Traducción
Original
Capítulo XXVI
Conferencia majestuosa
No tuvo Arabela cosa más en memoria, luego que estuvo vestida, que el enviar a llamar a Glanville y a su hermana para tratar del negocio importante de que había hablado. Carlota encontró al paso un tocador abierto, olvidó el objeto de su visita, examinó las joyas, los dijes, los ingredientes, etc. y proporcionó a su hermano, sin pensarlo, una conversación particular66. Érale durísimo a Glanville el plegarse a unas ridiculeces como las de Arabela, pero o romper para siempre o ceder a la necesidad.
—Estoy sentidísimo, prima mía –la dijo–, de haberos desagradado: he hecho examen escrupuloso de mi corazón, de mis proposiciones y de mis obras, y os confieso que no he sacado conocimiento alguno de cuales sean mis culpas: dignaos de instruirme de ellas.
Arabela, que no encontraba, a la verdad, razones para haberse indignado contra él, se mostró perpleja y, como necesitó un pretexto, se agarró de la sospecha de que fuese cómplice de Eduardo. Encrespado Glanville de que su prima insistiese en un error tan extraño, se sonrió irónicamente, pero, notando que lo observaban, volvió a su seriedad y preguntó sobre qué fundamento padecía la desgracia de ser mirado bajo un aspecto tan aborrecible.
—No pretendo –dijo Arabela ruborizándose– estudiar el corazón de los hombres ni disertar sobre los motivos de sus operaciones, pero los juzgo por sus procederes.
—Me parece que no respondéis a mi pregunta, prima: si pudiera sospechárseme de intentar alguna violencia, creo que debería, a lo menos, proporcionarme algunas ventajas; mis sentimientos no han mudado, por más que me habéis prohibido explicároslos, y resultaría que si yo sirviese a Eduardo o a cualquiera otro obraría contra mis intereses propios.
—Por capcioso que parezca vuestro razonar, no puedo dispensarme de deciros que es inoportuno traerme a la memoria un delito que generosamente he perdonado.
—Vos misma me forzáis a ello, prima mía, pues se trata de destruir unas sospechas injustas... Difícilmente puedo concebir cómo habéis podido imaginar que un infeliz empleado en vuestra casa en las funciones más viles haya formado el proyecto de robaros con violencia: ¿qué relación hay entre vos y ese desdichado? Y, en fin, ¿cuál podía ser su objeto?
—Al oíros, parece que ignoráis las intenciones y la calidad de ese temerario: ¿no habéis estado a pique de pelear por su causa? ¿Puedo renunciar al testimonio de mis sentidos? p. 103
—No cabe, señora, manifestar más desasosiego durante vuestra ausencia, más ardor en buscaros ni más anhelo de poneros en seguridad; y parece muy duro que nazcan vuestras sospechas de las circunstancias que habían de haberme granjeado algún mérito.
—Confieso que es muy sensible, si estáis inocente, pero el caso no carece de ejemplo. Coriolano, cuyo amor y fidelidad a la bella Cleopatra son bien sabidos, favoreció, sin saberlo, a los robadores de aquella princesa hermosa y peleó contra los que venían a su socorro67. Os trato como dicha gran reina trató al mencionado héroe, no creyéndoos culpado ni inocente y, queriendo la necesidad que yo os prohíba mi presencia, me serviré de sus propias expresiones: Andad, Glanville, y procurad justificaros; deseo que lo consigáis... Si mis ruegos pueden contribuir a obtener del cielo este favor no vacilaré en dirigírselos68.
66 Ingredientes: ‘alhajas’ (Terreros y Pando, NTLLE).
67 Las circunstancias que se evocan aquí de la relación amorosa entre Coriolano y Cleopatra se detallan en la novela de igual nombre de La Calprenède (IX.4; Dalziel 397).
68 Esta cita procede de Cléopâtre (I.4), pero dirigida a Coriolano, no a Glanville (Dalziel 397).
Chapter II
A solemn interview.
In the meantime, that fair one being risen and negligently dressed, as was her custom, went into her closet, sending to give Miss [171] Glanville notice that she was ready to see her. This message immediately brought both the brother and the sister to her apartment. And Miss Glanville, at her brother’s request, staying in the chamber, where she busied herself in looking at her cousin’s jewels, which lay upon the toilet, he came alone into the closet, in so much confusion at the thoughts of the ridiculous figure he made in complying with Arabella’s fantastical humours that his looks persuading her there was some great agitation in his mind, she expected to see him fall at her feet, and endeavour to deprecate her wrath by a deluge of tears.
