zanoni-第41节

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decide　on　your　own　fate。　　I　know　that　you　have　insulted　her　whom

you　profess　to　love。　　It　is　not　too　late　to　repent。　　Consult　not

your　friend：　　he　is　sensible　and　wise；　but　not　now　is　his　wisdom

needed。　　There　are　times　in　life　when；　from　the　imagination；　and

not　the　reason；　should　wisdom　come；this；　for　you；　is　one　of

them。　　I　ask　not　your　answer　now。　　Collect　your　thoughts；

recover　your　jaded　and　scattered　spirits。　　It　wants　two　hours　of

midnight。　　Before　midnight　I　will　be　with　you。〃



〃Incomprehensible　being！〃　replied　the　Englishman；　〃I　would　leave

the　life　you　have　preserved　in　your　own　hands；　but　what　I　have

seen　this　night　has　swept　even　Viola　from　my　thoughts。　　A　fiercer

desire　than　that　of　love　burns　in　my　veins；the　desire　not　to

resemble　but　to　surpass　my　kind；　the　desire　to　penetrate　and　to

share　the　secret　of　your　own　existencethe　desire　of　a

preternatural　knowledge　and　unearthly　power。　　I　make　my　choice。

In　my　ancestor's　name；　I　adjure　and　remind　thee　of　thy　pledge。

Instruct　me；　school　me；　make　me　thine；　and　I　surrender　to　thee

at　once；　and　without　a　murmur；　the　woman　whom；　till　I　saw　thee；　I

would　have　defied　a　world　to　obtain。〃



〃I　bid　thee　consider　well：　　on　the　one　hand；　Viola；　a　tranquil

home；　a　happy　and　serene　life；　on　the　other　hand；　all　is

darkness；darkness；　that　even　these　eyes　cannot　penetrate。〃



〃But　thou　hast　told　me；　that　if　I　wed　Viola；　I　must　be　contented

with　the　common　existence；if　I　refuse；　it　is　to　aspire　to　thy

knowledge　and　thy　power。〃



〃Vain　man；　knowledge　and　power　are　not　happiness。〃



〃But　they　are　better　than　happiness。　　Say！if　I　marry　Viola；

wilt　thou　be　my　master；my　guide？　　Say　this；　and　I　am　resolved。



〃It　were　impossible。〃



〃Then　I　renounce　her？　　I　renounce　love。　　I　renounce　happiness。

Welcome　solitude；welcome　despair；　if　they　are　the　entrances　to

thy　dark　and　sublime　secret。〃



〃I　will　not　take　thy　answer　now。　　Before　the　last　hour　of　night

thou　shalt　give　it　in　one　word；ay　or　no！　　Farewell　till　then。〃



Zanoni　waved　his　hand；　and；　descending　rapidly；　was　seen　no　more。



Glyndon　rejoined　his　impatient　and　wondering　friend；　but　Mervale；

gazing　on　his　face；　saw　that　a　great　change　had　passed　there。

The　flexile　and　dubious　expression　of　youth　was　forever　gone。

The　features　were　locked；　rigid；　and　stern；　and　so　faded　was　the

natural　bloom；　that　an　hour　seemed　to　have　done　the　work　of

years。





CHAPTER　3。XII。



Was　ist's

Das　hinter　diesem　Schleier　sich　verbirgt？

〃Das　Verschleierte　Bild　zu　Sais。〃



（What　is　it　that　conceals　itself　behind　this　veil？）



On　returning　from　Vesuvius　or　Pompeii；　you　enter　Naples　through

its　most　animated；　its　most　Neapolitan　quarter；through　that

quarter　in　which　modern　life　most　closely　resembles　the　ancient；

and　in　which；　when；　on　a　fair…day；　the　thoroughfare　swarms　alike

with　Indolence　and　Trade；　you　are　impressed　at　once　with　the

recollection　of　that　restless；　lively　race　from　which　the

population　of　Naples　derives　its　origin；　so　that　in　one　day　you

may　see　at　Pompeii　the　habitations　of　a　remote　age；　and　on　the

Mole；　at　Naples；　you　may　imagine　you　behold　the　very　beings　with

whom　those　habitations　had　been　peopled。



But　now；　as　the　Englishmen　rode　slowly　through　the　deserted

streets；　lighted　but　by　the　lamps　of　heaven；　all　the　gayety　of

day　was　hushed　and　breathless。　　Here　and　there；　stretched　under　a

portico　or　a　dingy　booth；　were　sleeping　groups　of　houseless

Lazzaroni；a　tribe　now　merging　its　indolent　individuality　amidst

an　energetic　and　active　population。



The　Englishman　rode　on　in　silence；　for　Glyndon　neither　appeared

to　heed　nor　hear　the　questions　and　comments　of　Mervale；　and

Mervale　himself　was　almost　as　weary　as　the　jaded　animal　he

bestrode。



Suddenly　the　silence　of　earth　and　ocean　was　broken　by　the　sound

of　a　distant　clock　that　proclaimed　the　quarter　preceding　the　last

hour　of　night。　　Glyndon　started　from　his　reverie；　and　looked

anxiously　round。　　As　the　final　stroke　died；　the　noise　of　hoofs

rung　on　the　broad　stones　of　the　pavement；　and　from　a　narrow

street　to　the　right　emerged　the　form　of　a　solitary　horseman。　　He

neared　the　Englishmen；　and　Glyndon　recognised　the　features　and

mien　of　Zanoni。



〃What！　do　we　meet　again；　signor？〃　said　Mervale；　in　a　vexed　but

drowsy　tone。



〃Your　friend　and　I　have　business　together；〃　replied　Zanoni；　as　he

wheeled　his　steed　to　the　side　of　Glyndon。　　〃But　it　will　be　soon

