volume01-第2章

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nnot　bear　contradiction'

Her　niece　was　silent；　but　made　no　further　opposition　to　Don　Lorenzo's　efforts；　who；　armed　with　the　Aunt's　sanction　hastened　to　remove　the　Gauze。　　What　a　Seraph's　head　presented　itself　to　his　admiration！　　Yet　it　was　rather　bewitching　than　beautiful；　It　wasnot　so　lovely　from　regularity　of　features　as　from　sweetness　and　sensibility　of　Countenance。　　The　several　parts　of　her　face　considered　separately；　many　of　them　were　far　from　handsome；　but　when　examined　together；　the　whole　was　adorable。　　Her　skin　though　fair　was　not　entirely　without　freckles；　Her　eyes　were　not　very　large；　nor　their　lashes　particularly　long。　　But　then　her　lips　were　of　the　most　rosy　freshness；　Her　fair　and　undulating　hair；　confined　by　a　simple　ribband；　poured　itself　below　her　waist　in　a　profusion　of　ringlets；　Her　throat　was　full　and　beautiful　in　the　extreme；　Her　hand　and　arm　were　formed　with　the　most　perfect　symmetry；　Her　mild　blue　eyes　seemed　an　heaven　of　sweetness；　and　the　crystal　in　which　they　moved　sparkled　with　all　the　brilliance　of　Diamonds：　　She　appeared　to　be　scarcely　fifteen；　An　arch　smile；　playing　round　her　mouth；　declared　her　to　be　possessed　of　liveliness；　which　excess　of　timidity　at　present　represt；　She　looked　round　her　with　a　bashful　glance；　and　whenever　her　eyes　accidentally　met　Lorenzo's；　She　dropt　them　hastily　upon　her　Rosary；　Her　cheek　was　immediately　suffused　with　blushes；　and　She　began　to　tell　her　beads；　though　her　manner　evidently　showed　that　She　knew　not　what　She　was　about。

Lorenzo　gazed　upon　her　with　mingled　surprise　and　admiration；　but　the　Aunt　thought　it　necessary　to　apologize　for　Antonia's　mauvaise　honte。

'　'Tis　a　young　Creature；'　said　She；　'who　is　totally　ignorant　of　the　world。　　She　has　been　brought　up　in　an　old　Castle　in　Murcia；　with　no　other　Society　than　her　Mother's；　who；　God　help　her！　has　no　more　sense；　good　Soul；　than　is　necessary　to　carry　her　Soup　to　her　mouth。　Yet　She　is　my　own　Sister；　both　by　Father　and　Mother。'

'And　has　so　little　sense？'　said　Don　Christoval　with　feigned　astonishment；　'How　very　Extraordinary！'

'Very　true；　Segnor；　Is　it　not　strange？　　However；　such　is　the　fact；　and　yet　only　to　see　the　luck　of　some　people！　　A　young　Nobleman；　of　the　very　first　quality；　took　it　into　his　head　that　Elvira　had　some　pretensions　to　BeautyAs　to　pretensions；　in　truth；　She　had　always　enough　of　THEM；　But　as　to　Beauty。　。　。　。！　　If　I　had　only　taken　half　the　pains　to　set　myself　off　which　She　did。　。　。　。！　　But　this　is　neither　here　nor　there。　　As　I　was　saying；　Segnor；　a　young　Nobleman　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　married　her　unknown　to　his　Father。　　Their　union　remained　a　secret　near　three　years；　But　at　last　it　came　to　the　ears　of　the　old　Marquis；　who；　as　you　may　well　suppose；　was　not　much　pleased　with　the　intelligence。　　Away　He　posted　in　all　haste　to　Cordova；　determined　to　seize　Elvira；　and　send　her　away　to　some　place　or　other；　where　She　would　never　be　heard　of　more。　　Holy　St。　Paul！　　How　He　stormed　on　finding　that　She　had　escaped　him；　had　joined　her　Husband；　and　that　they　had　embarked　together　for　the　Indies。　　He　swore　at　us　all；　as　if　the　Evil　Spirit　had　possessed　him；　He　threw　my　Father　into　prison；　as　honest　a　painstaking　Shoe…maker　as　any　in　Cordova；　and　when　He　went　away；　He　had　the　cruelty　to　take　from　us　my　Sister's　little　Boy；　then　scarcely　two　years　old；　and　whom　in　the　abruptness　of　her　flight；　She　had　been　obliged　to　leave　behind　her。　　I　suppose；　that　the　poor　little　Wretch　met　with　bitter　bad　treatment　from　him；　for　in　a　few　months　after；　we　received　intelligence　of　his　death。'

'Why；　this　was　a　most　terrible　old　Fellow；　Segnora！'

'Oh！　shocking！　and　a　Man　so　totally　devoid　of　taste！　Why；　would　you　believe　it；　Segnor？　　When　I　attempted　to　pacify　him；　He　cursed　me　for　a　Witch；　and　wished　that　to　punish　the　Count；　my　Sister　might　become　as　ugly　as　myself！　　Ugly　indeed！　　I　like　him　for　that。'

'Ridiculous'；　cried　Don　Christoval；　'Doubtless　the　Count　would　have　thought　himself　fortunate；　had　he　been　permitted　to　exchange　the　one　Sister　for　the　other。'

