Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-05-25


dungeon Of the castle and close
ly guarded.
The next day he went to see
his daughter, who, as yet, knew
nothing of what had happened.
Taking her aside, he said
My daughter, such was my
confidence in your honesty and
your virtue that the thought
never entered my mind, nor
had I ever believed, had not
those eyes seen, that you were
capable of infamy. Such dis
grace on your part has brought
upon me a sorrow which will
weigh me down to the end of
my days. While you blush not
at such step, how was it pos
sible that, among SO many
noblemen Of my court. you have
had no choice, but have deter
mined in favor of the base-born
Guichard My embarrassment
at your looks equals my grief.
| hesitate in what manner to
deal with you. My tenderness
renders me prone to be indul-
gent to my child; but this das-
tardly act Of which she is capa-
BILE impels me to punish her as
she deserves. lam not in the
same uncertainty concerning
the unworthy Guichard. He is
under arrest and in irons-his
fate prepared. I know not yet
what will be yours; but be it
that [ pardon you, Or that | sat-
isfy my just indignation, I wish,
before deciding, to hear what
defense You have to offer
After these words Tancred
bowed his head and sobbed like
a child.
Sigismonda, realizing that all
was discovered, and that Gui-
chard was prison, could hardly
restrain her grief or her tears
feeble resources, but the ordi-
nary one to persons Of her sex.
Hiding her anguish, her brave
heart vanqulshed it's feebleness,
and che resolved not to inter-
cede for Guichard, or plead for
herself, determining if her faith
er had doomed Guichard to
death not to survive him.
Slowly she rose from her seat,
not with the abashed counte-
nance of an afflicted woman, re-
preached with some fault, but
with firm step, clear eye and
an air of tranquil assurance, she
approached Tancred and re-
piled: Il will not offer one
prayer to you, my father, for |
see it would be useless;nor will
| seek to appease your wrath
nor excite your love in my IA
vor. / will confine myself to
defending my honor, and final
y abandon myself to my cour-
age. Yes, l have chose Gui-
chard. | love him and will
love him all my life, which will
never be long enough to express
all my affection;and if one loves
after death, I declare to you |
shall continue to love him for
ever. The worthiness of this
man, and the little care you
have taken to provide me with
a husband, which was your du-
ty, have had more influence
over my love than the weakness
of the sex. You are not made
of iron or marble, but Of flesh
and blood, like myself. Have
you ever recalled the days of
your youth when your own
heart was warm and buoyant ?
Though your first years were
spent in the hard field of arms,
even you succumbed to the all
potent spell of which ! am the
breathing evidence. | am in the
flower Of my age, this is, with
out doubt, why my heart is IL
Illuminated with the light of love.
There is nothing surprising in
this. Long | resisted the i'm
pulse--of my nature, but all my
efforts were unavailing; yet |
took the precaution to accord
my love with honor, for it is
only by this means that we live
within the sphere of virtue. -
By whatever means you have
discovered my secret | have no
inclination to disavow it, and |
only wish to add that it was not
chance nor wantonness on my
part that determined my choice
G-;ol,rJ &c l,- ,,,oe,,