zanoni-第44节

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you。〃



The　prince；　who　had　listened　with　deep　and　breathless　attention

to　the　words　of　his　singular　guest；　started　from　his　seat　at　his

last　words。　　〃Imposter！〃　he　cried；　〃can　you　dare　thus　to　play

with　my　credulity？　　Sixty　years　have　flown　since　my　grandsire

died；　were　he　living；　he　had　passed　his　hundred　and　twentieth

year；　and　you；　whose　old　age　is　erect　and　vigorous；　have　the

assurance　to　pretend　to　have　been　his　contemporary！　　But　you　have

imperfectly　learned　your　tale。　　You　know　not；　it　seems；　that　my

grandsire；　wise　and　illustrious　indeed；　in　all　save　his　faith　in

a　charlatan；　was　found　dead　in　his　bed；　in　the　very　hour　when　his

colossal　plans　were　ripe　for　execution；　and　that　Mejnour　was

guilty　of　his　murder。〃



〃Alas！〃　answered　the　stranger；　in　a　voice　of　great　sadness；　〃had

he　but　listened　to　Mejnour；had　he　but　delayed　the　last　and　most

perilous　ordeal　of　daring　wisdom　until　the　requisite　training　and

initiation　had　been　completed；your　ancestor　would　have　stood

with　me　upon　an　eminence　which　the　waters　of　Death　itself　wash

everlastingly；　but　cannot　overflow。　　Your　grandsire　resisted　my

fervent　prayers；　disobeyed　my　most　absolute　commands；　and　in　the

sublime　rashness　of　a　soul　that　panted　for　secrets；　which　he　who

desires　orbs　and　sceptres　never　can　obtain；　perished；　the　victim

of　his　own　frenzy。〃



〃He　was　poisoned；　and　Mejnour　fled。〃



〃Mejnour　fled　not；〃　answered　the　stranger；　proudly〃Mejnour

could　not　fly　from　danger；　for　to　him　danger　is　a　thing　long　left

behind。　　It　was　the　day　before　the　duke　took　the　fatal　draft

which　he　believed　was　to　confer　on　the　mortal　the　immortal　boon；

that；　finding　my　power　over　him　was　gone；　I　abandoned　him　to　his

doom。　　But　a　truce　with　this：　　I　loved　your　grandsire！　　I　would

save　the　last　of　his　race。　　Oppose　not　thyself　to　Zanoni。　　Yield

not　thy　soul　to　thine　evil　passions。　　Draw　back　from　the

precipice　while　there　is　yet　time。　　In　thy　front；　and　in　thine

eyes；　I　detect　some　of　that　diviner　glory　which　belonged　to　thy

race。　　Thou　hast　in　thee　some　germs　of　their　hereditary　genius；

but　they　are　choked　up　by　worse　than　thy　hereditary　vices。

Recollect　that　by　genius　thy　house　rose；　by　vice　it　ever　failed

to　perpetuate　its　power。　　In　the　laws　which　regulate　the

universe；　it　is　decreed　that　nothing　wicked　can　long　endure。　　Be

wise；　and　let　history　warn　thee。　　Thou　standest　on　the　verge　of

two　worlds；　the　past　and　the　future；　and　voices　from　either

shriek　omen　in　thy　ear。　　I　have　done。　　I　bid　thee　farewell！〃



〃Not　so；　thou　shalt　not　quit　these　walls。　　I　will　make　experiment

of　thy　boasted　power。　　What；　ho　there！ho！〃



The　prince　shouted；　the　room　was　filled　with　his　minions。



〃Seize　that　man！〃　he　cried；　pointing　to　the　spot　which　had　been

filled　by　the　form　of　Mejnour。　　To　his　inconceivable　amaze　and

horror；　the　spot　was　vacant。　　The　mysterious　stranger　had

vanished　like　a　dream；　but　a　thin　and　fragrant　mist　undulated；　in

pale　volumes；　round　the　walls　of　the　chamber。　　〃Look　to　my　lord；〃

cried　Mascari。　　The　prince　had　fallen　to　the　floor　insensible。

For　many　hours　he　seemed　in　a　kind　of　trance。　　When　he　recovered；

he　dismissed　his　attendants；　and　his　step　was　heard　in　his

chamber；　pacing　to　and　fro；　with　heavy　and　disordered　strides。

Not　till　an　hour　before　his　banquet　the　next　day　did　he　seem

restored　to　his　wonted　self。





CHAPTER　3。XV。



Oime！　come　poss'　io

Altri　trovar；　se　me　trovar　non　posso。

〃Amint。；〃　At。　i。　Sc。　ii。



（Alas！　how　can　I　find　another　when　I　cannot　find　myself？）



The　sleep　of　Glyndon；　the　night　after　his　last　interview　with

Zanoni；　was　unusually　profound；　and　the　sun　streamed　full　upon

his　eyes　as　he　opened　them　to　the　day。　　He　rose　refreshed；　and

with　a　strange　sentiment　of　calmness　that　seemed　more　the　result

of　resolution　than　exhaustion。　　The　incidents　and　emotions　of　the

past　night　had　settled　into　distinct　and　clear　impressions。　　He

thought　of　them　but　slightly；he　thought　rather　of　the　future。

He　was　as　one　of　the　initiated　in　the　old　Egyptian　mysteries　who

have　crossed　the　gate　only　to　long　more　ardently　for　the

penetralia。



He　dressed　himself；　and　was　relieved　to　find　that　Mervale　had

joined　a　party　of　his　countrymen　on　an　excursion　to　Ischia。　　He

spent　the　heat　of　noon　in　thoughtful　solitude；　and　gradually　the

image　of　Viola　returned　to　his　heart。　　It　was　a　holyfor　it　was

a　HUMANimage。　　He　had　resigned　her；　and　though　he　repented　not；