transacted。　　Perhaps　you；　sir；　will　ride　on　to　your　hotel。〃



〃Alone！〃



〃There　is　no　danger！〃　returned　Zanoni；　with　a　slight　expression

of　disdain　in　his　voice。



〃None　to　me；　but　to　Glyndon？〃



〃Danger　from　me！　　Ah；　perhaps　you　are　right。〃



〃Go　on；　my　dear　Mervale；〃　said　Glyndon；　〃I　will　join　you　before

you　reach　the　hotel。〃



Mervale　nodded；　whistled；　and　pushed　his　horse　into　a　kind　of

amble。



〃Now　your　answer；quick？〃



〃I　have　decided。　　The　love　of　Viola　has　vanished　from　my　heart。

The　pursuit　is　over。〃



〃You　have　decided？〃



〃I　have；　and　now　my　reward。〃



〃Thy　reward！　　Well；　ere　this　hour　to…morrow　it　shall　await　thee。〃



Zanoni　gave　the　rein　to　his　horse；　it　sprang　forward　with　a

bound：　　the　sparks　flew　from　its　hoofs；　and　horse　and　rider

disappeared　amidst　the　shadows　of　the　street　whence　they　had

emerged。



Mervale　was　surprised　to　see　his　friend　by　his　side；　a　minute

after　they　had　parted。



〃What　has　passed　between　you　and　Zanoni？〃



〃Mervale；　do　not　ask　me　to…night！　　I　am　in　a　dream。〃



〃I　do　not　wonder　at　it；　for　even　I　am　in　a　sleep。　　Let　us　push

on。〃



In　the　retirement　of　his　chamber；　Glyndon　sought　to　recollect　his

thoughts。　　He　sat　down　on　the　foot　of　his　bed；　and　pressed　his

hands　tightly　to　his　throbbing　temples。　　The　events　of　the　last

few　hours；　the　apparition　of　the　gigantic　and　shadowy　Companion

of　the　Mystic；　amidst　the　fires　and　clouds　of　Vesuvius；　the

strange　encounter　with　Zanoni　himself；　on　a　spot　in　which　he

could　never；　by　ordinary　reasoning；　have　calculated　on　finding

Glyndon；　filled　his　mind　with　emotions；　in　which　terror　and　awe

the　least　prevailed。　　A　fire；　the　train　of　which　had　been　long

laid；　was　lighted　at　his　heart；the　asbestos…fire　that；　once

lit；　is　never　to　be　quenched。　　All　his　early　aspirationshis

young　ambition；　his　longings　for　the　laurelwere　merged　in　one

passionate　yearning　to　surpass　the　bounds　of　the　common　knowledge

of　man；　and　reach　that　solemn　spot；　between　two　worlds；　on　which

the　mysterious　stranger　appeared　to　have　fixed　his　home。



Far　from　recalling　with　renewed　affright　the　remembrance　of　the

apparition　that　had　so　appalled　him；　the　recollection　only　served

to　kindle　and　concentrate　his　curiosity　into　a　burning　focus。　　He

had　said　aright；LOVE　HAD　VANISHED　FROM　HIS　HEART；　there　was　no

longer　a　serene　space　amidst　its　disordered　elements　for　human

affection　to　move　and　breathe。　　The　enthusiast　was　rapt　from　this

earth；　and　he　would　have　surrendered　all　that　mortal　beauty　ever

promised；　that　mortal　hope　ever　whispered；　for　one　hour　with

Zanoni　beyond　the　portals　of　the　visible　world。



He　rose；　oppressed　and　fevered　with　the　new　thoughts　that　raged

within　him；　and　threw　open　his　casement　for　air。　　The　ocean　lay

suffused　in　the　starry　light；　and　the　stillness　of　the　heavens

never　more　eloquently　preached　the　morality　of　repose　to　the

madness　of　earthly　passions。　　But　such　was　Glyndon's　mood　that

their　very　hush　only　served　to　deepen　the　wild　desires　that

preyed　upon　his　soul；　and　the　solemn　stars；　that　are　mysteries　in

themselves；　seemed；　by　a　kindred　sympathy；　to　agitate　the　wings

of　the　spirit　no　longer　contented　with　its　cage。　　As　he　gazed；　a

star　shot　from　its　brethren；　and　vanished　from　the　depth　of

space！





CHAPTER　3。XIII。



O；　be　gone！

By　Heaven；　I　love　thee　better　than　myself；

For　I　came　hither　armed　against　myself。

〃Romeo　and　Juliet。〃



The　young　actress　and　Gionetta　had　returned　from　the　theatre；　and

Viola　fatigued　and　exhausted；　had　thrown　herself　on　a　sofa；　while

Gionetta　busied　herself　with　the　long　tresses　which；　released

from　the　fillet　that　bound　them；　half…concealed　the　form　of　the

actress；　like　a　veil　of　threads　of　gold。　　As　she　smoothed　the

luxuriant　locks；　the　old　nurse　ran　gossiping　on　about　the　little

events　of　the　night；　the　scandal　and　politics　of　the　scenes　and

the　tireroom。　　Gionetta　was　a　worthy　soul。　　Almanzor；　in　Dryden's

tragedy　of　〃Almahide；〃　did　not　change　sides　with　more　gallant

indifference　than　the　exemplary　nurse。　　She　was　at　last　grieved

and　scandalised　that　Viola　had　not　selected　one　chosen　cavalier。

But　the　choice　she　left　wholly　to　her　fair　charge。　　Zegri　or

Abencerrage；　Glyndon　or　Zanoni；　it　had　been　the　same　to　her；

except　that　the　rumours　she　had　collected　respecting　the　latter；

combined　with　his　own　recommendations　of　his　rival；　had　given　her

preference　to　the　Englishman。　　She　interpreted　ill　the　impatient