صفحة 460 من 788

"Ungrateful man! You sought my glance, and now you avoid it; you

sought for speech with me, and to-day you close your ears, as

though in my words and in my glance there were poison! I deserve

my fate; I knew who you were! A man! Guiltless of coquetry, I did

not wish to torture you, but made you happy; and is this the

gratitude you show me! A triumph over my soft heart has hardened

your heart; since you won it so easily, too quickly have you

despised it! I deserve my fate; but, taught by bitter experience,

believe me, that I despise myself more than you can despise me!"

"Telimena," said Thaddeus, "I vow to Heaven that my heart is not

hard, nor do I avoid you through contempt. But just consider,

they are watching us, following us; can we act so openly? What

will people say? Why, this is improper, I vow-it is a sin!"