Page:Genlis - The Palace of Truth (1819).djvu/44

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

30

tions of affection? I have no talisman, and yet I believe you. If you ask me what love is, I will tell you: at the moment when you obtained a confession of my passion for you, you should have taken this pretended treasure, this odious ring, have cast it from you, and said, "The love and confidence you inspire render "this useless."

I listened and stood confounded; at last I fell on my knees, implored Agelia's indulgence, and my pardon.

Indulgence! cried she, you know not its value; did I not generously pardon you all the wrongs I have just repeated? When I threw your ring into the sea, you ought to have recollected it had not changed its colour: but the passion, the unworthy fury you have just been guilty of—

Hold, Agelia, you pierce me to the soul.

No, my lord, I will take no advantage of your present want of power to read my heart; my word is more certain than all the talismans in the world; I love you no longer, nor ever shall love you more.

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.