登陆注册
5371300000069

第69章

DAYS are like years in the love of the young, when no bar, no obstacle, is between their hearts--when the sun shines, and the course runs smooth--when their love is prosperous and confessed. Ione no longer concealed from Glaucus the attachment she felt for him, and their talk now was only of their love. Over the rapture of the present the hopes of the future glowed like the heaven above the gardens of spring. They went in their trustful thoughts far down the stream of time: they laid out the chart of their destiny to come; they suffered the light of to-day to suffuse the morrow.

In the youth of their hearts it seemed as if care, and change, and death, were as things unknown. Perhaps they loved each other the more because the condition of the world left to Glaucus no aim and no wish but love; because the distractions common in free states to men's affections existed not for the Athenian; because his country wooed him not to the bustle of civil life;because ambition furnished no counterpoise to love: and, therefore, over their schemes and projects, love only reigned. In the iron age they imagined themselves of the golden, doomed only to live and to love.

To the superficial observer, who interests himself only in characters strongly marked and broadly colored, both the lovers may seem of too slight and commonplace a mould: in the delineation of characters purposely subdued, the reader sometimes imagines that there is a want of character; perhaps, indeed, I wrong the real nature of these two lovers by not painting more impressively their stronger individualities. But in dwelling so much on their bright and birdlike existence, I am influenced almost insensibly by the forethought of the changes that await them, and for which they were so ill prepared. It was this very softness and gaiety of life that contrasted most strongly the vicissitudes of their coming fate. For the oak without fruit or blossom, whose hard and rugged heart is fitted for the storm, there is less fear than for the delicate branches of the myrtle, and the laughing clusters of the vine.

They had now advanced far into August--the next month their marriage was fixed, and the threshold of Glaucus was already wreathed with garlands; and nightly, by the door of Ione, he poured forth the rich libations. He existed no longer for his gay companions; he was ever with Ione. In the mornings they beguiled the sun with music: in the evenings they forsook the crowded haunts of the gay for excursions on the water, or along the fertile and vine-clad plains that lay beneath the fatal mount of Vesuvius. The earth shook no more; the lively Pompeians forgot even that there had gone forth so terrible a warning of their approaching doom. Glaucus imagined that convulsion, in the vanity of his heathen religion, an especial interposition of the gods, less in behalf of his own safety than that of Ione. He offered up the sacrifices of gratitude at the temples of his faith; and even the altar of Isis was covered with his votive garlands--as to the prodigy of the animated marble, he blushed at the effect it had produced on him. He believed it, indeed, to have been wrought by the magic of man; but the result convinced him that it betokened not the anger of a goddess.

Of Arbaces, they heard only that he still lived; stretched on the bed of suffering, he recovered slowly from the effect of the shock he had sustained--he left the lovers unmolested--but it was only to brood over the hour and the method of revenge.

Alike in their mornings at the house of Ione, and in their evening excursions, Nydia was usually their constant, and often their sole companion. They did not guess the secret fires which consumed her--the abrupt freedom with which she mingled in their conversation--her capricious and often her peevish moods found ready indulgence in the recollection of the service they owed her, and their compassion for her affliction. They felt an interest in her, perhaps the greater and more affectionate from the very strangeness and waywardness of her nature, her singular alternations of passion and softness--the mixture of ignorance and genius--of delicacy and rudeness--of the quick humors of the child, and the proud calmness of the woman. Although she refused to accept of freedom, she was constantly suffered to be free; she went where she listed; no curb was put either on her words or actions; they felt for one so darkly fated, and so susceptible of every wound, the same pitying and compliant indulgence the mother feels for a spoiled and sickly child--dreading to impose authority, even where they imagined it for her benefit. She availed herself of this license by refusing the companionship of the slave whom they wished to attend her.

With the slender staff by which she guided her steps, she went now, as in her former unprotected state, along the populous streets: it was almost miraculous to perceive how quickly and how dexterously she threaded every crowd, avoiding every danger, and could find her benighted way through the most intricate windings of the city. But her chief delight was still in visiting the few feet of ground which made the garden of Glaucus--in tending the flowers that at least repaid her love. Sometimes she entered the chamber where he sat, and sought a conversation, which she nearly always broke off abruptly--for conversation with Glaucus only tended to one subject--Ione; and that name from his lips inflicted agony upon her. Often she bitterly repented the service she had rendered to Ione: often she said inly, 'If she had fallen, Glaucus could have loved her no longer'; and then dark and fearful thoughts crept into her breast.

同类推荐
  • 针灸节要

    针灸节要

    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。
  • Memoirs of Carwin the Biloquist

    Memoirs of Carwin the Biloquist

    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。
  • Flower Fables

    Flower Fables

    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。
  • THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK

    THE YELLOW FAIRY BOOK

    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。
  • 悬笥琐探

    悬笥琐探

    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
  • 说话说到点子上

    说话说到点子上

    说话似乎很简单,也确实很简单,张口便可以说。但却会带来巨大影响。说话是一门学问,更是一门艺术;它是社交本领,也是生存基础。《说话说到点子上》通过一系列丰富、真实、生动的故事,分析古今中外的幽默,教给你如何埋下伏笔、营造气氛、引爆笑点,成为一个交际能手。
  • 黑龙江舆图说

    黑龙江舆图说

    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。
  • 大洪奇侠传

    大洪奇侠传

    大洪王朝,江湖发生一个大案、震惊朝廷、白衣少侠洪一天被官府聘请查案由此发生一系列的故事,本故事及人物纯属虚构,如有雷同纯属巧合切勿模仿。
  • 佛说贝多树下思惟十二因缘经

    佛说贝多树下思惟十二因缘经

    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。
  • 王妃你很皮

    王妃你很皮

    一切皆为虚构,仅供娱乐而已,莫较真!莫喷!
  • 王牌救世主

    王牌救世主

    黎启明:讲道理,要有逆天能力的人才能拯救世界啊,让我这纯种非洲酋长靠运气去拯救世界是什么意思?
  • 陈氏香谱

    陈氏香谱

    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。
  • 每天都会用到的恋爱心计学

    每天都会用到的恋爱心计学

    从心理学角度来解答恋爱问题,借助爱情心理学、男性女性心理学剖析爱情的真相,为爱情的疑惑找到科学理论依据,揭秘爱隋规则,帮助读者朋友们构建健康、和谐、适合自己的恋爱方式。本书还绍了充满智慧的恋爱攻心计,帮助男人女人们捕获对方的芳心,获得美满的爱情,既是一本恋爱心理学,还是一本实用的恋爱攻心技巧手册。
  • 优秀小学生应该阅读的中外神话故事

    优秀小学生应该阅读的中外神话故事

    亲爱的小朋友们,去推开那扇古老的门,探寻一个美丽、未知的世界吧!本书力求遵循小学生的认知规律,注意小学生在生理、心理及学习方式方面的特点,考虑小学生的学习能力和认知水平,内容不仅注意丰富多彩、难易适度,还注意尽量贴近小学生的生活实际和思想实际,尽量联系小学生的经验世界和想像世界,以充分调动他们的好奇心和求知欲,调动他们自主学习的积极性,使他们在感兴趣、有新奇感和愉悦感的学习中,情感受到熏陶,思想受到启迪,知识得到拓展,眼界得到开阔,能力得到培养。
  • 大毗卢遮那成佛神变加持经略示七支念诵随行法

    大毗卢遮那成佛神变加持经略示七支念诵随行法

    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。