A rapture, an inspiration, a new life moved within him. The hour and
the scene completed what the magic of the song had begun. His
expression now glowed with a southern warmth; his words assumed a Roman
fervour. Gradually, as they discoursed, the voice of the girl was less
frequently audible. A change was passing over her spirit; from the
teacher, she was now becoming the pupil.
As she still listened to the Goth, as she felt the birth of new feelings
within her while he spoke, her cheeks glowed, her features lightened up,
her very form seemed to freshen and expand. No intruding thought or
awakening remembrance disturbed her rapt attention. No cold doubt, no
gloomy hesitation, appeared in her companion's words. The one listened,
the other spoke, with the whole heart, the undivided soul. While a
world-wide revolution was concentrating its hurricane forces around
them; while the city of an Empire tottered already to its tremendous
fall; while Goisvintha plotted new revenge; while Ulpius toiled for his
revolution of bloodshed and ruin; while all these dark materials of
public misery and private strife seethed and strengthened around them,
they could as completely forget the stormy outward world, in themselves;
they could think as serenely of tranquil love; the kiss could be given
as passionately and returned as tenderly, as if the lot of their
existence had been cast in the pastoral days of the shepherd poets, and
the future of their duties and enjoyments was securely awaiting them in
a land of eternal peace!
CHAPTER 14.
Pages:
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450