Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 15, 2025
The former assured her that the Holy Virgin would frown on every attempt to withdraw a true votaress from the shrine of Saint Ursula; while the Countess of Crevecoeur whispered more temporal consolation, that no true knight, who might succeed in the enterprise proposed, would avail himself, against her inclinations, of the Duke's award; and that perhaps the successful competitor might prove one who should find such favour in her eyes as to reconcile her to obedience.
Such talk, both priest and votaress told her, was not meet for dutiful daughter or betrothed maiden.
"Are you not tired?" "We are never tired." "Ah, my sister, sometimes," murmured the junior votaress. "Not to-day, at any rate. We have rested too well here. Que Dieu vows garde, ma fine." Their host, while they exchanged kisses with his daughter, went forward to open the door through which they were to pass; but as he did so he gave a slight exclamation, and stood looking beyond.
It is to be feared, notwithstanding her frequent and vociferous denials, that the robes of the "imperial votaress" were not so unsullied as could be wished.
And the world shall learn that the soft Epicurean can vie with the cold Stoic in carelessness of living, and contempt of death—that the warm votaress of Aphrodite can spend her glowing life-blood as prodigally as the stern follower of Virtue! Lucretia died, and was counted great and noble, because she cared not to survive her honour!
And indeed Alice Montagu, bred up in strictness and in both piety and learning, as was sometimes the case with the daughters of the nobility, had in all her simplicity and bashfulness a purity and depth that made her a congenial spirit with the grave votaress, whom she regarded on her side with a young girl's enthusiastic admiration for a grown woman, although in point of fact the years between them were few.
How short-aged was the night together we enjoyed, * When seemed it daybreak came on nightfall's heel to press! But Fate had vowed to disunite us lovers twain, * And she too well hath kept her vow, that votaress. Fate so decreed it! None her sentence can withstand: * Where is the wight who dares oppose his Lord's command?
I see you are coming to a better mind. 'I hope I am, Monseigneur, she replied, with lofty meekness; 'but scarcely such as you mean. Alice Montagu's indignation knew no bounds. What! was this noble votaress to be forced, not only to resign the glory of being the foundress of a new order of beneficence, but to be married, just like everybody else, and to that wretched little coward?
This was as near as she ever came to marriage, and it was this love at least which makes Shakespeare's famous line as false as it is beautiful, when he describes "the imperial votaress" as passing by "in maiden meditation, fancy free."
"The Queen of Heaven! venerable kinswoman," answered Eveline; "our Lady of the Garde Doloureuse, ever gracious to our house, and so lately my especial guardian and protectress. Methinks, since the vowed votaress of the Virgin rejects me, it is to her holy patroness whom I ought to apply for succour."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking