05-the enemy conquered- 第4部分

looks　of　crabbed　old　age；　which　should　continually　reflect　dignity

upon　those　around；　and　treat　unfortunate　as　well　as　the　fortunate

with　a　graceful　mien；　he　continued　to　use　diligence　and　perseverance。　

All　this　lighted　a　spark　in　his　heart　that　changed　his　whole　character；

and　like　the　unyielding　Deity　that　follows　the　storm　to　check　its

rage　in　the　forest；　he　resolves　for　the　first　time　to　shake　off

his　embarrassment　and　return　where　he　had　before　only　worshiped。



It　could　not　escape　Ambulinia's　penetrating　eye　that　he　sought

an　interview　with　her；　which　she　as　anxiously　avoided；　and　assumed

a　more　distant　calmness　than　before；　seemingly　to　destroy　all　hope。　

After　many　efforts　and　struggles　with　his　own　person；　with　timid

steps　the　Major　approached　the　damsel；　with　the　same　caution

as　he　would　have　done　in　a　field　of　battle。　　〃Lady　Ambulinia；〃

said　he；　trembling；　〃I　have　long　desired　a　moment　like　this。　

I　dare　not　let　it　escape。　　I　fear　the　consequences；　yet　I　hope

your　indulgence　will　at　least　hear　my　petition。　　Can　you　not

anticipate　what　I　would　say；　and　what　I　am　about　to　express？　

Will　not　you；　like　Minerva；　who　sprung　from　the　brain　of　Jupiter；

release　me　from　thy　winding　chains　or　cure　me〃　〃Say　no　more；

Elfonzo；〃　answered　Ambulinia；　with　a　serious　look；　raising　her　hand

as　if　she　intended　to　swear　eternal　hatred　against　the　whole　world；

〃another　lady　in　my　place　would　have　perhaps　answered　your　question

in　bitter　coldness。　　I　know　not　the　little　arts　of　my　sex。　

I　care　but　little　for　the　vanity　of　those　who　would　chide　me；

and　am　unwilling　as　well　as　shamed　to　be　guilty　of　anything

that　would　lead　you　to　think　'all　is　not　gold　that　glitters'；

so　be　not　rash　in　your　resolution。　　It　is　better　to　repent　now　than

to　do　it　in　a　more　solemn　hour。　　Yes；　I　know　what　you　would　say。　

I　know　you　have　a　costly　gift　for　methe　noblest　that　man　can　make

YOUR　HEART！　you　should　not　offer　it　to　one　so　unworthy。　

Heaven；　you　know；　has　allowed　my　father's　house　to　be　made　a　house

of　solitude；　a　home　of　silent　obedience；　which　my　parents　say

is　more　to　be　admired　than　big　names　and　high…sounding　titles。　

Notwithstanding　all　this；　let　me　speak　the　emotions　of　an　honest　heart；

allow　me　to　say　in　the　fullness　of　my　hopes　that　I　anticipate

better　days。　　The　bird　may　stretch　its　wings　toward　the　sun；

which　it　can　never　reach；　and　flowers　of　the　field　appear　to

ascend　in　the　same　direction；　because　they　cannot　do　otherwise；

but　man　confides　his　complaints　to　the　saints　in　whom　he　believes；

for　in　their　abodes　of　light　they　know　no　more　sorrow。　　From　your

confession　and　indicative　looks；　I　must　be　that　person；　if　so；

deceive　not　yourself。〃



Elfonzo　replied；　〃Pardon　me；　my　dear　madam；　for　my　frankness。　

I　have　loved　you　from　my　earliest　days；　everything　grand　and　beautiful

hath　borne　the　image　of　Ambulinia；　while　precipices　on　every　hand

surrounded　me；　your　GUARDIAN　ANGEL　stood　and　beckoned　me　away　from

the　deep　abyss。　　In　every　trial；　in　every　misfortune；　I　have　met

with　your　helping　hand；　yet　I　never　dreamed　or　dared　to　cherish

thy　love　till　a　voice　impaired　with　age　encouraged　the　cause；

and　declared　they　who　acquired　thy　favor　should　win　a　victory。　

I　saw　how　Leos　worshipped　thee。　　I　felt　my　own　unworthiness。　

I　began　to　KNOW　JEALOUSYa　strong　guest；　indeed；　in　my　bosom

yet　I　could　see　if　I　gained　your　admiration　Leos　was　to　be　my　rival。　

I　was　aware　that　he　had　the　influence　of　your　parents；　and　the　wealth

of　a　deceased　relative；　which　is　too　often　mistaken　for　permanent

and　regular　tranquillity；　yet　I　have　determined　by　your　permission

to　beg　an　interest　in　your　prayersto　ask　you　to　animate　my　dropping

spirits　by　your　smiles　and　your　winning　looks；　for　if　you　but　speak

I　shall　be　conqueror；　my　enemies　shall　stagger　like　Olympus　shakes。　

And　though　earth　and　sea　may　tremble；　and　the　charioteer　of　the　sun

may　forget　his　dashing　steed；　yet　I　am　assured　that　it　is　only

to　arm　me　with　divine　weapons　which　will　enable　me　to　complete　my

long…tried　intention。〃



〃Return　to　your　self；　Elfonzo；〃　said　Ambulinia；　pleasantly；　〃a　dream

of　vision　has　disturbed　your　intellect；　you　are　above　the　atmosphere；

dwelling　in　the　celestial　regions；　nothing　is　there　that　urges

or　hinders；　nothing　that　brings　discord　into　our　present　litigation。　

I　entreat　you　to　condescend　a　little；　and　be　a　man；　and　forget　it　all。　

When　Homer　describes　the　battle　of　the　gods　and　noble　men　fighting

