登陆注册
5371300000092

第92章

'Thou hast been at my house, methinks!' said he, approaching his voice to Nydia's ear; 'thou knowest the oath!--Silence and secrecy, now as then, or beware!'

'Yet,' he added, musingly to himself, 'why confide more than is necessary, even in the blind--Julia, canst thou trust thyself alone with me? Believe me, the magician is less formidable than he seems.'

As he spoke, he gently drew Julia aside.

'The witch loves not many visitors at once,' said he: 'leave Nydia here till your return; she can be of no assistance to us: and, for protection--your own beauty suffices--your own beauty and your own rank; yes, Julia, I know thy name and birth. Come, trust thyself with me, fair rival of the youngest of the Naiads!'

The vain Julia was not, as we have seen, easily affrighted; she was moved by the flattery of Arbaces, and she readily consented to suffer Nydia to await her return; nor did Nydia press her presence. At the sound of the Egyptian's voice all her terror of him returned: she felt a sentiment of pleasure at learning she was not to travel in his companionship.

She returned to the Bath-house, and in one of the private chambers waited their return. Many and bitter were the thoughts of this wild girl as she sat there in her eternal darkness. She thought of her own desolate fate, far from her native land, far from the bland cares that once assuaged the April sorrows of childhood--deprived of the light of day, with none but strangers to guide her steps, accursed by the one soft feeling of her heart, loving and without hope, save the dim and unholy ray which shot across her mind, as her Thessalian fancies questioned of the force of spells and the gifts of magic.

Nature had sown in the heart of this poor girl the seeds of virtue never destined to ripen. The lessons of adversity are not always salutary--sometimes they soften and amend, but as often they indurate and pervert. If we consider ourselves more harshly treated by fate than those around us, and do not acknowledge in our own deeds the justice of the severity, we become too apt to deem the world our enemy, to case ourselves in defiance, to wrestle against our softer self, and to indulge the darker passions which are so easily fermented by the sense of injustice. Sold early into slavery, sentenced to a sordid taskmaster, exchanging her situation, only yet more to embitter her lot--the kindlier feelings, naturally profuse in the breast of Nydia, were nipped and blighted. Her sense of right and wrong was confused by a passion to which she had so madly surrendered herself; and the same intense and tragic emotions which we read of in the women of the classic age--a Myrrha, a Medea--and which hurried and swept away the whole soul when once delivered to love--ruled, and rioted in, her breast.

Time passed: a light step entered the chamber where Nydia yet indulged her gloomy meditations.

'Oh, thanked be the immortal gods!' said Julia, 'I have returned, I have left that terrible cavern! Come, Nydia! let us away forthwith!'

It was not till they were seated in the litter that Julia again spoke.

'Oh!' said she, tremblingly, 'such a scene! such fearful incantations! and the dead face of the hag!--But, let us talk not of it. I have obtained the potion--she pledges its effect. My rival shall be suddenly indifferent to his eye, and I, I alone, the idol of Glaucus!'

'Glaucus!' exclaimed Nydia.

'Ay! I told thee, girl, at first, that it was not the Athenian whom I loved: but I see now that I may trust thee wholly--it is the beautiful Greek!'

What then were Nydia's emotions! she had connived, she had assisted, in tearing Glaucus from Ione; but only to transfer, by all the power of magic, his affections yet more hopelessly to another. Her heart swelled almost to suffocation--she gasped for breath--in the darkness of the vehicle, Julia did not perceive the agitation of her companion; she went on rapidly dilating on the promised effect of her acquisition, and on her approaching triumph over Ione, every now and then abruptly digressing to the horror of the scene she had quitted--the unmoved mien of Arbaces, and his authority over the dreadful Saga.

Meanwhile Nydia recovered her self-possession: a thought flashed across her: she slept in the chamber of Julia--she might possess herself of the potion.

They arrived at the house of Diomed, and descended to Julia's apartment, where the night's repast awaited them.

'Drink, Nydia, thou must be cold, the air was chill to-night; as for me, my veins are yet ice.'

同类推荐
  • 扬州画舫录

    扬州画舫录

    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。
  • 佛说出家缘经

    佛说出家缘经

    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。
  • 八识规矩直解

    八识规矩直解

    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。
  • 学天台宗法门大意

    学天台宗法门大意

    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。
  • 古尊宿语要目录

    古尊宿语要目录

    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。
热门推荐
  • 中国式富人的99条人生经验

    中国式富人的99条人生经验

    授之以鱼,不如授之以渔,无限的生财之道才是无价之宝,汇聚顶级商业精英创富智慧,指引普通老百姓通往致富之路。开启富人的财富密码,打通我们的致富之路。
  • 摘星路漫漫

