to you and if you think I treat you too severely impute it only to your crime or if you are innocent impute it then to your misfortune Saying these last words he left Democrates but in such a condition that was enough to make the most hardy to fear and to stir up pity in those that are least sensible He had a good minde to break out into the violence of his rage and follow Sestianes to make him repent of his so insolent discourse but the excess of that sadness and grief into which those injurious words had put him rendered him powerless and were the cause that the fire and rage that was visible in his eyes was not able to appear in his actions Then did he solemnly swear that he would never any longer think of Sestiana's charms and the hatred he had conceived against the Father and which had an accession by his discourse made him in appearance stifle all the love he had for the daughter Five or six days past in which Democrates did all he could to drive Sestiana out of his thoughts and that fair one all that she could possibly think of to forget Democrates In the mean time Sestianes who feared nothing from our Heroe frequently saw those that were of the conspiracy with him and discovered to them that the alarm which had been given the Prince Theomedes was the cause that he always went well guarded and that they must wait and take up other measures then those they had resolved on He flattered them with the hopes of a happy success and made them foresee that if any of them had the confidence to accuse him he could order 〈◊〉 so that the crime should revert upon him for he would say that he was bribed by Democrates who according to all appearances studied to revenge himself of the sensible affront he had given to his honour in presenting the King with the letter he wrote to Anaxander which had been easie for him because none of them could give in proofs of his conspiracy being all ingaged only by word But though Sestianes feared nothing from Democrates yet he resolved not to let a person live who he knew very well would be his mortalenemy after he had offended him in two such ticklelish points as are honour and love but as nothing did engage him to precipitate his ruin he waited till time furnish'd him with a favourable opportunity to set about it with safety and without fear of being ever discovered and being as expert in his politicks as he was treacherous and wicked he stired up Arcas in covert words to kill Democrates telling him that as long as he lived it was impossible for him to root him out of the heart of his Daughter and that he would have the dissatisfaction of knowing that she loved another besides himself which so awakend the Jealousie of this new Gallant that he narrowly watched the actions of Sestiana to see if after the prohibitions of her Father to love his Rival and evermore to speak to him her love would make her finde out any way to come to discourse with him Whilst these things were happening Democrates was the most perplexed man in the world The love that he thought he had for ever driven out of his breast had by degrees got in again and ruled there with so much violence that he could not finde out any ways to get the mastery of it which obliged him by all means imaginable to try if he could not possibly speak with Sestiana privately to learn if he was still beloved by her and to resolve according as she treated him whether he should persevere in his Love or continue the efforts he made to stifle a flame which tyrannised in his breast with so absolute an Empire and which he had several times unprofitably attempted to remove from it After he had a good while been contriving how to come to the end of this design and to entertain the object of his vows with that freedom he desired he thought it was his best way to intreat the service of one of Sestiana's relations who had always testified to him a very great esteem and also as great a friendship and to begg of her to order it so that this fair one might be one day at her house that so he might have the happiness of discoursing with her there Sestiana who had an absolute confidence in this person and who did as earnestly desire to speak with Democrates as Democrates did to speak with her made her the same request so that this Lady found it no hard matter to give them both a satisfaction The day that these two Lovers were to see one another being come they each of them resolved on their parts to resist with all the power they could the tender sentiments that Love inspired into them and to that end both of them left their lodgings in this resolution but when they were got together a very small matter would have made them forgot what they had resolved upon and have set them upon new protestations of Love for though their design was fully to hate one another and to make their hatred visible by the reciprocal testimonies of it yet they were never in a less disposition to do it But however Sestiana who had a very great ascendent over her self and who was resolved to be as good as her intentions spoke first and said to Democrates I would willingly demand a favour of you which I desire you would grant me in the name of that Love which has reciprocally reigned in both our hearts if you still love me and if you have any kindness for your self you ought not to deny it me it being a thing that will re-establish our repose and keep us from doing that which may be