zanoni-第76节

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excludes　the　stars？　　Dark；　bright　one！　the　hateful　eyes　glare

beside　the　mother　and　the　child！



All　that　day　Viola　was　distracted　by　a　thousand　thoughts　and

terrors；　which　fled　as　she　examined　them　to　settle　back　the

darklier。　　She　remembered　that；　as　she　had　once　said　to　Glyndon；

her　very　childhood　had　been　haunted　with　strange　forebodings；

that　she　was　ordained　for　some　preternatural　doom。　　She

remembered　that；　as　she　had　told　him　this；　sitting　by　the　seas

that　slumbered　in　the　arms　of　the　Bay　of　Naples；　he；　too；　had

acknowledged　the　same　forebodings；　and　a　mysterious　sympathy　had

appeared　to　unite　their　fates。　　She　remembered；　above　all；　that；

comparing　their　entangled　thoughts；　both　had　then　said；　that　with

the　first　sight　of　Zanoni　the　foreboding；　the　instinct；　had

spoken　to　their　hearts　more　audibly　than　before；　whispering　that

〃with　HIM　was　connected　the　secret　of　the　unconjectured　life。〃



And　now；　when　Glyndon　and　Viola　met　again；　the　haunting　fears　of

childhood；　thus　referred　to；　woke　from　their　enchanted　sleep。

With　Glyndon's　terror　she　felt　a　sympathy；　against　which　her

reason　and　her　love　struggled　in　vain。　　And　still；　when　she

turned　her　looks　upon　her　child；　it　watched　her　with　that　steady；

earnest　eye；　and　its　lips　moved　as　if　it　sought　to　speak　to　her；

but　no　sound　came。　　The　infant　refused　to　sleep。　　Whenever　she

gazed　upon　its　face；　still　those　wakeful；　watchful　eyes！and　in

their　earnestness；　there　spoke　something　of　pain；　of　upbraiding；

of　accusation。　　They　chilled　her　as　she　looked。　　Unable　to

endure；　of　herself；　this　sudden　and　complete　revulsion　of　all　the

feelings　which　had　hitherto　made　up　her　life；　she　formed　the

resolution　natural　to　her　land　and　creed；　she　sent　for　the　priest

who　had　habitually　attended　her　at　Venice；　and　to　him　she

confessed；　with　passionate　sobs　and　intense　terror；　the　doubts

that　had　broken　upon　her。　　The　good　father；　a　worthy　and　pious

man；　but　with　little　education　and　less　sense；　one　who　held　（as

many　of　the　lower　Italians　do　to　this　day）　even　a　poet　to　be　a

sort　of　sorcerer；　seemed　to　shut　the　gates　of　hope　upon　her

heart。　　His　remonstrances　were　urgent；　for　his　horror　was

unfeigned。　　He　joined　with　Glyndon　in　imploring　her　to　fly；　if

she　felt　the　smallest　doubt　that　her　husband's　pursuits　were　of

the　nature　which　the　Roman　Church　had　benevolently　burned　so　many

scholars　for　adopting。　　And　even　the　little　that　Viola　could

communicate　seemed；　to　the　ignorant　ascetic；　irrefragable　proof

of　sorcery　and　witchcraft；　he　had；　indeed；　previously　heard　some

of　the　strange　rumours　which　followed　the　path　of　Zanoni；　and　was

therefore　prepared　to　believe　the　worst；　the　worthy　Bartolomeo

would　have　made　no　bones　of　sending　Watt　to　the　stake；　had　he

heard　him　speak　of　the　steam…engine。　　But　Viola；　as　untutored　as

himself；　was　terrified　by　his　rough　and　vehement　eloquence；

terrified；　for　by　that　penetration　which　Catholic　priests；

however　dull；　generally　acquire；　in　their　vast　experience　of　the

human　heart　hourly　exposed　to　their　probe；　Bartolomeo　spoke　less

of　danger　to　herself　than　to　her　child。　　〃Sorcerers；〃　said　he；

〃have　ever　sought　the　most　to　decoy　and　seduce　the　souls　of　the

young；nay；　the　infant；〃　and　therewith　he　entered　into　a　long

catalogue　of　legendary　fables；　which　he　quoted　as　historical

facts。　　All　at　which　an　English　woman　would　have　smiled；　appalled

the　tender　but　superstitious　Neapolitan；　and　when　the　priest　left

her；　with　solemn　rebukes　and　grave　accusations　of　a　dereliction

