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Capítulo XXXII
Que, a lo que se presume, causará en el lector varios efectos
Salía el médico del cuarto de Glanville, cuando entraban Carlota y su prima. Díjolas que la fiebre había tomado mucho aumento y, viendo que Arabela se acercaba a la cama del enfermo, añadió que no convenía que se le hablara.
—Teme, ya lo veo, que mi vista lo agite, pero apuesto a que seré mejor médico que él.
A pesar del encargo se arrimó a Glanville, quien la dio gracias con voz muy débil.
—Nada de gracias –le dijo Arabela ruborizada–, si no queréis comprometer mi escrupulosidad. El médico dice que vuestra vida está en peligro, pero me persuado a que la apreciáis lo bastante para corresponder a la buena voluntad con que os miro.
—Prima mía –dijo Carlota–, debes de haber perdido el juicio cuando dices a mi hermano cosas que lo pueden inquietar.
—¿Aún no estás contenta con lo que hago? Pues más haré.
Entonces, descorriendo las cortinas de la cama del enfermo, le dijo con la mayor gravedad:
—Cedo, Glanville, a las solicitudes de vuestra hermana y os concedo el mismo favor que Oronte recibió de Estatira. Os mando, con todo el imperio que tengo sobre vos no solamente vivir, sino restableceros prontamente.
Diciendo así, se echó el velo a la cara para encubrir su confusión y salió apresuradamente del cuarto, esperanzada en recibir, de allí a poco, un billete de mano del enfermo anunciándola su convalecencia y pidiéndola permiso para ir a ofrecer a sus pies una vida que únicamente debía a su generosidad. Glanville, avergonzado de la extravagancia de su prima y poquísimo curioso de oír las reflexiones de su hermana, fingió que dormía. Pero su calentura iba en aumento y el médico declaró, al día siguiente, que el riesgo era muy grande, de manera que no se puso duda en enviar un propio al barón.
Arabela, esforzándose a mostrar gran firmeza de alma, empleaba toda su elocuencia para consolar a Carlota, pero a veces la era imposible detener sus lágrimas. Iba todos los días a ver a Glanville y, en uno de ellos, se aprovechó de un instante en que se vio sola con él, para reñirle su desobediencia.
—Prima –la dijo casi sin voz por lo muy debilitaba– ¿cómo podéis imaginaros que permanezca yo voluntariamente en el estado en que me veis? p. 115
—Debieron cesar vuestros males cuando hice lo que convenía para quitar su causa; ¿qué más exigís?
—¡Ay!... Si vivo... es menester que...
—No se hable de tratado pues os reserváis la facultad de vivir o de morir; pero, no obstante, todavía quiero hacer algo más por vos... ¡Os he mandado vivir y no estáis contento!... Bien, pues os permito que me améis.
Al decir esto, puso su bella mano sobre la boca del enfermo y, un instante después, se fue. Subió la calentura de Glanville al más alto punto, con un violento delirio; pero se le siguió una crisis feliz y se durmió tranquilamente por muchas horas. Al despertar, lo encontró el médico mucho mejor. Carlota, transportada de alegría, voló al cuarto de su prima a darla tan buena nueva, pero, como no la habló de agradecimiento, fue recibida la visita con harta frialdad. Arabela quiso completar la curación de Glanville y fue a verlo en compañía de Carlota.
—Veo –le dijo sonriéndose–, que sabéis obedecer cuando queréis, pero ponéis la obediencia a muy alto precio y no os contentáis con medianos favores.
Observó Glanville que su prima tomaba verdaderamente parte en su bien y respondió:
—Habéis usado conmigo, prima mía, de muchísima bondad y sería yo ingratísimo si no conservara de ello una constante gratitud.
—Celebro infinito que esa virtud no esté enteramente desterrada de vuestra familia y que conozcáis, a lo menos, el valor del servicio que os he hecho.
—¿Tenéis, prima mía, queja de mi hermana?
—Sí, por cierto; sabe que me debéis la vida y todavía está por decirme una palabra obligatoria sobre ello. Mas no importa: sed fiel y respetuoso, Glanville, que yo no seré ingrata. Os confirmo el permiso que os di y añado que no tomaré ya como ofensas los testimonios que me diereis de vuestra pasión.
—Para completar mi felicidad sería también necesario que me prometieseis amarme, porque, sin esto, ¿qué ventajas sacaré?...