shamefull to us it is a thing that will be profitable to us both and which will spare us a great many sighs in a word it is your hatred I do whatsoever I can to give you mine but I know very well that without the help of yours all my efforts will signify little This request added she looking stedfastly upon him ought not to give you so great a surprise as I see plainly by your countenance it does for I demand nothing of you but what is just you owe me your hatred and I likewise owe you mine you owe me yours after what my Father has done against you and I owe you mine because you have had the confidence to demand of me my heart and even to seduce it yours being stained with a crime which as yet you have not been able to purge your self of but through the bounties of the King and the favours of Prince Theomedes You see by that continued she that we cannot love one another without betraying our glory and not to have a hatred for each other is to wound it and therefore you ought to grant me yours for the price of mine Ah! Madam replied Democrates to her with a
in point of Estate as he but who was of as illustrious a Family Although his passion was very violent yet as he did nothing but with a great deal of prudence he was resolved to know before he would declare it if it were likely to be approved of and would not make a discovery of his flame before that his actions his services and his regards had made the judication Sestianes began to perceive his love and wished with all his heart that his tongue would confirm what his eyes did seem to tell him when her father was sollicited for her by a considerable person Sestianes fearing lest he might fall off gave him his word before he had ever acquainted his daughter with it and came not to tell her the news till after the marriage was concluded on This fair one who began to have some inclinations for Democrates received it with a very cold indifference but she always told her father that she was ready to be led by his commands which she looked upon as her duty to do as much because of the obedience she owed him as because that Democrates had not as yet declared the passion he had for her This unhappy Lover whom Prudence had always betrayed had scarcely learnt this sad and afflictive news but he came to wait upon Sestiana to make a discovery of his love to her She had no sooner perceived it but she was instantly sensible of so great an emotion and so violent a grief in her breast that it was plainly remarkable in her face Democrates on his part appeared so planet-struck that he could not so much as get one word which occasioned them a great while to do nothing but keep their eyes fixed upon one another without having the power to speak a syllable but at last Democrates broke the silence and after he had eased himself of two or three sighs which lay very heavy upon his soul and which made the afflicted fair one sufficiently to know the trouble he had in it he said to her Is it possible Madam that what I have now lately heard is true and that you are within these few days to be led to the Altar by Yes reported she to him in a little kinde of rage I am since you have been willing to permit it Pardon me my Lord replied she immediatly repenting that she spoke to him in that manner and do not attribute it to any thing but the terrible transports of grief I have upon my spirit and which do confound me that they keep me from thinking either of what I do or say Ah! Madam did Democrates answer her flinging himself at her knees You need not longer conceal from me that I should have been the happiest man in the world if fate which continually is persecuting me had not fully opposed it Your eyes and mouth do tell it me they are witnesses you cannot disavow do not make them false for heavens sake but suffer me to feel in all their extent the fatal and yet charming displeasures of learning my happinesse when it is impossible for me to enjoy it They will give me joy and sadnesse both together the former in hearing that I have the glory to be belov'd by so fair and generous a person and the latter in having known it too late and in not having sooner declar'd my passion to you Ah cruel man replied Sestiana to him sighing why did you no sooner speak of it or why do you speak of it so late If you loved me as you say you did you ought to have loved my repose and not to deprive me of it to let me believe that you have never had any kindenesse for me The little worth there is in me replied Democrates to her not rendring my losse considerable ought not to cause that of your repose but as my losse is vastly great in losing you it is only I my self ought to complain and to repent that I have no sooner discovered my flame to you From whence did it then proceed said Sestiana to him that you were so long without speaking of it those who demand a heart answered he her without having merited it by their services by their love and submissions have been often ill received I looked on yours as too considerable to be hazarded besides I was not ignorant that a heart does not sacrifice its self but to the knowledge it hath of the Love of its votary and not to the demand he shall make of it and that there is no beauty but refuses it to those who have not merited it by their Love and Services unless ambition constrains them to it or that the grandeur and the illustrious merit of those who demand it do oblige them