zanoni-第20节

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danger；〃　said　the　latter。　　〃Do　not　walk　home　to…night；　or　if　you

do；　go　not　alone。〃



Before　Glyndon　recovered　from　his　surprise；　Zanoni　disappeared；

and　when　the　Englishman　saw　him　again；　he　was　in　the　box　of　one

of　the　Neapolitan　nobles；　where　Glyndon　could　not　follow　him。



Viola　now　left　the　stage；　and　Glyndon　accosted　her　with　an

unaccustomed　warmth　of　gallantry。　　But　Viola；　contrary　to　her

gentle　habit；　turned　with　an　evident　impatience　from　the　address

of　her　lover。　　Taking　aside　Gionetta；　who　was　her　constant

attendant　at　the　theatre；　she　said；　in　an　earnest　whisper；



〃Oh；　Gionetta！　　He　is　here　again！the　stranger　of　whom　I　spoke

to　thee！and　again；　he　alone；　of　the　whole　theatre；　withholds

from　me　his　applause。〃



〃Which　is　he；　my　darling？〃　said　the　old　woman；　with　fondness　in

her　voice。　　〃He　must　indeed　be　dullnot　worth　a　thought。〃



The　actress　drew　Gionetta　nearer　to　the　stage；　and　pointed　out　to

her　a　man　in　one　of　the　boxes；　conspicuous　amongst　all　else　by

the　simplicity　of　his　dress；　and　the　extraordinary　beauty　of　his

features。



〃Not　worth　a　thought；　Gionetta！〃　repeated　Viola；〃Not　worth　a

thought！　　Alas；　not　to　think　of　him；　seems　the　absence　of　thought

itself！〃



The　prompter　summoned　the　Signora　Pisani。　　〃Find　out　his　name；

Gionetta；〃　said　she；　moving　slowly　to　the　stage；　and　passing　by

Glyndon；　who　gazed　at　her　with　a　look　of　sorrowful　reproach。



The　scene　on　which　the　actress　now　entered　was　that　of　the　final

catastrophe；　wherein　all　her　remarkable　powers　of　voice　and　art

were　pre…eminently　called　forth。　　The　house　hung　on　every　word

with　breathless　worship；　but　the　eyes　of　Viola　sought　only　those

of　one　calm　and　unmoved　spectator；　she　exerted　herself　as　if

inspired。　　Zanoni　listened；　and　observed　her　with　an　attentive

gaze；　but　no　approval　escaped　his　lips；　no　emotion　changed　the

expression　of　his　cold　and　half…disdainful　aspect。　　Viola；　who

was　in　the　character　of　one　who　loved；　but　without　return；　never

felt　so　acutely　the　part　she　played。　　Her　tears　were　truthful；

her　passion　that　of　nature：　　it　was　almost　too　terrible　to

behold。　　She　was　borne　from　the　stage　exhausted　and　insensible；

amidst　such　a　tempest　of　admiring　rapture　as　Continental

audiences　alone　can　raise。　　The　crowd　stood　up；　handkerchiefs

waved；　garlands　and　flowers　were　thrown　on　the　stage；men　wiped

their　eyes；　and　women　sobbed　aloud。



〃By　heavens！〃　said　a　Neapolitan　of　great　rank；　〃She　has　fired　me

beyond　endurance。　　To…nightthis　very　nightshe　shall　be　mine！

You　have　arranged　all；　Mascari？〃



〃All；　signor。　　And　the　young　Englishman？〃



〃The　presuming　barbarian！　　As　I　before　told　thee；　let　him　bleed

for　his　folly。　　I　will　have　no　rival。〃



〃But　an　Englishman！　　There　is　always　a　search　after　the　bodies　of

the　English。〃



〃Fool！　is　not　the　sea　deep　enough；　or　the　earth　secret　enough；　to

hide　one　dead　man？　　Our　ruffians　are　silent　as　the　grave　itself；

and　I！who　would　dare　to　suspect；　to　arraign　the　Prince　di　？

See　to　it；this　night。　　I　trust　him　to　you。　　Robbers　murder　him；

you　understand；the　country　swarms　with　them；　plunder　and　strip

him；　the　better　to　favour　such　report。　　Take　three　men；　the　rest

shall　be　my　escort。〃



Mascari　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　bowed　submissively。



