'Tis true he is not comely in feature,
but the chaste and well-bred female knows how to despise the fleeting
charms of form. 'Tis true he is old; but can woman be better employed
than in tending her aged and sickly companion? That he has been married
is likewise certain--but ah, my mother! who knows not that he must be a
good and tender husband, who, nine times wedded, owns that, he cannot be
happy without another partner?"
It was with these admirable sentiments the lovely Fatima proposed
obedience to her parents' will, and consented to receive the magnificent
marriage-gift presented to her by her gallant bridegroom.
III.
The old Countess of Chacabacque had made a score of vain attempts to see
her hapless daughter. Ever, when she came, the porters grinned at her
savagely through the grating of the portcullis of the vast embattled
gate of the Castle of Barbazure, and rudely bade her begone. "The Lady
of Barbazure sees nobody but her confessor, and keeps her chamber," was
the invariable reply of the dogged functionaries to the entreaties of
the agonized mother. And at length, so furious was he at her perpetual
calls at his gate, that the angry Lord of Barbazure himself, who chanced
to be at the postern, armed a cross-bow, and let fly an arblast at the
crupper of the lady's palfrey, whereon she fled finally, screaming, and
in terror.
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