as likewise we ought not to be esteemed Lovers as soon as we begin our passion it is time which must acquire that quality and those who have not discovered that they do with justice possesse it are much to blame to pretend that they are beloved because they begin to love The Love of a beautiful and charming person ought not to be the conquest of a Gallants first sigh and those who are so vain to believe they could obtain it before they have learnt to love deserve to meet with the highest severity and Indignation of the fair One whose heart they are so bold to demand This has been it continued Democrates which made me forbear so long to discover the ardour with which I burn and as I fear'd provoking you by the confession of my Love I was willing to dispose your breast to it by dutifull submissions by my assiduities and by a thousand other marks of the most violent passion that ever was Sestiana could not hear this discourse without dismissing some sighs and when Democrates had left of speaking she told him that since she had mistrusted his merit and he had thought he could never obtain her heart before he had made himself worthy of it by his services and by his Love he ought to have prevented the unhappiness that had befell him to have demanded her of her father as soon as he had taken up the design of loveing her and afterwards to have indeavoured by his cares and assiduities to obtain her of her self Ah! Madam replied he to her I was not willing to serve my self that way but would have obtained your heart of your self alone and have had you to render it to the proofs of my Love and not to your duty without that I should never have thought to have the glorious advantage of being beloved by so fair and beautiful a person though possibly you would have consented without any trouble to marry me I should not have known how to distinguish your Love from your Obedience but should have always thought you ought to hate me not doubting but I should have merited your hatred for having demanded you of any other besides your self They continued still some time together in disburthening themselves of their sighs and
they could betook themselves to their heels for safety and they proved so succesful to them that those who had pursued them were not able so much as to learn any news of them The generous and faithful Lover of the unfortunate Democrates had no sooner heard this sad and fatal truth but the lively excess of that grief she resented at it so violently seized upon her that at first she was not able to complain of her fate for a loss that was so sensible to her but as soon as the trouble into which this dreadful news had put her was a little dissipated and her grief had given her leasure to reflect upon the new calamities that her unhappiness had brought upon her and to think of the death of a person to whom she had given her heart she discovered by her sighs and tears and by her complaints that notwithstanding the ardent affection Areas had for her and the commands that her father had laid upon her to be favourable to it she had still had a kindness for Democrates and that she did yet love him even after his death Though Sestiana was in one of the saddest and deplorable conditions in the world though her miseries were extream and one would think that nothing was capable of giving them any accession yet her cruel destiny which was not weary of persecuting her had in causing the death of Democrates prepared new matter to increase the grief of this illustrious miserable Lady and to redouble her tears since that those who confirmed to her the death of her Lover told her likewise that those Assassines having thought him dead after they had given him so many wounds had betook themselves to their heels and that Democrates had also yet so much strength as to speak to those who were come to his relief and to tell them that the condition in which he was obliged him to inform the King and Prince Theomedes that he believed Sestianes was the Author of the conspiracy against the latter of them and that the Love he had for the divine Sestiana had kept him from making any discovery of it They also added that after he had pronounced the name of Sestiana those sighs which Love had made him fetch joined to the extream weakness that the loss of his blood had put him into for some time had kept him from speaking but at last he had said with much ado that he was not fully assured that Sestianes was guilty but that he had very powerfull indications of it and that Prince Theomedes ought only to make use of his words to constrain him in case he was a criminal to discover all himself after he had got him arrested or at least but to oblige that Prince to mistrust him and to take heed that he does not expose himself to the fury of his assaults It is impossible to represent well to you the estate of the afflicted Sestiana after she had heard of this new misfortune Fear despite hatred Love and grief had their several combats in her from which she never got with any advantage but the end of them was always fatall to her repose Fear made her apprehend something that would be of very ill consequence to her Father despite and hatred made her hate him whom love for all that forced her still to have a kindness for though he was only fit for his grave and grief made her bewail him whom she detested Her sighs were divided between love and Nature she gave some