zanoni-第100节

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passions；　reeled　the　destinies　of　men　and　nations；　and　hard　at

hand　that　day…star；　waning　into　space；　looked　with　impartial　eye

on　the　church　tower　and　the　guillotine。　　Up　springs　the

blithesome　morn。　　In　yon　gardens　the　birds　renew　their　familiar

song。　　The　fishes　are　sporting　through　the　freshening　waters　of

the　Seine。　　The　gladness　of　divine　nature；　the　roar　and

dissonance　of　mortal　life；　awake　again：　　the　trader　unbars　his

windows；　the　flower…girls　troop　gayly　to　their　haunts；　busy　feet

are　tramping　to　the　daily　drudgeries　that　revolutions　which

strike　down　kings　and　kaisars；　leave　the　same　Cain's　heritage　to

the　boor；　the　wagons　groan　and　reel　to　the　mart；　Tyranny；　up

betimes；　holds　its　pallid　levee；　Conspiracy；　that　hath　not　slept；

hears　the　clock；　and　whispers　to　its　own　heart；　〃The　hour　draws

near。〃　　A　group　gather；　eager…eyed；　round　the　purlieus　of　the

Convention　Hall；　to…day　decides　the　sovereignty　of　France；about

the　courts　of　the　Tribunal　their　customary　hum　and　stir。　　No

matter　what　the　hazard　of　the　die；　or　who　the　ruler；　this　day

eighty　heads　shall　fall！



。。。



And　she　slept　so　sweetly。　　Wearied　out　with　joy；　secure　in　the

presence　of　the　eyes　regained；　she　had　laughed　and　wept　herself

to　sleep；　and　still　in　that　slumber　there　seemed　a　happy

consciousness　that　the　loved　was　by；the　lost　was　found。　　For

she　smiled　and　murmured　to　herself；　and　breathed　his　name　often；

and　stretched　out　her　arms；　and　sighed　if　they　touched　him　not。

He　gazed　upon　her　as　he　stood　apart；with　what　emotions　it　were

vain　to　say。　　She　would　wake　no　more　to　him；　she　could　not　know

how　dearly　the　safety　of　that　sleep　was　purchased。　　That　morrow

she　had　so　yearned　for；it　had　come　at　last。　　HOW　WOULD　SHE

GREET　THE　EVE？　　Amidst　all　the　exquisite　hopes　with　which　love

and　youth　contemplate　the　future；　her　eyes　had　closed。　　Those

hopes　still　lent　their　iris…colours　to　her　dreams。　　She　would

wake　to　live！　　To…morrow；　and　the　Reign　of　Terror　was　no　more；

the　prison　gates　would　be　opened；she　would　go　forth；　with　their

child；　into　that　summer…world　of　light。　　And　HE？he　turned；　and

his　eye　fell　upon　the　child；　it　was　broad　awake；　and　that　clear；

serious；　thoughtful　look　which　it　mostly　wore；　watched　him　with　a

solemn　steadiness。　　He　bent　over　and　kissed　its　lips。



〃Never　more；〃　he　murmured；　〃O　heritor　of　love　and　grief；never

more　wilt　thou　see　me　in　thy　visions；　never　more　will　the　light

of　those　eyes　be　fed　by　celestial　commune；　never　more　can　my　soul

guard　from　thy　pillow　the　trouble　and　the　disease。　　Not　such　as　I

would　have　vainly　shaped　it；　must　be　thy　lot。　　In　common　with　thy

race；　it　must　be　thine　to　suffer；　to　struggle；　and　to　err。　　But

mild　be　thy　human　trials；　and　strong　be　thy　spirit　to　love　and　to

believe！　　And　thus；　as　I　gaze　upon　thee；thus　may　my　nature

breathe　into　thine　its　last　and　most　intense　desire；　may　my　love

for　thy　mother　pass　to　thee；　and　in　thy　looks　may　she　hear　my

