zanoni-第55节

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CHAPTER　4。III。



Man　is　the　eye　of　things。Euryph；　〃de　Vit。　Hum。〃



。。。There　is；　therefore；　a　certain　ecstatical　or　transporting

power；　which；　if　at　any　time　it　shall　be　excited　or　stirred　up　by

an　ardent　desire　and　most　strong　imagination；　is　able　to　conduct

the　spirit　of　the　more　outward　even　to　some　absent　and

far…distant　object。Von　Helmont。



The　rooms　that　Mejnour　occupied　consisted　of　two　chambers

communicating　with　each　other；　and　a　third　in　which　he　slept。

All　these　rooms　were　placed　in　the　huge　square　tower　that　beetled

over　the　dark　and　bush…grown　precipice。　　The　first　chamber　which

Glyndon　entered　was　empty。　　With　a　noiseless　step　he　passed　on；

and　opened　the　door　that　admitted　into　the　inner　one。　　He　drew

back　at　the　threshold；　overpowered　by　a　strong　fragrance　which

filled　the　chamber：　　a　kind　of　mist　thickened　the　air　rather　than

obscured　it；　for　this　vapour　was　not　dark；　but　resembled　a　snow…

cloud　moving　slowly；　and　in　heavy　undulations；　wave　upon　wave

regularly　over　the　space。　　A　mortal　cold　struck　to　the

Englishman's　heart；　and　his　blood　froze。　　He　stood　rooted　to　the

spot；　and　as　his　eyes　strained　involuntarily　through　the　vapour；

he　fancied　（for　he　could　not　be　sure　that　it　was　not　the　trick　of

his　imagination）　that　he　saw　dim；　spectre…like；　but　gigantic

forms　floating　through　the　mist；　or　was　it　not　rather　the　mist

itself　that　formed　its　vapours　fantastically　into　those　moving；

impalpable；　and　bodiless　apparitions？　　A　great　painter　of

antiquity　is　said；　in　a　picture　of　Hades；　to　have　represented　the

monsters　that　glide　through　the　ghostly　River　of　the　Dead；　so

artfully；　that　the　eye　perceived　at　once　that　the　river　itself

was　but　a　spectre；　and　the　bloodless　things　that　tenanted　it　had

no　life；　their　forms　blending　with　the　dead　waters　till；　as　the

eye　continued　to　gaze；　it　ceased　to　discern　them　from　the

preternatural　element　they　were　supposed　to　inhabit。　　Such　were

the　moving　outlines　that　coiled　and　floated　through　the　mist；　but

before　Glyndon　had　even　drawn　breath　in　this　atmospherefor　his

life　itself　seemed　arrested　or　changed　into　a　kind　of　horrid

trancehe　felt　his　hand　seized；　and　he　was　led　from　that　room

into　the　outer　one。　　He　heard　the　door　close；his　blood　rushed

again　through　his　veins；　and　he　saw　Mejnour　by　his　side。　　Strong

convulsions　then　suddenly　seized　his　whole　frame；he　fell　to　the

ground　insensible。　　When　he　recovered；　he　found　himself　in　the

open　air　in　a　rude　balcony　of　stone　that　jutted　from　the　chamber；

the　stars　shining　serenely　over　the　dark　abyss　below；　and　resting

calmly　upon　the　face　of　the　mystic；　who　stood　beside　him　with

folded　arms。



〃Young　man；〃　said　Mejnour；　〃judge　by　what　you　have　just　felt；　how

dangerous　it　is　to　seek　knowledge　until　prepared　to　receive　it。

Another　moment　in　the　air　of　that　chamber　and　you　had　been　a

corpse。〃



〃Then　of　what　nature　was　the　knowledge　that　you；　once　mortal　like

myself；　could　safely　have　sought　in　that　icy　atmosphere；　which　it

was　death　for　me　to　breathe？　　Mejnour；〃　continued　Glyndon；　and

his　wild　desire；　sharpened　by　the　very　danger　he　had　passed；　once

more　animated　and　nerved　him；　〃I　am　prepared　at　least　for　the

first　steps。　　I　come　to　you　as　of　old　the　pupil　to　the

Hierophant；　and　demand　the　initiation。〃



Mejnour　passed　his　hand　over　the　young　man's　heart；it　beat

loud；　regularly；　and　boldly。　　He　looked　at　him　with　something

almost　like　admiration　in　his　passionless　and　frigid　features；

and　muttered；　half　to　himself；　〃Surely；　in　so　much　courage　the

true　disciple　is　found　at　last。〃　　Then；　speaking　aloud；　he　added；

〃Be　it　so；　man's　first　initiation　is　in　TRANCE。　　In　dreams

commences　all　human　knowledge；　in　dreams　hovers　over　measureless

space　the　first　faint　bridge　between　spirit　and　spirit；this

world　and　the　worlds　beyond！　　Look　steadfastly　on　yonder　star！〃



Glyndon　obeyed；　and　Mejnour　retired　into　the　chamber；　from　which

there　then　slowly　emerged　a　vapour；　somewhat　paler　and　of　fainter

odour　than　that　which　had　nearly　produced　so　fatal　an　effect　on

his　frame。　　This；　on　the　contrary；　as　it　coiled　around　him；　and

then　melted　in　thin　spires　into　the　air；　breathed　a　refreshing

and　healthful　fragrance。　　He　still　kept　his　eyes　on　the　star；　and

the　star　seemed　gradually　to　fix　and　command　his　gaze。　　A　sort　of

languor　next　seized　his　frame；　but　without；　as　he　thought；

communicating　itself　to　the　mind；　and　as　this　crept　over　him；　he

