登陆注册
5371300000082

第82章

ARBACES was seated in a chamber which opened on a kind of balcony or portico that fronted his garden. His cheek was pale and worn with the sufferings he had endured, but his iron frame had already recovered from the severest effects of that accident which had frustrated his fell designs in the moment of victory. The air that came fragrantly to his brow revived his languid senses, and the blood circulated more freely than it had done for days through his shrunken veins.

'So, then,' thought he, 'the storm of fate has broken and blown over--the evil which my lore predicted, threatening life itself, has chanced--and yet I live! It came as the stars foretold; and now the long, bright, and prosperous career which was to succeed that evil, if I survived it, smiles beyond: I have passed--I have subdued the latest danger of my destiny. Now I have but to lay out the gardens of my future fate--unterrified and secure.

First, then, of all my pleasures, even before that of love, shall come revenge! This boy Greek--who has crossed my passion--thwarted my designs--baffled me even when the blade was about to drink his accursed blood--shall not a second time escape me! But for the method of my vengeance? Of that let me ponder well! Oh! Ate, if thou art indeed a goddess, fill me with thy direst Inspiration!' The Egyptian sank into an intent reverie, which did not seem to present to him any clear or satisfactory suggestions. He changed his position restlessly, as he revolved scheme after scheme, which no sooner occurred than it was dismissed: several times he struck his breast and groaned aloud, with the desire of vengeance, and a sense of his impotence to accomplish it. While thus absorbed, a boy slave timidly entered the chamber.

A female, evidently of rank from her dress, and that of the single slave who attended her, waited below and sought an audience with Arbaces.

'A female!' his heart beat quick. 'Is she young?'

'Her face is concealed by her veil; but her form is slight, yet round, as that of youth.'

'Admit her,' said the Egyptian: for a moment his vain heart dreamed the stranger might be Ione.

The first glance of the visitor now entering the apartment sufficed to undeceive so erring a fancy. True, she was about the same height as Ione, and perhaps the same age--true, she was finely and richly formed--but where was that undulating and ineffable grace which accompanied every motion of the peerless Neapolitan--the chaste and decorous garb, so simple even in the care of its arrangement--the dignified yet bashful step--the majesty of womanhood and its modesty?

'Pardon me that I rise with pain,' said Arbaces, gazing on the stranger: 'Iam still suffering from recent illness.'

'Do not disturb thyself, O great Egyptian!' returned Julia, seeking to disguise the fear she already experienced beneath the ready resort of flattery; 'and forgive an unfortunate female, who seeks consolation from thy wisdom.'

'Draw near, fair stranger,' said Arbaces; 'and speak without apprehension or reserve.'

Julia placed herself on a seat beside the Egyptian, and wonderingly gazed around an apartment whose elaborate and costly luxuries shamed even the ornate enrichment of her father's mansion; fearfully, too, she regarded the hieroglyphical inscriptions on the walls--the faces of the mysterious images, which at every corner gazed upon her--the tripod at a little distance--and, above all, the grave and remarkable countenance of Arbaces himself: a long white robe like a veil half covered his raven locks, and flowed to his feet: his face was made even more impressive by its present paleness; and his dark and penetrating eyes seemed to pierce the shelter of her veil, and explore the secrets of her vain and unfeminine soul.

'And what,' said his low, deep voice, 'brings thee, O maiden! to the house of the Eastern stranger?'

'His fame,' replied Julia.

'In what?' said he, with a strange and slight smile.

'Canst thou ask, O wise Arbaces? Is not thy knowledge the very gossip theme of Pompeii?'

'Some little lore have I indeed, treasured up,' replied Arbaces: 'but in what can such serious and sterile secrets benefit the ear of beauty?'

'Alas!' said Julia, a little cheered by the accustomed accents of adulation;'does not sorrow fly to wisdom for relief, and they who love unrequitedly, are not they the chosen victims of grief?'

'Ha!' said Arbaces, 'can unrequited love be the lot of so fair a form, whose modelled proportions are visible even beneath the folds of thy graceful robe? Deign, O maiden! to lift thy veil, that I may see at least if the face correspond in loveliness with the form.'

Not unwilling, perhaps, to exhibit her charms, and thinking they were likely to interest the magician in her fate, Julia, after some slight hesitation, raised her veil, and revealed a beauty which, but for art, had been indeed attractive to the fixed gaze of the Egyptian.

'Thou comest to me for advice in unhappy love,' said he; 'well, turn that face on the ungrateful one: what other love-charm can I give thee?'

'Oh, cease these courtesies!' said Julia; 'it is a love-charm, indeed, that I would ask from thy skill!'

'Fair stranger!' replied Arbaces, somewhat scornfully, 'love-spells are not among the secrets I have wasted the midnight oil to attain.'

'Is it indeed so? Then pardon me, great Arbaces, and farewell!'

'Stay,' said Arbaces, who, despite his passion for Ione, was not unmoved by the beauty of his visitor; and had he been in the flush of a more assured health, might have attempted to console the fair Julia by other means than those of supernatural wisdom.

