But pity him I neither must nor may 'Twere better, sure, to die so, than be shut CLXVII. And, secondly, I pity not, because CLXVIII. Of his position I can give no notion: 'Tis written in the Hebrew Chronicle, How the physicians, leaving pill and potion, Prescribed, by way of blister, a young belle, When old King David's blood grew dull in motion, And that the medicine answer'd very well. Perhaps 'twas in a different way applied, For David lived, but Juan nearly died. CLXIX. What's to be done? Alfonso will be back Besides it wanted but few hours of day: CLXX. He turn'd his lip to hers, and with his hand Call'd back the tangles of her wandering hair; Even then their love they could not all command, And half forgot their danger and despair: Antonia's patience now was at a stand "Come, come, 'tis no time now for fooling there," She whisper'd, in great wrath-" I must deposit This pretty gentleman within the closet: CLXXI. "Pray, keep your nonsense for some luckier night— CLXXII. "Had it been but for a stout cavalier Of twenty-five or thirty-(Come, make haste) CLXXIII. Now, Don Alfonso entering, but alone, However, present remedy was none, And no great good seem'd answer'd if she staid: Regarding both with slow and sidelong view, She snuff'd the candle, curtsied, and withdrew. CLXXIV. Alfonso paused a minute-then begun Some strange excuses for his late proceeding; He would not justify what he had done, To say the best, it was extreme ill-breeding; But there were ample reasons for it, none Of which he specified in this his pleading: His speech was a fine sample, on the whole, Of rhetoric, which the learn'd call "rigmarole." CLXXV. Julia said nought; though all the while there rose Even it if should comprise a pack of fables; "Tis to retort with firmness, and when he Suspects with one, do you reproach with three. CLXXVI. Julia, in fact, had tolerable grounds, Alfonso's loves with Inez were well known; But whether 'twas that one's own guilt confounds, But that can't be, as has been often shown, A lady with apologies abounds; It might be that her silence sprang alone From delicacy to Don Juan's ear, To whom she knew his mother's fame was dear. CLXXVII. There might be one more motive, which makes two, Alfonso ne'er to Juan had alluded, Mentioned his jealousy, but never who Had been the happy lover, he concluded, His mind the more o'er this its mystery brooded; CLXXVIII. A hint, in tender cases, is enough; Silence is best, besides there is a tact The charmig creatures lie with such a grace, CLXXIX. They blush, and we believe them; at least I In any case, attempting a reply, For then their eloquence grows quite profuse; And when at length they're out of breath, they sigh, And cast their languid eyes down, and let loose A tear or two, and then we make it up; And then-and then-and then-sit down and sup. CLXXX. Alfonso closed his speech, and begg'd her pardon, aying several little things he wanted: He stood like Adam lingering near his garden, CLXXXI. A pair of shoes!-what then? not much, if they Were masculine; to see them, and to seize, My teeth begin to chatter, my veins freezeAlfonso first examined them well their fashion, And then flew out into another passion. CLXXXII. He left the room for his relinquish'd sword, CLXXXIII. None can say that this was not good advice, Of all experience 'tis the usual price, A sort of income-tax laid on by fate: Who threaten'd death-so Juan knock'd him down. |