登陆注册
5371300000015

第15章

'But that is not all: she has a soul worthy to match with mine. She has a genius beyond that of woman--keen--dazzling--bold. Poetry flows spontaneous to her lips: utter but a truth, and, however intricate and profound, her mind seizes and commands it. Her imagination and her reason are not at war with each other; they harmonize and direct her course as the winds and the waves direct some lofty bark. With this she unites a daring independence of thought; she can stand alone in the world; she can be brave as she is gentle; this is the nature I have sought all my life in woman, and never found till now. Ione must be mine! In her I have a double passion; I wish to enjoy a beauty of spirit as of form.'

'She is not yours yet, then?' said the priest.

'No; she loves me--but as a friend--she loves me with her mind only. She fancies in me the paltry virtues which I have only the profounder virtue to disdain. But you must pursue with me her history. The brother and sister were young and rich: Ione is proud and ambitious--proud of her genius--the magic of her poetry--the charm of her conversation. When her brother left me, and entered your temple, in order to be near him she removed also to Pompeii. She has suffered her talents to be known. She summons crowds to her feasts; her voice enchants them; her poetry subdues. She delights in being thought the successor of Erinna.'

'Or of Sappho?'

'But Sappho without love! I encouraged her in this boldness of career--in this indulgence of vanity and of pleasure. I loved to steep her amidst the dissipations and luxury of this abandoned city. Mark me, Calenus! Idesired to enervate her mind!--it has been too pure to receive yet the breath which I wish not to pass, but burningly to eat into, the mirror. Iwished her to be surrounded by lovers, hollow, vain, and frivolous (lovers that her nature must despise), in order to feel the want of love. Then, in those soft intervals of lassitude that succeed to excitement--I can weave my spells--excite her interest--attract her passions--possess myself of her heart. For it is not the young, nor the beautiful, nor the gay, that should fascinate Ione; her imagination must be won, and the life of Arbaces has been one scene of triumph over the imaginations of his kind.'

'And hast thou no fear, then, of thy rivals? The gallants of Italy are skilled in the art to please.'

'None! Her Greek soul despises the barbarian Romans, and would scorn itself if it admitted a thought of love for one of that upstart race.'

'But thou art an Egyptian, not a Greek!'

'Egypt,' replied Arbaces, 'is the mother of Athens. Her tutelary Minerva is our deity; and her founder, Cecrops, was the fugitive of Egyptian Sais.

This have I already taught to her; and in my blood she venerates the eldest dynasties of earth. But yet I will own that of late some uneasy suspicions have crossed my mind. She is more silent than she used to be; she loves melancholy and subduing music; she sighs without an outward cause. This may be the beginning of love--it may be the want of love. In either case it is time for me to begin my operations on her fancies and her heart: in the one case, to divert the source of love to me; in the other, in me to awaken it.

It is for this that I have sought you.'

'And how can I assist you?'

'I am about to invite her to a feast in my house: I wish to dazzle--to bewilder--to inflame her senses. Our arts--the arts by which Egypt trained her young novitiates--must be employed; and, under veil of the mysteries of religion, I will open to her the secrets of love.'

'Ah! now I understand:--one of those voluptuous banquets that, despite our dull vows of mortified coldness, we, the priests of Isis, have shared at thy house.'

'No, no! Thinkest thou her chaste eyes are ripe for such scenes? No; but first we must ensnare the brother--an easier task. Listen to me, while Igive you my instructions.'

同类推荐
  • 广大发愿颂

    广大发愿颂

    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。
  • 周易正义

    周易正义

    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。
  • 荷牐丛谈

    荷牐丛谈

    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。
  • 南方草木状

    南方草木状

    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。
  • 活幼口议

    活幼口议

    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
  • 校园沙雕文

    校园沙雕文

    讲述的是一个女孩在生活中的故事。有喜有悲,有咸有苦。
  • 武邪传奇

    武邪传奇

    大山帝国的林氏一族乃是整个大山帝国最强大地修真家族,在整个世俗之中,排名第一,威名无人能及。而作为林氏一族的少主——林子安却不幸被变为杂役两年,少主之位名存实亡。正巧此刻,他的伯父林南——林氏一族的家主,世俗第一高手要离去三年。从此,武林中掀起了一片腥风血雨。没有了林南庇护的林子安,将何去何从?为了夺回林氏一族的少主之位,年纪轻轻的他又将经历多少磨难?三年后的他,到底能否在家族的比武大会上一夺头筹?少主之位是否就是终结?他的内心又有怎样的欲望?
  • 重生之祸国毒妃

    重生之祸国毒妃

    前世,她为他付出一切,倾尽全族之力,助他荣登九五,可最终他却是杀尽她族人,儿子死了,她甘愿堕入地狱岩,她说,“若有来生,我会将你对我所做的一切十倍相还,用你和柳曼殊的血染红那千树梅花——”再睁眼,她却回到了与他还未相遇之时,这一世,她要扭转乾坤,要那些伤害过她的人都不得好死。一场皇宴,一句箴言。她成为天下人皆知的‘祸国妖孽’,面对前世丈夫的真心追寻,她却转身助他人夺了他的帝位,与他人俯瞰整个如画江山。她说,“不要想着利用我,永远不要!”他却说:“浅浅,这辈子,我没什么可怕之事,唯一怕的是失去你!”然而,当阴谋与爱情接踵而至,他以她为棋子,深入敌后,横扫千军。她亦以他为棋子,培养暗军,执掌玉玺。棋局终了,他与她是否还如当初的模样?又是谁执她之手,笑看天下?
  • 穿越之将军我要退货

