05-the enemy conquered-第5节

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

you　know　which　is　the　smooth　side　before　you　attempt　your　polish；

be　reconciled　to　your　fate；　be　it　what　it　may；　and　never　find　fault

with　your　condition；　unless　your　complaining　will　benefit　it。　

Perseverance　is　a　principle　that　should　be　commendable　in　those　who　have

judgment　to　govern　it。　　I　should　never　had　been　so　successful　in　my

hunting　excursions　had　I　waited　till　the　deer；　by　some　magic　dream；

had　been　drawn　to　the　muzzle　of　the　gun　before　I　made　an　attempt　to　fire

at　the　game　that　dared　my　boldness　in　the　wild　forest。　　The　great

mystery　in　hunting　seems　to　bea　good　marksman；　a　resolute　mind；

a　fixed　determination；　and　my　world　for　it；　you　will　never　return

home　without　sounding　your　horn　with　the　breath　of　a　new　victory。　

And　so　with　every　other　undertaking。　　Be　confident　that　your　ammunition

is　of　the　right　kindalways　pull　your　trigger　with　a　steady　hand；

and　so　soon　as　you　perceive　a　calm；　touch　her　off；　and　the　spoils

are　yours。〃



This　filled　him　with　redoubled　vigor；　and　he　set　out　with　a　stronger

anxiety　than　ever　to　the　home　of　Ambulinia。　　A　few　short　steps　soon

brought　him　to　the　door；　half　out　of　breath。　　He　rapped　gently。　

Ambulinia；　who　sat　in　the　parlor　alone；　suspecting　Elfonzo　was　near；

ventured　to　the　door；　opened　it；　and　beheld　the　hero；　who　stood

in　an　humble　attitude；　bowed　gracefully；　and　as　they　caught　each

other's　looks　the　light　of　peace　beamed　from　the　eyes　of　Ambulinia。　

Elfonzo　caught　the　expression；　a　halloo　of　smothered　shouts　ran

through　every　vein；　and　for　the　first　time　he　dared　to　impress　a　kiss

upon　her　cheek。　　The　scene　was　overwhelming；　had　the　temptation

been　less　animating；　he　would　not　have　ventured　to　have　acted

so　contrary　to　the　desired　wish　of　his　Ambulinia；　but　who　could

have　withstood　the　irrestistable　temptation！　　What　society　condemns

the　practice　but　a　cold；　heartless；　uncivilized　people　that　know

nothing　of　the　warm　attachments　of　refined　society？　　Here　the　dead

was　raised　to　his　long…cherished　hopes；　and　the　lost　was　found。　

Here　all　doubt　and　danger　were　buried　in　the　vortex　of　oblivion；

sectional　differences　no　longer　disunited　their　opinions；　like　the　freed

bird　from　the　cage；　sportive　claps　its　rustling　wings；　wheels　about

to　heaven　in　a　joyful　strain；　and　raises　its　notes　to　the　upper　sky。　

Ambulinia　insisted　upon　Elfonzo　to　be　seated；　and　give　her　a　history

of　his　unnecessary　absence；　assuring　him　the　family　had　retired；

consequently　they　would　ever　remain　ignorant　of　his　visit。　

Advancing　toward　him；　she　gave　a　bright　display　of　her　rosy　neck；

and　from　her　head　the　ambrosial　locks　breathed　divine　fragrance；

her　robe　hung　waving　to　his　view；　while　she　stood　like　a　goddess

confessed　before　him。



〃It　does　seem　to　me；　my　dear　sir；〃　said　Ambulinia；　〃that　you　have

been　gone　an　age。　　Oh；　the　restless　hours　I　have　spent　since　I　last

saw　you；　in　yon　beautiful　grove。　　There　is　where　I　trifled　with　your

feelings　for　the　express　purpose　of　trying　your　attachment　for　me。　

I　now　find　you　are　devoted；　but　ah！　　I　trust　you　live　not　unguarded

by　the　powers　of　Heaven。　　Though　oft　did　I　refuse　to　join　my　hand

with　thine；　and　as　oft　did　I　cruelly　mock　thy　entreaties　with

borrowed　shapes：　　yes；　I　feared　to　answer　thee　by　terms；　in　words

sincere　and　undissembled。　　O！　could　I　pursue；　and　you　have　leisure

to　hear　the　annals　of　my　woes；　the　evening　star　would　shut　Heaven's

gates　upon　the　impending　day　before　my　tale　would　be　finished；

and　this　night　would　find　me　soliciting　your　forgiveness。〃



〃Dismiss　thy　fears　and　thy　doubts；〃　replied　Elfonzo。



〃Look；　O！　look：　　that　angelic　look　of　thinebathe　not　thy　visage

in　tears；　banish　those　floods　that　are　gathering；　let　my　confession

and　my　presence　being　thee　some　relief。〃　　〃Then；　indeed；　I　will

be　cheerful；〃　said　Ambulinia；　〃and　I　think　if　we　will　go　to　the

exhibition　this　evening；　we　certainly　will　see　something　worthy

of　our　attention。　　One　of　the　most　tragical　scenes　is　to　be　acted

that　has　ever　been　witnessed；　and　one　that　every　jealous…hearted　person


should　learn　a　lesson　from。　　It　cannot　fail　to　have　a　good　effect；

as　it　will　be　performed　by　those　who　are　young　and　vigorous；

and　learned　as　well　as　enticing。　　You　are　aware；　Major　Elfonzo；　who　are

to　appear　on　the　stage；　and　what　the　characters　are　to　represent。〃　

〃I　am　acquainted　with　the　circumstances；〃　replied　Elfonzo；　〃and　as　I

