the governess-第8节

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ed；　for　he　already　found　the　magic　of　the　fillet　round　his　neck　fully　to　operate；　his　sinews　all　relax；　his　joints　all　tremble；　and　when　he　would　by　his　own　hand　have　tried　to　free　himself；　his　shivering　limbs　he　found　refused　obedience　to　their　office。　　Thus　bereft　of　all　his　strength；　and　well　nigh　motionless；　in　this　extremity　of　impotence　he　cast　about　within　himself　by　what　sly　fraud　（for　fraud　and　subtlety　were　now　his　only　refuge）　he　best　might　work　upon　the　gentle　Mignon　to　lend　his　kind　assistance　to　unloose　him。　　Wherefore　with　guileful　words　and　seeming　courtesy；　still　striving　to　conceal　his　cursed　condition；　he　thus　bespake　his　little　captive：

'Come　hither　Mignon；　my　pretty　gentle　boy；　come　near　me。　　This　fillet　thou　has　bound　around　my　neck；　to　keep　me　from　the　cold；　gives　me　some　pain。　　I　know　thy　gentle　nature　will　not　let　thee　see　thy　tender　master　in　the　least　uneasiness；　without　affording　him　thy　cheerful　aid　and　kind　relief。　　Come　hither；　my　dear　child；　I　say；　and　loose　the　knot　which　in　thy　kind　concern　（I　thank　thee　for　thy　care）　thou　hast　tied　so　hard；　it　somewhat　frets　my　neck。'

These　words　the　insidious　wretch　uttered　in　such　a　low　trembling　tone　of　voice；　and　with　such　an　affectation　of　tenderness；　that　the　little　page；　who　had　never　before　experience　from　him　any　such　kind　of　dialect；　and　but　too　well　knew　his　savage　nature　to　believe　that　anything　but　guile　or　want　of　power　could　move　him　to　the　least　friendly　speech；　or　kind　affection；　began　now　strongly　to　be　persuaded　that　all　was　as　he　wished；　and　that　the　power　of　the　inhuman　tyrant　was　at　an　end。　　He　knew　full　well；　that　if　the　giant　had　not　lost　the　ability　of　rising　from　the　couch；　he　should　ere　now　too　sensibly　have　felt　the　sad　effects　of　his　malicious　resentment；　and　therefore　boldly　adventured　to　approach　him；　and　coming　near　the　couch；　and　finding　not　the　least　effort　in　the　monster　to　reach　him；　and　from　thence　quite　satisfied　of　the　giant's　total　incapacity　of　doing　farther　mischief；　he　flew　with　raptures　to　the　cell　where　Fidus　lay　confined。

Poor　Fidus　all　this　time　was　quite　disconsolate；　nor　could　he　guess　the　cause　why　his　little　friend　so　long　had　kept　away；　one　while　he　thought　the　giant's　stern　commands　had　streightened　him　of　all　subsistence；　another　while　his　heart　misgave　him　for　his　gentle　friend；　lest　unawares　his　kind　beneficence　towards　him　had　caused　him　to　fall　a　sacrifice　to　the　tyrant's　cruel　resentment。　　With　these　and　many　other　like　reflections　the　unhappy　youth　was　busied；　when　Mignon；　suddenly　unbarred　the　cell；　flew　to　his　friend；　and　eagerly　embraced　him；　cried　out；　'Come　Fidus；　haste；　my　dearest　friend；　for　thou　and　all　of　us　are　from　this　moment　free。　　Come　and　behold　the　cruel　monster；　where　he　lies；　bereft　of　all　his　strength。　　I　cannot　stay　to　tell　thee　now　the　cause；　but　haste；　and　thou　shall　see　the　dreadful　tyrant　stretched　on　his　iron　couch；　deprived　of　all　his　wicked　power。　　But　first　let　us　unbar　each　cell；　wherein　is　pent　some　wretched　captive；　that　we　may　share　a　general　transport　for　this　our　glad　deliverance。'

The　faithful　Fidus；　whose　heart　had　known　but　little　joy　since　he　had　lost　his　loved　Amata；　now　felt　a　dawning　hope　that　he　might　once　more　chance　to　find　her；　if　she　had　survived　their　fatal　separation；　and；　without　one　word　of　answer；　he　followed　Mignon　to　the　several　cells；　and　soon　released　all　the　astonished　captives。

Mignon　first　carried　them　to　behold　their　former　terror；　now；　to　appearance；　almost　a　lifeless　corpse；　who　on　seeing　them　all　surround　his　couch；　gave　a　most　hideous　roar；　which　made　them　tremble；　all　but　the　gentle　Mignon；　who　was　convinced　of　the　impotence　of　his　rage；　and　begged　them　to　give　him　their　attendance　in　the　hall；　where　they　were　no　sooner　assembled　than　he　showed　them　the　statue；　read　them　the　oracle；　and　told　them　every　circumstance　before　related。

They　now　began　to　bethink　themselves　of　what　method　was　to　be　taken　to　procure　their　entire　liberty；　for　the　influence　of　the　magic　fillet　extended　only　to　the　gates　of　the　hall；　and　still　they　remained　imprisoned　within　the　dismal　cave；　and　though　they　knew　from　the　oracle；　as　well　as　from　what　appeared；　that　the　monster's　power　was　at　an　end；　yet　still　were　they　to　seek　the　means　of　their　escape　from　this　his　horrid　abode。　　At　length　Mignon　again　ascended　the　couch　to　find　the　massy　key；　and　spying　one　end　of　it　peep　out　from　under　the　pillow；　he　called　to　Fidus；　who　first　stepped　up　to　his　friend's　assistance；　the　rest　by　his　example　quickly　followed；　and　now；　by　their　united　force；　they　dragged　the　ponderous　key　from　under　the　monster's　head；　and　then　descending　they　all　went　to　the　outer　door　of　the　cave；　where；　with　some　difficulty；　they　set　wide　open　the　folding　iron　gates。

