zanoni-第25节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



clear　all　the　ensuing　corruptions　of　the　august　name；Smintheus；

Smitheus；　Smithe；　Smith！　　And　even　now；　I　may　remark　that　the

more　ancient　branches　of　that　illustrious　family；　unconsciously

anxious　to　approximate　at　least　by　a　letter　nearer　to　the　true

title；　take　a　pious　pleasure　in　writing　their　names　Smith_e_！〃



The　philologist　was　much　struck　with　this　discovery；　and　begged

Mervale's　permission　to　note　it　down　as　an　illustration　suitable

to　a　work　he　was　about　to　publish　on　the　origin　of　languages；　to

be　called　〃Babel；〃　and　published　in　three　quartos　by

subscription。





CHAPTER　2。VII。



Learn　to　be　poor　in　spirit；　my　son；　if　you　would　penetrate　that

sacred　night　which　environs　truth。　　Learn　of　the　Sages　to　allow

to　the　Devils　no　power　in　Nature；　since　the　fatal　stone　has　shut

'em　up　in　the　depth　of　the　abyss。　　Learn　of　the　Philosophers

always　to　look　for　natural　causes　in　all　extraordinary　events；

and　when　such　natural　causes　are　wanting；　recur　to　God。The

Count　de　Gabalis。



All　these　additions　to　his　knowledge　of　Zanoni；　picked　up　in　the

various　lounging…places　and　resorts　that　he　frequented；　were

unsatisfactory　to　Glyndon。　　That　night　Viola　did　not　perform　at

the　theatre；　and　the　next　day；　still　disturbed　by　bewildered

fancies；　and　averse　to　the　sober　and　sarcastic　companionship　of

Mervale；　Glyndon　sauntered　musingly　into　the　public　gardens；　and

paused　under　the　very　tree　under　which　he　had　first　heard　the

voice　that　had　exercised　upon　his　mind　so　singular　an　influence。

The　gardens　were　deserted。　　He　threw　himself　on　one　of　the　seats

placed　beneath　the　shade；　and　again；　in　the　midst　of　his　reverie；

the　same　cold　shudder　came　over　him　which　Zanoni　had　so

distinctly　defined；　and　to　which　he　had　ascribed　so　extraordinary

a　cause。



He　roused　himself　with　a　sudden　effort；　and　started　to　see；

seated　next　him；　a　figure　hideous　enough　to　have　personated　one

of　the　malignant　beings　of　whom　Zanoni　had　spoken。　　It　was　a

small　man；　dressed　in　a　fashion　strikingly　at　variance　with　the

elaborate　costume　of　the　day：　　an　affectation　of　homeliness　and

poverty　approaching　to　squalor；　in　the　loose　trousers；　coarse　as

a　ship's　sail；　in　the　rough　jacket；　which　appeared　rent　wilfully

into　holes；　and　the　black；　ragged；　tangled　locks　that　streamed

from　their　confinement　under　a　woollen　cap；　accorded　but　ill　with

other　details　which　spoke　of　comparative　wealth。　　The　shirt；　open

at　the　throat；　was　fastened　by　a　brooch　of　gaudy　stones；　and　two

pendent　massive　gold　chains　announced　the　foppery　of　two　watches。



The　man's　figure；　if　not　absolutely　deformed；　was　yet

marvellously　ill…favoured；　his　shoulders　high　and　square；　his

chest　flattened；　as　if　crushed　in；　his　gloveless　hands　were

knotted　at　the　joints；　and；　large；　bony；　and　muscular；　dangled

from　lean；　emaciated　wrists；　as　if　not　belonging　to　them。　　His

features　had　the　painful　distortion　sometimes　seen　in　the

countenance　of　a　cripple；large；　exaggerated；　with　the　nose

nearly　touching　the　chin；　the　eyes　small；　but　glowing　with　a

cunning　fire　as　they　dwelt　on　Glyndon；　and　the　mouth　was　twisted

into　a　grin　that　displayed　rows　of　jagged；　black；　broken　teeth。

Yet　over　this　frightful　face　there　still　played　a　kind　of

disagreeable　intelligence；　an　expression　at　once　astute　and　bold；

and　as　Glyndon；　recovering　from　the　first　impression；　looked

again　at　his　neighbour；　he　blushed　at　his　own　dismay；　and

recognised　a　French　artist；　with　whom　he　had　formed　an

acquaintance；　and　who　was　possessed　of　no　inconsiderable　talents

in　his　calling。



Indeed；　it　was　to　be　remarked　that　this　creature；　whose　externals

were　so　deserted　by　the　Graces；　particularly　delighted　in　designs

aspiring　to　majesty　and　grandeur。　　Though　his　colouring　was　hard

and　shallow；　as　was　that　generally　of　the　French　school　at　the

time；　his　DRAWINGS　were　admirable　for　symmetry；　simple　elegance；

and　classic　vigour；　at　the　same　time　they　unquestionably　wanted

ideal　grace。　　He　was　fond　of　selecting　subjects　from　Roman

history；　rather　than　from　the　copious　world　of　Grecian　beauty；　or

those　still　more　sublime　stories　of　scriptural　record　from　which

Raphael　and　Michael　Angelo　borrowed　their　inspirations。　　His

grandeur　was　that　not　of　gods　and　saints；　but　mortals。　　His

delineation　of　beauty　was　that　which　the　eye　cannot　blame　and　the

soul　does　not　acknowledge。　　In　a　word；　as　it　was　said　of

Dionysius；　he　was　an　Anthropographos；　or　Painter　of　Men。　　It　was

