Nevertheless, I cannot live
without your presence, and so I gladly yield to my exceeding sorrow, and
will seek for it no cure either in reason or in medicine. Death alone
shall end it, and death will be sweeter to me than life on earth without
lover, honour or happiness. Neither war nor death has robbed me of my
lover; no sin or fault of mine has robbed me of my honour; neither error
nor demerit of mine has made me lose my joy. 'Tis cruel fate that
has rendered the most favoured of men thankless, and has caused me to
receive the contrary of that which I deserved.
"Ah, my Lady Duchess, what delight it was to you to taunt me with my
little dog! Rejoice, then, in the happiness you owe to me alone; taunt
her who thought by careful concealment and virtuous love to be free from
any taunt. Ah! how those words have bruised my heart! how they have made
me blush for shame and pale for jealousy! Alas, my heart, I feel that
thou art indeed undone! The wicked love that has discovered me burns
thee; jealousy of thee and evil intent towards thee are to thee as ice
and death; while wrath and sorrow do not suffer me to comfort thee.
Alas, poor soul, that in adoring the creature didst forget the Creator,
thou must return into the hands of Him from whom vain love tore thee
away.
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