    穿越之将军我要退货

    她,原是小白领,刚进公司没多久,就碰上了公司组织一年一次的集体旅游,飞机忽然失事,大家都背着降落伞准备逃生,飞机舱门刚开启,倒霉的她不知被哪个挨千刀的推了一把,一头撞在了舱门上,灵魂直接被甩了出去,身体也直线下降,奈何她的灵魂追不上身体,却被一股气流给卷进黑暗中,睁开眼发现自己坐在一顶红色的花轿内,她居然穿越了!你说穿越就穿越吧!她认了,一穿越就出嫁她也认了,夜深人静,她背着大大的包袱准备偷偷离开,好不容易爬上那高高的墙头,看到一个长的很哇塞的男人坐在屋顶喝酒,她酒瘾一犯,就跟着坐下来一起喝。可悲的是,第二天看到那个男人出现在她的婚床上,她懵了,不是吧,第二集,才第二集她不会就要被拖出去浸猪笼了吧?
  • 超级红包之至尊神豪

    超级红包之至尊神豪

    (2018年最具潜力新书)大千世界,万道争锋,无尽强者都齐聚这个超级红包群,群里可以抢到的姻缘、神豪身份、甚至是猴毛,还有各种功法宝贝!
  • 君临天下不识妻:绝版皇后

    君临天下不识妻:绝版皇后

    她是正宫娘娘,三年来过着与世隔绝的生活。没有人见过她的真面目,包括她的夫君——景泰国最高执权者轩辕毅,可一场邂逅,却打破了原本平静地生活......他爱上了她,她也爱上了他。然而,命运总是多变的。为了他,她甘愿放弃一切。为了她,他独守后宫灵位。事隔多年,是老天的怜悯亦或命运的捉弄。。。看着这个几乎与自己长得一模一样的可爱小人,他动摇了。“皇上叔叔,看着你,我就好像在照镜子呢?”是她吗?她还活着吗?那。。。。
  • 绿手掌

    绿手掌

    温亚军,现为北京武警总部某文学杂志主编。著有长篇小说伪生活等六部,小说集硬雪、驮水的日子等七部。获第三届鲁迅文学奖,第十一届庄重文文学奖,《小说选刊》《中国作家》和《上海文学》等刊物奖,入选中国小说学会排行榜。中国作家协会会员。
  • 重生奋斗美满人生

    重生奋斗美满人生

    梁一一感叹,老天真是待她不薄,知道她上一辈子渴望亲情,重生后便让她有了那么温暖的一个家。为了家里每一个爱她的人,她一个杀手进了营不管在哪里,低调是王道。可为什么老有人来招惹她捏?白夜:别和她比脑子,不然她分分钟把你虐成渣!李志宁:切磋而已,你能不动手吗?某战友:跟她出任务,你就做好打杂的准备吧!
  • 刻骨铭心的瞬间

    刻骨铭心的瞬间

    生命需要希望,每天给自己一个希望,我们就一定能够拥有一个丰富多彩的人生。在人生的花季,每个人都有着花样年华,花样梦想,花样求索。所有的人都不可避免地会走弯路,那是人生的历练。只有在人生的弯路上,我们才有机会放慢速度,慢慢品味生命的奇异和自然的瑰丽。青少年时期是长身体、长见识的黄金时期。无论在学校,还是在社会上,总是要碰到人生中必须懂得的道理。我们要学习的除了知识之外,还应该包括对心灵的构筑;心灵的构筑就得一个点滴、一个细节地用心打造,每个点滴和每个细节,都有人生中不可或缺的领悟。本书中的心灵感悟,正是青少年迫切需要解读的。
  • 鬼马女神捕②:绝命预言(上)

    鬼马女神捕②:绝命预言(上)

    见习女捕快蓝翎上头条了!不过,蓝翎还没来得及享受当“名人”的特权,新的危机接踵而至——神秘窃贼夜美人突袭樱宁学校!蓝翎和姬十四、墨羽、雨霏霏展开调查,发现这家伙在此之前已制造多起盗窃案,且偷的都是奇怪的东西——猪妖的痒痒挠、鸟妖的漱口水、蜈蚣妖的靴子、蛇妖的睡袋……一波未平,一波又起。蓝翎在寻找线索的过程中,失手打碎了三界瞩目的预言蛋,被黑色预言击中,相传她将成为第二只灵力失控的圣灵兽,制造第二起“拉布拉多惨案”——那可是妖灵两界不愿提及的黑暗往事!一时间,蓝翎成为妖灵两界的公敌,各路大妖小怪前来樱宁学校堵截她……