zanoni-第14节

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sufferings　of　the　night。　　He　expressed　his　gratitude　to　his

preserver　with　tearful　fervour；　and　stated　that　he　had　already

sent　for　a　relation　who　would　make　arrangements　for　his　future

safety　and　mode　of　life。　　〃For　I　have　money　yet　left；〃　said　the

old　man；　〃and　henceforth　have　no　motive　to　be　a　miser。〃　　He

proceeded　then　briefly　to　relate　the　origin　and　circumstances　of

his　connection　with　his　intended　murderer。



It　seems　that　in　earlier　life　he　had　quarrelled　with　his

relations；from　a　difference　in　opinions　of　belief。　　Rejecting

all　religion　as　a　fable；　he　yet　cultivated　feelings　that　inclined

himfor　though　his　intellect　was　weak；　his　dispositions　were

goodto　that　false　and　exaggerated　sensibility　which　its　dupes

so　often　mistake　for　benevolence。　　He　had　no　children；　he

resolved　to　adopt　an　enfant　du　peuple。　　He　resolved　to　educate

this　boy　according　to　〃reason。〃　　He　selected　an　orphan　of　the

lowest　extraction；　whose　defects　of　person　and　constitution　only

yet　the　more　moved　his　pity；　and　finally　engrossed　his　affection。

In　this　outcast　he　not　only　loved　a　son；　he　loved　a　theory！　　He

brought　him　up　most　philosophically。　　Helvetius　had　proved　to　him

that　education　can　do　all；　and　before　he　was　eight　years　old；　the

little　Jean's　favourite　expressions　were；　〃La　lumiere　et　la

vertu。〃　　（Light　and　virtue。）　　The　boy　showed　talents；　especially

in　art。



The　protector　sought　for　a　master　who　was　as　free　from

〃superstition〃　as　himself；　and　selected　the　painter　David。　　That

person；　as　hideous　as　his　pupil；　and　whose　dispositions　were　as

vicious　as　his　professional　abilities　were　undeniable；　was

certainly　as　free　from　〃superstition〃　as　the　protector　could

desire。　　It　was　reserved　for　Robespierre　hereafter　to　make　the

sanguinary　painter　believe　in　the　Etre　Supreme。　　The　boy　was

early　sensible　of　his　ugliness；　which　was　almost　preternatural。

His　benefactor　found　it　in　vain　to　reconcile　him　to　the　malice　of

Nature　by　his　philosophical　aphorisms；　but　when　he　pointed　out　to

him　that　in　this　world　money；　like　charity；　covers　a　multitude　of

defects；　the　boy　listened　eagerly　and　was　consoled。　　To　save

money　for　his　protege；for　the　only　thing　in　the　world　he

loved；this　became　the　patron's　passion。　　Verily；　he　had　met

with　his　reward。



〃But　I　am　thankful　he　has　escaped；〃　said　the　old　man；　wiping　his

eyes。　　〃Had　he　left　me　a　beggar；　I　could　never　have　accused　him。〃



〃No；　for　you　are　the　author　of　his　crimes。〃



〃How！　　I；　who　never　ceased　to　inculcate　the　beauty　of　virtue？

Explain　yourself。〃



〃Alas！　if　thy　pupil　did　not　make　this　clear　to　thee　last　night

from　his　own　lips；　an　angel　might　come　from　heaven　to　preach　to

thee　in　vain。〃



The　old　man　moved　uneasily；　and　was　about　to　reply；　when　the

relative　he　had　sent　forand　who；　a　native　of　Nancy；　happened　to

be　at　Paris　at　the　timeentered　the　room。　　He　was　a　man　somewhat

