Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

THE

HERE lived in the city of Verona two young gentlemen, whose names were Valentine and Protheus, between whom a firm and uninterrupted friendship had long subsisted. They pursued their studies together, and their hours of leisure were always passed in each other's company, except when Protheus visited a lady he was in love with; and these visits to his mistress, and this passion of Protheus for the fair Julia, were the only topics on which these two friends disagreed for Valentine, not being himself a lover, was sometimes a little weary of hearing his friend forever talking of his Julia, and then he would laugh at Protheus, and in pleasant terms ridicule the passion of love, and declare that no such idle fancies should ever enter his head, greatly preferring (as he said) the free and happy life that he led, to the anxious hopes and fears of the lover Protheus.

One morning Valentine came to Protheus to tell him that they must for a time be separated, for that he was going to Milan. Protheus, unwilling to part with his friend, used many arguments to prevail upon Valentine not to leave him; but Valentine said, "Cease to persuade me, my loving Protheus. I will not, like a sluggard, wear out my youth in idleness at home. Home-keeping youths have ever homely wits. If your affection were not chained to the sweet glances of your honored Julia, I would entreat you to accompany me, to see the wonders of the world abroad; but since you

[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors]

terms

o such ideas

refering ed, to the

Came to Prother

separated fr

unwilling to su
s to preva
alentine si
Teus Is

in idlenes

homem

sweet glass
to acce

read; bet s

ire a lover, love on still. and may your love be prosperous!"

44

They parted with mutual expressions of unalterable friendship. "Sweet Valentine, adieu !" said Protheus ; think on me, when you see some rare object worthy of notice in your travels, and wish me partaker of your happiness.'

Valentine began his journey that same day toward Milan, and when his friend had left him, Protheus sat down to write a letter to Julia, which he gave to her maid Lucetta to deliver to her mistress.

Julia loved Protheus as well as he did her, but she was a lady of a noble spirit, and she thought it did not become her maiden dignity too easily to be won; therefore she affected to be insensible of his passion, and gave him much uneasiness in the prosecution of his suit.

And when Lucetta offered the letter to Julia, she would not receive it, and chid her maid for taking letters from Protheus, and ordered her to leave the room. But she so much wished to see what was written in the letter, that she soon called in her maid again, and when Lucetta returned, she said, "What o'clock is it?" Lucetta, who knew her mistress more desired to see the letter than to know the time of day, without answering her question, again offered the rejected letter. Julia, angry that her maid should thus take the liberty of seeming to know what she really wanted, tore the letter in pieces, and threw it on the floor, ordering her maid once more out of the room. As Lucetta was retiring, she stooped to pick up the fragments of the torn letter; but Julia, who meant not so to part with them, said in pretended anger, "Go get you gone,

and let the papers lie; you would be fingering ther to anger me."

Julia then began to piece together as well as she could the torn fragments. She first made out thes! words, "Love-wounded Protheus ;" and lamenting! over these and such like loving words, which she made out though they were all torn asunder, or, she said. wounded (the expression "Love-wounded Protheus," giving her that idea), she talked to these kind words. telling them she would lodge them in her bosom as in a bed, till their wounds were healed, and that she would kiss each several piece, to make amends.

In this manner she went on talking with a pretty, lady-like childishness, till, finding herself unable to make out the whole, and vexed at her own ingratitude in destroying such sweet and loving words, as she called them, she wrote a much kinder letter to Protheus than she had ever done before.

Protheus was greatly delighted at receiving this favorable answer to his letter; and while he was reading it, he exclaimed, "Sweet love, sweet lines, sweet life!" In the midst of his raptures he was interrupted by his father. "How now!" said the old gentleman; "what letter are you reading there?"

"My lord," replied Protheus, "it is a letter from my friend Valentine, at Milan."

"Lend me the letter," said his father; "let me see what news."

"There is no news, my lord," said Protheus, greatly alarmed, "but that he writes how well beloved he is of the Duke of Milan, who daily graces him with favors, and how he wishes me with him, the partner of his fortune.”

the pages i

began t

66

And how stand you affected to his wish?" asked the father.

44

As one relying on your lordship's will, and not deepending on his friendly wish," said Protheus.

"Love-wounde

and such sei

ph they were als

the expression "in

that ideal, she hit

she would

their wounds were l

ch several piece oner she went on a

iness, till figh hole, and vexed de

ch sweet and wrote a much

ever done betre

[graphic]
[ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors]

PROTHEUS ENTRANCED.

Now, it happened that Protheus's father had just been talking with a friend on this very subject. His friend had said he wondered his lordship suffered his son to spend his youth at home, while most men were sending their sons to seek preferment abroad. "Some,"

great truth. All the way they walked, the talkativ widow's discourse was all of Bertram; she told Helena the story of Bertram's marriage, and how he had de serted the poor lady his wife, and entered into the duke's army to avoid living with her. To this count of her own misfortunes Helena patiently lis tened, and when it was ended, the history of Bertram was not yet done, for then the widow began another tale, every word of which sank deep into the mind of Helena; for the story she now told was of Bertram's love for her daughter.

Though Bertram did not like the marriage forced on him by the king, it seems he was not insensible to love, for since he had been stationed with the army at Florence he had fallen in love with Diana, a fair young gentlewoman, the daughter of this widow who was Helena's hostess; and every night, with music of all sorts, and songs composed in praise of Diana's beauty, he would come under her window and solicit her love; and all his suit to her was, that she would permit him to visit her by stealth after the family were retired to rest; but Diana would by no means be persuaded to grant this improper request, nor give any encouragement to his suit, knowing him to be a married man; for Diana had been brought up under the counsels of a prudent mother, who though she was now in reduced circumstances, was well born, and descended from the noble family of the Capulets.

All this the good lady related to Helena, highly praising the virtuous principles of her discreet daughter, which she said were entirely owing to the excellent education and good advice she had given her; and she farther said, that Bertram had been particularly importunate with Diana to admit him to the visit he so

« НазадПродовжити »