    摘星路漫漫

    对她而言,他是个麻烦,只想远离,愿两人的人生不会有交点。可有些缘分,早已注定。“我可以给你赔偿。”“赔偿?”“对!”“我只要你。”记忆出错,乔星只觉得他莫名其妙。可曾托付出去的心,当初真的回归了吗?
  • 男人心中的好女人

    男人心中的好女人

    每个女人都有自己心目中的白马王子,都期望得到他的青睐和宠爱,让他用一生疼惜自己、呵护自己,但并不是每个女人都能如愿,其中的原因就在于她们并不知道心中的他喜欢什么样的好女人。本书作者在采访了众多男女后,将得到的第一手资料综合分析,选取最为突出和最具代表性的话题,完全站在男人的角度告诉女性朋友们--不同年龄和性格的男人各喜欢什么样的好女人;男人看似不经意的一句话有着怎样的潜台词;在金钱和性爱两方面,男人又是如何看待女人的......除此之外,本书还综合了男人的真实想法,列出了五大他们最想让女人了解及理解的事情,只要你能做到,一定会成为他们心目中的好女人。
  • 折狱龟鉴

    折狱龟鉴

    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。
  • 藏地大冒险(科学大探险)

    藏地大冒险(科学大探险)

    布瓜博士、乐乐淘和小猴,他们乘坐着阿拉丁的神奇飞毯着陆藏地,这是一个神秘的地方,但也充满着危险。他们能够一起克服各种的困难,最终以美好的团圆结束了这场探险旅途吗…书中还介绍了关于藏地的常识,本书读者对象是针对5~16岁的儿童,在奇幻与冒险的故事中,激发他们探索与学习的兴趣。
  • 鸾凤之舞

    鸾凤之舞

    夜溪:生性冷漠的青龙国二皇子,霸道强权不喜欢被人束缚的生活,却偏偏任她束缚尘幻:鸾凤国国师,才富五车温柔善良却又有着坚定的心,替她挡去风风雨雨环儿:她的贴身男侍,贴心又善解人意,毒术天下居一凌无缺:江湖和明月宫齐名的破尘殿殿主,看似温柔骨子里却是腹黑型代表,冷心冷血却又对她千依百顺司空满:玉虎国大学士司空苍之孙,邪媚妖娆,有着强烈的占有欲,做事狠绝,甘愿和他人共侍一人她,鸾凤国七皇女冷墨晴,在皇宫与江湖之间徘徊,无奈的收美男.好吧,她承认自己长的还不错,武功也还过得去,可是,为什么就只能被动挨打呢?决定了!她要主动出击!可是,谁能告诉她这究竟是怎么回事啊~
  • 巴黎圣母院(语文新课标课外读物)

    巴黎圣母院(语文新课标课外读物)

    现代中、小学生不能只局限于校园和课本,应该广开视野,广长见识,广泛了解博大的世界和社会,不断增加丰富的现代社会知识和世界信息,才有所精神准备,才能迅速地长大,将来才能够自由地翱翔于世界蓝天。否则,我们将永远是妈妈怀抱中的乖宝宝,将永远是温室里面的豆芽菜,那么,我们将怎样走向社会、走向世界呢?
  • 王子变校草:外星的婚约

    王子变校草:外星的婚约

    在遥远的星空外,人类所未知的领哉,有一个陌生的国度,那里的居民生着与人类相似的面孔,却拥着有人类无法想象的灵力,那里延承着君王制度,且不论男女,皆拥有着完美的容颜,而其中,血统越是尊贵,灵力越高,且容貌更加趋于完美,这里的子民,一生只能有一个命定伴侣,且要生死相随,永不离弃。这个星球被称为:那塔某一天,高中生念念在树下捡到一个疑似天使的男孩。而与此同时,那塔星上最华丽的殿堂里传来一声惊叫:达斯王子使用灵力去往地球了。(修改版.......)
  • 傻妃惹邪王!

    傻妃惹邪王!

    灵魂重生!却横遭陷害!她只想安静的过日子!却怎奈美男纠缠........
  • 我最想要的说话艺术大全集

    我最想要的说话艺术大全集

    韩焘编著的《我最想要的说话艺术大全集》特别收集了演讲战线上佼佼者的精彩发言,书中没有讲述玄妙高深的道理,而是引用了大量生动有趣的事例,用通俗易懂的语言,对在某种特定的情景中,如何说话,说什么话进行了较全面而具体的说明。同时,我们还在附录中常用素材库中准备了经典警句、谚语等,将来遇到不同情景时,可随时查找需要的素材。不论你是静坐下来潜心研读,还是随意翻阅,本书都会带给你有益的启迪。《我最想要的说话艺术大全集》的最大目的,旨在使读者通过阅读此书,能够掌握说话技巧、修炼说话能力、提高说话水平,做到说话滴水不漏,来为成功插翅,为事业奠基,为幸福添彩。