zanoni-第36节

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liberty　of　heart　that　sung　aloud　as　it　walked　the　earth。　　Thou

hast　disenchanted　me　of　everything　that　is　not　of　thyself。　　Where

was　the　sin；　at　least；　to　think　of　thee；to　see　thee？　　Thy　kiss

still　glows　upon　my　hand；　is　that　hand　mine　to　bestow？　　Thy　kiss

claimed　and　hallowed　it　to　thyself。　　Stranger；　I　will　NOT　obey

thee。



。。。



〃Another　day；one　day　of　the　fatal　three　is　gone！　　It　is　strange

to　me　that　since　the　sleep　of　the　last　night；　a　deep　calm　has

settled　upon　my　breast。　　I　feel　so　assured　that　my　very　being　is

become　a　part　of　thee；　that　I　cannot　believe　that　my　life　can　be

separated　from　thine；　and　in　this　conviction　I　repose；　and　smile

even　at　thy　words　and　my　own　fears。　　Thou　art　fond　of　one　maxim；

which　thou　repeatest　in　a　thousand　forms；that　the　beauty　of　the

soul　is　faith；　that　as　ideal　loveliness　to　the　sculptor；　faith　is

to　the　heart；　that　faith；　rightly　understood；　extends　over　all

the　works　of　the　Creator；　whom　we　can　know　but　through　belief；

that　it　embraces　a　tranquil　confidence　in　ourselves；　and　a　serene

repose　as　to　our　future；　that　it　is　the　moonlight　that　sways　the

tides　of　the　human　sea。　　That　faith　I　comprehend　now。　　I　reject

all　doubt；　all　fear。　　I　know　that　I　have　inextricably　linked　the

whole　that　makes　the　inner　life　to　thee；　and　thou　canst　not　tear

me　from　thee；　if　thou　wouldst！　　And　this　change　from　struggle

into　calm　came　to　me　with　sleep；a　sleep　without　a　dream；　but

when　I　woke；　it　was　with　a　mysterious　sense　of　happiness；an

indistinct　memory　of　something　blessed；as　if　thou　hadst　cast

from　afar　off　a　smile　upon　my　slumber。　　At　night　I　was　so　sad；

not　a　blossom　that　had　not　closed　itself　up；　as　if　never　more　to

open　to　the　sun；　and　the　night　itself；　in　the　heart　as　on　the

earth；　has　ripened　the　blossoms　into　flowers。　　The　world　is

beautiful　once　more；　but　beautiful　in　repose；not　a　breeze　stirs

thy　tree；　not　a　doubt　my　soul！〃





CHAPTER　3。VI。



Tu　vegga　o　per　violenzia　o　per　inganno

Patire　o　disonore　o　mortal　danno。

〃Orlando　Furioso；〃　Cant。　xlii。　i。



（Thou　art　about；　either　through　violence　or　artifice；　to　suffer

either　dishonour　or　mortal　loss。）



It　was　a　small　cabinet；　the　walls　were　covered　with　pictures；　one

of　which　was　worth　more　than　the　whole　lineage　of　the　owner　of

the　palace。　　Oh；　yes！　Zanoni　was　right。　　The　painter　IS　a

magician；　the　gold　he　at　least　wrings　from　his　crucible　is　no

delusion。　　A　Venetian　noble　might　be　a　fribble；　or　an　assassin；

a　scoundrel；　or　a　dolt；　worthless；　or　worse　than　worthless；　yet

he　might　have　sat　to　Titian；　and　his　portrait　may　be

inestimable；a　few　inches　of　painted　canvas　a　thousand　times

more　valuable　than　a　man　with　his　veins　and　muscles；　brain；　will；

heart；　and　intellect！



In　this　cabinet　sat　a　man　of　about　three…and…forty；dark…eyed；

sallow；　with　short；　prominent　features；　a　massive　conformation　of

jaw；　and　thick；　sensual；　but　resolute　lips；　this　man　was　the

