"Icomenot, Ambrosiaforanyofthepurposesthouhastnamed," repliedMarcela, "buttodefendmyselfandtoprovehowunreasonableareallthosewhoblamemefortheirsorrowandforChrysostom'sdeath; andthereforeIaskallofyouthatareheretogivemeyourattention, , soyousay, beautiful, andsomuchsothatinspiteofyourselvesmybeautyleadsyoutoloveme; andfortheloveyoushowmeyousay, andevenurge, , butIcannotseehow, byreasonofbeingloved, thatwhichislovedforitsbeautyisboundtolovethatwhichlovesit; besides, itmayhappenthattheloverofthatwhichisbeautifulmaybeugly, anduglinessbeingdetestable, itisveryabsurdtosay, "Ilovetheebecausethouartbeautiful, thoumustlovemethoughIbeugly." Butsupposingthebeautyequalonbothsides, itdoesnotfollowthattheinclinationsmustbethereforealike, foritisnoteverybeautythatexciteslove, somebutpleasingtheeyewithoutwinningtheaffection; andifeverysortofbeautyexcitedloveandwontheheart, thewillwouldwandervaguelytoandfrounabletomakechoiceofany; forasthereisaninfinityofbeautifulobjectstheremustbeaninfinityofinclinations, andtruelove, Ihavehearditsaid, isindivisible, , asIbelieveittobe, whydoyoudesiremetobendmywillbyforce, fornootherreasonbutthatyousayyouloveme? Nay—tellme—hadHeavenmademeugly, asithasmademebeautiful, couldIwithjusticecomplainofyoufornotlovingme? Moreover, youmustrememberthatthebeautyIpossesswasnochoiceofmine, for, beitwhatitmay, Heavenofitsbountygaveitmewithoutmyaskingorchoosingit; andastheviper, thoughitkillswithit, doesnotdeservetobeblamedforthepoisonitcarries, asitisagiftofnature, neitherdoIdeservereproachforbeingbeautiful; forbeautyinamodestwomanislikefireatadistanceorasharpsword; theonedoesnotburn, theotherdoesnotcut, , withoutwhichthebody, thoughitbeso, hasnorighttopassforbeautiful; butifmodestyisoneofthevirtuesthatspeciallylendagraceandcharmtomindandbody, whyshouldshewhoislovedforherbeautypartwithittogratifyonewhoforhispleasurealonestriveswithallhismightandenergytorobherofit? Iwasbornfree, andthatImightliveinfreedomIchosethesolitudeofthefields; inthetreesofthemountainsIfindsociety, theclearwatersofthebrooksaremymirrors, , , Ihavebywordsundeceived, andiftheirlongingsliveonhope—andIhavegivennonetoChrysostomortoanyother—itcannotjustlybesaidthatthedeathofanyismydoing, foritwasratherhisownobstinacythanmycrueltythatkilledhim; andifitbemadeachargeagainstmethathiswisheswerehonourable, andthatthereforeIwasboundtoyieldtothem, Ianswerthatwhenonthisveryspotwherenowhisgraveismadehedeclaredtomehispurityofpurpose, Itoldhimthatminewastoliveinperpetualsolitude, andthattheearthaloneshouldenjoythefruitsofmyretirementandthespoilsofmybeauty; andif, afterthisopenavowal, hechosetopersistagainsthopeandsteeragainstthewind, whatwonderisitthatheshouldsinkinthedepthsofhisinfatuation? IfIhadencouragedhim, Ishouldbefalse; ifIhadgratifiedhim, , , lethimgivewaytodespairwhoseencouragedhopeshaveprovedvain, lethimflatterhimselfwhomIshallentice, lethimboastwhomIshallreceive; butletnothimcallmecruelorhomicidetowhomImakenopromise, uponwhomIpractisenodeception, , , andletitbeunderstoodfromthistimeforththatifanyonediesformeitisnotofjealousyormiseryhedies, forshewholovesnoonecangivenocauseforjealousytoany, , leavemealoneassomethingnoxiousandevil; lethimwhocallsmeungrateful, withholdhisservice; whocallsmewayward, seeknotmyacquaintance; whocallsmecruel, pursuemenot; forthiswildbeast, thisbasilisk, thisungrateful, cruel, waywardbeinghasnokindofdesiretoseek, serve, know, 'simpatienceandviolentpassionkilledhim, whyshouldmymodestbehaviourandcircumspectionbeblamed? IfIpreservemypurityinthesocietyofthetrees, whyshouldhewhowouldhavemepreserveitamongmen, seektorobmeofit? Ihave, asyouknow, wealthofmyown, andIcovetnotthatofothers; mytasteisforfreedom, andIhavenorelishforconstraint; Ineitherlovenorhateanyone; Idonotdeceivethisoneorcourtthat, ; mydesiresareboundedbythesemountains, andiftheyeverwanderhenceitistocontemplatethebeautyoftheheavens, stepsbywhichthesoultravelstoitsprimevalabode."
