XXV " 'Dispose your locks and deck yourself as she Goes decked; and, as you can, with cunning heed, Imitate her; then to the gallery You, furnished with the corded stair, shall speed: I shall ascend it in the phantasy That you are she, of whom you wear the weed: And hope, that putting on myself this cheat, I in short time shall quench my amorous heat.'

XXVI "So said the knight; and I, who was distraught, And all beside myself, was not aware That the design, in which he help besought, Was manifestly but too foul a snare; And in Geneura's clothes disguised, as taught, Let down (so oft I used) the corded stair.

Nor I the traitor's foul deceit perceived, Until the deadly mischief was achieved.

XXVII "The duke, this while, to Ariodantes' ears Had these, or other words like these, addressed; (For leagued in friendship were the cavaliers, Till, rivals, they pursued this common quest) "I marvel, since you are of all my peers He, whom I must have honoured and caressed, And held in high regard, and cherished still, You should my benefits repay so ill.

XXVIII " 'I am a.s.sured you comprehend and know Mine and Geneura's love, and old accord; And, in legitimate espousal, how I am about to claim her from my lord: Then why disturb my suit, and why bestow Your heart on her who offers no reward?

By Heaven, I should respect your claim and place, Were your condition mine, and mine your case.'

XXIX " 'And I,' cried Ariodantes, 'marvel more'

(In answer to the Scottish lord) 'at you, Since I of her enamoured was, before That gentle damsel ever met your view; And know, you are a.s.sured how evermore We two have loved; -- was never love more true -- Are certain she alone would share my lot; And are as well a.s.sured she loves you not.

x.x.x " 'Why have not I from you the same respect, To which, for friendship past, you would pretend From me; and I should bear you in effect, If your hope stood more fair to gain its end?

No less than you, to wed her I expect; And if your fortunes here my wealth transcend, As favoured of the king, as you, above You, am I happy in his daughter's love.'

x.x.xI " 'Of what a strange mistake,' (to him replied The duke) 'your foolish pa.s.sion is the root!

You think yourself beloved; I, on my side, Believe the same; this try we by the fruit.

You of your own proceeding nothing hide, And I will tell the secrets of my suit: And let the man who proves least favoured, yield, Provide himself elsewhere, and quit the field.

x.x.xII " 'I am prepared, if such your wish, to swear Nothing of what is told me to reveal; And will that you a.s.sure me, for your share, You shall what I recount as well conceal.'

Uniting in the pact, the rival pair Their solemn vows upon the Bible seal: And when they had the mutual promise plighted, Ariodantes first his tale recited.

x.x.xIII "Then plainly, and by simple facts averred, How with Geneura stood his suit, avows; And how, engaged by writing and by word, She swore she would not be another's spouse.

How, if to him the Scottish king demurred, Virgin austerity she ever vows; And other bridal bond for aye eschewed, To pa.s.s her days in barren solitude.

x.x.xIV "Then added, how he hoped by worth, which he Had more than once avouched, with knightly brand, And yet might vouch, to the prosperity And honour of the king, and of his land, To please so well that monarch, as to be By him accounted worthy of the hand Of his fair child, espoused with his consent: Since he in this her wishes would content.

x.x.xV "Then so concludes -- 'I stand upon this ground, Nor I intruder fear, encroaching nigh; Nor seek I more; 'tis here my hopes I bound; Nor, striving for Geneura's love, would I Seek surer sign of it than what is found, By G.o.d allowed, in wedlock's lawful tie; And other suit were hopeless, am I sure, So excellent she is, and pa.s.sing pure.'

x.x.xVI "When Ariodantes had, with honest mind, Told what reward he hoped should quit his pain, False Polinesso, who before designed To make Geneura hateful to her swain, Began -- 'Alas! you yet are far behind My hopes, and shall confess your own are vain; And say, as I the root shall manifest Of my good fortune, I alone am blest.

x.x.xVII " 'With you Geneura feigns, nor pays nor prizes Your pa.s.sion, which with hopes and words is fed; And, more than this, your foolish love despises: And this to me the damsel oft has said, Of hers I am a.s.sured; of no surmises, Vain, worthless words, or idle promise bred.

And I to you the fact in trust reveal, Though this I should in better faith conceal.

x.x.xVIII " 'There pa.s.ses not a month, but in that s.p.a.ce Three nights, four, six, and often ten, the fair Receives me with that joy in her embrace, Which seems to second so the warmth we share.

This you may witness, and shall judge the case; If empty hopes can with my bliss compare.

Then since my happier fortune is above Your wishes, yield, and seek another love.'

x.x.xIX " 'This will I not believe,' in answer cried Ariodantes, 'well a.s.sured you lie, And that you have this string of falsehoods tied, To scare me from the dear emprize I try.

But charge, so pa.s.sing foul, you shall abide, And vouch what you have said in arms; for I Not only on your tale place no reliance; But as a traitor hurl you my defiance.'

XL "To him rejoined the duke, 'I ween 'twere ill To take the battle upon either part, Since surer mean our purpose may fulfill; And if it please, my proof I can impart.'

Ariodantes trembled, and a chill Went through his inmost bones; and sick at heart, Had he in full believed his rival's boast, Would on the spot have yielded up the ghost.

XLI "With wounded heart, and faltering voice, pale face, And mouth of gall, he answered, 'When I see Proofs of thy rare adventure, and the grace With which the fair Geneura honours thee, I promise to forego the fruitless chase Of one, to thee so kind, so cold to me.

