zanoni-第48节

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you　are　too　brave　a　man　for　superstition；　you　have　forgot　the

forfeit！'　　Our　host　seemed　to　me　to　recoil　and　turn　pale　at　those

words；　nevertheless；　he　returned　Zanoni's　smile　with　a　look　of

defiance。　　The　next　moment　all　was　broil　and　disorder。　　There

might　be　some　six　or　eight　persons　engaged　in　a　strange　and

confused　kind　of　melee；　but　the　prince　and　myself　only　sought

each　other。　　The　noise　around　us；　the　confusion　of　the　guests；

the　cries　of　the　musicians；　the　clash　of　our　own　swords；　only

served　to　stimulate　our　unhappy　fury。　　We　feared　to　be

interrupted　by　the　attendants；　and　fought　like　madmen；　without

skill　or　method。　　I　thrust　and　parried　mechanically；　blind　and

frantic；　as　if　a　demon　had　entered　into　me；　till　I　saw　the　prince

stretched　at　my　feet；　bathed　in　his　blood；　and　Zanoni　bending

over　him；　and　whispering　in　his　ear。　　That　sight　cooled　us　all。

The　strife　ceased；　we　gathered；　in　shame；　remorse；　and　horror；

round　our　ill…fated　host；　but　it　was　too　late；his　eyes　rolled

fearfully　in　his　head。　　I　have　seen　many　men　die；　but　never　one

who　wore　such　horror　on　his　countenance。　　At　last　all　was　over！

Zanoni　rose　from　the　corpse；　and；　taking；　with　great　composure；

the　sword　from　my　hand；　said　calmly；　'Ye　are　witnesses；

gentlemen；　that　the　prince　brought　his　fate　upon　himself。　　The

last　of　that　illustrious　house　has　perished　in　a　brawl。'



