登陆注册
5371300000099

第99章

Wondering and bewildered by words she could not comprehend, but excited even to tears by the plaintiveness of their tone, Ione listened to these outpourings of a full and oppressed heart. In truth, Apaecides himself was softened much beyond his ordinary mood, which to outward seeming was usually either sullen or impetuous. For the noblest desires are of a jealous nature--they engross, they absorb the soul, and often leave the splenetic humors stagnant and unheeded at the surface. Unheeding the petty things around us, we are deemed morose; impatient at earthly interruption to the diviner dreams, we are thought irritable and churlish. For as there is no chimera vainer than the hope that one human heart shall find sympathy in another, so none ever interpret us with justice; and none, no, not our nearest and our dearest ties, forbear with us in mercy! When we are dead and repentance comes too late, both friend and foe may wonder to think how little there was in us to forgive!

'I will talk to thee then of our early years,' said Ione. 'Shall yon blind girl sing to thee of the days of childhood? Her voice is sweet and musical, and she hath a song on that theme which contains none of those allusions it pains thee to hear.'

'Dost thou remember the words, my sister?' asked Apaecides.

'Methinks yes; for the tune, which is simple, fixed them on my memory.'

'Sing to me then thyself. My ear is not in unison with unfamiliar voices;and thine, Ione, full of household associations, has ever been to me more sweet than all the hireling melodies of Lycia or of Crete. Sing to me!'

Ione beckoned to a slave that stood in the portico, and sending for her lute, sang, when it arrived, to a tender and simple air, the following verses:-

REGRETS FOR CHILDHOOD

I

It is not that our earlier Heaven Escapes its April showers, Or that to childhood's heart is given No snake amidst the flowers.

Ah! twined with grief Each brightest leaf, That's wreath'd us by the Hours!

Young though we be, the Past may sting, The present feed its sorrow;But hope shines bright on every thing That waits us with the morrow.

Like sun-lit glades, The dimmest shades Some rosy beam can borrow.

II

It is not that our later years Of cares are woven wholly, But smiles less swiftly chase the tears, And wounds are healed more slowly.

And Memory's vow To lost ones now, Makes joys too bright, unholy.

And ever fled the Iris bow That smiled when clouds were o'er us.

If storms should burst, uncheered we go, A drearier waste before us--And with the toys Of childish joys, We've broke the staff that bore us!

Wisely and delicately had Ione chosen that song, sad though its burthen seemed; for when we are deeply mournful, discordant above all others is the voice of mirth: the fittest spell is that borrowed from melancholy itself, for dark thoughts can be softened down when they cannot be brightened; and so they lose the precise and rigid outline of their truth, and their colors melt into the ideal. As the leech applies in remedy to the internal sore some outward irritation, which, by a gentler wound, draws away the venom of that which is more deadly, thus, in the rankling festers of the mind, our art is to divert to a milder sadness on the surface the pain that gnaweth at the core. And so with Apaecides, yielding to the influence of the silver voice that reminded him of the past, and told but of half the sorrow born to the present, he forgot his more immediate and fiery sources of anxious thought. He spent hours in making Ione alternately sing to, and converse with him; and when he rose to leave her, it was with a calmed and lulled mind.

'Ione,' said he, as he pressed her hand, 'should you hear my name blackened and maligned, will you credit the aspersion?'

'Never, my brother, never!'

'Dost thou not imagine, according to thy belief, that the evil-doer is punished hereafter, and the good rewarded?'

'Can you doubt it?'

'Dost thou think, then, that he who is truly good should sacrifice every selfish interest in his zeal for virtue?'

'He who doth so is the equal of the gods.'

'And thou believest that, according to the purity and courage with which he thus acts, shall be his portion of bliss beyond the grave?'

'So we are taught to hope.'

'Kiss me, my sister. One question more. Thou art to be wedded to Glaucus: perchance that marriage may separate us more hopelessly--but not of this speak I now--thou art to be married to Glaucus--dost thou love him? Nay, my sister, answer me by words.'

'Yes!' murmured Ione, blushing.

'Dost thou feel that, for his sake, thou couldst renounce pride, brave dishonour, and incur death? I have heard that when women really love, it is to that excess.'

'My brother, all this could I do for Glaucus, and feel that it were not a sacrifice. There is no sacrifice to those who love, in what is borne for the one we love.'

'Enough! shall woman feel thus for man, and man feel less devotion to his God?'

He spoke no more. His whole countenance seemed instinct and inspired with a divine life: his chest swelled proudly; his eyes glowed: on his forehead was writ the majesty of a man who can dare to be noble! He turned to meet the eyes of Ione--earnest, wistful, fearful--he kissed her fondly, strained her warmly to his breast, and in a moment more he had left the house.

Long did Ione remain in the same place, mute and thoughtful. The maidens again and again came to warn her of the deepening noon, and her engagement to Diomed's banquet. At length she woke from her reverie, and prepared, not with the pride of beauty, but listless and melancholy, for the festival: one thought alone reconciled her to the promised visit--she should meet Glaucus--she could confide to him her alarm and uneasiness for her brother.

