something in it so pure and heavenly that no thoughts of earthly love intruded. When Heimbert was alone he would often smile happily within himself, saying in his own beloved German tongue, "It is indeed delightful that I am now able consciously to do the same service for Fadrique as he did for me, unconsciously, with his angelic sister." And then he would sing some German song of Clara's grace and beauty, the sound of which rang with strange sweetness through the desert, while it happily beguiled his solitary hours.

Once when Zelinda came in the evening twilight, gracefully bearing on her beautiful head a basket of provisions for Heimbert, he smiled at her and shook his head, saying, "It is inconceivable to me, sweet maiden, why you ever give yourself the trouble of coming to me out here in the desert. You can indeed no longer find pleasure in magic arts, since the spirit of truth and love dwells within you. If you would only transform the oasis into the natural form in which the good God created it, I would go there with you, and we should have far more time for holy converse." "Sir," replied Zelinda, "you speak truly. I too have thought for some days of doing so and the matter would have been already set on foot, but a strange visitor fetters my power. The Dervish whom you saw in Tunis is with me, and as in former times we have practised many magic tricks with each other, he would like again to play the old game. He perceives the change in me, and on that account urges me all the more vehemently and dangerously."

"He must either be driven away or converted," said Heimbert, girding on his shoulder-belt more firmly, and taking up his shield from the ground. "Have the goodness, dear maiden," he continued, "to lead me to your enchanted isle."

"You avoided it so before," said the astonished Zeiinda," and it is still unchanged in its fantastic form."

"Formerly it would have been only inconsiderate curiosity to have ventured there," replied Heimbert. "You came too out here to me, and that was better for us both. But now the old enemy might lay snares for the ruin of all that the Lord has been working in you, and so it is a knightly duty to go. In God's name, then, to the work!"

And they hastened forward together, through the ever-increasing darkness of the plain, on their way to the blooming island.

同类推荐
  • 林间录

    林间录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金刚錍论私记

    金刚錍论私记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 论语拾遗

    论语拾遗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 杂藏经

    杂藏经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 爱的徒劳

    爱的徒劳

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 生活知识百科2

    生活知识百科2

    琐碎的生活中充满了神奇与魅力,平凡的生活却教会了我们很多不凡的伟大。《生活知识百科(学生版)》告诉你酒为何不会结冰,看完电视、用完电脑为何要洗脸,吸尘器如何吸尘等诸多生活知识,让你收获无限精彩。
  • 温度决定健康

    温度决定健康

    随着生活质量的提高,人们对健康的认识以及对健康知识的渴求明显增强,衡量健康的指标也变得多起来。可是,大部分人却常常忽视了体温。事实上,这个不被我们关注的重要因素不仅能够影响人体的免疫力,它还与新陈代谢、自律神经息息相关。
  • 农妃倾城

    农妃倾城

    林舒自认为是大齐国女子中最恣肆、最自由的那一个。为了摆脱给地主大儿子做四少姨娘的命运,她携着弟弟,上了马车,跟着已是八竿子打不着的什么伯父——朝堂钦点的三品官老爷进了京都城。京都城林府庭院深深,在这里林舒邂逅了无数奇葩人,摊上了无数糟心事。奇葩人中有位姓黄的年少公子,只知其姓,不知其名。此位贵公子,人前一套、人后一套,曾破费了一个金锭子帮林舒解了围,事后便非说林舒欠他一个四少姨娘……
  • 可以没脾气不能没骨气

    可以没脾气不能没骨气

    无论何时,都要学会控制自己的情绪和脾气,当我们对生活的失败大发脾气的时候,也就失去了自己的沉稳和坚毅,就容易迷失自己。脾气暴躁,会给我们带来很多意想不到的麻烦,甚至会使我们走向失败。不急不躁、不怨天尤人、不轻易发怒是良好的品质,一个做事光明磊落、生气蓬勃、令人愉悦的人,到处受欢迎。自制力强、冷静沉着的人往往比焦虑万分的人更容易应付各种困难、解决各种矛盾。切记:控制脾气拿出骨气,就会改变命运!
  • 北斗七星护摩秘要仪轨

    北斗七星护摩秘要仪轨

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 第三方物流

    第三方物流

    “本书以第三方物流企业的工作流程为主线,以场景模拟方式引导教学活动的组织,将教学内容进行模块化重组和设计。结合企业实际需求和高等职业教育特点,本书内容涵盖了以下多个场景:第三方物流的行业背景、功能分类、组织结构、供应链管理、业务流程再造、运营管理以及文案写作等。”
  • 青华秘文

    青华秘文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 隔千年

    隔千年

    她,21世纪一名普普通通的大学生。机缘巧合,一副神秘的画将她带回了千年以前。梦醒。她摇身一变,成了即将亡国的南唐公主。“封文轩公主李氏为贵妃,择日移步仪宁宫。”“朕已与众臣议定,决定立你为后,二月初二行册封礼。”“若想保我大宋江山,就必须要废掉皇后!”情节虚构,请勿模仿!
  • 牛津通识读本:尼采(中文版)

    牛津通识读本:尼采(中文版)

    1889年,尼采突然神智失常。此前,他的哲学几乎完全被世人忽视;此后,他逐渐成为各类人争相膜拜的偶像。然而,对尼采思想的解读,众说纷纭,莫衷一是。尼采当年曾有预见:“最重要的是,不要将我和不属于我的思想混为一体!”本书通过对尼采生平与著作的探究,揭示了尼采思想中固有的模糊与歧义,并对百年来人们对尼采作品的诸多误读进行了梳理。
  • 重回高三

    重回高三

    毕了业交了首付,新家里的床还没暖热,夏今就莫名其妙的挂了。一觉醒来回到八年前,身高一米六八,体重……不说也罢。理化生依旧抓瞎,重要的是还有八个月就要高考了。夏今表示不怕:重活一次,好歹也开着外挂,她的目标考上清华!--情节虚构,请勿模仿