〃I　saw　no　more　of　Zanoni。　　I　hastened　to　our　envoy　to　narrate　the

event；　and　abide　the　issue。　　I　am　grateful　to　the　Neapolitan

government；　and　to　the　illustrious　heir　of　the　unfortunate

nobleman；　for　the　lenient　and　generous；　yet　just；　interpretation

put　upon　a　misfortune　the　memory　of　which　will　afflict　me　to　the

last　hour　of　my　life。



（Signed）　〃Louis　Victor；　Duc　de　R。〃



In　the　above　memorial；　the　reader　will　find　the　most　exact　and

minute　account　yet　given　of　an　event　which　created　the　most

lively　sensation　at　Naples　in　that　day。



Glyndon　had　taken　no　part　in　the　affray；　neither　had　he

participated　largely　in　the　excesses　of　the　revel。　　For　his

exemption　from　both　he　was　perhaps　indebted　to　the　whispered

exhortations　of　Zanoni。　　When　the　last　rose　from　the　corpse；　and

withdrew　from　that　scene　of　confusion；　Glyndon　remarked　that　in

passing　the　crowd　he　touched　Mascari　on　the　shoulder；　and　said

something　which　the　Englishman　did　not　overhear。　　Glyndon

followed　Zanoni　into　the　banquet…room；　which；　save　where　the

moonlight　slept　on　the　marble　floor；　was　wrapped　in　the　sad　and

gloomy　shadows　of　the　advancing　night。



〃How　could　you　foretell　this　fearful　event？　　He　fell　not　by　your

arm！〃　said　Glyndon；　in　a　tremulous　and　hollow　tone。



〃The　general　who　calculates　on　the　victory　does　not　fight　in

person；〃　answered　Zanoni；　〃let　the　past　sleep　with　the　dead。

Meet　me　at　midnight　by　the　sea…shore；　half　a　mile　to　the　left　of

your　hotel。　　You　will　know　the　spot　by　a　rude　pillarthe　only

one　nearto　which　a　broken　chain　is　attached。　　There　and　then；

if　thou　wouldst　learn　our　lore；　thou　shalt　find　the　master。　　Go；

I　have　business　here　yet。　　Remember；　Viola　is　still　in　the　house

of　the　dead　man！〃



Here　Mascari　approached；　and　Zanoni；　turning　to　the　Italian；　and

waving　his　hand　to　Glyndon；　drew　the　former　aside。　　Glyndon

slowly　departed。



〃Mascari；〃　said　Zanoni；　〃your　patron　is　no　more；　your　services

will　be　valueless　to　his　heir；a　sober　man　whom　poverty　has

preserved　from　vice。　　For　yourself；　thank　me　that　I　do　not　give

you　up　to　the　executioner；　recollect　the　wine　of　Cyprus。　　Well；

never　tremble；　man；　it　could　not　act　on　me；　though　it　might　react

on　others；　in　that　it　is　a　common　type　of　crime。　　I　forgive　you；

and　if　the　wine　should　kill　me；　I　promise　you　that　my　ghost　shall

not　haunt　so　worshipful　a　penitent。　　Enough　of　this；　conduct　me

to　the　chamber　of　Viola　Pisani。　　You　have　no　further　need　of　her。

The　death　of　the　jailer　opens　the　cell　of　the　captive。　　Be　quick；

I　would　be　gone。〃



Mascari　muttered　some　inaudible　words；　bowed　low；　and　led　the　way

to　the　chamber　in　which　Viola　was　confined。





CHAPTER　3。XVIII。



Merc：　　Tell　me；　therefore；　what　thou　seekest　after；　and　what　thou

wilt　have。　　What　dost　thou　desire　to　make？



Alch：　　The　Philosopher's　Stone。



Sandivogius。



It　wanted　several　minutes　of　midnight；　and　Glyndon　repaired　to

the　appointed　spot。　　The　mysterious　empire　which　Zanoni　had

acquired　over　him；　was　still　more　solemnly　confirmed　by　the

events　of　the　last　few　hours；　the　sudden　fate　of　the　prince；　so

deliberately　foreshadowed；　and　yet　so　seemingly　accidental；

brought　out　by　causes　the　most　commonplace；　and　yet　associated

with　words　the　most　prophetic；　impressed　him　with　the　deepest

sentiments　of　admiration　and　awe。　　It　was　as　if　this　dark　and

wondrous　being　could　convert　the　most　ordinary　events　and　the

meanest　instruments　into　the　agencies　of　his　inscrutable　will；

yet；　if　so；　why　have　permitted　the　capture　of　Viola？　　Why　not

have　prevented　the　crime　rather　than　punish　the　criminal？　　And

did　Zanoni　really　feel　love　for　Viola？　　Love；　and　yet　offer　to

resign　her　to　himself；to　a　rival　whom　his　arts　could　not　have

failed　to　baffle。　　He　no　longer　reverted　to　the　belief　that

Zanoni　or　Viola　had　sought　to　dupe　him　into　marriage。　　His　fear

and　reverence　for　the　former　now　forbade　the　notion　of　so　poor　an

imposture。　　Did　he　any　longer　love　Viola　himself？　　No；　when　that

morning　he　had　heard　of　her　danger；　he　had；　it　is　true；　returned

to　the　sympathies　and　the　fears　of　affection；　but　with　the　death

of　the　prince　her　image　faded　from　his　heart；　and　he　felt　no

jealous　pang　at　the　thought　that　she　had　been　saved　by　Zanoni；

that　at　that　moment　she　was　perhaps　beneath　his　roof。　　Whoever

has；　in　the　course　of　his　life；　indulged　the　absorbing　passion　of

the　gamester；　will　remember　how　all　other　pursuits　and　objects

vanished　from　his　mind；　how　solely　he　was　wrapped　in　the　one　wild

delusion；　with　what　a　sceptre　of　magic　power　the　despot…demon

ruled　every　feeling　and　every　thought。　　Far　more　intense　than　the

passion　of　the　gamester　was　the　frantic　yet　sublime　desire　that

mastered　the　breast　of　Glyndon。　　He　would　be　the　rival　of　Zanoni；

not　in　human　and　perishable　affections；　but　in　preternatural　and

eternal　lore。　　He　would　have　laid　down　life　with　contentnay；

raptureas　the　price　of　learning　those　solemn　secrets　which

separated　the　stranger　from　mankind。　　Enamoured　of　the　goddess　of

goddesses；　he　stretched　forth　his　armsthe　wild　Ixionand

embraced　a　cloud！



The　night　was　most　lovely　and　serene；　and　the　waves　scarcely

rippled　at　his　feet　as　the　Englishman　glided　on　by　the　cool　and

starry　beach。　　At　length　he　arrived　at　the　spot；　and　there；

leaning　against　the　broken　pillar；　he　beheld　a　man　wrapped　in　a

long　mantle；　and　in　an　attitude　of　profound　repose。　　He

approached；　and　uttered　the　name　of　Zanoni。　　The　figure　turned；

and　he　saw　the　face　of　a　stranger：　　a　face　not　stamped　by　the

glorious　beauty　of　Zanoni；　but　equally　majestic　in　its　aspect；

and　perhaps　still　more　impressive　from　the　mature　age　and　the

passionless　depth　of　thought　that　characterised　the　expanded

forehead；　and　deep…set　but　piercing　eyes。



〃You　seek　Zanoni；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃he　will　be　here　anon；　but；

perhaps；　he　whom　you　see　before　you　is　more　connected　with　your

destiny；　and　more　disposed　to　realise　your　dreams。〃



〃Hath　the　earth；　then；　another　Zanoni？〃



〃If　not；〃　replied　the　stranger；　〃why　do　you　cherish　the　hope　and

the　wild　faith　to　be　yourself　a　Zanoni？　　Think　you　that　none

others　have　burned　with　the　same　godlike　dream？　　Who；　indeed　in

his　first　youth；youth　when　the　soul　is　nearer　to　the　heaven

from　which　it　sprang；　and　its　divine　and　primal　longings　are　not

all　effaced　by　the　sordid　passions　and　petty　cares　that　are　begot

in　time；who　is　there　in　youth　that　has　not　nourished　the　belief

that　the　universe　has　secrets　not　known　to　the　common　herd；　and

panted；　as　the　hart　for　the　water…springs；　for　the　fountains　that

lie　hid　and　far　away　amidst　the　broad　wilderness　of　trackless

science？　　The　music　of　the　fountain　is　heard　in　the　soul　WITHIN；

till　the　steps；　deceived　and　erring；　rove　away　from　its　waters；

and　the　wanderer　dies　in　the　mighty　desert。　　Think　you　that　none

who　have　cherished　the　hope　have　found　the　truth；　or　that　the

yearning　after　the　Ineffable　Knowledge　was　given　to　us　utterly　in

vain？　　No！　　Every　desire　in　human　hearts　is　but　a　glimpse　of

things　that　exist；　alike　distant　and　divine。　　No！　in　the　world

there　have　been　from　age　to　age　some　brighter　and　happier　spirits

who　have　attained　to　the　air　in　which　the　beings　above　mankind

move　and　breathe。　　Zanoni；　great　though　he　be；　stands　not　alone。

He　has　had　his　predecessors；　and　long　lines　of　successors　may　be

yet　to　come。〃



〃And　will　you　tell　me；〃　said　Glyndon；　〃that　in　yourself　I　behold

one　of　that　mighty　few　over　whom　Zanoni　has　no　superiority　in

power　and　wisdom？〃



〃In　me；〃　answered　the　strange