the governess-第6部分

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　over　his　shoulder；　he　flung　the　fainting　Amata；　whom　he　took　to　be　quite　expired；　into　the　stream　that　ran　hard　by；　and　fled　to　his　cave；　not　daring　once　to　cast　his　eyes　behind　him。

The　good　Benefico　perceiving　the　monster's　flight；　and　not　doubting　but　he　had　been　perpetrating　some　horrid　mischief；　immediately　hastened　to　the　brook；　where　he　found　the　half…expiring　Amata　floating　down　the　stream；　for　her　clothes　had　yet　borne　her　up　on　the　surface　of　the　water。　　He　speedily　stepped　in；and　drew　her　out；　and　taking　her　in　his　arms；　pressed　her　to　his　warm　bosom；　and　in　a　short　space　perceiving　in　her　face　the　visible　marks　of　returning　life；　his　heart　swelled　with　kind　compassion；　and　he　thus　bespoke　the　tender　maid：　　'Unhappy　damsel；　lift　up　thy　gentle　eyes；　and　tell　me　by　what　hard　fate　thou　hast　fallen　into　the　power　of　that　barbarous　monster；　whose　savage　nature　delights　in　nothing　but　ruin　and　desolation。　　Tremble　not　thus；　but　without　fear　or　terror　behold　one　who　joys　in　the　thought　of　having　saved　thee　from　destruction；　and　will　bring　thee　every　comfort　his　utmost　power　can　procure。'

The　gentle　Amata　was　now　just　enough　recovered　to　open　her　eyes：　　but　finding　herself　in　a　giant's　arms；　and　still　retaining　in　her　mind　the　frightful　image　of　the　horrid　Barbarico；　she　fetched　a　deep　sigh；　crying　out　in　broken　accents；　'Fly；　Fidus；　fly；'　and　again　sunk　down　upon　the　friendly　giant's　breast。　　On　hearing　these　words；　and　plainly　seeing　by　the　anguish　of　her　mind　that　some　settled　grief　was　deeply　rooted　at　her　heart；　and　therefore　despairing　to　bring　her　to　herself　immediately；　the　kind　Benefico　hastened　with　her　to　his　hospitable　castle；　where　every　imaginable　assistance　was　administered　to　her　relief；　in　order　to　recover　her　lost　sense；　and　to　reconcile　her　to　her　wretched　fate。

The　cruel　Barbarico　was　no　sooner　arrived　at　his　gloomy　cave；　than　he　called　to　him　his　little　page；　who；　trembling　to　hear　the　tyrant　now　again　returned；　quickly　drew　near　to　attend　his　stern　commands：　　when　drawing　out　of　the　wallet　the　poor　Fidus；　more　dead　than　alive；　the　monster　cried　out；　'Here；　caitiff；　take　in　charge　this　smoothed…faced　miscreant；　and；　d'ye　hear　me？　see　that　his　allowance　be　no　more　than　one　small　ounce　of　mouldy　bread　and　half　a　pint　of　standing　water；　for　each　day's　support；　till　his　now　blooming　skin　be　withered；　his　flesh　be　wasted　from　his　bones；　and　he　dwindle　to　a　meagre　skeleton。'　　So　saying　he　left　them；　as　he　hoped；　to　bewail　each　other's　sad　condition。　　But　the　unhappy　Fidus；　bereft　of　his　Amata；　was　not　to　be　appalled　by　any　of　the　most　horrid　threats；　for　now　his　only　comfort　was　the　hopes　of　a　speedy　end　to　his　miserable　life；　and　to　find　a　refuge　from　his　misfortunes　in　the　peaceful　grave。　　With　this　reflection　the　faithful　Fidus　was　endeavouring　to　calm　the　inward　troubles　of　his　mind；　when　the　little　page；　with　looks　of　the　most　tender　compassion；　and　in　gentle　words；　bid　him　be　comforted；　and　with　patience　endure　his　present　affliction；　adding　that　he　himself　had　long　suffered　the　most　rigorous　fate；　yet　despaired　not　but　that　one　day　would　give　them　an　opportunity　to　free　themselves　from　the　wicked　wretch；　whose　sole　delight　was　in　others'　torments。　　'As　to　his　inhuman　commands；'　continued　he；　'I　will　sooner　die　than　obey　them；　and　in　a　mutual　friendship　perhaps　we　may　find　some　consolation；　even　in　this　dismal　cave。'