also　a　notable　contradiction　in　this　person；　who　was　addicted　to

the　most　extravagant　excesses　in　every　passion；　whether　of　hate

or　love；　implacable　in　revenge；　and　insatiable　in　debauch；　that

he　was　in　the　habit　of　uttering　the　most　beautiful　sentiments　of

exalted　purity　and　genial　philanthropy。　　The　world　was　not　good

enough　for　him；　he　was；　to　use　the　expressive　German　phrase；　A

WORLD…BETTERER！　　Nevertheless；　his　sarcastic　lip　often　seemed　to

mock　the　sentiments　he　uttered；　as　if　it　sought　to　insinuate　that

he　was　above　even　the　world　he　would　construct。



Finally；　this　painter　was　in　close　correspondence　with　the

Republicans　of　Paris；　and　was　held　to　be　one　of　those

missionaries　whom；　from　the　earliest　period　of　the　Revolution；

the　regenerators　of　mankind　were　pleased　to　despatch　to　the

various　states　yet　shackled；　whether　by　actual　tyranny　or

wholesome　laws。　　Certainly；　as　the　historian　of　Italy　（Botta。）

has　observed；　there　was　no　city　in　Italy　where　these　new

doctrines　would　be　received　with　greater　favour　than　Naples；

partly　from　the　lively　temper　of　the　people；　principally　because

the　most　hateful　feudal　privileges；　however　partially　curtailed

some　years　before　by　the　great　minister；　Tanuccini；　still

presented　so　many　daily　and　practical　evils　as　to　make　change

wear　a　more　substantial　charm　than　the　mere　and　meretricious

bloom　on　the　cheek　of　the　harlot；　Novelty。　　This　man；　whom　I　will

call　Jean　Nicot；　was；　therefore；　an　oracle　among　the　younger　and

bolder　spirits　of　Naples；　and　before　Glyndon　had　met　Zanoni；　the

former　had　not　been　among　the　least　dazzled　by　the　eloquent

aspirations　of　the　hideous　philanthropist。



〃It　is　so　long　since　we　have　met；　cher　confrere；〃　said　Nicot；

drawing　his　seat　nearer　to　Glyndon's；　〃that　you　cannot　be

surprised　that　I　see　you　with　delight；　and　even　take　the　liberty

to　intrude　on　your　meditations。



〃They　were　of　no　agreeable　nature；〃　said　Glyndon；　〃and　never　was

intrusion　more　welcome。〃



〃You　will　be　charmed　to　hear；〃　said　Nicot；　drawing　several

letters　from　his　bosom；　〃that　the　good　work　proceeds　with

marvellous　rapidity。　　Mirabeau；　indeed；　is　no　more；　but；　mort

Diable！　the　French　people　are　now　a　Mirabeau　themselves。〃　　With

this　remark；　Monsieur　Nicot　proceeded　to　read　and　to　comment　upon

several　animated　and　interesting　passages　in　his　correspondence；

in　which　the　word　virtue　was　introduced　twenty…seven　times；　and

God　not　once。　　And　then；　warmed　by　the　cheering　prospects　thus

opened　to　him；　he　began　to　indulge　in　those　anticipations　of　the

future；　the　outline　of　which　we　have　already　seen　in　the　eloquent

extravagance　of　Condorcet。　　All　the　old　virtues　were　dethroned

for　a　new　Pantheon：　　patriotism　was　a　narrow　sentiment；

philanthropy　was　to　be　its　successor。　　No　love　that　did　not

embrace　all　mankind；　as　warm　for　Indus　and　the　Pole　as　for　the

hearth　of　home；　was　worthy　the　breast　of　a　generous　man。　　Opinion

was　to　be　free　as　air；　and　in　order　to　make　it　so；　it　was

necessary　to　exterminate　all　those　whose　opinions　were　not　the

same　as　Mons。　Jean　Nicot's。　　Much　of　this　amused；　much　revolted

Glyndon；　but　when　the　painter　turned　to　dwell　upon　a　science　that

all　should　comprehend；　and　the　results　of　which　all　should

enjoy；a　science　that；　springing　from　the　soil　of　equal

institutions　and　equal　mental　cultivation；　should　give　to　all　the

races　of　men　wealth　without　labour；　and　a　life　longer　than　the

Patriarchs'；　without　care；then　Glyndon　listened　with　interest

and　admiration；　not　unmixed　with　awe。　　〃Observe；〃　said　Nicot；

〃how　much　that　we　now　cherish　as　a　virtue　will　then　be　rejected

as　meanness。　　Our　oppressors；　for　instance；　preach　to　us　of　the

excellence　of　gratitude。　　Gratitude；　the　confession　of

inferiority！　　What　so　hateful　to　a　noble　spirit　as　the

humiliating　sense　of　obligation？　　But　where　there　is　equality

there　can　be　no　means　for　power　thus　to　enslave　merit。　　The

benefactor　and　the　client　will　alike　cease；　and〃



〃And　in　the　mean　time；〃　said　a　low　voice；　at　hand；〃in　the　mean

time；　Jean　Nicot？〃



The　two　artists　started；　and　Glyndon　recognised　Zanoni。



He　gazed　with　a　brow　of　unusual　sternness　on　Nicot；　who；　lumped

together　as　he　sat；　looked　up　at　him　askew；　and　with　an

expression　of　fear　and　dismay　upon　his　distorted　countenance。



Ho；　ho！　　Messire　Jean　Nicot；　thou　who　fearest　neither　God　nor

Devil；　why　fearest　thou　the　eye　of　a　man？



〃It　is　not　the　first　time　I　have　been　a　witness　to　your　opi