spirit　comfort　and　console　her。　　Hark！　they　come！　　Yes！　I　await

ye　both　beyond　the　grave！〃



The　door　slowly　opened；　the　jailer　appeared；　and　through　the

aperture　rushed；　at　the　same　instant；　a　ray　of　sunlight：　　it

streamed　over　the　fair；　hushed　face　of　the　happy　sleeper；it

played　like　a　smile　upon　the　lips　of　the　child　that；　still；　mute；

and　steadfast；　watched　the　movements　of　its　father。　　At　that

moment　Viola　muttered　in　her　sleep；　〃The　day　is　come；the　gates

are　open！　　Give　me　thy　hand；　we　will　go　forth！　　To　sea；　to　sea！

How　the　sunshine　plays　upon　the　waters！to　home；　beloved　one；　to

home　again！〃



〃Citizen；　thine　hour　is　come！〃



〃Hist！　she　sleeps！　　A　moment！　　There；　it　is　done！　thank　Heaven！

and　STILL　she　sleeps！〃　　He　would　not　kiss；　lest　he　should　awaken

her；　but　gently　placed　round　her　neck　the　amulet　that　would　speak

to　her；　hereafter；　the　farewell；and　promise；　in　that　farewell；

reunion！　　He　is　at　the　threshold；he　turns　again；　and　again。

The　door　closes！　　He　is　gone　forever！



She　woke　at　last；she　gazed　round。　　〃Zanoni；　it　is　day！〃　　No

answer　but　the　low　wail　of　her　child。　　Merciful　Heaven！　was　it

then　all　a　dream？　　She　tossed　back　the　long　tresses　that　must

veil　her　sight；　she　felt　the　amulet　on　her　bosom；it　was　NO

dream！　　〃O　God！　and　he　is　gone！〃　　She　sprang　to　the　door；　she

shrieked　aloud。　　The　jailer　comes。　　〃My　husband；　my　child's

father？〃



〃He　is　gone　before　thee；　woman！〃



〃Whither？　　Speakspeak！〃



〃To　the　guillotine！〃and　the　black　door　closed　again。



It　closed　upon　the　senseless！　　As　a　lightning…flash；　Zanoni's

words；　his　sadness；　the　true　meaning　of　his　mystic　gift；　the　very

sacrifice　he　made　for　her；　all　became　distinct　for　a　moment　to

her　mind；and　then　darkness　swept　on　it　like　a　storm；　yet

darkness　which　had　its　light。　　And　while　she　sat　there；　mute；

rigid；　voiceless；　as　congealed　to　stone；　A　VISION；　like　a　wind；

glided　over　the　deeps　within；the　grim　court；　the　judge；　the

jury；　the　accuser；　and　amidst　the　victims　the　one　dauntless　and

radiant　form。



〃Thou　knowest　the　danger　to　the　State；confess！〃



〃I　know；　and　I　keep　my　promise。　　Judge；　I　reveal　thy　doom！　　I

know　that　the　Anarchy　thou　callest　a　State　expires　with　the

setting　of　this　sun。　　Hark；　to　the　tramp　without；　hark　to　the

roar　of　voices！　　Room　there；　ye　dead！room　in　hell　for

Robespierre　and　his　crew！〃



They　hurry　into　the　court；the　hasty　and　pale　messengers；　there

is　confusion　and　fear　and　dismay！　　〃Off　with　the　conspirator；　and

to…morrow　the　woman　thou　wouldst　have　saved　shall　die！〃



〃To…morrow；　president；　the　steel　falls　on　THEE！〃



On；　through　the　crowded　and　roaring　streets；　on　moves　the

Procession　of　Death。　　Ha；　brave　people！　thou　art　aroused　at　last。

They　shall　not　die！　　Death　is　dethroned！Robespierre　has

fallen！they　rush　to　the　rescue！　　Hideous　in　the　tumbril；　by　the

side　of　Zanoni；　raved　and　gesticulated　that　form　which；　in　his

prophetic　dreams；　he　had　seen　his　companion　at　the　place　of