'Oh！　　Christ！　　Segnor；　you　are　really　too　polite。　　However；　I　am　heartily　glad　that　the　Conde　was　of　a　different　way　of　thinking。　　A　mighty　pretty　piece　of　business；　to　be　sure；　Elvira　has　made　of　it！　　After　broiling　and　stewing　in　the　Indies　for　thirteen　long　years；　her　Husband　dies；　and　She　returns　to　Spain；　without　an　House　to　hide　her　head；　or　money　to　procure　her　one！　　This　Antonia　was　then　but　an　Infant；　and　her　only　remaining　Child。　　She　found　that　her　Father…in…Law　had　married　again；　that　he　was　irreconcileable　to　the　Conde；　and　that　his　second　Wife　had　produced　him　a　Son；　who　is　reported　to　be　a　very　fine　young　Man。　　The　old　Marquis　refused　to　see　my　Sister　or　her　Child；　But　sent　her　word　that　on　condition　of　never　hearing　any　more　of　her；　He　would　assign　her　a　small　pension；　and　She　might　live　in　an　old　Castle　which　He　possessed　in　Murcia；　This　had　been　the　favourite　habitation　of　his　eldest　Son；　But　since　his　flight　from　Spain；　the　old　Marquis　could　not　bear　the　place；　but　let　it　fall　to　ruin　and　confusionMy　Sister　accepted　the　proposal；　She　retired　to　Murcia；　and　has　remained　there　till　within　the　last　Month。'

'And　what　brings　her　now　to　Madrid？'　enquired　Don　Lorenzo；　whom　admiration　of　the　young　Antonia　compelled　to　take　a　lively　interest　in　the　talkative　old　Woman's　narration。

'Alas！　Segnor；　her　Father…in…Law　being　lately　dead；　the　Steward　of　his　Murcian　Estates　has　refused　to　pay　her　pension　any　longer。

With　the　design　of　supplicating　his　Son　to　renew　it；　She　is　now　come　to　Madrid；　But　I　doubt；　that　She　might　have　saved　herself　the　trouble！　You　young　Noblemen　have　always　enough　to　do　with　your　money；　and　are　not　very　often　disposed　to　throw　it　away　upon　old　Women。　　I　advised　my　Sister　to　send　Antonia　with　her　petition；　But　She　would　not　hear　of　such　a　thing。　　She　is　so　obstinate！　　Well！　　She　will　find　herself　the　worse　for　not　following　my　counsels：　the　Girl　has　a　good　pretty　face；　and　possibly　might　have　done　much。'

'Ah！　Segnora；'　interrupted　Don　Christoval；　counterfeiting　a　passionate　air；　'If　a　pretty　face　will　do　the　business；　why　has　not　your　Sister　recourse　to　you？'

'Oh！　Jesus！　my　Lord；　I　swear　you　quite　overpower　me　with　your　gallantry！　　But　I　promise　you　that　I　am　too　well　aware　of　the　danger　of　such　Expeditions　to　trust　myself　in　a　young　Nobleman's　power！　　No；　no；　I　have　as　yet　preserved　my　reputation　without　blemish　or　reproach；　and　I　always　knew　how　to　keep　the　Men　at　a　proper　distance。'

'Of　that；　Segnora；　I　have　not　the　least　doubt。　　But　permit　me　to　ask　you；　Have　you　then　any　aversion　to　Matrimony？'

'That　is　an　home　question。　　I　cannot　but　confess；　that　if　an　amiable　Cavalier　was　to　present　himself。　。　。　。'

Here　She　intended　to　throw　a　tender　and　significant　look　upon　Don　Christoval；　But；　as　She　unluckily　happened　to　squint　most　abominably；　the　glance　fell　directly　upon　his　Companion：　　Lorenzo　took　the　compliment　to　himself；　and　answered　it　by　a　profound　bow。

'May　I　enquire；'　said　He；　'the　name　of　the　Marquis？'

'The　Marquis　de　las　Cisternas。'

'I　know　him　intimately　well。　　He　is　not　at　present　in　Madrid；　but　is　expected　here　daily。　　He　is　one　of　the　best　of　Men；　and　if　the　lovely　Antonia　will　permit　me　to　be　her　Advocate　with　him；　I　doubt　not　my　being　able　to　make　a　favourable　report　of　her　cause。'

Antonia　raised　her　blue　eyes；　and　silently　thanked　him　for　the　offer　by　a　smile　of　inexpressible　sweetness。　　Leonella's　satisfaction　was　much　more　loud　and　audible：　Indeed；　as　her　Niece　was　generally　silent　in　her　company；　She　thought　it　incumbent　upon　her　to　talk　enough　for　both：　　This　She　managed　without　difficulty；　for　She　very　seldom　found　herself　deficient　in　words。

'Oh！　Segnor！'　She　cried；　'You　will　lay　our　whole　family　under　the　most　signal　obligations！　　I　accept　your　offer　with　all　possible　gratitude；　and　return　you　a　thousand　thanks　for　the　generosity　of　your　proposal。　Antonia；　why　do　not　you　speak；　Child？　　While　the　Cavalier　says　all　sorts　of　civil　things　to　you；　you　sit　like　a　Statue；　and　never　utter　a　syllable　of　thanks；　either　bad；　good；　or　indifferent！'

'My　dear　Aunt；　I　am　very　sensible　that。　。　。　。'

'Fye；　Niece！　　How　often　have　I　told　you；　that　you　never　should　interrupt　a　Person