But think not that thy story shall avail, Unless my very eyes confirm the tale.'

XLII " 'To warn in due time shall be my care.'

(Said Polinesso) and so went his way.

Two nights were scarecly pa.s.sed, ere his repair To the known bower was fixed for the a.s.say.

And, ready now to spring his secret snare, He sought his rival on the appointed day, And him to hide, the night ensuing, prayed I' the street, which none their habitation made.

XLIII "And to the youth a station over-right The balcony, to which he clambered, shows.

Ariodantes weened, this while, the knight Would him to seek that hidden place dispose, As one well suited to his fell despite, And, bent to take his life, this ambush chose, Under the false pretence to make him see What seemed a sheer impossibility.

XLIV "To go the peer resolved, but in such guise, He should not be with vantage overlaid; And should he be a.s.saulted by surprise, He need not be by fear of death dismay'd.

He had a n.o.ble brother, bold and wise, First of the court in arms; and on his aid, Lurcanio hight, relied with better heart Than if ten others fought upon his part.

XLV "He called him to his side, and willed him take His arms; and to the place at evening led: Yet not his secret purpose would be break; Nor this to him, or other would have read: Him a stone's throw removed he placed, and spake: ' -- Come if thou hearest he cry,' the warrior said; 'But as thou lovest me (whatsoe'er befall) Come not and move not, brother, till I call.'

XLVI " 'Doubt not' (the valiant brother said) 'but go'; And thither went that baron silently, And hid within the lonely house, and low, Over against my secret gallery.

On the other side approached the fraudful foe, So pleased to work Geneura's infamy; And, while I nothing of the cheat divine, Beneath my bower renews the wonted sign.

XLVII "And I in costly robe, in which were set Fair stripes of gold upon a snowy ground, My tresses gathered in a golden net, Shaded with ta.s.sels of vermillion round, Mimicking fashions, which were only met In fair Geneura, at the accustomed sound, The gallery mount, constructed in such mode, As upon every side my person showed.

XLVIII "This while Lurcanio, either with a view To snares which might beset his brother's feet, Or with the common pa.s.sion to pursue, And play the spy on other, where the street Was darkest, and its deepest shadows threw, Followed him softly to his dim retreat: And not ten paces from the knight aloof, Bestowed himself beneath the self same roof.

XLIX "Suspecting nought, I seek the balcony, In the same habits which I mentioned, dressed; As more than once or twice (still happily) I did before; meanwhile the goodly vest Was in the moonlight clearly seen, and I, In aspect not unlike her, in the rest Resembling much Geneura's shape and cheer, One visage well another might appear.

L "So much the more, that there was ample s.p.a.ce Between the palace and the ruined row: Hence the two brothers, posted in that place, Were lightly cheated by the lying show.

Now put yourself in his unhappy case, And figure what the wretched lover's woe, When Polinesso climbed the stair, which I Cast down to him, and scaled the gallery.

LI "Arrived, my arms about his neck I throw, Weening that we unseen of others meet, And kiss his lips and face with loving show, As him I hitherto was wont to greet; And he a.s.sayed, with more than wonted glow, Me to caress, to mask his hollow cheat.

Led to the shameful spectacle, aghast, That other, from afar, viewed all that pa.s.sed,

LII "And fell into such fit of deep despair, He there resolved to die; and, to that end, Planted the pommel of his falchion bare I' the ground, its point against his breast to bend.

Lurcanio, who with marvel by that stair, Saw Polinesso to my bower ascend, But knew not who the wight, with ready speed Sprang forward, when he saw his brother's deed.

LIII "And hindered him in that fell agony From turning his own hand against his breast.

Had the good youth been later, or less nigh, To his a.s.sistance he had vainly pressed.

Then, 'Wretched brother, what insanity.'

(He cried) 'your better sense has dispossessed?

Die for a woman! rather let her kind Be scattered like the mist before the wind!

LIV " 'Compa.s.s her death! 'tis well deserved; your own Reserve, as due to more ill.u.s.trious fate.

'Twas well to love, before her fraud was shown, But she, once loved, now more deserves your hate: Since, witnessed by your eyes, to you is known A wanton of what sort you worshipped late.

Her fault before the Scottish king to attest, Reserve those arms you turn against your breast.'

LV "Ariodantes, so surprised, forewent, Joined by his brother, the design in show; But resolute to die, in his intent Was little shaken: Rising thence to go, He bears away a heart not simply rent, But dead and withered with excess of woe: Yet better comfort to Lurcanio feigns, As if the rage were spent which fired his veins.

LVI "The morn ensuing, without further say To his good brother, or to man beside, He from the city took his reckless way With deadly desperation for his guide; Nor, save the duke and knight, for many a day Was there who knew what moved the youth to ride: And in the palace, touching this event, And in the realm, was various sentiment.

LVII "But eight days past or more, to Scotland's court A traveller came, and to Geneura he Related tidings of disastrous sort; That Ariodantes perished in the sea: Drowned of his own free will was the report, No wind to blame for the calamity!

Since from a rock, which over ocean hung, Into the raging waves he headlong sprung;

LVIII " 'Who said, before he reached that frowning crest, To me, whom he encountered by the way, Come with me, that your tongue may manifest, And what betides me to Geneura say; And tell her, too, the occasion of the rest, Which you shall witness without more delay; In having seen too much, the occasion lies; Happy had I been born without these eyes!"

LIX " 'By chance, upon a promontory we Were standing, overright the Irish sh.o.r.e; When, speaking thus on that high headland, he Plunged from a rock amid the watery roar.