Page:The History of the Valorous and Wity Knight-Errant, Don-Quixote of the Mancha. Volume two.djvu/19

new Saints as Witnesses, and wish'd a thousand succeeding Maledictions to light on him, if he did not accomplish his Promise to me: His Eyes again wax'd moist his Sighs encreas'd, and himself inwreath'd me more streightly between his Arms, from which he had never once loosed me: And with this and my Maiden's departure I left to be a Maiden, and he began to be a Traitor and disloyal Man. The Day that succeeded to the Night of my Mishaps, came not (I think) so soon as Don Ferdinando desir'd it; for after a Man hath satisfied that which the Appetite covets, the greatest Delight it can take after, is, to apart itself from the Place where the Desire was accomplish'd. I say this, because Don Ferdinando did hasten his Departure from me, by my Maid's Industry, who was the very same that had brought him into my Chamber: He was got into the Street before Dawning, and at his Departure from me he said (altho' not with so great a Shew of Affection and Vehemency as he had used at his Coming) That I might be secure of his Faith, and, that his Oaths were firm and most true; And, for a more Confirmation of his Word, he took a rich Ring off his Finger, and put it on mine. In fine, he departed, and I remain'd behind; I cannot well say whether joyful or sad, but this much I know, that I rested confused and pensive, and also beside my self, for the late Mischance; yet either I had not the Heart, or else I forgot to chide my Maid for her Treachery committed by shutting up Don Ferdinando in my Chamber; for, as yet, I could not determine whether that which had befallen me was a Good or an Evil.

I said to Don Ferdinando at his Departure, That he might see me other Nights, when he pleas'd, by the same Means he had come that Night, seeing I was his own, and would rest so, until it pleas'd him to let the World know that I was his Wife; but he never retur'd again, but the next Night following, could I see him after for the space of a Month, either in the Street or Church, so as I did but spend Time in vain to expect him, altho' I understood that he was still in Town, and rode ever

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