zanoni-第70节

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delicate　health；　and　too　fine　an　organisation　of　the　nerves

rendered　her　susceptible　to　every　impression　that　could　influence

the　health　of　the　frame　through　the　sympathy　of　the　mind。　　But　as

she　never　complained；　and　as　the　singular　serenity　of　her　manners

seemed　to　betoken　an　equanimity　of　temperament　which；　with　the

vulgar；　might　have　passed　for　indifference；　her　sufferings　had　so

long　been　borne　unnoticed　that　it　ceased　to　be　an　effort　to

disguise　them。　　Though；　as　I　have　said；　not　handsome；　her

countenance　was　interesting　and　pleasing；　and　there　was　that

caressing　kindness；　that　winning　charm　about　her　smile；　her

manners；　her　anxiety　to　please；　to　comfort；　and　to　soothe　which

went　at　once　to　the　heart；　and　made　her　lovely；because　so

loving。



Such　was　the　sister　whom　Glyndon　had　so　long　neglected；　and　whom

he　now　so　cordially　welcomed。　　Adela　had　passed　many　years　a

victim　to　the　caprices；　and　a　nurse　to　the　maladies；　of　a　selfish

and　exacting　relation。　　The　delicate　and　generous　and　respectful

affection　of　her　brother　was　no　less　new　to　her　than　delightful。

He　took　pleasure　in　the　happiness　he　created；　he　gradually　weaned

himself　from　other　society；　he　felt　the　charm　of　home。　　It　is　not

surprising；　then；　that　this　young　creature；　free　and　virgin　from

every　more　ardent　attachment；　concentrated　all　her　grateful　love

on　this　cherished　and　protecting　relative。　　Her　study　by　day；　her

dream　by　night；　was　to　repay　him　for　his　affection。　　She　was

proud　of　his　talents；　devoted　to　his　welfare；　the　smallest　trifle

that　could　interest　him　swelled　in　her　eyes　to　the　gravest

affairs　of　life。　　In　short；　all　the　long…hoarded　enthusiasm；

which　was　her　perilous　and　only　heritage；　she　invested　in　this

one　object　of　her　holy　tenderness；　her　pure　ambition。



But　in　proportion　as　Glyndon　shunned　those　excitements　by　which

he　had　so　long　sought　to　occupy　his　time　or　distract　his

thoughts；　the　gloom　of　his　calmer　hours　became　deeper　and　more

continuous。　　He　ever　and　especially　dreaded　to　be　alone；　he　could

not　bear　his　new　companion　to　be　absent　from　his　eyes：　　he　rode

with　her；　walked　with　her；　and　it　was　with　visible　reluctance；

which　almost　partook　of　horror；　that　he　retired　to　rest　at　an

hour　when　even　revel　grows　fatigued。　　This　gloom　was　not　that

which　could　be　called　by　the　soft　name　of　melancholy；it　was　far

more　intense；　it　seemed　rather　like　despair。　　Often　after　a

silence　as　of　deathso　heavy；　abstracted；　motionless；　did　it

appearhe　would　start　abruptly；　and　cast　hurried　glances　around

him；his　limbs　trembling；　his　lips　livid；　his　brows　bathed　in

dew。　　Convinced　that　some　secret　sorrow　preyed　upon　his　mind；　and

would　consume　his　health；　it　was　the　dearest　as　the　most　natural

desire　of　Adela　to　become　his　confidant　and　consoler。　　She

observed；　with　the　quick　tact　of　the　delicate；　that　he　disliked

her　to　seem　affected　by；　or　even　sensible　of；　his　darker　moods。

She　schooled　herself　to　suppress　her　fears　and　her　feelings。　　She

would　not　ask　his　confidence；she　sought　to　steal　into　it。　　By

little　and　little　she　felt　that　she　was　succeeding。　　Too　wrapped

in　his　own　strange　existence　to　be　acutely　observant　of　the

character　of　others；　Glyndon　mistook　the　self…content　of　a

generous　and　humble　affection　for　constitutional　fortitude；　and

this　quality　pleased　and　soothed　him。　　It　is　fortitude　that　the

diseased　mind　requires　in　the　confidant　whom　it　selects　as　its

physician。　　And　how　irresistible　is　that　desire　to　communicate！

How　often　the　lonely　man　thought　to　himself；　〃My　heart　would　be

lightened　of　its　misery；　if　once　confessed！〃　　He　felt；　too；　that

in　the　very　youth；　the　inexperience；　the　poetical　temperament　of

Adela；　he　could　find　one　who　would　comprehend　and　bear　with　him

better　than　any　sterner　and　more　practical　nature。　　Mervale　would

have　looked　on　his　revelations　as　the　ravings　of　madness；　and

most　men；　at　best；　as　the　sicklied　chimeras；　the　optical

delusions；　of　disease。　　Thus　gradually　preparing　himself　for　that

relief　for　which　he　yearned；　the　moment　for　his　disclosure

arrived　thus：



One　evening；　as　they　sat　alone　together；　Adela；　who　inherited

some　portion　of　her　brother's　talent　in　art；　was　employed　in

drawing；　and　Glyndon；　rousing　himself　from　meditations　less

gloomy　than　usual；　rose；　and　affectionately　passing　his　arm　round

her　waist；　looked　over　her　as　she　sat。　　An　exclamation　of　dismay

broke　from　his　lips；he　snatched　the　drawing　from　her　hand：

