CHAPTER VII.
Sierpes apacienta el pecho De una muger ofendida.
_Moreto._
Ah taci! ogni parola Mi drizza i crini; assei dicesti; basta Basta cosi, non proseguir.
_Monti_.
Roque made a precipitate retreat from the garden; for, anxious as thepoor fellow was to render any service to Theodora, he still felt noinclination to incur thereby the displeasure of his master, and drawupon himself the full measure of his indignation. The valet resolved tokeep a strict silence respecting his interview with Theodora, and heentertained a belief that the fears of the unfortunate girl would induceher to follow a similar course. Thus he flattered himself there wasnothing to apprehend farther than the danger of an accidental meeting.
Theodora meantime, a prey to a thousand distracting fears, had lockedherself within her chamber, in a miserable state of hopelessness.Tormented with various conflicting passions, she now boldly resolved tomeet her perjured lover, and demand an explanation of his cruel andunnatural conduct; but again she was suddenly checked by an instinctivedread which seemed to freeze her powers of action. She despondinglythrew herself upon the couch, that gaudy but unconscious witness of hersorrows, and as the briny drops fell fast from their sad fountains, andbedewed the rich silken covering, she exclaimed--
"Yes, it was he himself that I beheld last night."
These few words conveyed a portion of that exquisite anguish that gavethem birth.
It was a fearful idea: she had seen her lover a nocturnal visitor tothat garden, his face decked with smiles, and his eyes replete withpleasure and hope. He was happy, and thought no more of the lostTheodora. He had forsaken her--her whom he had vowed for ever to love,and to whom he had pledged his word to acknowledge her as his own beforethe world. This was a masterpiece of ingratitude; and yet Theodora hopedthat ingratitude, that blackest stain of the human heart, might haveprompted the dereliction of Gomez Arias, rather than love for another.To think that she had entirely lost his love, was a pang more cruel thanall she had hitherto endured; and this alas! was the phantom which shestrove in vain to chase away, and that most obtruded upon her mind.
The loquacious Lisarda was not tardy in making a second appearance: sheknocked for admittance, and Theodora, who in her present state was butlittle predisposed to encourage her unmeaning chatter, felt neverthelessan inward desire for the presence of her attendant. By her means shecould acquire a solution of the mystery with which she so much dreadedto be acquainted, and yet was so anxious to learn. She opened the door,and Lisarda no sooner entered than with her accustomed volubility shebegan--
"Well, well, my gentle lady, you must forgive me certainly; I haveneglected you too long; but then consider, my good lady, what a day thisis: what with the expectation of my master's arrival, and thepreparations for this wedding, the whole palace is thrown into amarvellous confusion."
"Say no more," replied Theodora; "you need not seek to excuse yourself;I am but a stranger here, and have no right whatever to engross theattention of any one, much less on such an occasion as the present."
"Aye, aye," continued Lisarda, "it is indeed a most busy time. Well, theglorious Don Alonso arrives to-day, and to-morrow his beautiful daughterwill be led to the altar by her gallant bridegroom. Only think, my sweetlady, what a wedding this will be. The queen and the Maestre deCalatrava, in the absence of the king, are to be the sponsors."
"That mark of the royal favor," said Theodora, "speaks highly for themerits of both the parties; but I am yet to learn the name of theknight who has rendered himself deserving of such an honor."
She pronounced these last words in a faltering tone, and Lisarda, thougha thoughtless woman, soon perceived her agitation.
"_Dios nos defienda_!"[35] she cried, "what ails you, dear lady? youlook so shockingly pale. Well, it is all your fault for being setagainst taking counsel; now if you could but be persuaded to admit thevisit of Samuel Mendez, God knows how much you would profit by hisadvice; for believe me, lady, the iniquitous Jew cures better than mostof our good Christians."
"I assure you," interrupted Theodora, "that my unwillingness toacquiesce with your wishes does not arise from the circumstance of thedoctor being a Jew, but merely because my indisposition can receive nobenefit from medicine, whether it be administered by an infidel or atrue believer.--So, I pray you mention no more this Samuel Mendez, butrather tell me the name of the future partner of Leonor."
"Aye, fortunate indeed, Senora, you may well call him fortunate, forDona Leonor is a most accomplished lady, a beautiful lady; and were itnot that she is----"
"She is most accomplished," interrupted Theodora.
"She is in troth," retorted Lisarda, "and so dutiful a daughter withal.She is now going to meet her noble father in his triumphant entry intothe city, and she will be accompanied by her future husband, and anumerous and splendid retinue.--But, hark! hear you not the tramp ofhorses, and the sound of trumpets?"
She flew to the window, and Theodora, in breathless anxiety, followed.
"There!" cried Lisarda, with glee, "they are about to depart. Now, see,my lady, Leonor mounts--the bridegroom holds the stirrup."
Theodora cast a terrified look, which shot a pang to her inmostheart--It was Gomez Arias who helped Leonor to mount. Theodora sawenough--but one glance, and all the horrors of her fate were revealed.The deluding smile which had seduced her heart, the traitor eloquent eyewhich wrought her ruin, were now devoted to another.
Theodora uttered no piercing shriek; neither did sigh or groan escapeher; but she silently sank backwards in the tranquillity of horror. Shehad now nothing else to hope or fear; no throbbing anxiety toforego,--no further perils to dread--the sum of her misery was complete,and dauntless she might encounter any disaster; for this last blow hadimparted to her the passive courage of indifference and despair.