Mr. Glanville, however, disappointed her in that respect; for, taking a seat near her, he began to entreat her, with a smiling countenance, to tell him in what he had offended her, protesting that he was not conscious of doing or saying anything to displease her.
Arabella was greatly confused at this question, which she thought she had no reason to expect, it not being possible for her to tell him she was offended that he was not in absolute despair for her absence, without, at the same time, confessing she looked upon him in the light of a lover whose expressions of a violent passion would not have displeased her. Therefore, to disengage herself from the perplexity his question threw her into, she was obliged to offer some violence to her ingenuousness; and, contrary to her real belief, tax him again with a design of betraying her into the power of the unknown.
Mr. Glanville, though excessively vexed at her persisting in so ridiculous an error, could hardly [172] help smiling at the stern manner in which she spoke; but, knowing of what fatal consequence it would be to him if he indulged any gaiety in so solemn a conference, he composed his looks to a gravity suitable to the occasion; and asked her in a very submissive tone what motive she was pleased to assign for so extraordinary a piece of villainy, as that she supposed him guilty of.
“Truly,” answered she blushing, “I do not pretend to account for the actions of wicked and ungenerous persons.”
“But, madam,” resumed Glanville, “if I must needs be suspected of a design to seize upon your person, methinks it would have been more reasonable to suppose I would rather use that violence in favour of my own pretensions, than those of any other whatever; for, though you have expressly forbid me to tell you I love you, yet I hope you still continue to think I do.”p. 125
“I assure you,” returned Arabella, assuming a severe look, “I never gave myself the trouble to examine your behaviour with care enough to be sensible if you still were guilty of the weakness which displeased me; but, upon a supposition that you repented of your fault, I was willing to live with you upon terms of civility and friendship, as became persons in that degree of relationship in which we are. Therefore, if you are wise, you will not renew the remembrance of those follies I have long since pardoned; nor seek occasions of offending me by new ones of the same kind, lest it produce a more severe sentence than that I formerly laid upon you.”
[173] “However, madam,” returned Mr. Glanville, “you must suffer me to assure you that my own interest, which was greatly concerned in your safety, and my principles of honour would never allow me to engage in so villainous an enterprise, as that of abetting any person in stealing you away. Nor can I conceive how you possibly could imagine a fellow who was your menial servant could form so presumptuous and dangerous a design.”
“By your manner of speaking,” resumed Arabella, “one would imagine you were really ignorant, both of the quality of that presumptuous man, as well as his designed offence. But yet, it is certain, I saw you in his company, and saw you ready to draw your sword in his defence, against my deliverer. Had I not the evidence of my own senses for your guilt, I must confess I could not be persuaded of it by any other means. Therefore, since appearances are certainly against you, it is not strange if I cannot consent to acquit you in my apprehensions till I have more certain confirmation of your innocence than your bare testimony only, which, at present, has not all the weight with me it had some time ago.”
“I protest, madam,” said Mr. Glanville, who was strangely perplexed, “I have reason to think my case extremely hard, since I have brought myself to be suspected by you, only through my eagerness to find you and solicitude for your welfare.”
“Doubtless,” interrupted Arabella, “if you are innocent, your case is extremely hard; yet it is not singular, and therefore you have [174] less reason to complain. The valiant Coriolanus, who was the most passionate and faithful lover imaginable, having, by his admirable valour, assisted the ravishers of his adored Cleopatra, against those who came to rescue her; and, by his arm alone, opposed to great numbers of their enemies, facilitated the execution of their design, had the mortification afterwards to know that he had all that time been fighting against that divine princess, who loaded him with the most cruel reproaches for the injury he had done her. Yet fortune was so kind as to give him the means of repairing his fault, and restoring him to some part of her good opinion; for, covered with wounds as he was, and fatigued with fighting before, yet he undertook, in that condition, to prevent her ravishers from carrying her off; and, for several hours, continued fighting alone with near two hundred men, who were not able to overcome him, notwithstanding his extreme weariness, and the multitude of blows which they aimed at him. Therefore, Glanville, considering you, as Cleopatra did that unfortunate prince, who was before suspected by her, as neither guilty nor innocent, I can only, like her, wish you may find some occasion of justifying yourself from the crime laid to your charge. Till then, I must be under a necessity of banishing you from my presence, with the same consolatory speech she used to that unfortunate prince. Go, therefore, Glanville, go, and endeavour your own justification. I desire you should effect it no less than you do yourself; and if my prayers can obtain from [175] heaven this favour for you, I shall not scruple to offer some in your behalf.”