This　little　page　the　cruel　Barbarico　had　stolen　from　his　parents　at　five　years　old；　ever　since　which　time　he　had　tortured　and　abused　him；　till　he　had　now　attained　the　age　of　one…and…twenty。　　His　mother　had　given　him　the　name　of　Mignon；　by　which　name　the　monster　always　called　him；　as　it　gratified　his　insolence　to　make　use　of　that　fond　appellation　whilst　he　was　abusing　him；　only　when　he　said　Mignon　he　would　in　derision　add　the　word　Dwarf；　for；　to　say　the　truth；　Mignon　was　one　of　the　least　men　that　was　ever　seen；　though　at　the　same　time　one　of　the　prettiest：　　his　limbs；　though　small；　were　exactly　proportioned；　his　countenance　was　at　once　sprightly　and　soft；　and　whatever　his　head　thought；　or　his　heart　felt；　his　eyes　by　their　looks　expressed；　and　his　temper　was　as　sweet　as　his　person　was　amiable。　　Such　was　the　gentle　creature　Barbarico　chose　to　torment。　　For　wicked　giants；　no　less　than　wicked　men　and　women；　are　constantly　tormented　at　the　appearance　of　those　perfections　in　another；　to　which　they　themselves　have　no　pretensions。

The　friendship　and　affection　of　Fidus　and　Mignon　now　every　day　increased；　and　the　longer　they　were　acquainted；　the　mere　delight　they　took　in　each　other's　company。　　The　faithful　Fidus　related　to　his　companion　the　story　of　his　loved　Amata；　whilst　the　tender　Mignon　consoled　his　friend's　inward　sorrows；　and　supplied　him　with　necessaries；　notwithstanding　the　venture　he　run　of　the　cruel　tyrant's　heavy　displeasure。　　The　giant　ceased　not　every　day　to　view　the　hapless　Fidus；　to　see　if　the　cruelty　of　his　intentions　had　in　any　degree　wrought　its　desired　effect；　but　perceiving　in　him　no　alteration；　he　now　began　to　be　suspicious　that　the　little　Mignon　had　not　punctually　obeyed　his　savage　command。　　In　order　therefore　to　satisfy　his　wicked　curiosity；　he　resolved　within　himself　narrowly　to　watch　every　occasion　these　poor　unhappy　captives　had　of　conversing　with　each　other。　　Mignon；　well　knowing　the　implacable　and　revengeful　disposition　of　this　barbarous　tyrant；　had　taken　all　the　precautions　imaginable　to　avoid　discovery；　and　therefore　generally　sought　every　opportunity　of　being　alone　with　Fidus；　and　carrying　him　his　daily　provisions　at　those　hours　he　knew　the　giant　was　most　likely　to　be　asleep。

It　so　befell　that；　on　a　certain　day；　the　wicked　giant　had；　as　was　his　usual　custom；　been　abroad　for　many　hours　in　search　of　some　unhappy　creature　on　whom　to　glut　his　hateful　inhumanity；　when；　tired　with　fruitless　roaming；　he　returned　to　his　gloomy　cave；　beguiled　of　all　his　horrid　purposes；　for　he　had　not　once　that　day　espied　so　much　as　the　track　of　man；　or　other　harmless　animal；　to　give　him　hopes　even　to　gratify　his　rage　or　cruelty；　but　now　raving　with　inward　torment　and　despair；　he　laid　him　down　upon　his　iron　couch；　to　try　if　he　could　close　his　eyes　and　quiet　the　tumultuous　passions　of　his　breast。　　He　tossed　and　tumbled　and　could　get　no　rest；　starting　with　fearful　dreams；　and　horrid　visions　of　tormenting　furies。

Meanwhile　the　gentle　Mignon　had　prepared　a　little　delicate　repast；　and　having　seen　the　monster　lay　himself　at　length；　and　thinking　now　that　a　fit　occasion　offered　in　which　to　comfort　and　refresh　his　long…expecting　friend；　was　hastening　with　it　to　the　cell　where　the　faithful　Fidus　was　confined。　　At　the　fatal　moment　the　giant；　rearing　himself　up　on　his　couch；　perceived　the　little　Mignon　just　at　the　entrance　of　the　cell；　when　calling　to　him　in　a　hollow　voice；　that　dismally　resounded　through　the　cave；　he　so　startled　the　poor　unhappy　page；　that　he　dropped　the　cover　from　his　trembling　hand　and　stood　fixed　and　motionless　as　a　statue。

