Pagina 464 di 788

"No, never!" shouted Thaddeus. "At present I have no intention

whatever of marrying, nor of making love-nonsense! Let's drop the

matter! I beg you, my dear, bethink yourself! Be calm! I am

grateful to you, but it is impossible for us to marry; let us

love each other, but just-in different places. I cannot remain

longer; no, no, I must go. Farewell, my Telimena, I leave

to-morrow."

He spoke, pulled his hat over his eyes, and turned aside, meaning

to depart; but Telimena checked him with an eye and countenance

like those of Medusa's head: against his will he had to remain;

he looked with terror on her form; she had become pale, without

motion, breath, or life. At last, stretching out an arm like a

sword to transfix him, with her finger aimed straight at the eyes

of Thaddeus, she cried:-