登陆注册
15688100000085

第85章 CHAPTER IV(4)

Matilda heeded him not: She again fastened the door, and then advanced towards him with an air gentle and supplicating.

'Forgive me, Ambrosio,' said She; 'For your own sake I must not obey you. Fear no complaints from me; I come not to reproach you with your ingratitude. I pardon you from my heart, and since your love can no longer be mine, I request the next best gift, your confidence and friendship. We cannot force our inclinations; The little beauty which you once saw in me has perished with its novelty, and if it can no longer excite desire, mine is the fault, not yours. But why persist in shunning me?

Why such anxiety to fly my presence? You have sorrows, but will not permit me to share them; You have disappointments, but will not accept my comfort; You have wishes, but forbid my aiding your pursuits. 'Tis of this which I complain, not of your indifference to my person. I have given up the claims of the Mistress, but nothing shall prevail on me to give up those of the Friend.'

Her mildness had an instantaneous effect upon Ambrosio's feelings.

'Generous Matilda!' He replied, taking her hand, 'How far do you rise superior to the foibles of your sex! Yes, I accept your offer. I have need of an adviser, and a Confident: In you Ifind every needful quality united. But to aid my pursuits . . .

. Ah! Matilda, it lies not in your power!'

'It lies in no one's power but mine. Ambrosio, your secret is none to me; Your every step, your every action has been observed by my attentive eye. You love.'

'Matilda!'

'Why conceal it from me? Fear not the little jealousy which taints the generality of Women: My soul disdains so despicable a passion. You love, Ambrosio; Antonia Dalfa is the object of your flame. I know every circumstance respecting your passion: Every conversation has been repeated to me. I have been informed of your attempt to enjoy Antonia's person, your disappointment, and dismission from Elvira's House. You now despair of possessing your Mistress; But I come to revive your hopes, and point out the road to success.'

'To success? Oh! impossible!'

'To them who dare nothing is impossible. Rely upon me, and you may yet be happy. The time is come, Ambrosio, when regard for your comfort and tranquillity compels me to reveal a part of my History, with which you are still unacquainted. Listen, and do not interrupt me: Should my confession disgust you, remember that in making it my sole aim is to satisfy your wishes, and restore that peace to your heart which at present has abandoned it. I formerly mentioned that my Guardian was a Man of uncommon knowledge: He took pains to instil that knowledge into my infant mind. Among the various sciences which curiosity had induced him to explore, He neglected not that which by most is esteemed impious, and by many chimerical. I speak of those arts which relate to the world of Spirits. His deep researches into causes and effects, his unwearied application to the study of natural philosophy, his profound and unlimited knowledge of the properties and virtues of every gem which enriches the deep, of every herb which the earth produces, at length procured him the distinction which He had sought so long, so earnestly. His curiosity was fully slaked, his ambition amply gratified. He gave laws to the elements; He could reverse the order of nature;His eye read the mandates of futurity, and the infernal Spirits were submissive to his commands. Why shrink you from me? Iunderstand that enquiring look. Your suspicions are right, though your terrors are unfounded. My Guardian concealed not from me his most precious acquisition. Yet had I never seen YOU, I should never have exerted my power. Like you I shuddered at the thoughts of Magic: Like you I had formed a terrible idea of the consequences of raising a daemon. To preserve that life which your love had taught me to prize, I had recourse to means which I trembled at employing. You remember that night which Ipast in St. Clare's Sepulchre? Then was it that, surrounded by mouldering bodies, I dared to perform those mystic rites which summoned to my aid a fallen Angel. Judge what must have been my joy at discovering that my terrors were imaginary: I saw the Daemon obedient to my orders, I saw him trembling at my frown, and found that, instead of selling my soul to a Master, my courage had purchased for myself a Slave.'

'Rash Matilda! What have you done? You have doomed yourself to endless perdition; You have bartered for momentary power eternal happiness! If on witchcraft depends the fruition of my desires, I renounce your aid most absolutely. The consequences are too horrible: I doat upon Antonia, but am not so blinded by lust as to sacrifice for her enjoyment my existence both in this world and the next.'

'Ridiculous prejudices! Oh! blush, Ambrosio, blush at being subjected to their dominion. Where is the risque of accepting my offers? What should induce my persuading you to this step, except the wish of restoring you to happiness and quiet. If there is danger, it must fall upon me: It is I who invoke the ministry of the Spirits; Mine therefore will be the crime, and yours the profit. But danger there is none: The Enemy of Mankind is my Slave, not my Sovereign. Is there no difference between giving and receiving laws, between serving and commanding? Awake from your idle dreams, Ambrosio! Throw from you these terrors so ill-suited to a soul like yours; Leave them for common Men, and dare to be happy! Accompany me this night to St. Clare's Sepulchre, witness my incantations, and Antonia is your own.'