Prince　di　。　　His　form；　above　the　middle　height；　and　rather

inclined　to　corpulence；　was　clad　in　a　loose　dressing…robe　of　rich

brocade。　　On　a　table　before　him　lay　an　old…fashioned　sword　and

hat；　a　mask；　dice　and　dice…box；　a　portfolio；　and　an　inkstand　of

silver　curiously　carved。



〃Well；　Mascari；〃　said　the　prince；　looking　up　towards　his

parasite；　who　stood　by　the　embrasure　of　the　deep…set　barricadoed

window；〃well！　the　Cardinal　sleeps　with　his　fathers。　　I　require

comfort　for　the　loss　of　so　excellent　a　relation；　and　where　a　more

dulcet　voice　than　Viola　Pisani's？〃



〃Is　your　Excellency　serious？　　So　soon　after　the　death　of　his

Eminence？〃



〃It　will　be　the　less　talked　of；　and　I　the　less　suspected。　　Hast

thou　ascertained　the　name　of　the　insolent　who　baffled　us　that

night；　and　advised　the　Cardinal　the　next　day？〃



〃Not　yet。〃



〃Sapient　Mascari！　　I　will　inform　thee。　　It　was　the　strange

Unknown。〃



〃The　Signor　Zanoni！　　Are　you　sure；　my　prince？〃



〃Mascari；　yes。　　There　is　a　tone　in　that　man's　voice　that　I　never

can　mistake；　so　clear；　and　so　commanding；　when　I　hear　it　I　almost

fancy　there　is　such　a　thing　as　conscience。　　However；　we　must　rid

ourselves　of　an　impertinent。　　Mascari；　Signor　Zanoni　hath　not　yet

honoured　our　poor　house　with　his　presence。　　He　is　a　distinguished

stranger；we　must　give　a　banquet　in　his　honour。〃



〃Ah；　and　the　Cyprus　wine！　　The　cypress　is　a　proper　emblem　of　the

grave。〃



〃But　this　anon。　　I　am　superstitious；　there　are　strange　stories　of

Zanoni's　power　and　foresight；　remember　the　death　of　Ughelli。　　No

matter；　though　the　Fiend　were　his　ally；　he　should　not　rob　me　of

my　prize；　no；　nor　my　revenge。〃



〃Your　Excellency　is　infatuated；　the　actress　has　bewitched　you。〃



〃Mascari；〃　said　the　prince；　with　a　haughty　smile；　〃through　these

veins　rolls　the　blood　of　the　old　Viscontiof　those　who　boasted

that　no　woman　ever　escaped　their　lust；　and　no　man　their

resentment。　　The　crown　of　my　fathers　has　shrunk　into　a　gewgaw　and

a　toy；their　ambition　and　their　spirit　are　undecayed！　　My　honour

is　now　enlisted　in　this　pursuit；Viola　must　be　mine！〃



〃Another　ambuscade？〃　said　Mascari；　inquiringly。



〃Nay；　why　not　enter　the　house　itself？the　situation　is　lonely；

and　the　door　is　not　made　of　iron。〃



〃But　what　if；　on　her　return　home；　she　tell　the　tale　of　our

violence？　　A　house　forced；a　virgin　stolen！　　Reflect；　though　the

feudal　privileges　are　not　destroyed；　even　a　Visconti　is　not　now

above　the　law。〃



〃Is　he　not；　Mascari？　　Fool！　in　what　age　of　the　world；　even　if　the

Madmen　of　France　succeed　in　their　chimeras；　will　the　iron　of　law

not　bend　itself；　like　an　osier　twig；　to　the　strong　hand　of　power

and　gold？　　But　look　not　so　pale；　Mascari；　I　have　foreplanned　all

things。　　The　day　that　she　leaves　this　palace；　she　will　leave　it

for　France；　with　Monsieur　Jean　Nicot。〃



Before　Mascari　could　reply；　the　gentleman　of　the　chamber

announced　the　Signor　Zanoni。



The　prince　involuntarily　laid　his　hand　upon　the　sword　placed　on