he　was　troubled　at　the　thought　that　repentance　would　have　come

too　late。



He　started　impatiently　from　his　seat；　and　strode　with　rapid　steps

to　the　humble　abode　of　the　actress。



The　distance　was　considerable；　and　the　air　oppressive。　　Glyndon

arrived　at　the　door　breathless　and　heated。　　He　knocked；　no　answer

came。　　He　lifted　the　latch　and　entered。　　He　ascended　the　stairs；

no　sound；　no　sight　of　life　met　his　ear　and　eye。　　In　the　front

chamber；　on　a　table；　lay　the　guitar　of　the　actress；　and　some

manuscript　parts　in　the　favourite　operas。　　He　paused；　and；

summoning　courage；　tapped　at　the　door　which　seemed　to　lead　into

the　inner　apartment。　　The　door　was　ajar；　and；　hearing　no　sound

within；　he　pushed　it　open。　　It　was　the　sleeping…chamber　of　the

young　actress；　that　holiest　ground　to　a　lover；　and　well　did　the

place　become　the　presiding　deity：　　none　of　the　tawdry　finery　of

the　profession　was　visible；　on　the　one　hand；　none　of　the　slovenly

disorder　common　to　the　humbler　classes　of　the　South；　on　the

other。　　All　was　pure　and　simple；　even　the　ornaments　were　those　of

an　innocent　refinement；a　few　books；　placed　carefully　on

shelves；　a　few　half…faded　flowers　in　an　earthen　vase；　which　was

modelled　and　painted　in　the　Etruscan　fashion。　　The　sunlight

streamed　over　the　snowy　draperies　of　the　bed；　and　a　few　articles

of　clothing　on　the　chair　beside　it。　　Viola　was　not　there；　but　the

nurse！was　she　gone　also？　　He　made　the　house　resound　with　the

name　of　Gionetta；　but　there　was　not　even　an　echo　to　reply。　　At

last；　as　he　reluctantly　quitted　the　desolate　abode；　he　perceived

Gionetta　coming　towards　him　from　the　street。



The　poor　old　woman　uttered　an　exclamation　of　joy　on　seeing　him；

but；　to　their　mutual　disappointment；　neither　had　any　cheerful

tidings　or　satisfactory　explanation　to　afford　the　other。

Gionetta　had　been　aroused　from　her　slumber　the　night　before　by

the　noise　in　the　rooms　below；　but　ere　she　could　muster　courage　to

descend；　Viola　was　gone！　　She　found　the　marks　of　violence　on　the

door　without；　and　all　she　had　since　been　able　to　learn　in　the

neighbourhood　was；　that　a　Lazzarone；　from　his　nocturnal　resting…

place　on　the　Chiaja；　had　seen　by　the　moonlight　a　carriage；　which

he　recognised　as　belonging　to　the　Prince　di　；　pass　and　repass

that　road　about　the　first　hour　of　morning。　　Glyndon；　on　gathering

from　the　confused　words　and　broken　sobs　of　the　old　nurse　the

heads　of　this　account；　abruptly　left　her；　and　repaired　to　the

palace　of　Zanoni。　There　he　was　informed　that　the　signor　was　gone

to　the　banquet　of　the　Prince　di　；　and　would　not　return　till

late。　　Glyndon　stood　motionless　with　perplexity　and　dismay；　he

knew　not　what　to　believe；　or　how　to　act。　　Even　Mervale　was　not　at

hand　to　advise　him。　　His　conscience　smote　him　bitterly。　　He　had

had　the　power　to　save　the　woman　he　had　loved；　and　had　foregone

that　power；　but　how　was　it　that　in　this　Zanoni　himself　had

failed？　　How　was　it　that　he　was　gone　to　the　very　banquet　of　the

ravisher？　　Could　Zanoni　be　aware　of　what　had　passed？　　If　not；

should　he　lose　a　moment　in　apprising　him？　　Though　mentally

irresolute；　no　man　was　more　physically　brave。　　He　would　repair　at

once　to　the　palace　of　the　prince　himself；　and　if　Zanoni　failed　in

the　trust　he　had　half…appeared　to　arrogate；　he；　the　humble

foreigner；　would　demand　the　captive　of　fraud　and　force；　in　the

very　halls　and　before　the　assembled　guests　of　the　Prince　di　。





CHAPTER　3。XVI。



Ardua　vallatur　duris　sapientia　scrupis。

Hadr。　Jun。；　〃Emblem。〃　xxxvii。



（Lofty　wisdom　is　circled　round　with　rugged　rocks。）



We　must　go　back　some　hours　in　the　progress　of　this　narrative。　　It

was　the　first　faint　and　gradual　break　of　the　summer　dawn；　and　two

men　stood　in　a　balcony　overhanging　a　garden　fragrant　with　the

scents　of　the　awakening　flowers。　　The　stars　had　not　yet　left　the

sky；the　birds　were　yet　silent　on　the　boughs：　　all　was　still；

hushed；　and　tranquil；　but　how　different　the　tranquillity　of

reviving　day　from　the　solemn　repose　of　night！　　In　the　music　of

silence　there　are　a　thousand　variations。　　These　men；　who　alone

seemed　awake　in　Naples；　were　Zanoni　and　the　mysterious　stranger

who　had　but　an　hour　or　two　ago　startled　the　Prince　di　　in　his

voluptuous　palace。



〃No；〃　said　the　latter；　〃hadst　thou　delayed　the　acceptance　of　the

Arch…gift　until　thou　hadst　attained　to　the　years；　and　passed

through　all　the　desolate　bereavements　that　chilled　and　seared

myself　ere　my　researches　had　made　it　mine；　thou　wouldst　have

escaped　th