past　thirty；　and　of　a　dry；　saturnine；　meagre　countenance；

restless　eyes；　and　compressed　lips。　　He　listened；　with　many

ejaculations　of　horror；　to　his　relation's　recital；　and　sought

earnestly；　but　in　vain；　to　induce　him　to　give　information　against

his　protege。



〃Tush；　tush；　Rene　Dumas！〃　said　the　old　man；　〃you　are　a　lawyer。

You　are　bred　to　regard　human　life　with　contempt。　　Let　any　man

break　a　law；　and　you　shout；　'Execute　him！'〃



〃I！〃　cried　Dumas；　lifting　up　his　hands　and　eyes：　　〃venerable

sage；　how　you　misjudge　me！　　I　lament　more　than　any　one　the

severity　of　our　code。　　I　think　the　state　never　should　take　away

life；no；　not　even　the　life　of　a　murderer。　　I　agree　with　that

young　statesman；Maximilien　Robespierre；that　the　executioner

is　the　invention　of　the　tyrant。　　My　very　attachment　to　our

advancing　revolution　is；　that　it　must　sweep　away　this　legal

butchery。〃



The　lawyer　paused；　out　of　breath。　　The　stranger　regarded　him

fixedly　and　turned　pale。



〃You　change　countenance；　sir；〃　said　Dumas；　〃you　do　not　agree　with

me。〃



〃Pardon　me；　I　was　at　that　moment　repressing　a　vague　fear　which

seemed　prophetic。〃



〃And　that〃



〃Was　that　we　should　meet　again；　when　your　opinions　on　Death　and

the　philosophy　of　Revolutions　might　be　different。〃



〃Never！〃



〃You　enchant　me；　Cousin　Rene；〃　said　the　old　man；　who　had　listened

to　his　relation　with　delight。　　〃Ah；　I　see　you　have　proper

sentiments　of　justice　and　philanthropy。　　Why　did　I　not　seek　to

know　you　before？　　You　admire　the　Revolution；you；　equally　with

me；　detest　the　barbarity　of　kings　and　the　fraud　of　priests？〃



〃Detest！　　How　could　I　love　mankind　if　I　did　not？〃



〃And；〃　said　the　old　man；　hesitatingly；　〃you　do　not　think；　with

this　noble　gentleman；　that　I　erred　in　the　precepts　I　instilled

into　that　wretched　man？〃



〃Erred！　　Was　Socrates　to　blame　if　Alcibiades　was　an　adulterer　and

a　traitor？〃



〃You　hear　him；　you　hear　him！　　But　Socrates　had　also　a　Plato；

henceforth　you　shall　be　a　Plato　to　me。　　You　hear　him？〃　exclaimed

the　old　man；　turning　to　the　stranger。



But　the　latter　was　at　the　threshold。　　Who　shall　argue　with　the

most　stubborn　of　all　bigotries；the　fanaticism　of　unbelief？



〃Are　you　going？〃　exclaimed　Dumas；　〃and　before　I　have　thanked　you；

blessed　you；　for　the　life　of　this　dear　and　venerable　man？　　Oh；　if

ever　I　can　repay　you；if　ever　you　want　the　heart's　blood　of　Rene

Dumas！〃　　Thus　volubly　delivering　himself；　he　followed　the

stranger　to　the　threshold　of　the　second　chamber；　and　there；

gently　detaining　him；　and　after　looking　over　his　shoulder；　to　be

sure　that　he　was　not　heard　by　the　owner；　he　whispered；　〃I　ought

to　return　to　Nancy。　　One　would　not　lose　one's　time；you　don't

think；　sir；　that　that　scoundrel　took　away　ALL　the　old　fool's

money？〃



〃Was　it　thus　Plato　spoke　of　Socrates；　Monsieur　Dumas？〃



〃Ha；　ha！you　are　caustic。　　Well；　you　have　a　right。　　Sir；　we

shall　meet　again。〃



〃AGAIN！〃　muttered　the　stranger；　and　his　brow　darkened。　　He

hastened　to　his　chamber；　he　passed　the　day　and　the　night　alone；

