Alas! what chance with a simple maid has a dry lecture
against a moonlight serenade?
At length King Philip cut short his sojourn at Granada, and suddenly
departed with all his train. The vigilant Fredegonda watched the royal
pageant as it issued forth from the Gate of Justice, and descended the
great avenue leading to the city. When the last banner disappeared
from her sight, she returned exulting to her tower, for all her
cares were over. To her surprise, a light Arabian steed pawed the
ground at the wicket-gate of the garden- to her horror, she saw
through the thickets of roses a youth, in gayly-embroidered dress,
at the feet of her niece. At the sound of her footsteps he gave a
tender adieu, bounded lightly over the barrier of reeds and myrtles,
sprang upon his horse, and was out of sight in an instant.
The tender Jacinta, in the agony of her grief, lost all thought of
her aunt's displeasure. Throwing herself into her arms, she broke
forth into sobs and tears.
"Ay de mi!" cried she; "he's gone!- he's gone!- he's gone! and I
shall never see him more!"
"Gone!- who is gone?- what youth is that I saw at your feet?"
"A queen's page, aunt, who came to bid me farewell."
"A queen's page, child!" echoed the vigilant Fredegonda, faintly;
"and when did you become acquainted with the queen's page?"
"The morning that the gerfalcon came into the tower. It was the
queen's gerfalcon, and he came in pursuit of it.
Pages:
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344