death。　　〃Save　us！save　us！〃　howled　the　atheist　Nicot。　　〃On；

brave　populace！　we　SHALL　be　saved！〃　　And　through　the　crowd；　her

dark　hair　streaming　wild；　her　eyes　flashing　fire；　pressed　a

female　form；　〃My　Clarence！〃　she　shrieked；　in　the　soft　Southern

language　native　to　the　ears　of　Viola；　〃butcher！　what　hast　thou

done　with　Clarence？〃　　Her　eyes　roved　over　the　eager　faces　of　the

prisoners；　she　saw　not　the　one　she　sought。　　〃Thank　Heaven！thank

Heaven！　　I　am　not　thy　murderess！〃



Nearer　and　nearer　press　the　populace；another　moment；　and　the

deathsman　is　defrauded。　　O　Zanoni！　why　still　upon　THY　brow　the

resignation　that　speaks　no　hope？　　Tramp！　tramp！　through　the

streets　dash　the　armed　troop；　faithful　to　his　orders；　Black

Henriot　leads　them　on。　　Tramp！　tramp！　over　the　craven　and

scattered　crowd！　　Here；　flying　in　disorder；there；　trampled　in

the　mire；　the　shrieking　rescuers！　　And　amidst　them；　stricken　by

the　sabres　of　the　guard；　her　long　hair　blood…bedabbled；　lies　the

Italian　woman；　and　still　upon　her　writhing　lips　sits　joy；　as　they

murmur；　〃Clarence！　I　have　not　destroyed　thee！〃



On　to　the　Barriere　du　Trone。　　It　frowns　dark　in　the　air；the

giant　instrument　of　murder！　　One　after　one　to　the　glaive；

another　and　another　and　another！　　Mercy！　　O　mercy！　　Is　the　bridge

between　the　sun　and　the　shades　so　brief；brief　as　a　sigh？

There；　there；HIS　turn　has　come。　　〃Die　not　yet；　leave　me　not

behind；　hear　mehear　me！〃　shrieked　the　inspired　sleeper。　　〃What！

and　thou　smilest　still！〃　　They　smiled；those　pale　lips；and

WITH　the　smile；　the　place　of　doom；　the　headsman；　the　horror

vanished。　　With　that　smile；　all　space　seemed　suffused　in　eternal

sunshine。　　Up　from　the　earth　he　rose；　he　hovered　over　her；a

thing　not　of　matter；　an　IDEA　of　joy　and　light！　　Behind；　Heaven

opened；　deep　after　deep；　and　the　Hosts　of　Beauty　were　seen；　rank

upon　rank；　afar；　and　〃Welcome！〃　in　a　myriad　melodies；　broke　from

your　choral　multitude；　ye　People　of　the　Skies；〃welcome！　　O

purified　by　sacrifice；　and　immortal　only　through　the　grave；this

it　is　to　die。〃　　And　radiant　amidst　the　radiant；　the　IMAGE

stretched　forth　its　arms；　and　murmured　to　the　sleeper：

〃Companion　of　Eternity！THIS　it　is　to　die！〃



。。。



〃Ho！　wherefore　do　they　make　us　signs　from　the　house…tops？

Wherefore　gather　the　crowds　through　the　street？　　Why　sounds　the

bell？　　Why　shrieks　the　tocsin？　　Hark　to　the　guns！the　armed

clash！　　Fellow…captives；　is　there　hope　for　us　at　last？〃



So　gasp　out　the　prisoners；　each　to　each。　　Day　wanesevening

closes；　still　they　press　their　white　faces　to　the　bars；　and　still

from　window　and　from　house…top　they　see　the　smiles　of　friends；

the　waving　signals！　　〃Hurrah！〃　at　last；〃Hurrah！　　Robespierre　is

fallen！　　The　Reign　of　Terror　is　no　more！　　God　hath　permitted　us

to　live！〃



Yes；　cast　thine　eyes　into　the　hall　where　the　tyrant　and　his

conclave　hearkened　to　the　roar　without！　　Fulfilling　the　prophecy

of　Dumas；　Henriot；　drunk　with　blood　and　alcohol；　reels　within；

and　chucks　his　gory　sabre　on　the　floor。　　〃