felt　his　temples　sprinkled　with　some　volatile　and　fiery　essence。

At　the　same　moment　a　slight　tremor　shook　his　limbs　and　thrilled

through　his　veins。　　The　languor　increased；　still　he　kept　his　gaze

upon　the　star；　and　now　its　luminous　circumference　seemed　to

expand　and　dilate。　　It　became　gradually　softer　and　clearer　in　its

light；　spreading　wider　and　broader；　it　diffused　all　space；all

space　seemed　swallowed　up　in　it。　　And　at　last；　in　the　midst　of　a

silver　shining　atmosphere；　he　felt　as　if　something　burst　within

his　brain；as　if　a　strong　chain　were　broken；　and　at　that　moment

a　sense　of　heavenly　liberty；　of　unutterable　delight；　of　freedom

from　the　body；　of　birdlike　lightness；　seemed　to　float　him　into

the　space　itself。　　〃Whom；　now　upon　earth；　dost　thou　wish　to　see？〃

whispered　the　voice　of　Mejnour。　　〃Viola　and　Zanoni！〃　answered

Glyndon；　in　his　heart；　but　he　felt　that　his　lips　moved　not。



Suddenly　at　that　thought；through　this　space；　in　which　nothing

save　one　mellow　translucent　light　had　been　discernible；a　swift

succession　of　shadowy　landscapes　seemed　to　roll：　　trees；

mountains；　cities；　seas；　glided　along　like　the　changes　of　a

phantasmagoria；　and　at　last；　settled　and　stationary；　he　saw　a

cave　by　the　gradual　marge　of　an　ocean　shore；myrtles　and

orange…trees　clothing　the　gentle　banks。　　On　a　height；　at　a

distance；　gleamed　the　white　but　shattered　relics　of　some　ruined

heathen　edifice；　and　the　moon；　in　calm　splendour；　shining　over

all；　literally　bathed　with　its　light　two　forms　without　the　cave；

at　whose　feet　the　blue　waters　crept；　and　he　thought　that　he　even

heard　them　murmur。　　He　recognised　both　the　figures。　　Zanoni　was

seated　on　a　fragment　of　stone；　Viola；　half…reclining　by　his　side；

was　looking　into　his　face；　which　was　bent　down　to　her；　and　in　her

countenance　was　the　expression　of　that　perfect　happiness　which

belongs　to　perfect　love。　　〃Wouldst　thou　hear　them　speak？〃

whispered　Mejnour；　and　again；　without　sound；　Glyndon　inly

answered；　〃Yes！〃　　Their　voices　then　came　to　his　ear；　but　in　tones

that　seemed　to　him　strange；　so　subdued　were　they；　and　sounding；

as　it　were；　so　far　off；　that　they　were　as　voices　heard　in　the

visions　of　some　holier　men　from　a　distant　sphere。



〃And　how　is　it；〃　said　Viola；　〃that　thou　canst　find　pleasure　in

listening　to　the　ignorant？〃



〃Because　the　heart　is　never　ignorant；　because　the　mysteries　of

the　feelings　are　as　full　of　wonder　as　those　of　the　intellect。　　If

at　times　thou　canst　not　comprehend　the　language　of　my　thoughts；

at　times　also　I　hear　sweet　enigmas　in　that　of　thy　emotions。〃



〃Ah；　say　not　so！〃　said　Viola；　winding　her　arm　tenderly　round　his

neck；　and　under　that　heavenly　light　her　face　seemed　lovelier　for

its　blushes。　　〃For　the　enigmas　are　but　love's　common　language；

and　love　should　solve　them。　　Till　I　knew　thee；till　I　lived　with

thee；　till　I　learned　to　watch　for　thy　footstep　when　absent：　　yet

even　in　absence　to　see　thee　everywhere！I　dreamed　not　how　strong

and　all…pervading　is　the　connection　between　nature　and　the　human

soul！。。。



〃And　yet；〃　she　continued；　〃I　am　now　assured　of　what　I　at　first

believed；that　the　feelings　which　attracted　me　towards　thee　at

first　were　not　those　of　love。　　I　know　THAT；　by　comparing　the

present　with　the　past；it　was　a　sentiment　then　wholly　of　the

mind　or　the　spirit！　　I　could　not　hear　thee　now　say；　'Viola；　be

happy　with　another！'〃



〃And　I　could　not　now　tell　thee　so！　　Ah；　Viola；　never　be　weary　of

assuring　me　that　thou　art　happy！〃



〃Happy　while　thou　art　so。　　Yet　at　times；　Zanoni；　thou　art　so

sad！〃



〃Because　human　life　is　so　short；　because　we　must　part　at　last；

because　yon　moon　shines　on　when　the　nightingale　sings　to　it　no

more！　　A　little　while；　and　thine　eyes　will　grow　dim；　and　thy

beauty　haggard；　and　these　locks　that　I　toy　with　now　will　be　grey

and　loveless。〃



〃And　thou；　cruel　one！〃　said　Viola；　touchingly；　〃I　shall　never　see

the　signs　of　age　in　thee！　　But　shall　we　not　grow　old　together；

and　our　eyes　be　accustomed　to　a　change　which　the　heart　shall　not

share！〃



Zanoni　sighed。　　He　turned　away；　and　seemed　to　commune　with

himself。



Glyndon's　attention　grew　yet　more　earnest。



〃But　were　it　so；〃　muttered　Zanoni；　and　then　looking　steadfastly

at　Viola；　he　said；　with　a　half…smile；　〃Hast　thou　no　curiosity　to

learn　more　of　the　lover　thou　once　couldst　believe　the　agent　of

the　Evil　One？〃



〃None；　all　that　one　wishes　to　know　of　the　beloved　one；　I　know

THAT　THOU　LOVEST　ME！〃



〃I　have　told　thee　that　my　life　i