to the future unhappiness of her Father and some she bestowed on her Lover and if she was not to be comforted for the loss of him those words he uttered dying against her Father afflicted her yet more She loved him bewailed him and hated him altogether she hearkned to her duty she followed the sentiments that love inspired into her and at the same time gave somewhat too to her despite but though she did what she could to content them all yet her mind was no whit the less quiet nor her afflictions less great and cruel and grief got absolute mistriss of her soul and tormented it with all the rigor and severity that it is wont to make use of when it has a mind to give a cruel persecution to those whom it undertakes to make most miserable by putting them into a condition never to be able to injoy a moments repose Democrates's words at dying were quickly carried to the King and to Prince Theomedes who were no less surprised at them then at the death of that generous unfortunate man They were both very hard to believe that Sestianes should be guilty and what he had done outwardly for Theomedes in giving to the King the letter that Democrates had writ to Anaxander kept that Prince from giving any credit to that information against him But yet as nothing is dearer to us than life which ought to be kept with the greatest care he was resolved to let him be atrested if he was to be found that so he might be the better satisfied of the truth of it and to see if his looks would not betray him and if his surprise of finding himself a prisoner would not make him confess a crime of which he was only suspected by force or make him do what he could to the contrary give some manifestations of it designed at the same time to set him at liberty if he did not acknowledg any thing without forcing him by any wrack or torture to declare himself guilty But it was not the love he had for Sestianes nor any happiness that he wisht him obliged him to act after this manner but what he thought he had done to serve him in accusing Democrates who was to have been his Son in-Law had much lessened the severity he would have had towards him and ingaged him to treat him generously at least until he might have some proofs of the attempt of which he was accused Prince Theomedes was in this resolution and had already desired the King to permit Sestianes to be arrested and to go out of prison a little while after if he should not confess himself a criminal and if no other more convincing proofs could be alledged against him of his crime then the last words of Democrates which did not positively conclude him guilty when that Sestianes was coming up to them where they were The King and Prince Theomedes were greatly surprized to see him for they could not doubt but that he had heard of the last words of Democrates which were spoke before too great a multitude not to have been reported to him and they were perswaded that he would rather have thought upon flying then upon coming thither But this perfidious wretch was too subtil too have conceived any such design that would have been so prejudicial to him and he had not resolved to betray himself I come said he to them with a countenance that seemed not to have the least concern upon it in
stifle or at least to conceal the hatred he thought he had for Fulciana but he was extraordinarily surprized to learn from his mouth that he found himself more disposed to Love then hatred and that he begged of him not to demand the cause of that coldness and indifference he had shown the first time he had spoken to him of that marriage That Discourse made the King suspect some part of the truth and he obliged Democrates to tell him the rest which he thought he might do without any imprudence and without loosing the respect he owed to the Duke Nicanor after what he had done for him the King having learnt all confessed he had acted prudently and not being any longer able to doubt of the Love which his Brother had for Fulciana and fearing that that fair one would suffer her self to be vanquished by the charms of ambition again told Democrates that he would have him marry her and that he would protect him from the fury of his Brother which he promised not knowing any means how to turn it off The Duke Nicanor having learnt this news sought every where for Democrates to immolate him to his Love and to his choler but not having found him he resolved to marry Fulciana privately and afterwards to declare his marriage to the King He communicated that design to Fulcian who seeing by that his Ambition satisfyed told him he might be married without fearing any thing and if the King resolv'd to make his marriage void he would then discover to him that he could not bring any into his family who might procure him more considerable advantages then his daughter and that he had still need of Fulcian and his friends There wanted no more to oblige the the Duke of Nicanor to marry the adorable Fulciana which he did in the presence of several considerable witnesses In the mean time news was brought to the King of it who notwithstanding caused her to be sought for to make her marry Democrates in his presence whom she was already married to For indeed he could not give any belief to the certainty of it untill it was confirmed to him by the Duke his Brother who presently came to throw himself at his knees and to intreat him to consent to his marriage