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Original
Capítulo XVIII
Cortísimo y muy importante
Aumentose la calentura de Arabela tanto que los médicos desconfiaron de sacarla adelante y aunque la herida de Belmur no era mortal, la mucha pérdida de sangre constituía su estado peligrosísimo. El barón, temeroso de las consecuencias de aquel duelo, aconsejaba a su hijo que se ausentara del reino, pero Glanville protestó que moriría antes que abandonar a Arabela. Por desdicha su lance se había extendido y podía llegar a hacerse serio. El pobre padre, además de sus miedos, tenía que consolar a sus dos hijos y lo afligían con igualdad así la desesperación del uno, como el silencio de la otra. Arabela tenía sus instantes de sosiego, que consagraba a Dios con devoción muy ejemplar. Su constancia y resignación eran una prueba evidente de la elevación de su espíritu. Quiso ver varias veces a Glanville; nunca le habló más que de las verdades de la religión y le rogó que la proporcionara un eclesiástico ilustrado que la dispusiera a morir. Eligió Glanville al sabio cura L*** quien, dos veces al día, iba a darla santos y piadosos consejos. Una crisis dichosa, unida al arte de los médicos, desterró la calentura; pero había hecho tanto estrago que todavía no daba lugar a la esperanza. El cura L***, prendado de la virtud, de la firmeza y del valor de Arabela, la miraba con estimación y apego. Empleó cuantos buenos oficios estaban en su mano, en calidad de consolador espiritual; oró mucho a Dios por ella en la cabecera de su cama y sostuvo, lo más posible, aquella magnanimidad que promovía su admiración. Ya que empezó Arabela a convalecer, la enteró de la sensación general que había causado en Richemont su despecho y la suplicó que lo instruyese de los motivos que la habían determinado a quitarse la vida. Arabela contesto diciéndole que, hallándose en unas circunstancias semejantes a las de Clelia, había querido imitarla atravesando el Támesis a nado; añadió que el deseo de ilustrarse la había sugerido aquella idea; raciocinó juiciosamente sobre el amor propio; condenó al suyo y así sorprendió al cura por la fuerza de sus razonamientos como por la singularidad de sus quimeras. Creyó este, por algunos momentos, que todavía deliraba, pero, visto el orden que llevaba en lo que decía y lo terco de sus expresiones, se desengañó de que no era así. No pudiendo, pues, comprehender cómo podían conciliarse tanto juicio con tanta ridiculez fue a ver a Glanville, le dio parte de sus observaciones y acabó diciéndole que no había conocido persona ninguna más difícil de definir. Glanville pidió al cura que lo acompañara a su cuarto. Allí le explicó de qué procedían las contradicciones, le pintó los efectos que había producido en su prima la lectura de las novelas heroicas, lo conmovió por la narración de sus extravagancias y le hizo formar el proyecto de desprender la venda fatal, que tenía ante los ojos aquella estimable visionaria. Muchas gracias le tributó Glanville y le suplicó que aguardara, para dar principio a la curación, a que su salud estuviese mejor restablecida. El riesgo de Arabela había impedido a Glanville el atender a Belmur y ceñídolo a enviar dos veces al día a saber de su salud, sin haberlo podido visitar aún. Y así que los médicos declararon que su prima estaba fuera de peligro, no consideró cosa más urgente que el cumplimiento de aquella obligación. Belmur le tendió los brazos, contó de buena fe los medios de que se había servido para suplantarlo y acabó pidiéndole el olvido de todo. Glanville exigió únicamente de él que desengañase a Arabela de lo concerniente a la princesa de las Galias, después de cuya formal promesa se hicieron recíprocamente las protestas más amistosas.
Chapter X
A short chapter indeed, but full of matter.
Richmond was now a scene of the utmost confusion and distress. Arabella’s fever was risen to such a height that she was given over by the physicians; and Sir George’s wounds, though not judged mortal at first, yet by the great effusion of blood had left him in so weak a condition that he was thought to be in great danger.
Sir Charles, almost distracted with the fears of the consequences of Sir George’s death, entreated his son to quit the kingdom; but Mr. Glanville, protesting he would rather die than leave Arabella in that illness, he was obliged to give bail* for his appearance,* in case Sir George died, this affair, notwithstanding all endeavours to prevent it, having made a great noise.
