The lady, who
ate but sparingly herself, possessed herself with patience until
Jonathan's hunger had been appeased. When, however, she beheld
that he weakened in his attacks upon the dessert of sweets with
which the banquet was concluded, she addressed him upon the
business which was evidently entirely occupying her mind.
"Sir," said she, "you are doubtless aware that every one, whether
man or woman, is possessed of an enemy. In my own case I must
inform you that I have no less than three who, to compass their
ends, would gladly sacrifice my life itself to their purposes. At
no time am I safe from their machinations, nor have I any one,"
cried she, exhibiting a great emotion, "to whom I may turn in my
need. It was this that led me to hope to find in you a friend in
my perils, for, having observed through my agents that you are
not only honest in disposition and strong in person, but that you
are possessed of a considerable degree of energy and
determination, I am most desirous of imposing upon your
good-nature a trust of which you cannot for a moment suspect the
magnitude. Tell me, are you willing to assist a poor, defenceless
female in her hour of trial?"
"Indeed, friend," quoth Jonathan, with more vivacity than he
usually exhibited, with a lenity to which he had heretofore in
his lifetime been a stranger--being warmed into such a spirit,
doubtless, by the generous wines of which he had
partaken--"indeed, friend, if I could but see thy face it would
doubtless make my decision in such a matter the more favorable,
since I am inclined to think from the little I can behold of it,
that thy appearance must be extremely comely to the eye.
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