He told him he knew very well he was much to blame in that he had done it without his knowledge but he had not the power to be Master of his passion which he had a long time contended with and that it was impossible for him to resist the violence of his Love and to deny his hand where he had sacrific'd his heart to the most beautiful person in the world the King repli'd to him that for a Mistress he could not make choice of one who might be more advantagious to him and he doubted not but Fulciana had that honour but that he did not believe she was his wife and he knew very well that he was too prudent and had too much Spirit to do so great an injury to his Quality and Eminence He replied to him that what he told him was true and named him all those persons who had seen him married The King stood immovable at this discourse with despite and choler in his eyes and especially in his Countenance but yet he durst not let them break out but lightly nor go to break off so unequal a marriage because he saw very well that Fulcian having had that temerity to permit it he had likewise more friends and greater power then he imagined and that he could not oppose him without raising up against him a party of the most considerable Grandees in the Realm which was the cause that he pardoned his Brother and that he agreed to his marriage rather through policy then out of any satisfaction he received by it The choler and despite of the King being thus forcibly stifled in him as that he durst not let it break forth either against the Duke his Brother or against Fulcina fell upon Democrates he was greatly inraged against him and blamed his prudence which he but a little before did so highly value He told him that he was the cause of the injury his Brother had done to his blood and so deprived him of his favour but yet without banishing him the Court where he afterwards lookt upon him for sometime but 〈◊〉 with a great deal of indifference Democrates perceiving that he was deprived of the good graces of his Prince and that he had no favourable place in the minde of the Duke Nicanor because when he had justifyed himself of what that Duke had said to the King he had consented to the marriage of Fulciana knew at his own expence that when misfortune is obstinately resolved to pursue a person prudence signifies very little and how profitable soever it is at other times one consults it then but in vain Is there any one says he in bewailing himself with his friends at the disgrace that had hapned to him to whom prudence can be favourable when he is forced to do evil whatever it is possible for him to do and when he runs the same danger in not pursuing its direction Those whose lives fate has determined shall be miserable and yet who have the Election given them of two or three punishments have enough to consult of prudence to know what they shall do and notwithstanding at last they are necessitated to choose one punishment Fortune has now almost put me into this condition I could not consent to what the King-commanded me without provoking the Duke Nicanor nor consent to what Duke Nicanor would have me without incensing the King and my unhappinesse was such that I did draw upon my self his anger in doing nothing Five or six moneths were spent before Democrates was restored to the good graces of his Prince but at last the King considering that the Marriage of his brother had been more profitable to him then he had imagined and that Fulcian had hindred a great many discontented persons from breaking out into any violences had brought them to their duty and submission looked upon this prudent unfortunate man with as good an eye as ever he had done before his disgrace but he did not restore him to his confidence he loved him without making him his favourite that place cannot be easily rendred to those who have once lost it through the good order that those observe who by their wit and happy addresse have known how to make themselves Masters of it Our Heroe who was not wholly satisfied with the reparation that Fortune then did make him perceiving himself much less employed then when he had been his Princes favourite and was intrusted with all his secrets was resolved to try whether the persecutions of Love were any thing pleasanter then those his evil fortune caused him and gave up himself to be charm'd with the beauties of Sestiana the Daughter of Count Sestianes who was not altogether so happy
languishing voice and an air the most passionate in the world if there be nothing but my hatred that can draw upon me yours I am sure you will never hate me as long as you live you demand that of me which is not in my power for love and hatred are not voluntary things and if when one has once began either to love or hate it is impossible any longer to be Master of those two great and violent passions it is very difficult to kindle them when one has not as yet began to resent them But yet I will avow to you if that can bring you any satisfaction that my desires were agreable to yours that I have done whatever I could to hate you and that it has not been possible for me to effect it any more then it has been for you which clearly shows that our hearts do not agree with our desires that they have given themselves up absolutely to love and that they have not any place in them to receive hatred Since you will not hate me replied Sestiana to him I will be more