Page:French convert.pdf/52

52 heaven, ſighs and tears being the language of her ſoul, his impious hand was about to give the fatal thruſt; but the other catched hold of his arm and ſtopped his ſwords and, after that, they whiſpered; but, ſhe knew not what they ſaid, till their farther attempt revealed it.

They had no ſooner done conferring notes, but they violently forced her on her back, and prepared to raviſh her first, and then put her to death: Her cries were upon this redoubled, and ſhe begged death rather than the loſs of her chaſtity: opening her boſom, and tempting their ſwords to pierce it. But her beauty, in this ſorrowful condition, was ſo charming in their luſtful eyes, that they were inexorable to her cries and prayers. O! had Alanſon been but there, with what vengeance, at this piteous fight, would his ſword have been drawn to their deſtrutction and her reſcue; but, he being ignorant of the wounds his dear lady was about to receive, Heaven interpoſed for her reſcue: For the villains fell at diſcord, who ſhould firſt enjoy her; and the conteſt grew ſo hot, that they diſputed it with their ſwords; and, in the duel, the pretended captain (moſt forward in the miſchief) was run through the body; and with a ghaſtly groan, yielded up his wicked ſoul into the hands of death. The other being ſorely wounded, and fainting, through loſs of blood, gave Deidamia time to fly farther into the woods; wandering ſo far, that, night covering every thing with darkneſs, ſhe thought, ſhe might now reſt a little to recover breath, and ſo ſat down upon the ground. Though the dangers ſhe had ſo lately eſcaped from wicked men, and thoſe that ſhe now feared from wild beaſts, would not for a long time, ſuffer her to close