同类推荐
  • 口齿类要

    口齿类要

    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。
  • 礼器

    礼器

    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。
  • 教观纲宗

    教观纲宗

    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。
  • 砚史

    砚史

    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。
  • 铁关刀

    铁关刀

    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
  • 涅槃成凰

    涅槃成凰

    她为所爱,瑶光将她剜心散魂,只为换回心系之人。她为苍生,苍生逼她献祭自身,方可堵住阴气横生。她为友人,亲人为她燃烧余生,自缚保她一缕残魂。敢问父神,她修的什么仙?成的什么神?你说我的火焰,可以克制阴尊?凭什么我不能为自己而生?你说我的凤凰血能够起死回生?那你死一个,我看你是重生还是散魂?另有文异能系统:男神,撩上瘾已完结~求支持新文快穿逆袭:娇妻黑化ing求宠幸~~么么哒爱你们
  • 快把爱情放进冰箱

    快把爱情放进冰箱

    身为酒店试睡员,英子菁最霸道的试睡经历,就是试了酒店集团的少东家的房间。少东家宠她宠到上天入地,英小姐却并不领情:“我的事情,你不要插手!”男人眉眼一笑,轻轻揽她入怀,指尖挑开她的樱唇:“好,我不插手……我只……”——生活不止有眼前的宠爱,还有夜晚和发糖。【【此处高亮:试睡员是酒店质量测评员,职业体验酒店房间的床铺适睡度,以及检测相关软硬件设施,然后评分以供其它顾客参考。纯洁的孩子们不要想歪了哦~~】】
  • 你的潜能刚刚开始

    你的潜能刚刚开始

    人的潜能犹如一座待开发的金矿,蕴藏无穷,价值无比,这是上帝赋予每个人均等的能力,这是一本影响孩子一生励志成长的青少年读物,是兼优、品德高尚模范生必备天天进步手册。
  • 神秘道装

    神秘道装

    一位游戏编程爱好者意外穿越异世,成为了一个废材少爷。随身携带的一部手机竟成为了神秘道装,且看他如何在这一世界闯出精彩的人生!
  • 斗帆

    斗帆

    美丽的远海上,是密布阴谋的云。坐落的海岛,浮夸着一段段人生传奇。阴谋善变,真爱永恒。波澜不惊的躯体,心内也有独特的感情。十年屈辱,到底是成了曾经沧海,还是时过境迁。一朝回眸,竟然成了绝命的相见。我想我念,我费尽心思,望断情肠,却终究,抵不过,命运。你走还留,你是倾城的绝色,可惜相见在这个岛上。当初,你走,我笑;而今,我走,你笑。别说有缘无分,一刻拥有便好。
  • 仗剑星辰

    仗剑星辰

    星辰变幻,仗剑驰骋,天道不公,我便逆天。普通的出身决定不了未来,匮乏的资源却挡不住努力;既然天要与我作对,我便仗剑星辰,斩天破界,建立我自己的规则.......
  • 罪域隔断的世界

    罪域隔断的世界

    战士、刺客、魔导、神职、猎人、五大主职业所衍生的众多精准职业者,死灵、兽人、人族、恶魔、妖精、精灵、神族等等数不清的种族所构筑的史诗级世界!来吧!无数生与死的较量在这里上演!……数以万计的人们带着对于现实生活厌倦投入了这个虚幻的世界。“真是,空荡的世界啊。”固诺峰顶,一个男人俯视着漫无边际的大地,口中发出了孤寂的呢喃之声。……‘职业从属异常!技能机制异常!属性转化异常!装备系统异常!资源荷载异常!异常状态!未知!未知!!!’……“我!在哪里?!”……“从今日起,旅者之名,留迹大陆!”
  • 随身领取升级礼包

    随身领取升级礼包

    穿越后成为大唐天骄王爷的甄开放得到了不知道哪位大神派送的新手大礼包和升级大礼包。自此以后,地球上少了个默默无闻的白领,斗仙大陆上多了一个拼命修炼,嚣张跋扈的天骄王唐瑾!——————————推荐一本书:《我是大反派呦》程小楼穿越了,还套上了一身标准的反派纨绔模板。没有办法,只能将这些废柴流、重生流、穿越流、种田流、奇遇流的主角们……全部干死了!刚穿越就发现对面站着废柴退婚流的主角要跟自己打赌单挑,自己还抢了对方的媳妇?程小楼表示:我能怎么办啊?只能让你绝望了!狗腿子们都给我上!弄死他!……偏黑暗。主角不会苟,遇事正面刚。从来不跟敌人打赌,也从来都不圣母。没有忍气吞声,谁敢惹主角谁死。就这样。
  • 心弑

    心弑

    凡世枷锁,彼岸花开,我楚寻夜执一笔,捧一书,可断生死,破天,裂地,碎锁,斩心,铮断轮回,大道心之所向。情只定一人,君心既许便覆水难收,可弃生死,他人动你一毫我便斩他一手,伤你一分便屠他一城,纵举世皆敌,又何妨。万里血染江山,绝顶王座,独此一人,风华绝代,遗立于世……
  • 你凭什么做好互联网:从技术思维到商业逻辑

    你凭什么做好互联网:从技术思维到商业逻辑

    互联网技术大牛曹政,分享20年互联网从业核心经验,从技术思维到商业逻辑,全面盘点草根互联网创富法则!作为中国互联网免费统计网站系统CNZZ创始人之一,前4399首席架构师、首席信息官,曹政在数据、技术、业务上无一不精。他的见解深刻,高效接地气,全是摸爬滚打总结出来的方法,帮你全面通晓互联网行业的固有逻辑,建立正确的互联网思维,在技术、产品上避免犯致命错误,精准高效地创业。不管你是想进入这个行业还是想在这个行业里更进一步,这些思考逻辑和行事方法你必须知道。