Lisarda, occupied with the dazzling objects which moved beneath, did notperceive Theodora's situation, and without taking her eyes from thecavalcade pursued her remarks:--
"Now they go--the Lord bless them, how handsome they look! Well, I donot blame my lady's taste, for certainly Don Lope is the most gallant ofcavaliers. What think you, my sweet lady? Well, certainly they do sayhe has many a grievous sin to answer for, in the list of innocent girlshe has seduced and undone: the Lord defend them, poor creatures; I pitythem. But it was surely their fault:--more fools they for trusting tothe fair promises of such a man--what think you gentle lady, am I notright?"
Happily the cavalcade was now out of sight, and Lisarda's observationswere accordingly cut short. But she immediately turned to Theodora, whohad sat motionless on her couch from the first glance that hadacquainted her with the full extent of her wretchedness.
"Well," said the loquacious waiting maid, "what shall I do to divertyou, lady? Really I am at a loss. If you are not moved by the splendidsight you have just now witnessed, I cannot imagine what will affectyou. Mayhap I might afford some consolation, since you are so stronglybent against the assistance of Samuel Mendez."
"Thank you," said Theodora, raising her eyes towards the speaker, "thankyou for your kind intentions, but if anything could tend to thealleviation of my sorrows, it would be perhaps a free and unmolestedindulgence of them."
"Oh, dear lady, but we must have no sorrowful faces at the wedding._Virgen de las Angustias!_ that would be dreadfully ominous. Cheer up,sweet lady; there is nothing in the world like a good example, and whenyou see every one rejoice, I am sure you will not mar the general joy.Cheer up, good lady--better days will come. To-morrow, at the weddingfestival, your thoughts, I engage, will be fixed on other objects; suchindeed as are interesting to every female who, like ourselves, is yetblessed in the primeval season of youth. Am I not right?"
"Happy!" cried Theodora, in a thrilling tone, "happy!" Then as if toveil the effect which her exclamation might produce, she added, "whocan promise themselves happiness in this world?"
"Alack, and that is true!" responded Lisarda, "for many, many are thelovers who are born to be unfortunate and die of broken hearts." Shestrove to swell her own with a mighty sigh: "And even those who marry,how oft do they curse the day that--but this is neither here nor there."
"To-morrow! and is it really to-morrow, that the ceremony is to takeplace?" demanded Theodora.
"There is no doubt of it. God have mercy, the ceremony has been alreadydelayed too long. The young lovers would have been united some monthssince, had not unavoidable impediments retarded the accomplishment oftheir mutual wishes."
A clamorous shout, and a burst of trumpets now announced the approach ofAguilar to Granada, and Lisarda with giddy steps sallied out, leavingTheodora to the undisturbed enjoyment of her gloomy reflections. Theunfortunate child of Monteblanco had now the most unequivocal proof ofher lover's baseness and treachery: Gomez Arias was faithless, but whatan aggravation of guilt attached to his infidelity! His cold, heartlessvillainy seemed to surpass all power of conception, and Theodora forsome time remained like one striving to recall the fleeting illusion ofa horrid dream. Then she clasped her hands fearfully over her swolleneyelids; a few large drops fell on her cold marbled hands, and in thoseeyes flashed the wild resolution of despair.
A bitter smile now gently curled those parched and pallid lips, and sheraised her trembling fingers to her forehead, expressing all the passiveagonies of an absent mind. Then suddenly, as if actuated by a powerfulimpulse, she sprung upon her feet: she cautiously drew towards thecasement in a listening attitude, and the names of Aguilar and GomezArias which floated in lengthening sound along the air, threw additionalexcitement on her already distracted feelings. But one day more, and shewas to witness the completion of her lover's union with her rival. Whata train of frightful associations this image brought to mind!
Dreadful was the conflict that Theodora had to sustain, and in thatunequal warfare, her whole frame underwent an appalling change: her eyesglistened, and her hands shook violently, as she threw back with aresolute movement the tresses of her redundant hair. Again she stoppedas if brooding over some frightful design; her throat became swollenwith hysteric affection; the blood that hitherto had seemed congealed inits source, rushed with impetuosity down its wonted channels, and theblue veins through which the little rivulet of life had gently flowed,now became dark and turbid as the mountain stream. Her eyes shot thelurid flashes of madness; a wild laugh broke the harmony of the purestvoice; and a malignant curl usurped the place where heavenly smiles hadhabitually sat.
Theodora, that soft and seraphic being who but a short time since, richin the charms of native grace and loveliness, had been the star of ahappy home, and the delight of a fond and admiring parent--that Theodorawas now changed into the fearful semblance of a frantic being. Alas!such was the effect that a few moments had wrought, that the eyes of afond parent would have in vain endeavoured to recognize his darlingchild. Feelings utterly foreign to the nature of Theodora, had now takenpossession of the shattered fragments of a broken heart, once the shrineof hallowed and mental beauty; and those intelligent, soul-stirringfeatures which nature had bestowed as the interpreters of softsentiments and kindly feelings, now faithfully reflected the workings ofimpassioned and frenzied woe.
Alas! it is too often found that the gentle female heart, when rudelylacerated by the perfidy of man, is capable of being wrought, by apowerful sense of injury and intense anguish, to the utmost agony whichthe darker passions can display.
With irregular steps, which bespoke the confusion of her thoughts, shepaced the silent chamber that gave back with hollow sound the measureof her steps, while the vaulted passages of the palace echoed atintervals the deafening shouts that were heard from without.
But the fit of frenzied passion under which Theodora laboured was tooviolent to last. That fatal crisis was approaching, which generallyterminates in the immediate accomplishment of a mad suggestion, or withcalmness treasures up in silence some direful resolve. The moment hadnow arrived when the forces of the suffering victim were exhausted; shesuddenly became composed; her mind appeared irrevocably fixed on someact of madness, and despair was stamped in the cold and unearthlyexpression which at that moment subdued her whole frame, and apparentlysubjected her existence to a new dominion.