—Casi sois tan ingrato como vuestra hermana y os reñiría vuestra presunción si estuvieseis del todo restablecido. Algo se ha de pasar a los enfermos y por eso os perdono vuestra proposición indiscreta; aguardad lo que el cielo quisiere hacer de vos y procurad merecer mi amistad.
Estas palabras, pronunciadas con majestad, hicieron ver a Glanville que no convenían réplicas y, así, se contentó con besar la bella mano que estaba descuidadamente puesta sobre su cama.
Retirose Arabela satisfecha de la curación que acababa de hacer y de haber superado una gran dificultad, porque, según las leyes de la galantería heroica, es un paso difícil el de permitir declaraciones. En llegando a este punto, ya no se trata más que de matar a los competidores y de suspirar algunos años. Entonces se llega a la felicidad y no hay más que decir.
Chapter VIII
By which, we hope, the reader will be differently affected.
At their entrance into the room, Miss Glanville enquired of the physician, just going out, how he found her brother, who replied that his fever was increased since last night, and that it would not (seeing Arabella preparing to go to his bedside) be proper to disturb him. Saying this, he bowed, and went out; and Miss Glanville, repeating what the physician had said, begged her to defer speaking to him till another time.
“I know,” said she, “that he apprehends the sight of me will cause so many tumultuous motions in the soul of his patient, as may prove prejudicial to him. Nevertheless, since his disorder is, questionless, more in his mind than body, I may prove, haply, a better physician than he, since I am more likely than he, to cure an illness I have caused.”
Saying this, she walked up to Mr. Glanville’s bedside, who, seeing her, thanked her in a weak voice, for coming to see him; assuring her, he was very sensible of the favour she did him.
“You must not,” said she, blushing, “thank me too much, lest I think the favour I have done you is really of more consequence than I imagined, since it merits so many acknowledgments. [204] Your physician tells us,” pursued she, “that your life is in danger, but I persuade myself you will value it so much from this moment that you will not protract* your cure any longer.”
“Are you mad, madam,” whispered Miss Glanville, who stood behind her, “to tell my brother that the physician says he is in danger? I suppose you really wish he may die, or you would not talk so.”
“If,” answered she, whispering again to Miss Glanville, “you are not satisfied with what I have already done for your brother, I will go as far as modesty will permit me,” and gently pulling open the curtains:
“Glanville,” said she, with a voice too much raised for a sick person’s ear, “I grant to your sister’s solicitations what the fair Statira did to an interest yet more powerful, since, as you know it was her own brother, who pleaded in favour of the dying Orontes. Therefore, considering you in a condition haply no less dangerous than that of that passionate prince, I condescend, like her, to tell you that I do not wish your death; that I entreat you to live; and, lastly, by all the power I have over you, I command you to recover.”p. 144
Ending these words, she closed the curtain that her transported lover might not see her blushes and confusion, which were so great that, to conceal them, even from Miss Glanville, she hurried out of the room, and retired to her own apartment, expecting in a little time, to receive a billet, under the sick man’s hand, importing* that in obedience to her [205] commands, he was recovered, and ready to throw himself at her feet, to thank her for that life she had bestowed upon him, and to dedicate the remains of it to her service.
Miss Glanville, who stayed behind her in a strange surprise at her ridiculous behaviour, though she longed to know what her brother thought of it, finding he continued silent, would not disturb him. The shame he conceived at hearing so absurd a speech from a woman he passionately loved, and the desire he had not to hear his sister’s sentiments upon it, made him counterfeit sleep, to avoid any discourse with her upon so disagreeable a subject.
That day his fever increased; and the next, the physician pronouncing him in great danger, a messenger was dispatched to town, to hasten the coming of Sir Charles, and poor Miss Glanville was quite inconsolable under the apprehensions of losing him.
Arabella, not to derogate from her character, affected great firmness of mind upon this occasion; she used the most persuasive eloquence to moderate her cousin’s affliction, and caused all imaginable care to be taken of Mr. Glanville. While anyone was present, her looks discovered only a calm and decent* sorrow; yet when she was alone, or had only her dear Lucy with her, she gave free vent to her tears; and discovered a grief for Mr. Glanville’s illness little different from that she had felt for her father’s.
As she now visited him constantly every day, she took an opportunity, when she was alone [206] by his bedside, to chide him for his disobedience, in not recovering, as she had commanded him.
