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Capítulo XII
Discurso de Orondates, que contiene un ejemplo admirable del verdadero patético y la aventura de los libros
Advertida por Arabela la mudanza de conducta en su primo, lo vía* con familiaridad; se paseaba horas enteras apoyada sobre su brazo y lo deleitaba siempre con naturalidad, con su entendimiento y aún más con su instrucción. Érale a Glanville oneroso el callar, mas era preciso y además lo tenía detenido la continuada asistencia de Lucía. El marqués, creído en que tenían bastante tiempo libre para hablar libremente, llegaba a interrumpirlos a cada instante y contribuía a atormentarlos. Ya empezaba Glanville a cansarse de tantos inconvenientes, cuando Arabela entabló la conversación que sigue:
—Comparando –le dijo riéndose– el modo familiar con que ahora vivimos, al con que vivíamos algunos días ha, no concibo como ha sido posible reunirnos porque, al fin, no me habéis dado señal ninguna de arrepentimiento.
—Me he corregido, prima mía, de los defectos que me reprochabais. ¿Podía probaros mejor mi arrepentimiento?
—No siempre se está corregido cuando se aparenta estarlo. La historia menciona algunos amantes que se pusieron la máscara del arrepentimiento para ocultar mejor la gana que conservaban de reiterar sus faltas; el arrepentimiento verdadero tiene señales tan visibles que no se le puede desconocer. Mazares, arrepentido de su pasión criminal a la divina Mandana, se condenó a seguir la fortuna de su competidor, a obedecerle, a pelear bajo sus banderas, a auxiliarlo contra los mismos intereses de su corazón, y a ganar la gracia de la que él adoraba26. Orondates, para castigarse la temeridad que tuvo de declarar a Estatira que la amaba, quería morir y seguramente hubiera realizado aquella determinación horrorosa si su adorable señora no le hubiera mandado que viviese: estos son rasgos de arrepentimiento sobre que no puede caber engaño27.
—Y decidme, os ruego, prima mía, ¿todos esos señores tuvieron, finalmente, la dicha de casarse?
—Sin duda alguna, pero después de innumerables contratiempos, de servicios hechos, de peligrosas aventuras y, por último, de pruebas reiteradas de fidelidad y de constancia.
—Estoy muy gozoso de que las damas de que me habláis con tantos elogios hayan sido sensibles; con eso puedo esperar que no seréis siempre inexorable.
—Si encuentro un amante como Orondates, ciertamente no seré ingrata, pero como no tengo el mérito de Estatira, no puedo aspirar a sus satisfacciones. p. 67
—Yo quisiera conocer las acciones sublimes de ese amante dichoso, para modelarme por él y tener la esperanza de agradar; vos sois indubitablemente más digna de mis sacrificios que Estatira de los de su amante.
—¡Pero cómo! ¡Ignoráis la historia de Orondates! ¡No habéis leído aquellos libros preciosos que nos narran los más bellos ejemplos de generosidad, de valor, de amor, y de virtud! ¡Ejemplos que deben arreglar nuestra conducta, formar nuestras costumbres y elevar nuestras almas! ¿En qué, pues, habéis empleado vuestro tiempo? Mas, sea como fuere, nunca es tarde para instruirse: os prestaré algunas obras de esta naturaleza que os darán a conocer vuestras faltas y os las harán evitar en lo venidero.
—Yo... las leeré ciertamente, si... lo mandáis; pero, ¿no valdría más que os tomaseis el trabajo de instruirme? Confieso que este medio me parece más seguro.
Mandó Arabela a una de sus criadas que fuese a su biblioteca a traer a Cleopatra, a Casandra, a Clelia y al gran Ciro.
Apenas vió Glanville volver a la pobre moza agobiada con el peso de aquellos librotes voluminosos, tembló de que su prima no se los mandase leer y se arrepintió de una oferta que lo exponía a hacer uno de los trabajos de Hércules28. Mandó Arabela poner los libros sobre una mesa delante de ella y fue abriendo unos después de otros con un placer que se le pintaba en los ojos...
—He escogido –dijo– estos pocos volúmenes entre muchísimos y, cuando los hayáis leído, espero que empezaréis a ser otro.
—¿No podré, prima mía, regenerarme a menos costa? Porque estos libros sin duda contienen montones de instrucción.