am　to　be　one　of　the　musicians　upon　that　interesting　occasion；

I　should　be　much　gratified　if　you　would　favor　me　with　your　company

during　the　hours　of　the　exercises。〃



〃What　strange　notions　are　in　your　mind？〃　inquired　Ambulinia。　

〃Now　I　know　you　have　something　in　view；　and　I　desire　you　to　tell

me　why　it　is　that　you　are　so　anxious　that　I　should　continue

with　you　while　the　exercises　are　going　on；　though　if　you　think　I

can　add　to　your　happiness　and　predilections；　I　have　no　particular

objection　to　acquiesce　in　your　request。　　Oh；　I　think　I　foresee；

now；　what　you　anticipate。〃　　〃And　will　you　have　the　goodness　to　tell

me　what　you　think　it　will　be？〃　inquired　Elfonzo。　　〃By　all　means；〃

answered　Ambulinia；　〃a　rival；　sir；　you　would　fancy　in　your　own　mind；

but　let　me　say　for　you；　fear　not！　fear　not！　　I　will　be　one　of　the

last　persons　to　disgrace　my　sex　by　thus　encouraging　every　one　who

may　feel　disposed　to　visit　me；　who　may　honor　me　with　their　graceful

bows　and　their　choicest　compliments。　　It　is　true　that　young　men　too

often　mistake　civil　politeness　for　the　finer　emotions　of　the　heart；

which　is　tantamount　to　courtship；　but；　ah！　how　often　are　they　deceived；

when　they　come　to　test　the　weight　of　sunbeams　with　those　on　whose

strength　hangs　the　future　happiness　of　an　untried　life。〃



The　people　were　now　rushing　to　the　Academy　with　impatient　anxiety；

the　band　of　music　was　closely　followed　by　the　students；　then　the　parents

and　guardians；　nothing　interrupted　the　glow　of　spirits　which　ran

through　every　bosom；　tinged　with　the　songs　of　a　Virgil　and　the　tide

of　a　Homer。　　Elfonzo　and　Ambulinia　soon　repaired　to　the　scene；

and　fortunately　for　them　both　the　house　was　so　crowded　that　they　took

their　seats　together　in　the　music　department；　which　was　not　in　view

of　the　auditory。　　This　fortuitous　circumstances　added　more　the　bliss

of　the　Major　than　a　thousand　such　exhibitions　would　have　done。　

He　forgot　that　he　was　man；　music　had　lost　its　charms　for　him；

whenever　he　attempted　to　carry　his　part；　the　string　of　the　instrument

would　break；　the　bow　became　stubborn；　and　refused　to　obey　the　loud

calls　of　the　audience。　　Here；　he　said；　was　the　paradise　of　his　home；

the　long…sought…for　opportunity；　he　felt　as　though　he　could

send　a　million　supplications　to　the　throne　of　Heaven　for　such

an　exalted　privilege。　　Poor　Leos；　who　was　somewhere　in　the　crowd；

looking　as　attentively　as　if　he　was　searching　for　a　needle　in　a　haystack；

here　is　stood；　wondering　to　himself　why　Ambulinia　was　not　there。　

〃Where　can　she　be？　　Oh！　if　she　was　only　here；　how　I　could　relish

the　scene！　　Elfonzo　is　certainly　not　in　town；　but　what　if　he　is？　

I　have　got　the　wealth；　if　I　have　not　the　dignity；　and　I　am　sure　that

the　squire　and　his　lady　have　always　been　particular　friends　of　mine；

and　I　think　with　this　assurance　I　shall　be　able　to　get　upon　the　blind

side　of　the　rest　of　the　family　and　make　the　heaven…born　Ambulinia

the　mistress　of　all　I　possess。〃　　Then；　again；　he　would　drop　his　head；

as　if　attempting　to　solve　the　most　difficult　problem　in　Euclid。　

While　he　was　thus　conjecturing　in　his　own　mind；　a　very　interesting

part　of　the　exhibition　was　going　on；　which　called　the　attention

of　all　present。　　The　curtains　of　the　stage　waved　continually

by　the　repelled　forces　that　were　given　to　them；　which　caused

Leos　to　behold　Ambulinia　leaning　upon　the　chair　of　Elfonzo。　

Her　lofty　beauty；　seen　by　the　glimmering　of　the　chandelier；

filled　his　heart　with　rapture；　he　knew　not　how　to　contain　himself；

to　go　where　they　were　would　expose　him　to　ridicule；　to　continue

where　he　was；　with　such　an　object　before　him；　without　being　allowed

an　explanation　in　that　trying　hour；　would　be　to　the　great　injury

of　his　mental　as　well　as　of　his　physical　powers；　and；　in　the　name

of　high　heaven；　what　must　he　do？　　Finally；　he　resolved　to　contain

himself　as　well　as　he　conveniently　could；　until　the　scene　was　over；

and　then　he　would　plant　himself　at　the　door；　to　arrest　Ambulinia　from

the　hands　of　the　insolent　Elfonzo；　and　thus　make　for　himself　a　more

prosperous　field　of　immortality　than　ever　was　decreed　by　Omnipotence；

or　ever　pencil　drew　or　artist　imagined。　　Accordingly　he　made

himself　sentinel；　immediately　after　the　performance　of　the　evening

retained　his　position　apparently　in　defiance　of　all　the　world；　he　waited；

he　gazed　at　every　lady；　his　whole　frame　trembled；　here　he　stood；

until　everything　like　human　shape　had　disappeared　from　the　institution；

and　he　had　done　nothing；　he　had　failed　to　accomplish　that　wh