and　in　studies；　no　matter　of　what　nature；they　served　to

increase　his　gloom。



What　could　ever　connect　his　fate　with　Rene　Dumas；　or　the　fugitive

assassin？　　Why　did　the　buoyant　air　of　Paris　seem　to　him　heavy

with　the　steams　of　blood；　why　did　an　instinct　urge　him　to　fly

from　those　sparkling　circles；　from　that　focus　of　the　world's

awakened　hopes；　warning　him　from　return？he；　whose　lofty

existence　defiedbut　away　these　dreams　and　omens！　　He　leaves

France　behind。　　Back；　O　Italy；　to　thy　majestic　wrecks！　　On　the

Alps　his　soul　breathes　the　free　air　once　more。　　Free　air！　　Alas！

let　the　world…healers　exhaust　their　chemistry；　man　never　shall　be

as　free　in　the　marketplace　as　on　the　mountain。　　But　we；　reader；

we　too　escape　from　these　scenes　of　false　wisdom　clothing　godless

crime。　　Away；　once　more



〃In　den　heitern　Regionen

Wo　die　reinen　Formen　wohnen。〃



Away；　to　the　loftier　realm　where　the　pure　dwellers　are。

Unpolluted　by　the　Actual；　the　Ideal　lives　only　with　Art　and

Beauty。　　Sweet　Viola；　by　the　shores　of　the　blue　Parthenope；　by

Virgil's　tomb；　and　the　Cimmerian　cavern；　we　return　to　thee　once

more。





CHAPTER　1。IX。



Che　non　vuol　che　'l　destrier　piu　vada　in　alto；

Poi　lo　lega　nel　margine　marino

A　un　verde　mirto　in　mezzo　un　lauro　E　UN　PINO。

〃Orlando　Furioso；〃　c。　vi。　xxiii。



（As　he　did　not　wish　that　his　charger　（the　hippogriff）　should　take

any　further　excursions　into　the　higher　regions　for　the　present；

he　bound　him　at　the　sea…shore　to　a　green　myrtle　between　a　laurel

and　a　pine。）



O　Musician！　art　thou　happy　now？　　Thou　art　reinstalled　at　thy

stately　desk；thy　faithful　barbiton　has　its　share　in　the

triumph。　　It　is　thy　masterpiece　which　fills　thy　ear；　it　is　thy

daughter　who　fills　the　scene；the　music；　the　actress；　so　united；

that　applause　to　one　is　applause　to　both。　　They　make　way　for

thee；　at　the　orchestra；they　no　longer　jeer　and　wink；　when；　with

a　fierce　fondness；　thou　dost　caress　thy　Familiar；　that　plains；

and　wails；　and　chides；　and　growls；　under　thy　remorseless　hand。

They　understand　now　how　irregular　is　ever　the　symmetry　of　real

genius。　　The　inequalities　in　its　surface　make　the　moon　luminous

to　man。　　Giovanni　Paisiello；　Maestro　di　Capella；　if　thy　gentle

soul　could　know　envy；　thou　must　sicken　to　see　thy　Elfrida　and　thy

Pirro　laid　aside；　and　all　Naples　turned　fanatic　to　the　Siren；　at

whose　measures　shook　querulously　thy　gentle　head！　　But　thou；

Paisiello；　calm　in　the　long　prosperity　of　fame；　knowest　that　the

New　will　have　its　day；　and　comfortest　thyself　that　the　Elfrida

and　the　Pirro　will　live　forever。　　Perhaps　a　mistake；　but　it　is　by

such　mistakes　that　true　genius　conquers　envy。　　〃To　be　immortal；〃

says　Schiller；　〃live　in　the　whole。〃　　To　be　superior　to　the　hour；

live　in　thy　self…esteem。　　The　audience　now　would　give　their　ears

for　those　variations　and　flights　they　were　once　wont　to　hiss。

No！Pisani　has　been　two…thirds　of　a　life　at　silent　work　on　his

masterpiece：　　there　is　nothing　he　can　add　to　THAT；　however　he