Recorriendo a Casandra, dio, por casualidad, con el monólogo de Orondates después que Estatira hubo pronunciado su sentencia:
Ay, cruel (decía este desgraciado amante), ¿qué hice para enojaros hasta tal punto? Dignaos de examinar mi delito y veréis que no tengo tanta culpa que no pueda expiarse con la muerte... ¿Durará vuestro aborrecimiento más que mi vida? ¿Es posible que abominéis de un alma que, por obedeceros, deja el cuerpo a que está unida? No, vos no aborrecéis así, el sacrificio que voy a haceros os moverá y, dejando de ser, dejará de pareceros odioso...29
—A fe mía, prima –dijo Glanville haciendo esfuerzos para no reírse– que yo no opino bien de esa dama, cuya crueldad hace gemir a este amante quejumbroso... ¡Bueno es eso! ¿Conque da su vida y no está seguro de que baste? Vaya, que es cosa tremenda.
—Condenáis muy ligeramente a princesa tan ilustre –replicó Arabela–, fuera de que ella no era cristiana y, de consiguiente, no estaba sujeta a las máximas de caridad que manda el cristianismo; con todo eso, no quería la muerte de Orondates: leed el párrafo siguiente y veréis que se explica con la mayor humanidad. ¡Pero cuidado que no vayáis a criticar su facilidad demasiada!... Es esencial que conozcáis sólidamente los motivos que la inclinaron a la clemencia... Leed el encadenamiento de la aventura... Esperad, que aquí empieza. p. 68
Pasó Arabela algunas hojas y señaló el paraje*. Glanville, disgustado con tan enorme tarea, suplicó a su prima que le contase el hecho, pero fuele preciso obedecer. Separose Arabela para que leyese con más atención y se puso a una ventana al otro lado de la sala. Contó Glanville las hojas muchas veces y quedó tan asombrado de su número que no pudo resolverse a recorrerlas y, en vez de leer, maldecía con toda la acritud que causa el tedio, los malditos libros que le originaban tantas incomodidades.
Así que Glanville empleó el tiempo necesario para leer velozmente la historia de Orondates, se llegó a su prima y la propuso salir a pasear, en vez de entretenerse con los rigores de Estatira. Arabela se mostró resentida de su indiferencia en cosas de tal importancia; encendiósela el color y, desdeñándose de reprocharle su ligereza, no le respondió cosa alguna. Conoció Glanville su falta y, al instante, empezó a tratar de la inexorable Estatira sin saber qué decirse.
—He previsto –le dijo Arabela– que condenaríais igualmente a la princesa de sus rigores y de su sobrada bondad, pero es menester considerar que lo que hizo por Orondates se debió a la generosidad de Artajerjes.
Detúvose para saber la opinión de Glanville quien, embarazadísimo, respondió a tientas:
—Es verdad que ese Artajerjes era un competidor muy peligroso.
—¡Artajerjes competidor de Orondates! ¿Habéis perdido el juicio? Era hermano de Estatira y a su solicitud debió Orondates, o Orontes, su felicidad.
—Digo que fue cosa muy noble en Artajerjes, hermano de Estatira, el interceder por aquel amante infeliz y no es dudoso que Orondates y Orontes fueron muy agradecidos.
—Orontes le debió más que Orondates, replicó Arabela, porque era de una clase muy inferior.
—Decidme, prima mía, cuál de estos dos amantes fue dichoso.
Esta pregunta inoportuna dio a conocer a Arabela que su primo la burlaba, pues si hubiera leído la primera página hubiera visto que Orondates y Orontes eran una persona misma y que el nombre de Orontes era prestado para disfrazar la calidad de Orondates. La confusión de Arabela fue tanta que no halló expresiones bastante fuertes para expresar su indignación: aseguró a Glanville de que nunca más trataría con ella, le echó de su cuarto y prometió arrostrar los enojos de su padre más bien que sufrir la presencia de un hombre que merecía su desprecio y su odio.
Desterrado segunda vez el pobre Glanville, intentó ablandarla y, no pudiendo conseguirlo, dejó exhalar aquellos instantes de arrebatamiento y se retiró maldiciendo mil veces a Estatira, a Orondates y a Orontes, y acumulando sobre los autores de los infolio cuantas imprecaciones puede sugerir la cólera30.
i vía] forma contraída de veía.
ii paraje] Quizás puede ser errata por pasaje, que parecería adecuarse mejor a ese contexto, forma recogida en Aut como passage, «cláusula, o porción corta de algún libro, escrito, o discurso». Pero el mismo diccionario explica paraje como «lugar».