the　table；　then　with　a　smile　at　his　own　impulse；　rose；　and　met

his　visitor　at　the　threshold；　with　all　the　profuse　and　respectful

courtesy　of　Italian　simulation。



〃This　is　an　honour　highly　prized；〃　said　the　prince。　　〃I　have　long

desired　to　clasp　the　hand　of　one　so　distinguished。〃



〃And　I　give　it　in　the　spirit　with　which　you　seek　it；〃　replied

Zanoni。



The　Neapolitan　bowed　over　the　hand　he　pressed；　but　as　he　touched

it　a　shiver　came　over　him；　and　his　heart　stood　still。　　Zanoni

bent　on　him　his　dark；　smiling　eyes；　and　then　seated　himself　with

a　familiar　air。



〃Thus　it　is　signed　and　sealed；　I　mean　our　friendship；　noble

prince。　　And　now　I　will　tell　you　the　object　of　my　visit。　　I　find；

Excellency；　that；　unconsciously　perhaps；　we　are　rivals。　　Can　we

not　accommodate　out　pretensions！〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　prince；　carelessly；　〃you；　then；　were　the　cavalier

who　robbed　me　of　the　reward　of　my　chase。　　All　stratagems　fair　in

love；　as　in　war。　　Reconcile　our　pretensions！　　Well；　here　is　the

dice…box；　let　us　throw　for　her。　　He　who　casts　the　lowest　shall

resign　his　claim。〃



〃Is　this　a　decision　by　which　you　will　promise　to　be　bound？〃



〃Yes；　on　my　faith。〃



〃And　for　him　who　breaks　his　word　so　plighted；　what　shall　be　the

forfeit？〃



〃The　sword　lies　next　to　the　dice…box；　Signor　Zanoni。　　Let　him　who

stands　not　by　his　honour　fall　by　the　sword。〃



〃And　you　invoke　that　sentence　if　either　of　us　fail　his　word？　　Be

it　so；　let　Signor　Mascari　cast　for　us。〃



〃Well　said！Mascari；　the　dice！〃



The　prince　threw　himself　back　in　his　chair；　and；　world…hardened

as　he　was；　could　not　suppress　the　glow　of　triumph　and

satisfaction　that　spread　itself　over　his　features。　　Mascari　took

up　the　three　dice；　and　rattled　them　noisily　in　the　box。　　Zanoni；

leaning　his　cheek　on　his　hand；　and　bending　over　the　table；　fixed

his　eyes　steadfastly　on　the　parasite；　Mascari　in　vain　struggled

to　extricate　from　that　searching　gaze；　he　grew　pale；　and

trembled；　he　put　down　the　box。



〃I　give　the　first　throw　to　your　Excellency。　　Signor　Mascari；　be

pleased　to　terminate　our　suspense。〃



Again　Mascari　took　up　the　box；　again　his　hand　shook　so　that　the

dice　rattled　within。　　He　threw；　the　numbers　were　sixteen。



〃It　is　a　high　throw；〃　said　Zanoni；　calmly；　〃nevertheless；　Signor

Mascari；　I　do　not　despond。〃



Mascari　gathered　up　the　dice；　shook　the　box；　and　rolled　the

contents　once　more　on　the　table：　　the　number　was　the　highest　that

can　be　thrown；eighteen。



The　prince　darted　a　glance　of　fire　at　his　minion；　who　stood　with

gaping　mouth；　staring　at　the　dice；　and　trembling　from　head　to

foot。



〃I　have　won；　you　see；〃　said　Zanoni；　〃may　we　be　friends　still？〃



〃Signor；〃　said　the　prince；　obviously　struggling　with　anger　and

confusion；　〃the　victory　is　yours。　　But　pardon　me；　you　have　spoken

lightly　of　this　young　girl；will　anything　tempt　you　to　yield

your　claim？〃



〃Ah；　do　not　think　so　ill　of　my　gallantry；　and；〃　resumed　Zanoni；

with　a　stern　meaning　in　his　v