generous then you I will begin first to do my duty and by my example inspire into you those sentiments you ought to have What Madam answered Democrates can you then resolve to hate me when you ought to give me the most signal marks of your love Ah! let me beseech you think of the violence I do to my self for your sake and remember that the ardent affection I conserve for you after those treatments I have received from your father ought to make you have in my favour more pleasant and obliging sentiments That ardent affection which you conserve for me after an affront which ought to be so sensible to you replied she to him produces more effects then you imagine for if it makes me to know the greatness and excess of your love it at the same time makes me to understand your baseness and if according to the rule which is that one should return love for love it obliges me to have a kindness for you according then to that other which is that one should look upon the base with contempt it obliges me to hate you Do whatsoever you please replyed this unfortunate Lover to her I will bear all from you without murmuring I will respect your choller I will respect your hatred and in spight of all your contempts I will conserve for you a love so firm and constant that there shall be nothing in the world capable to shake it Well then answered this Generous Heroin Lover since you force me to acknowledg a weakness which shall never be of advantage to you I do love you I own it and though I would yet I cannot oblige my heart to hate you but in spight of all that love that this perfidious heart will conserve I am going to marry Arcas to make you know that Ah! Madam interrupted the miserable Domocrates whom those words had almost rendered immoveable what crime have committed that can oblige you to punish me with so much rigour hate me rather for heav'ns sake then love me in this manner So long as you shall hate me I shall hope always that my love and my respects may be able one day to o'recome your hatred and render me possessor of one of the fairest persons in the world but when I shall see you in the arms of Arcas I shall only hope from death to derive the end of all my pains and sufferings Yet if you knew pursued he fetching a deep sigh what I do for your repose and if you knew the tears and the cruel afflictions I keep from you I am sure you would treat me with less rigour but whatsoever the evils that my silence causes me your repose is too dear to me not to preferr it to mine I should be afraid I might see you die with regret and grief and that fear forces me to conceal from you a secret which would cost you too dear All that I demand of you continued he for the reward of a service which possibly you will never know the greatness of and which proceeds only from an excess of love and generosity is that you would not marry Arcas You would then interrupted Sestiana oblige me to pay a service without knowing it and even without knowing whether it be true that you have rendered me any or no. Ah! Madam cryed Democrates interrupting he rin his turn this service has somewhat so particuler in it that I cannot render it to you and discover it to you both together the one is incompatible with the other and if I told it you I should not then render it to you Since that this secret is of so great importance replied this charming person to him I will not oblige you to reveal it and show my self curious as the generality of my sex do for fear my curiosity should be punished and I should repent my earnestness in pressing you to discover it This discourse replied Democrates to to her does not surprise me I knew long since how much above other women you were and that you do nothing wherein there is not an extraordinary height of prudence to be observed but in short Madam as this vertue is not repugnant to that which I demand of you and and that it does not oblige you to betray me let me beseech you to tell me what it is you would have me to hope for and if you are resolved to marry Ah! let us not discourse any longer said the fair Lady interrupting him either of love or of marriage do not force me if you love me to discover my weakness to you and do not constrain me to betray my virtue When you were without a Rival I did not finde it so difficult to testify my choller to you but now I must complain of you in spite of all my resistance my heart will not let me resolve to hate you but speaks to me in your favour and tells me you will cost me not a few tears I do not know whence this melancholy foreknowledge proceeds but I perceive very well that pity does interess it self as much for you as Love and indeavours to stifle all those sentiments I ought to have to your disadvantage Do not enquire any further answered-our Heroe from whence those sentiments of love and pity proceed that speak to you so much in my favour my Love and my innocence without doubt are the cause of them and thereby do advertise you not to betray in marrying Arcas the most faithfull and most passionate of all Lovers because that when you come to be convinced of his innocence the death you will have brought upon him by your cruel carriage will oblige you to bestow upon him some tears The Lady staid till then without pouring out any but at those very words she could not forbear shedding a few which she mingled with those sighs that at the same time broke from her and immediately took her