26 Mazares, tal como se narra en Artamène V.2 (Dalziel 391), secuestró a Mandana para después arrepentirse y servir a las órdenes de Ciro.
27 El comportamiento de Orondates aquí descrito remite a Cassandre I.2 (Dalziel 391).
28 Los «librotes voluminosos» de ahora se corresponden con los «libros preciosos» de un poco más arriba; unos y otros se refieren a los textos citados entre ambas menciones (Cleopatra, Casandra, Clelia, Ciro: los dos primeros de Madeleine de Scudéry, los dos segundos de Gauthier de Costes, señor de la Calprenède). La relación con los «cien cuerpos de libros grandes, muy bien encuadernados» de la biblioteca de Alonso Quijano (DQ I.6 83) se hace evidente.
29 La cita remite, en efecto, a Cassandre I.2 (Dalziel 391).
30 ‘libros grandes’. El folio es el tamaño más grande de las hojas de un libro, equivalente a medio pliego. Infolio o en folio significa ‘libro con hojas de medio pliego’ (Aut). En la actualidad podría acercarse al tamaño A3 (297 x 420 mm).
Chapter XII
In which the reader will find a specimen of the true pathetic, in a speech of
Oroondates. The adventure of the books.
Arabella saw the change in her cousin’s behaviour with a great deal of satisfaction; for she did not doubt but his passion was as strong as ever, but that he forbore, through respect, from entertaining her with any [66] expressions of it. Therefore, she now conversed with him with the greatest sweetness and complaisance; she would walk with him for several hours in the garden, leaning upon his arm; and charmed him to the last degree of admiration by the agreeable sallies of her wit, and her fine reasoning upon every subject he proposed.
It was with the greatest difficulty he restrained himself from telling her a thousand times a day that he loved her to excess, and conjuring her to give her consent to her father’s designs in his favour. But, though he could get over his fears of offending her, yet it was impossible to express any sentiments of this nature to her, without having her women witnesses of his discourse; for when he walked with her in the garden, Lucy and another attendant always followed her. If he sat with her in her own chamber, her women were always at one end of it; and when they were both in the marquis’s apartment, where her women did not follow her, poor Glanville found himself embarrassed by his presence; for, conceiving his nephew had opportunities enough of talking to his daughter in private, he always partook of their conversation.
He passed some weeks in this manner, extremely chagrined at the little progress he made; and was beginning to be heartily weary of the constraint he laid upon himself, when Arabella one day furnished him, without designing it, with an opportunity of talking to her on the subject he wished for.
[67] “When I reflect,” said she, laughing, “upon the difference there was between us some days ago, and the familiarity in which we live at present, I cannot imagine by what means you have arrived to a good fortune you had so little reason to expect; for, in fine, you have given me no signs of repentance for the fault you committed, which moved me to banish you; and I am not certain whether, in conversing with you in the manner I do, I give you not as much reason to find fault with my too great easiness, as you did me to be displeased with your presumption.”
“Since,” returned Glanville, “I have not persisted in the commission of those faults which displeased you, what greater signs of repentance can you desire, than this reformation in my behaviour?”p. 74
“But repentance ought to precede reformation,” replied Arabella, “otherwise there is great room to suspect it is only feigned. And a sincere repentance shows itself in such visible marks that one can hardly be deceived in that which is genuine. I have read of many indiscreet lovers, who not succeeding in their addresses, have pretended to repent, and acted as you do; that is, without giving any signs of contrition for the fault they had committed, have eat and slept well, never lost their colour, or grew one bit thinner, by their sorrow; but contented themselves with saying they repented; and, without changing their disposition to renew their fault, only concealed their intention, for fear of losing any favourable opportunity of committing it again. But true repentance, as [68] I was saying, not only produces reformation, but the person who is possessed of it voluntarily punishes himself for the faults he has been guilty of. Thus Mazares, deeply repenting of the crime his passion for the divine Mandana had forced him to commit; as a punishment, obliged himself to follow the fortune of his glorious rival; obey all his commands; and, fighting under his banners, assist him to gain the possession of his adored mistress. Such a glorious instance of self-denial was, indeed, a sufficient proof of his repentance; and infinitely more convincing than the silence he imposed upon himself with respect to his passion. Oroondates, to punish himself for his presumption, in daring to tell the admirable Statira that he loved her, resolved to die, to expiate his crime; and, doubtless, would have done so if his fair mistress, at the entreaty of her brother, had not commanded him to live.”