'Come　hither；　Mignon；　caitiff；　dwarf；'　said　then　the　taunting　homicide：　　but　the　poor　little　creature　was　so　thunderstruck　he　was　quite　unable　to　stir　one　foot。　　Whereat　the　giant；　rousing　himself　from　off　his　couch；　with　one　huge　stride　reached　out　his　brawny　arm；　and　seized　him　by　the　waist；　and；　pointing　to　the　scattered　delicates；　cried　out；　'Vile　miscreant！　is　it　thus　thou　hast　obeyed　my　orders？　　Is　this　the　mouldy　bread　and　muddy　water；　with　which　alone　it　was　my　command　thou　shouldst　sustain　that　puny　mortal？　　But　I'll'　　Here　raising　him　aloft；　he　was　about　to　dash　him　to　the　ground；　when　suddenly　revolving　in　his　wicked　thoughts；　that　if　at　once　he　should　destroy　his　patient　slave；　his　cruelty　to　him　must　also　have　an　end；　he　pausedand　then　recovering；　he　stretched　out　his　arm；　and　bringing　the　little　trembler　near　his　glaring　eyes；　he　thus　subjoins：　　'No；　I'll　not　destroy　thy　wretched　life；　but　thou　shalt　waste　thy　weary　days　in　a　dark　dungeon；　as　far　remote　from　the　least　dawn　of　light　as　from　thy　loved　companion。　　And　I　myself　will　carefully　supply　you　both　so　equally　with　mouldy　bread　and　water；　that　each　by　his　own　sufferings　shall　daily　know　what　his　dear　friend　endures。'　　So　saying；　he　hastened　with　him　to　his　deepest　dungeon；　and　having　thrust　him　in；　he　doubly　barred　the　iron　door。　　And　now　again　retiring　to　his　couch；　this　new…wrought　mischief；　which　greatly　gratified　his　raging　mind；　soon　sunk　him　down　into　a　sound　and　heavy　sleep。　　The　reason　this　horrid　monster　had　not　long　ago　devoured　his　little　captive　（for　he　thought　him　a　delicious　morsel）　was；　that　he　might　never　want　an　object　at　hand　to　gratify　his　cruelty。　　For　though　extremely　great　was　his　voracious　hunger；　yet　greater　still　was　his　desire　of　tormenting；　and　oftentimes　when　he　had　teased；　beat；　and　tortured　the　poor　gentle　Mignon；　so　as　to　force　from　him　tears；　and　sometimes　a　soft　complaint；　he　would；　with　a　malicious　sneer；　scornfully　reproach　him　in　the　following　words：　　'Little　does　it　avail　to　whine；　to　blubber；　or　complain；　for；　remember；　abject　wretch；

I　am　a　giant；　and　I　can　eat　thee：　Thou　art　a　dwarf；　and　thou　canst　not　eat　me。'

When　Mignon　was　thus　alone；　he　threw　himself　on　the　cold　ground；　bemoaning　his　unhappy　fate。　　However；　he　soon　recollected　that　patience　and　resignation　were　his　only　succour　in　this　distressful　condition；　not　doubting　but　that；　as　goodness　cannot　always　suffer；　he　should　in　time　meet　with　some　unforeseen　deliverance　from　the　savage　power　of　the　inhuman　Barbarico。

Whilst　the　gentle　Mignon　was　endeavouring　to　comfort　himself　in　his　dungeon　with　these　good　reflections；　he　suddenly　perceived；　at　a　little　distance　from　him；　a　small　glimmering　light。　　Immediately　he　rose　from　the　ground；　and　going　towards　it；　found　that　it　shone　through　a　little　door　that　had　been　left　at　jar；　which　led　him　to　a　spacious　hall；　wherein　the　giant　hoarded　his　immense　treasures。　　Mignon　was　at　first　dazzled　with　the　lustre　of　so　much　gold　and　silver；　and　sparkling　jewels　as　were　there　heaped　together。　　But　casting　his　eyes　on　a　statue　that　was　placed　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　he　read　on　the　pedestal；　written　in　very　small　letters；　the　following　verses：

Wouldst　thou　from　the　rage　be　free　Of　the　tyrant's　tyranny；　Loose　the　fillet　which　is　bound　Twice　three　ti