[295] Poor Sir Charles, oppressed as he was with the weight of all these calamities, was yet obliged to labour incessantly to keep up the spirits of his son and daughter. The settled despair of the one, and the silent swelling grief of the other cut him to the heart. He omitted no arguments his paternal affection suggested to him to moderate their affliction. Mr. Glanville often endeavoured to assume a composure he was very far from feeling, in order to satisfy his father. But Miss Glanville, looking upon herself to be the cause of Sir George’s misfortune, declared she should be miserable all her life if he died.
Arabella in her lucid intervals, being sensible of her danger, prepared for death, with great piety and constancy of mind, having solemnly assured Mr. Glanville of her forgiveness, who would not at that time enter into an explanation of the affair which had given her offence for fear of perplexing her. She permitted his presence often in her chamber, and desired with great earnestness the assistance of some worthy divine in her preparations for death. The pious and learned doctor* …, at Sir Charles’s intimation of his niece’s desire, came constantly twice a day to attend her. Her fever, by a favourable crisis, and the great skill of her physicians, left her in a fortnight; but this violent distemper had made such a ravage in her delicate constitution, and reduced her so low that there seemed very little probability of her recovery. Doctor …, in whom her unfeigned piety, her uncommon firmness of mind had created a great esteem and tenderness for [296] her, took all opportunities of comforting, exhorting, and praying by her. The occasion of her illness being the subject of everybody’s conversation at Richmond, he gently hinted it to her, and urged her to explain her reasons for so extravagant an action.
In the divine frame Arabella was then in, this action appeared to her rash and vainglorious, and she acknowledged it to be so to her pious monitor. Yet she related the motives which induced her to it, the danger she was in of being carried away, the parity of her circumstances then with Clelia, and her emulous desire of doing as much to preserve her honour as that renowned Roman lady did for hers.
The good doctor was extremely surprised at this discourse. He was beginning to think her again delirious; but Arabella added to this account such sensible reasoning on the nature of that fondness for fame, which prompted her to so rash an undertaking that the doctor left her in strange embarrassment, not knowing how to account for a mind at once so enlightened, and so ridiculous.p. 330
Mr. Glanville meeting him as he came out of her chamber, the doctor took this opportunity to acknowledge the difficulties Arabella’s inconsistent discourse had thrown him into. Mr. Glanville, taking him into his own apartment, explained the nature of that seeming inconsistency, and expatiated at large upon the disorders romances had occasioned in her imagination, several instances of which he recounted, and filled the doctor with the greatest astonishment and concern. He lamented pathetically [297] the ruin such a ridiculous study had brought on so noble a mind; and assured Mr. Glanville he would spare no endeavours to rescue it from so shocking a delusion.
Mr. Glanville thanked him for his good design, with a transport which his fears of his cousin’s danger almost mingled with tears; and the doctor and he agreed to expect for some few days longer an alteration for the better in the health of her body, before he attempted the cure of her mind. Mr. Glanville’s extreme anxiety had made him in appearance neglect the repentant Sir George, contenting himself with constantly sending twice a day to enquire after his health, but had not yet visited him.
No sooner had the physicians declared that Arabella was no longer in danger than his mind being freed from that tormenting load of suspense under which it had laboured while her recovery was yet doubtful, he went to Sir George’s chamber, who by reason of his weakness, though he was also upon the recovery, still kept his bed.
Sir George, though he ardently wished to see him, yet conscious of the injuries he had both done and designed him, could not receive his visit without extreme confusion. But entering into the cause of their quarrel, as soon as he was able to speak, he freely acknowledged his fault, and all the steps he had taken to supplant him in Arabella’s affection.
Mr. Glanville understanding by this means that he had bribed a young actress to personate a princess forsaken by him; and had taught her all that heap of absurdity with which she had imposed upon Arabella, as has been related, desired [298] only by way of reparation that when his cousin was in a condition to be spoken to upon that subject, he would condescend to own the fraud to her, which Sir George faithfully promising, an act of oblivion* passed on Mr. Glanville’s side for all former injuries, and a solemn assurance from Sir George of inviolable friendship for the future. An assurance, however, which Mr. Glanville would willingly have dispensed with. For, though not of a vindictive temper, it was one of his maxims that a man who had once betrayed him, it would be an error in policy ever to trust again.