同类推荐
  • 阿难陀目佉尼诃离陀邻尼经

    阿难陀目佉尼诃离陀邻尼经

    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。
  • 幼学琼林

    幼学琼林

    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。
  • 科举论

    科举论

    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。
  • 云谷和尚语录

    云谷和尚语录

    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。
  • 大萨遮尼乾子所说经

    大萨遮尼乾子所说经

    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。
热门推荐
  • 老滩

    老滩

    本书叙写新世纪的老人与海,记录和展示辽东湾的生存状态,经作者精心打造,沉着,大气,悲悯,人物形象立体、丰满,戏剧性冲突紧张生动,扣人心弦。通篇画面感强烈,抒情韵味浓郁,兼具地域性,人文性,历史感,现实感,颇具史诗风格,余曾先睹为快。
  • 任性随情落

    任性随情落

    这是一段80后青春年少的回忆,这是一个人的性情,从初生萌芽,到逐渐成熟蒂落的记录。从小学到高中只有暗恋的任流生,终于在大学后决定用对歌的形式,对之前暗恋过的高中女生表达情意,却只是在画一个句号。大学阶段认识的一个女生,难道只能在游戏里表白?
  • 无敌鉴宝手

    无敌鉴宝手

    被猛兽追赶,他意外失去左手,却得到一只翡翠玉手!不可思议的鉴宝能力让林奇从此混迹古玩界,逐渐成长成一代枭雄。
  • 冰王嫁到之呆萌丫鬟发家史

    冰王嫁到之呆萌丫鬟发家史

    本文又名《潇潇筝歌行》五讲四美三热爱的热血青年宋潇雅,在第49次见义勇为中挂了变成了大楚国清溪镇宋庄宋孝喜家的大女儿宋小丫不过见义勇为好青年不管在哪里都是能发光发热的一不小心救回一只狐狸精什么的也就司空见惯了————————————————————————————————————————蠢萌蠢萌的丫头能耐倒不小,诗词歌赋、针灸理疗、吃喝玩乐,样样精通,做起生意也是创意无限。管她是乡下丫头还是名门之后,这座宝藏只能是本王的,怎么宠都不为过。丫鬟?不行,要贴身丫鬟。王妃?不行,要唯一正妃。皇后?不行,要独占后宫。不想当皇后?好,本王带你周游天下。————————————————————————————————————————不是说什么惊才绝艳、温润如玉,迷倒天下女子么?明明长了张祸国殃民、令天地失色的盛世美颜,为什么在她面前就是个有点二会卖萌、腹黑嘴贱、撒娇耍赖的闷骚病秧子?说出去都没人信,你说多冤枉。上了贼船还能怎么办?谁敢动我相公先过了我这关。————————————————————————————————————————日常对话可脑补:好青年:爹是你的,庶母是你的,兄弟姐妹都是你的,为何要我去斗?我只是个丫鬟啊!狐狸精:人家……身体不好,没人爱!要不你当我媳妇儿吧!好青年:边疆有难,抵抗外族,是你的职责,为何我也要上战场?我只是你媳妇儿啊!狐狸精:人家……身体不好,没人爱!要不你当我王妃吧!好青年:斗皇子、灭佞臣,你是皇帝的外甥,为何拿我当枪使?我只是王妃啊!狐狸精:人家……身体不好,没人爱!要不你当我皇后吧!好青年:……狐狸精:亲亲媳妇儿你尽管向前冲,有事儿你相公兜着,谁敢挡你路就灭谁,么么哒!好青年:……本文绝对一对一,欢喜冤家皆大欢喜,偶尔虐一虐,绝不伤神!
  • 熙姐经典文章

    熙姐经典文章

    精致的文字,精美的故事,经典的文章。跟着熙姐走,熙姐带你走进不一样的世界!
  • 梦中之始

    梦中之始

    “情不知所起,一往而生。而梦中之情,何必为真。”
  • 烧钱(中国好小说)

    烧钱(中国好小说)

    市里的“成功人士”谈绍前要办“烧钱”的文学大奖赛,由此吸引来一众“文学人士”,勾连起一出出嬉笑滑稽的闹剧,而出版社编辑文俊却在机缘巧合中,发现了这位“土豪”不为人知的过往。清与浊、名与利,正要好戏上演。
  • 三国懒人

    三国懒人

    白仁本想过着“采菊东篱下,悠然见南山”的懒人生活,却不想被乱世卷了进去,到最后无法脱离。挣扎,反抗,还是默默承受?(本书已经完结,新书《宋天子》正在火热连载中!)
  • 北江流入芦苞

    北江流入芦苞

    黄明晖著的《北江流入芦苞》说的是在70年代的某一年,珠江三角洲的佛山市三水区下辖的芦苞镇发生的故事,描述了百岁老妪鸦老太、鳏夫何松、青年何乐义、女青年尹惠莲等人在旧的性爱和婚姻理念下,对婚姻的理解与经历。那是一段芦苞人用传统的善良、仁爱、知理、大义熏陶过的历史。
  • 创始之神的我竟被厌弃了

    创始之神的我竟被厌弃了

    身为创始之神的我任务重大,先带着新手们打怪,后又带着他们狂升级。你说我是谁,我就是传说中游戏的创始人,等等,这游戏为什么会出现另一个少女的我,难道是bug了?还有——为什么我会变成反派的样子?!