with　giants　and　dragons；　they　represent　under　this　image　our　struggles

with　the　delusions　of　our　passions。　　You　have　exalted　me；　an　unhappy　girl；

to　the　skies；　you　have　called　me　a　saint；　and　portrayed　in　your

imagination　an　angel　in　human　form。　　Let　her　remain　such　to　you；

let　her　continue　to　be　as　you　have　supposed；　and　be　assured　that　she

will　consider　a　share　in　your　esteem　as　her　highest　treasure。　

Think　not　that　I　would　allure　you　from　the　path　in　which　your

conscience　leads　you；　for　you　know　I　respect　the　conscience　of　others；

as　I　would　die　for　my　own。　　Elfonzo；　if　I　am　worthy　of　thy　love；

let　such　conversation　never　again　pass　between　us。　　Go；　seek　a　nobler

theme！　we　will　seek　it　in　the　stream　of　time　as　the　sun　set　in

the　Tigris。〃　　As　she　spake　these　words　she　grasped　the　hand　of　Elfonzo；

saying　at　the　same　time；　〃Peace　and　prosperity　attend　you；　my　hero：　

be　up　and　doing！'　　Closing　her　remarks　with　this　expression；

she　walked　slowly　away；　leaving　Elfonzo　astonished　and　amazed。　

He　ventured　not　to　follow　or　detain　her。　　Here　he　stood　alone；

gazing　at　the　stars；　confounded　as　he　was；　here　he　stood。　　The　rippling

stream　rolled　on　at　his　feet。　　Twilight　had　already　begun　to　draw

her　sable　mantle　over　the　earth；　and　now　and　then　the　fiery　smoke

would　ascend　from　the　little　town　which　lay　spread　out　before　him。　

The　citizens　seemed　to　be　full　of　life　and　good…humor；　but　poor　Elfonzo

saw　not　a　brilliant　scene。　　No；　his　future　life　stood　before　him；

stripped　of　the　hopes　that　once　adorned　all　his　sanguine　desires。　

〃Alas！〃　said　he；　〃am　I　now　Grief's　disappointed　son　at　last。〃　

Ambulinia's　image　rose　before　his　fancy。　　A　mixture　of　ambition

and　greatness　of　soul　moved　upon　his　young　heart；　and　encouraged

him　to　bear　all　his　crosses　with　the　patience　of　a　Job；

notwithstanding　he　had　to　encounter　with　so　many　obstacles。　

He　still　endeavored　to　prosecute　his　studies；　and　reasonable

progressed　in　his　education。　　Still；　he　was　not　content；　there　was

something　yet　to　be　done　before　his　happiness　was　complete。　

He　would　visit　his　friends　and　acquaintances。　　They　would　invite　him

to　social　parties；　insisting　that　he　should　partake　of　the　amusements

that　were　going　on。　　This　he　enjoyed　tolerably　well。　　The　ladies

and　gentlemen　were　generally　well　pleased　with　the　Major；　as　he

delighted　all　with　his　violin；　which　seemed　to　have　a　thousand　chords

more　symphonious　than　the　Muses　of　Apollo　and　more　enchanting

than　the　ghost　of　the　Hills。　　He　passed　some　days　in　the　country。　

During　that　time　Leos　had　made　many　calls　upon　Ambulinia；　who　was

generally　received　with　a　great　deal　of　courtesy　by　the　family。　

They　thought　him　to　be　a　young　man　worthy　of　attention；　though　he

had　but　little　in　his　soul　to　attract　the　attention　or　even　win

the　affections　of　her　whose　graceful　manners　had　almost　made

him　a　slave　to　every　bewitching　look　that　fell　from　her　eyes。　

Leos　made　several　attempts　to　tell　her　of　his　fair　prospects

how　much　he　loved　her；　and　how　much　it　would　add　to　his　bliss　if　he

could　but　think　she　would　be　willing　to　share　these　blessings

with　him；　but；　choked　by　his　undertaking；　he　made　himself　more　like　an

inactive　drone　than　he　did　like　one　who　bowed　at　beauty's　shrine。



Elfonzo　again　wends　his　way　to　the　stately　walls　and　new…built　village。　

He　now　determines　to　see　the　end　of　the　prophesy　which　had　been

foretold　to　him。　　The　clouds　burst　from　his　sight；　he　believes

if　he　can　but　see　his　Ambulinia；　he　can　open　to　her　view　the　bloody

altars　that　have　been　misrepresented　to　stigmatize　his　name。　

He　knows　that　her　breast　is　transfixed　with　the　sword　of　reason；

and　ready　at　all　times　to　detect　the　hidden　villainy　of　her　enemies。　

He　resolves　to　see　her　in　her　own　home；　with　the　consoling　theme：　

〃'I　can　but　perish　if　I　go。'　　Let　the　consequences　be　what　they　may；〃

said　he；　〃if　I　die；　it　shall　be　contending　and　struggling　for　my

own　rights。〃



Night　had　almost　overtaken　him　when　he　arrived　in　town。　　Colonel　Elder；

a　noble…hearted；　high…minded；　and　independent　man；　met　him　at

his　door　as　usual；　and　seized　him　by　the　hand。　　〃Well；　Elfonzo；〃

said　the　Colonel；　〃how　does　the　world　use　you　in　your　efforts？〃　

〃I　have　no　objection　to　the　world；〃　said　Elfonzo；　〃but　the　people

are　rather　singular　in　some　of　their　opinions。〃　　〃Aye；　well；〃

said　the　Colonel；　〃you　must　remember　that　creation　is　made　up　of

many　mysteries；　just　take　things　by　the　right　handle；　be　always　sure

you　know　which　is　the　smooth　si