'To obtain her by such means I neither can, or will. Cease then to persuade me, for I dare not employ Hell's agency.

'You DARE not? How have you deceived me! That mind which Iesteemed so great and valiant, proves to be feeble, puerile, and grovelling, a slave to vulgar errors, and weaker than a Woman's.'

同类推荐
  • 书灵筵手巾

    书灵筵手巾

    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。
  • 宦游日记

    宦游日记

    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。
  • 忆钓舟

    忆钓舟

    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。
  • 送李侍御贬鄱阳

    送李侍御贬鄱阳

    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。
  • 马鸣菩萨成就悉地念诵

    马鸣菩萨成就悉地念诵

    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。
热门推荐
  • 孝行览

    孝行览

    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。
  • 倾世浮生:全能召唤师

    倾世浮生:全能召唤师

    她是和泽氏大小姐,没有灵力,却有着父母长兄的宠爱。她千里迢迢找到了分离两年的哥哥。她本以为哥哥一直是那么温柔的男子,却不经意间走进了他的世界,原本尘封许久的秘密一一浮出水面……
  • 绝世双女

    绝世双女

    一个无忧无虑的少女,当命运突然将她推向深渊,她如何走出人生中的悲苦?一个王府的千金,遇到了曾在梦中见过的故人,如何走向另一段不同的人生?本书有天真萌萌,有权谋机关,有纯真恋情,有江湖恩怨,轻微虐,新书首发,欢迎关注!
  • 御书凌仙

    御书凌仙

    特工祖师爷,转世星穹界,开创最强势力!踏碎不朽天骄!笑掌天地轮回!成就亘古神话!
  • 都市超级神豪

    都市超级神豪

    一个神豪系统让一个屌丝青年彻底逆袭,看他如何在都市掌乾坤。
  • 狐王娶妃:拐个儿子当老公

    狐王娶妃:拐个儿子当老公

    言袋袋,一生志愿便是穿越,结果某一天被个无良作者骗去穿越做了女主。女主穿越定律:第一个遇见的一定是帅哥!可是,为啥她醒来碰到的却是个嫩嫩的小鬼?不过,长得这么漂亮水灵,拐来当儿子也不错!“儿子啊,一起吃饭!”“儿子啊,一起洗澡!”“儿子啊,一起睡觉!”她发誓她真的一直将他当儿子养!可是谁知某一天,儿子却突然眨眼就变成了俊美绝伦的男人,笑得邪魅:“言袋袋,做儿子不好,还是做夫君吧!”她呆愣了三秒,只怔怔地伸手去扯他的脸:“儿子啊,你是不是吹大的?”…………以为捡了个漂亮儿子,谁知却惹上了一只腹黑邪恶的狐狸。狐狸要娶妃,拉她做垫背。“我不要老公,我要儿子!”某女坚决反抗,她怀念她可爱的小鬼儿子。某狐狸邪邪一笑:“言袋袋,这么喜欢儿子,我就让你生一个!”生儿子?!不要啊!!!***********************推荐好友【笨袋袋】(本文女主)的同系列文文《蛇王选后:捡来的新娘》:http://www.*****.com/?a/136170/【南宫思】《虎王抢妃》http://www.*****.com/?a/189917/
  • 异世之神级召唤

    异世之神级召唤

    陈瑜因为一幅神秘的百兽图而意外穿越,穿越到了一个以召唤为主的世界。这个世界的一切都颠覆了陈瑜的认知。看中华神兽如何在异世大放光彩。陈瑜让异世的人知道了“哦,原来还有龙的传人这种异兽啊。”当然异世的人也让陈瑜长见识了”尼玛,这个汗血宝马是圣兽?坑爹呢。”“哦,你是说饕餮是神兽?滚......真笨,饕餮应该是超神兽好吗,你的见识弱爆了....”
  • 北帝录

    北帝录

    一个身怀异体的少年,一把被藏于体内未曾出世的神剑,少年,从神州走出,看他如何能够在这纷乱的世界闯出自己的一片天。
  • 钢之剑魂

    钢之剑魂

    天地匠魂,万物灵气散尽之时,阴阳无极之巅;一个被囚禁的王者,一个渐渐崛起的灵魂;万火硝烟,大战一触即发;谁将会是这块秘土上的真正王者?——钢之剑魂为您陈述
  • 梦之新世

    梦之新世

    爱情是梦的起点,为了寻找自己的灵魂伴侣,少年踏上漫长而孤独的路途……