“But pray, Lady Bella,” interrupted Glanville, “were not these gentlemen happy at last in the possession of their mistresses?”
“Doubtless they were, sir,” resumed she, “but it was not till after numberless misfortunes, infinite services and many dangerous adventures, in which their fidelity was put to the strongest trials imaginable.”
“I am glad, however,” said Glanville, “that the ladies were not insensible; for, since you do not disapprove of their compassion for their lovers, it is to be hoped you will not be always as inexorable as you are now.”
“When I shall be so fortunate,” interrupted she, “to meet with a lover who shall have as pure [69] and perfect a passion for me, as Oroondates had for Statira; and give me as many glorious proofs of his constancy and affection, doubtless I shall not be ungrateful. But, since I have not the merits of Statira, I ought not to pretend to her good fortune; and shall be very well contented if I escape the persecutions which persons of my sex, who are not frightfully ugly, are always exposed to, without hoping to inspire such a passion as that of Oroondates.”
“I should be glad to be better acquainted with the actions of this happy lover, madam,” said Glanville, “that, forming myself upon his example, I may hope to please a lady as worthy of my regard as Statira was of his.”p. 75
“For heaven’s sake, cousin,” resumed Arabella, laughing, “how have you spent your time; and to what studies have you devoted your hours that you could find none to spare for the perusal of books from which all useful knowledge may be drawn, which give us the most shining examples of generosity, courage, virtue and love, which regulate our actions, form our manners, and inspire us with a noble desire of emulating those great, heroic and virtuous actions, which made those persons so glorious in their age and so worthy imitation in ours? However, as it is never too late to improve, suffer me to recommend to you the reading of these books, which will soon make you discover the improprieties you have been guilty of; and will, probably, induce you to avoid them for the future.”
“I shall certainly read them if you desire it,” said Glanville, “and I have so great an inclination [70] to be agreeable to you that I shall embrace every opportunity of becoming so; and will therefore take my instructions from these books, if you think proper, or from yourself, which, indeed, will be the quickest method of teaching me.”
Arabella having ordered one of her women to bring Cleopatra, Cassandra, Clelia and the Grand Cyrus from her library, Glanville no sooner saw the girl return, sinking under the weight of those voluminous romances, but he began to tremble at the apprehension of his cousin laying her commands upon him to read them; and repented of his complaisance, which exposed him to the cruel necessity of performing what to him appeared a Herculean labour, or else incurring her anger by his refusal.
Arabella, making her women place the books upon a table before her, opened them, one after another, with eyes sparkling with delight, while Glanville sat wrapt* in admiration at the sight of so many huge folios written, as he conceived, upon the most trifling subjects imaginable.
“I have chosen out these few,” said Arabella (not observing his consternation), “from a great many others, which compose the most valuable part of my library; and by that time you have gone through these, I imagine you will be considerably improved.”
“Certainly, madam,” replied Glanville, turning over the leaves in great confusion, “one may, as you say, be greatly improved; for these books contain a great deal.”
And, looking over a page of Cassandra, without any design, read [71] these words, which were part of Oroondates’ soliloquy when he received a cruel sentence from Statira:
Ah cruel! (says this miserable lover). And what have I done to merit it? Examine the nature of my offence, and you will see I am not so guilty, but that my death may free me from part of that severity. Shall your hatred last longer than my life? And can you detest a soul that forsakes its body only to obey you? No, no, you are not so hard-hearted; that satisfaction will, doubtless, content you; and, when I shall cease to be, doubtless I shall cease to be odious to you.