“Dear cousin,” answered he, faintly, “can you imagine health is not my choice? And do you think I would suffer these pains if I could possibly ease myself of them?”
“Those pains,” replied Arabella, mistaking his complaint, “ought to have ceased when the cause of them did; and when I was no longer rigorous, you ought no longer to have suffered. But tell me, since you are, questionless, one of the strangest men in the world, and the hardest to be comforted. Nay, and I may add, the most disobedient of all that ever wore the fetters of love; tell me, I say, what must I do to content you?”
“If I live, cousin—” said Glanville.
“Nay,” interrupted Arabella, “since my empire over you is not so absolute as I thought, and since you think fit to reserve to yourself the liberty of dying, contrary to my desire, I think I had better resolve not to make any treaty with you. However, as I have gone thus far, I will do something more; and tell you, since I have commanded you to live, I will also permit you to love me, in order to make the life I have bestowed on you, worthy your acceptance. Make me no reply,” said she, putting her hand on his mouth, “but begin from this moment to obey me.”
Saying this, she went out of the room. p. 145
A few hours after, his fever being come to a height, he grew delirious, and talked very wildly; but a favourable crisis ensuing, he fell [207] into a sound and quiet sleep, and continued in it for several hours; upon his waking, the physician declared his fever was greatly abated, and the next morning pronounced him out of danger.
Miss Glanville, transported with joy, ran to Lady Bella, and informed her of this good news; but as she did not make her the acknowledgments she expected, for being the cause of his recovery, she behaved with more reserve than Miss Glanville thought was necessary, which renewed her former disgusts; yet, dreading to displease her brother, she concealed it from the observation of her cousin.
Arabella, being desirous of completing her lover’s cure by some more favourable expressions, went to his chamber, accompanied by Miss Glanville:
“I see,” said she, approaching to his bedside, with an enchanting smile, “that you know how to be obedient, when you please; and I begin to know, by the price you set upon your obedience, that small favours will not content you.”
“Indeed, my dearest cousin,” said Glanville, who had found her more interested in his recovery than he expected, “you have been very obliging, and I will always most gratefully own it.”
“I am glad,” interrupted Arabella, “that gratitude is not banished from all your family, and that that person in it for whom I have the most sensibility is not entirely divested of it.”
“I hope,” said Mr. Glanville, “my sister has given you no cause to complain of her.”
[208] “Indeed but she has,” replied Arabella, “for, notwithstanding she is obliged to me for the life of a brother, whom questionless she loves very well. Nevertheless, she did not deign to make me the least acknowledgment for what I have done in your favour. However, Glanville, provided you continue to observe that respect and fidelity towards me, which I have reason to hope for from you, your condition shall be never the worse for Miss Glanville’s unacknowledging temper; and I now confirm the grant I yesterday made you, and repeat it again, that I permit you to love me, and promise you not to be displeased at any testimonies you will give me of your passion, provided you serve me with an inviolable fidelity.”
“But, madam,” returned Mr. Glanville, “to make my happiness complete, you must also promise to love me, or else what signifies the permission you give me to love you?”
“You are almost as unacknowledging as your sister,” resumed Arabella, blushing, “and if your health was perfectly re-established, questionless, I should chide you for your presumption; but since something must be allowed to sick persons, whose reason, one may suppose, is weakened by their indisposition, I will pardon your indiscretion at this time, and counsel you to wait patiently for what heaven will determine in your favour. Therefore, endeavour to merit my affection by your respect, fidelity and services, and hope from my justice whatever it ought to bestow—”p. 146
Ending this speech with a solemnity of accent that gave Mr. Glanville to understand [209] any reply would offend her, he silently kissed her fair hand, which she held out to him; a favour, his sickness, and the terms upon which they now were,* gave him a right to expect. And, finishing her visit for that time, left him to his repose, being extremely pleased at the prospect of his recovery, and very well satisfied at having so gracefully got over so great a difficulty, as that of giving him permission to love her. For by the laws of romance, when a lady has once given her lover that permission, she may lawfully allow him to talk to her upon the subject of his passion, accept all his gallantries, and claim an absolute empire over all his actions, reserving to herself the right of fixing the time when she may own her affection. And when that important step is taken, and his constancy put to a few years more trial, when he has killed all his rivals, and rescued her from a thousand dangers, she at last condescends to reward him with her hand, and all her adventures are at an end for the future.
END OF THE THIRD BOOK