〃What　are　you　about？what　portrait　is　this？〃



〃Dear　Clarence；　do　you　not　remember　the　original？it　is　a　copy

from　that　portrait　of　our　wise　ancestor　which　our　poor　mother

used　to　say　so　strongly　resembled　you。　　I　thought　it　would　please

you　if　I　copied　it　from　memory。〃



〃Accursed　was　the　likeness！〃　said　Glyndon；　gloomily。　　〃Guess　you

not　the　reason　why　I　have　shunned　to　return　to　the　home　of　my

fathers！because　I　dreaded　to　meet　that　portrait！because

becausebut　pardon　me；　I　alarm　you！〃



〃Ah；　no；no；　Clarence；　you　never　alarm　me　when　you　speak：　　only

when　you　are　silent！　　Oh；　if　you　thought　me　worthy　of　your　trust；

oh；　if　you　had　given　me　the　right　to　reason　with　you　in　the

sorrows　that　I　yearn　to　share！〃



Glyndon　made　no　answer；　but　paced　the　room　for　some　moments　with

disordered　strides。　　He　stopped　at　last；　and　gazed　at　her

earnestly。　　〃Yes；　you；　too；　are　his　descendant；　you　know　that

such　men　have　lived　and　suffered；　you　will　not　mock　me；　you

will　not　disbelieve！　　Listen！　hark！what　sound　is　that？〃



〃But　the　wind　on　the　house…top；　Clarence；but　the　wind。〃



〃Give　me　your　hand；　let　me　feel　its　living　clasp；　and　when　I　have

told　you；　never　revert　to　the　tale　again。　　Conceal　it　from　all：

swear　that　it　shall　die　with　us；the　last　of　our　predestined

race！〃



〃Never　will　I　betray　your　trust；　I　swear　it；never！〃　said　Adela；

firmly；　and　she　drew　closer　to　his　side。　　Then　Glyndon　commenced

his　story。　　That　which；　perhaps；　in　writing；　and　to　minds

prepared　to　question　and　disbelieve；　may　seem　cold　and

terrorless；　became　far　different　when　told　by　those　blanched

lips；　with　all　that　truth　of　suffering　which　convinces　and

appalls。　　Much；　indeed；　he　concealed；　much　he　involuntarily

softened；　but　he　revealed　enough　to　make　his　tale　intelligible

and　distinct　to　his　pale　and　trembling　listener。　　〃At　daybreak；〃

he　said；　〃I　left　that　unhallowed　and　abhorred　abode。　　I　had　one

hope　still；I　would　seek　Mejnour　through　the　world。　　I　would

force　him　to　lay　at　rest　the　fiend　that　haunted　my　soul。　　With

this　intent　I　journeyed　from　city　to　city。　　I　instituted　the　most

vigilant　researches　through　the　police　of　Italy。　　I　even　employed

the　services　of　the　Inquisition　at　Rome；　which　had　lately

asserted　its　ancient　powers　in　the　trial　of　the　less　dangerous

Cagliostro。　　All　was　in　vain；　not　a　trace　of　him　could　be

discovered。　　I　was　not　alone；　Adela。〃　　Here　Glyndon　paused　a

moment；　as　if　embarrassed；　for　in　his　recital；　I　need　scarcely

say　that　he　had　only　indistinctly　alluded　to　Fillide；　whom　the

reader　may　surmise　to　be　his　companion。　　〃I　was　not　alone；　but

the　associate　of　my　wanderings　was　not　one　in　whom　my　soul　could

confide；faithful　and　affectionate；　but　without　education；

without　faculties　to　comprehend　me；　with　natural　instincts　rather

than　cultivated　reason；　one　in　whom　the　heart　might　lean　in　its

careless　hours；　but　with　whom　the　mind　could　have　no　commune；　in

whom　the　bewildered　spirit　could　seek　no　guide。　　Yet　in　the

society　of　this　person　the　demon　troubled　me　not。　　Let　me　explain

yet　more　fully　the　dread　conditions　of　its　presence。　　In　coarse

excitement；　in　commonplace　life；　in　the　wild　riot；　in　the　fierce

excess；　in　the　torpid　lethargy　of　that　animal　existence　which　we

share　with　the　brutes；　its　eyes　were　invisible；　its　whisper　was

unheard。　　But　whenever　the　soul　would　aspire；　whenever　the

imagination　kindled　to　the　loftier　ends；　whenever　the

consciousness　of　our　proper　destiny　struggled　against　the

unworthy　life　I　pursued；　then；　Adelathen；　it　cowered　by　my　side

in　the　light　of　noon；　or　sat　by　my　bed；a　Darkness　visible

through　the　Dark。　　If；　in　the　galleries　of　Divine　Art；　the　dreams

of　my　youth　woke　the　early　emulation；if　I　turned　to　the

thoughts　of　sages；　if　the　example　of　the　great；　if　the　converse

of　the　wise；　aroused　the　silenced　intellect；　the　demon　was　with

me　as　by　a　spell。　　At　last；　one　evening；　at　Genoa；　to　which　city

I　had　travelled　in　pursuit　of　the　mystic；　suddenly；　and　when

least　expected；　he　appeared　before　me。　　It　was　the　time　of　the

Carnival。　　It　was　in　one　of　those　half…frantic　scenes　of　noise

and　revel；　call　it　not　gayety；　which　establish　a　heathen

saturnalia　in　the　midst　of　a　Christian　festival。　　Wearied　with

the　dance；　I　had　entered　a　room　in　which　several　revellers　were

seated；　drinking；　singing；　shouting；　and　in　their　fantastic

dresses　and　hideous　masks；　their　orgy　seemed　scarcely　human。　　I

placed　myself　amongst　them；　and　in　that　fearful　exciteme