The　streets　of　Naples　were　not　then　so　safe　as　now；　and　carriages

were　both　less　expensive　and　more　necessary。　　The　vehicle　which

was　regularly　engaged　by　the　young　actress　was　not　to　be　found。

Gionetta；　too　aware　of　the　beauty　of　her　mistress　and　the　number

of　her　admirers　to　contemplate　without　alarm　the　idea　of　their

return　on　foot；　communicated　her　distress　to　Glyndon；　and　he

besought　Viola；　who　recovered　but　slowly；　to　accept　his　own

carriage。　　Perhaps　before　that　night　she　would　not　have　rejected

so　slight　a　service。　　Now；　for　some　reason　or　other；　she　refused。

Glyndon；　offended；　was　retiring　sullenly；　when　Gionetta　stopped

him。　　〃Stay；　signor；〃　said　she；　coaxingly：　　〃the　dear　signora　is

not　well；do　not　be　angry　with　her；　I　will　make　her　accept　your

offer。〃



Glyndon　stayed；　and　after　a　few　moments　spent　in　expostulation　on

the　part　of　Gionetta；　and　resistance　on　that　of　Viola；　the　offer

was　accepted。　　Gionetta　and　her　charge　entered　the　carriage；　and

Glyndon　was　left　at　the　door　of　the　theatre　to　return　home　on

foot。　　The　mysterious　warning　of　Zanoni　then　suddenly　occurred　to

him；　he　had　forgotten　it　in　the　interest　of　his　lover's　quarrel

with　Viola。　　He　thought　it　now　advisable　to　guard　against　danger

foretold　by　lips　so　mysterious。　　He　looked　round　for　some　one　he

knew：　　the　theatre　was　disgorging　its　crowds；　they　hustled；　and

jostled；　and　pressed　upon　him；　but　he　recognised　no　familiar

countenance。　　While　pausing　irresolute；　he　heard　Mervale's　voice

calling　on　him；　and；　to　his　great　relief；　discovered　his　friend

making　his　way　through　the　throng。



〃I　have　secured　you；〃　said　he；　〃a　place　in　the　Count　Cetoxa's

carriage。　　Come　along；　he　is　waiting　for　us。〃



〃How　kind　in　you！　how　did　you　find　me　out？〃



〃I　met　Zanoni　in　the　passage；'Your　friend　is　at　the　door　of　the

theatre；'　said　he；　'do　not　let　him　go　home　on　foot　to…night；　the

streets　of　Naples　are　not　always　safe。'　　I　immediately　remembered

that　some　of　the　Calabrian　bravos　had　been　busy　within　the　city

the　last　few　weeks；　and　suddenly　meeting　Cetoxabut　here　he　is。〃



Further　explanation　was　forbidden；　for　they　now　joined　the　count。

As　Glyndon　entered　the　carriage　and　drew　up　the　glass；　he　saw

four　men　standing　apart　by　the　pavement；　who　seemed　to　eye　him

with　attention。



〃Cospetto！〃　cried　one；　〃that　is　the　Englishman！〃　　Glyndon

imperfectly　heard　the　exclamation　as　the　carriage　drove　on。　　He

reached　home　in　safety。



The　familiar　and　endearing　intimacy　which　always　exists　in　Italy

between　the　nurse　and　the　child　she　has　reared；　and　which　the

〃Romeo　and　Juliet〃　of　Shakespeare　in　no　way　exaggerates；　could

not　but　be　drawn　yet　closer　than　usual；　in　a　situation　so

friendless　as　that　of　the　orphan…actress。　　In　all　that　concerned

the　weaknesses　of　the　heart；　Gionetta　had　large　experience；　and

when；　three　nights　before；　Viola；　on　returning　from　the　theatre；

had　wept　bitterly；　the　nurse　had　succeeded　in　extracting　from　her

a　confession　that　she　had　seen　one；not　seen　for　two　weary　and

eventful　years；but　never　forgotten；　and　who；　alas！　had　not

evinced　the　slightest　recognition　of　herself。　　Gionetta　could　not

comprehend　all　the　vague　and　innocent　emotions　that　swelled　this

sorrow；　but　she　resolved　them　all；　with　her　plain；　blunt

understanding；　to　the　one　sentiment　of　love。　　And　here；　she　was

well　fitted　to　sympathise　and　console。　　Confidante　to　Viola's

entire　and　deep　heart　she　never　could　be；for　that　heart　never

could　have　words　for　all　its　secrets。　　But　such　confidence　as　she

could　obtain；　she　was　ready　to　repay　by　the　most　unreproving　pity

and　the　most　ready　service。



〃Have　you　discovered　who　he　is？〃　asked　Viola；　as　she　was　now

alone　in　the　carriage　with　Gionetta。



〃Yes；　he　is　the　celebrated　Signor　Zanoni；　about　whom　all　the

great　ladies　have　gone　mad。　　They　say　he　is　so　rich！oh！　so　much

richer　than　any　of　the　Inglesi！not　but　what　the　Signor

Glyndon〃



〃Cease！〃　interrupted　the　young　actress。　　〃Zanoni！　　Speak　of　the

Englishman　no　more。〃



The　carriage　was　now　entering　that　more　lonely　and　remote　part　of

the　city　in　which　Viola's　house　was　situated；　when　it　suddenly

stopped。



Gionetta；　in　alarm；　thrust　her　head　out　of　the　window；　and

perceived；　by　the　pale　light　of　the　moon；　that　the　driver；　torn

from　his　seat；　was　already　pinioned　in　the　arms　of　two　men；　the

next　moment　the　door　was　opened　violently；　and　a　tall　figure；

masked　and　mantled；　appeared。



〃Fear　not；　fairest　Pisani；〃　said　he；　gently；　〃no　ill　shall　befall

you。〃　　As　he　spoke；　he　wound　his　arm　round　the　form　of　the　fair

actress；　and　endeavoured　to　lift　her　from　the　carriage。　　But

Gionetta　was　no　ordinary　ally；she　thrust　back　the　assailant

with　a　force　that　astonished　him；　and　followed　the　shock　by　a

volley　of　the　most　energetic　reprobation。



The　mask　drew　back；　and　composed　his　disordered　mantle。



〃By　the　body　of　Bacchus！〃　said　he；　half　laughing；　〃she　is　well

protected。　　Here；　Luigi；　Giovanni！　seize　the　hag！quick！why

loiter　ye？〃



The　mask　retired　from　the　door；　and　another　and　yet　taller　form

presented　itself。　　〃Be　calm；　Viola　Pisani；〃　said　he；　in　a　low

voice；　〃with　me　you　are　indeed　safe！〃　　He　lifted　his　mask　as　he

spoke；　and　showed　the　noble　features　of　Zanoni。



〃Be　calm；　be　hushed；I　can　save　you。〃　　He　vanished；　leaving

Viola　lost　in　surprise；　agitation；　and　delight。　　There　were；　in

all；　nine　masks：　　two　were　engaged　with　the　driver；　one　stood　at

the　head　of　the　carriage…horses；　a　fourth　guarded　the

well…trained　steeds　of　the　party；　three　others　（besides　Zanoni

and　the　one　who　had　first　accosted　Viola）　stood　apart　by　a

carriage　drawn　to　the　si