Page:The History of the Valorous and Wity Knight-Errant, Don-Quixote of the Mancha. Volume two.djvu/22

perceiving, presuming that Luscinda did flout him, and hold him in little account, he set upon her e'er she was come to herself, and attempted to kill her with the very same Poniard; and had done it, if her Father, and other Friends which were present had not oppos'd themselves, and hinder'd his Determination. Moreover they reported, that presently after Don Ferdinando absented himself from the City, and, that Luscinda turn'd not out of her Agony until the next Day; and then recounted to her Parents, how she was verily Spouse to that Cardenio of whom she spake even now. I learned besides, that Cardenio, as 'tis rumour'd, was present at the Marriage; and, that as soon as he saw her married, being a Thing he never would have credited, departed out of the City in a desperate Mood, but first left behind him a Letter, wherein he shew'd at large the Wrong Luscinda had done to him; and, that he himself meant to go to some Place where People should never after hear of him. All this was notorious, and publickly bruited throughout the City, and every one spoke thereof; but most of all, having very soon after understood that Luscinda was missing from her Parents House and the City, for she could not be found in neither of both, for which her Parents were almost beside themselves, not knowing what Means to use to find her.

This News reduced my Hopes again to their Ranks, and I esteem'd it better to find Don Ferdinando unmarried than married, presuming that yet the Gates of my Remedy were not wholly shut, I giving my self to understand, that Heaven had peradventure set that Impediment on the second Marriage, to make him understand what he owed to the first; and to remember how he was a Christian, and, that he was more obliged to his Soul than to human Respects. I revolv'd all these Things in my Mind, and comfortless, did yet comfort my self by feigning large, yet languishing Hopes, to sustain that Life which I now so much abhor. And whilst I staid thus in the City, ignorant what I might do, seeing I found not Don Ferdinando, I heard a Crier go about publickly, promising great Rewards to any one

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