They　now　determined　to　dispatch　a　messenger　to　the　good　Benefico　with　the　news；　which　they　knew　would　be　so　welcome　to　him　and　all　his　guests；　and　with　one　voice　agreed　that　Fidus　should　bear　the　joyful　tidings；　and　then　returned　to　observe　the　monster；　and　to　wait　the　coming　of　Benefico。　　The　nimble　Fidus　soon　reached　the　giant's　dwelling；　where；　at　a　little　distance　from　the　castle；　he　met　the　good　Benefico　with　a　train　of　happy　friends；　enjoying　the　pleasures　of　the　evening；　and　the　instructive　and　cheerful　conversation　of　their　kind　protector。　　Fidus　briefly　told　his　errand；　and　instantly　Benefico；　with　all　his　train；　joyfully　hastened　to　behold　the　wonders　he　had　related；　for　now　many　hearts　leapt　for　joy；　in　hopes　of　meeting　some　friend　of　whom　they　had　been　bereft　by　the　cruelty　of　the　savage　Barbarico。

They　were　not　long　before　they　arrived　at　the　horrid　cave；　where　Benefico；　proceeding　directly　to　the　monster's　chamber；　suddenly　appeared　to　him　at　the　side　of　his　couch。　　Barbarico；　on　seeing　him；　gave　a　hideous　yell；　and　rolled　his　glaring　eyes　in　such　a　manner　as　expressed　the　height　of　rage　and　envious　bitterness。

Benefico；　turning　to　all　the　company　present；　thus　spoke；　'How　shall　I　enough　praise　and　admire　the　gentle　Mignon　for　having　put　in　my　power　to　justice　on　this　execrable　wretch；　and　freeing　you　all　from　an　insufferable　slavery；　and　the　whole　country　from　their　terror？'　　Then　reaching　the　monster's　own　sword；　which　hung　over　his　couch；　his　hand　yet　suspended　over　the　impious　tyrant；　he　thus　said；　'Speak；　wretch；　if　yet　the　power　of　speech　is　left　thee；　and　with　thy　latest　breath　declare；　what　advantage　hast　thou　found　of　all　thy　wicked　life？'

Barbarico　well　knew　that　too　bad　had　been　that　life；　to　leave　the　least　room　for　hope　of　mercy；　and　therefore；　instead　of　an　answer；　he　gave　another　hideous　yell；　gnashing　his　horrid　teeth；　and　again　rolling　his　ghastly　eyes　on　all　around。

Benefico　seeing　him　thus　impenitent　and　sullen；　lifted　on　high　the　mighty　sword；　and　with　one　blow　severed　his　odious　head　from　his　enormous　body。

The　whole　assembly　gave　a　shout　for　joy；　and　Benefico　holding　in　his　hand　the　monster's　yet　grinning　head；　thus　addressed　his　half…astonished　companions：　　'See　here；　my　friends；　the　proper　conclusion　of　a　rapacious　cruel　life。　　But　let　us　hasten　from　this　monster's　gloomy　cave；　and　on　the　top　of　one　of　our　highest　mountains；　fixed　on　a　pole；　will　I　set　up　this　joyful　spectacle；　that　all　the　country　round　may　know　themselves　at　liberty　to　pursue　their　rural　business　or　amusements；　without　the　dread　of　any　annoyance　from　a　devouring　vile　tormentor。　　And　when　his　treasures；　which　justly　all　belong　to　the　good　patient　Mignon；　are　removed；　we　will　shut　up　the　mouth　of　this　abominable　dwelling；　and；　casting　on　the　door　a　heap　of　earth；　we'll　hope；　in　time；　that　both　place　and　remembrance　of　this　cruel　savage　may　in　time　be　lost。'

Every　one　readily　cried　out；　that　to　Benefico；　the　good　Benefico；　alone　belonged　the　tyrant's　treasures；　that　Benefico　should　ever　be；　as　heretofore；　their　governor；　their　father；　and　their　kind　protector。

The　beneficent　heart　of　the　good　giant　was　quite　melted　with　this　their　kind　confidence　and　dependence　upon　him；　and　assured　them；　he　should　ever　regard　them　as　his　children：　　and　now；　exulting　in　the　general　joy　that　must　attend　the　destruction　of　this　savage　monster；　when　the　whole　country　should　find　themselves　freed　from　the　terror　his　rapine　and　desolation；　he　sent　before　to　his　castle；　to　give　intelligence　to　all　within　that　happy　place　of　the　grim　monster's　fall；　and　little　Mignon's　triumph；　giving　in　charge　to　the　harbinger　of　these　tidings；　that　it　should　be　his　first　and　chiefest　care　to　glad　the　gentle　bosom　of　a　fair　disconsolate　（who　kept　herself　retired　and　pent　up　within　her　own　apartment）　with　the　knowledge　that　the　inhuman　monster　was　no　more；　and　that　henceforth　sweet　peace　and　rural　innocence　might　reign　in　all　their　woods　and　groves。　　The　hearts　of　all　within　the　castle　bounded　with　joy；　on　hearing　the　report　of　the　inhuman　monster's　death；　and　the　deliverance　of　all　his　captives；　and　with　speedy　steps　they　hastened　to　meet　their　kind　protector；　nor　did　the　melancholy　fair　one；　lest　she　should　seem　unthankful　for　the　general　blessing；　refuse　to　join　the　train。

It　was　not　long　after　the　messenger　that　Benefico；　and　those　his　joyful　friends；　arrived：　　but　the　faithful　Fidus　alone；　of　all　this　happy　company；　was　tortured　with