faithlessness, because my heart, that was tormented by his love, is now
at liberty to reject it; can justly refuse his addresses, and, without
scruple, grant its favours to another. But what delight can my heart
feel, if it suffers severely from other pangs; if the continual weakness
of a jealous prince receives my tenderness with disdain, compels me
justly to give way to anger, and thus to break off all intercourse
between us?

EL. But as he has never been told that you love him, how can he be
guilty if he disbelieves in his happiness? And does not that which could
flatter his rival's expectations warrant him to suspect your affection?

ELV. No, no; nothing can excuse the strange madness of his gloomy and
unmanly jealousy; I have told him but too clearly, by my actions, that
he can indeed flatter himself with the happiness of being beloved. Even
if we do not speak, there are other interpreters which clearly lay bare
our secret feelings. A sigh, a glance, a mere blush, silence itself, is
enough to show the impulses of a heart. In love, everything speaks: in a
case like this, the smallest glimmer ought to throw a great light upon
such a subject, since the honour which sways our sex forbids us ever to
discover all we feel. I have, I own, endeavoured so to guide my conduct,
that I should behold their merits with an unprejudiced eye. But how
vainly do we strive against our inclinations! How easy is it to perceive
the difference between those favours that are bestowed out of mere
politeness, and such as spring from the heart! The first seem always
forced; the latter, alas! are granted without thinking, like those pure
and limpid streams which spontaneously flow from their native sources.
Though the feelings of pity I showed for Don Silvio moved the Prince,
yet I unwittingly betrayed their shallowness, whilst my very looks,
during this torture, always told him more than I desired they should.