“Upon my soul,” said Glanville, stifling a laugh with great difficulty, “I cannot help blaming the lady this sorrowful lover complains of, for her great cruelty; for here he gives one reason to suspect that she will not even be contented with his dying in obedience to her commands, but will hate him after death; an impiety quite inexcusable in a Christian!”p. 76
“You condemn this illustrious princess with very little reason,” interrupted Arabella, smiling at his mistake, “for, besides that she was not a Christian and ignorant of those divine maxims of charity and forgiveness, which Christians, by their profession, are obliged to practise, she was very far from desiring the death of Oroondates; for if you will take the pains to read the succeeding passages, you will find that she expresses herself in the most obliging manner in the world; for when Oroondates tells her he would live if she would consent he should, the princess most sweetly replies: ‘I not only consent, but also entreat it; and if I have any power, command it.’ However, lest you should fall into the other extreme, and blame this great [72] princess for her easiness (as you before condemned her for her cruelty), it is necessary you should know how she was induced to this favourable behaviour to her lover. Therefore pray read the whole transaction. Stay! Here it begins,” continued she, turning over a good many pages, and marking where he should begin to read.
Glanville, having no great stomach to the task, endeavoured to evade it, by entreating his cousin to relate the passages she desired he should be acquainted with. But she declining it, he was obliged to obey, and began to read where she directed him. And, to leave him at liberty to read with the greater attention, she left him, and went to a window at another end of the chamber.
Mr. Glanville, who was not willing to displease her, examined the task she had set him, resolving if it was not a very hard one to comply. But, counting the pages, he was quite terrified at the number, and could not prevail upon himself to read them. Therefore, glancing them over, he pretended to be deeply engaged in reading, when, in reality, he was contemplating the surprising effect these books had produced in the mind of his cousin, who, had she been untainted with the ridiculous whims they created in her imagination, was, in his opinion, one of the most accomplished ladies in the world.
[73] When he had sat long enough to make her believe he had read what she had desired, he rose up, and joining her at the window, began to talk of the pleasantness of the evening, instead of the rigour of Statira.
Arabella coloured with vexation at his extreme indifference in a matter which was of such prodigious consequence, in her opinion; but disdaining to put him in mind of his rudeness, in quitting a subject they had not thoroughly discussed, and which she had taken so much pains* to make him comprehend, she continued silent, and would not condescend to afford him an answer to anything he said.
Glanville, by her silence and frowns, was made sensible of his fault; and, to repair it, began to talk of the inexorable Statira, though, indeed, he did not well know what to say.
Arabella, clearing up a little, did not disdain to answer him upon her favourite topic: “I knew,” said she, “you would be ready to blame this princess equally for her rigour and her kindness, but it must be remembered that what she did in favour of Oroondates was wholly owing to the generosity of Artaxerxes.”
Here she stopped, expecting Glanville to give his opinion, who, strangely puzzled, replied at random: “To be sure, madam, he was a very generous rival.”
“Rival!” cried Arabella. “Artaxerxes the rival of Oroondates! Why certainly you have lost your wits. He was Statira’s brother, and it was to his mediation that Oroondates, or Orontes, owed his happiness.”p. 77
[74] “Certainly, madam,” replied Glanville, “it was very generous in Artaxerxes, as he was brother to Statira, to interpose in behalf of an unfortunate lover, and both Oroondates and Orontes were extremely obliged to him.”
“Orontes,” replied Arabella, “was more obliged to him than Oroondates, since the quality of Orontes was infinitely below that of Oroondates.”
“But, madam,” interrupted Glanville (extremely pleased at his having so well got over the difficulty he had been in), “which of these two lovers did Statira make happy?”
This unlucky question immediately informed Arabella that she had been all this time the dupe of her cousin, who if he had read a single page, would have known that Orontes and Oroondates was the same person, the name of Orontes being assumed by Oroondates to conceal his real name and quality.
The shame and rage she conceived at so glaring a proof of his disrespect, and the ridicule to which she had exposed herself, were so great that she could not find words severe enough to express her resentment; but, protesting that no consideration whatever should oblige her to converse with him again, she ordered him instantly to quit her chamber; and assured him if he ever attempted to approach her again, she would submit to the most terrible effects of her father’s resentment rather than be obliged to see a person who had, by his unworthy behaviour, made himself her scorn and aversion.
Glanville, who saw himself going to be discarded a second time, attempted, with great [75] submission, to move her to recall her cruel sentence; but Arabella, bursting into tears, complained so pathetically of the cruelty of her destiny, in exposing her to the hated importunities of a man she despised, and whose presence was so insupportable that Glanville, thinking it best to let her rage evaporate a little before* he attempted to pacify her, quitted her chamber; cursing Statira and Orontes a thousand times, and loading the authors of those books with all the imprecations his rage could suggest.