of　her　duties　to　her　child；　if　she　hesitated　to　fly　with　it　from

an　abode　polluted　by　the　darker　powers　and　unhallowed　arts；

Viola；　still　clinging　to　the　image　of　Zanoni；　sank　into　a　passive

lethargy　which　held　her　very　reason　in　suspense。



The　hours　passed：　　night　came　on；　the　house　was　hushed；　and

Viola；　slowly　awakened　from　the　numbness　and　torpor　which　had

usurped　her　faculties；　tossed　to　and　fro　on　her　couch；　restless

and　perturbed。　　The　stillness　became　intolerable；　yet　more

intolerable　the　sound　that　alone　broke　it；　the　voice　of　the

clock；　knelling　moment　after　moment　to　its　grave。　　The　moments；

at　last；　seemed　themselves　to　find　voice；to　gain　shape。　　She

thought　she　beheld　them　springing；　wan　and　fairy…like；　from　the

womb　of　darkness；　and　ere　they　fell　again；　extinguished；　into

that　womb；　their　grave；　their　low　small　voices　murmured；　〃Woman；

we　report　to　eternity　all　that　is　done　in　time！　　What　shall　we

report　of　thee；　O　guardian　of　a　new…born　soul？〃　　She　became

sensible　that　her　fancies　had　brought　a　sort　of　partial　delirium；

that　she　was　in　a　state　between　sleep　and　waking；　when　suddenly

one　thought　became　more　predominant　than　the　rest。　　The　chamber

which；　in　that　and　every　house　they　had　inhabited；　even　that　in

the　Greek　isles；　Zanoni　had　set　apart　to　a　solitude　on　which　none

might　intrude；　the　threshold　of　which　even　Viola's　step　was

forbid　to　cross；　and　never；　hitherto；　in　that　sweet　repose　of

confidence　which　belongs　to　contented　love；　had　she　even　felt　the

curious　desire　to　disobey；now；　that　chamber　drew　her　towards

it。　　Perhaps　THERE　might　be　found　a　somewhat　to　solve　the　riddle；

to　dispel　or　confirm　the　doubt：　　that　thought　grew　and　deepened

in　its　intenseness；　it　fastened　on　her　as　with　a　palpable　and

irresistible　grasp；　it　seemed　to　raise　her　limbs　without　her

will。



And　now；　through　the　chamber；　along　the　galleries　thou　glidest；　O

lovely　shape！　sleep…walking；　yet　awake。　　The　moon　shines　on　thee

as　thou　glidest　by；　casement　after　casement；　white…robed　and

wandering　spirit！thine　arms　crossed　upon　thy　bosom；　thine　eyes

fixed　and　open；　with　a　calm　unfearing　awe。　　Mother；　it　is　thy

child　that　leads　thee　on！　　The　fairy　moments　go　before　thee；　thou

hearest　still　the　clock…knell　tolling　them　to　their　graves

behind。　　On；　gliding　on；　thou　hast　gained　the　door；　no　lock　bars

thee；　no　magic　spell　drives　thee　back。　　Daughter　of　the　dust；

thou　standest　alone　with　night　in　the　chamber　where；　pale　and

numberless；　the　hosts　of　space　have　gathered　round　the　seer！





CHAPTER　6。VII。



Des　Erdenlebens

Schweres　Traumbild　sinkt；　und　sinkt；　und　sinkt。

〃Das　Ideal　und　das　Lebens。〃



（The　Dream　Shape　of　the　heavy　earthly　life　sinks；　and　sinks；　and

sinks。）



She　stood　within　the　chamber；　and　gazed　around　her；　no　signs　by

which　an　inquisitor　of　old　could　have　detected　the　scholar　of　the

Black　Art　were　visible。　　No　crucibles　and　caldrons；　no　brass…

bound　volumes　and　ciphered　girdles；　no　skulls　and　cross…bones。

Quietly　streamed　the　broad　moonlight　through　the　desolate　chamber

with　its　bare；　white　walls。　　A　few　bunches　of　withered　herbs；　a

few　antique　vessels　of　bronze；　placed　carelessly　on　a　wooden

form；　were　all　which　that　curious　gaze　could　identify　with　the

pursuits　of　the　absent　owner。　　The　magic；　if　it　existed；　dwelt　in

the　artificer；　and　the　materials；　to　other　hands；　were　but　herbs

and　bronze。　　So　is　it　ever　with　thy　works　and　wonders；　O　Genius；

Seeker　of　the　Stars！　　Words　themselves　are　the　common　property

of　all　men；　yet；　from　words　themselves；　Thou　Architect　of

Immortalities；　pilest　up　temples　that　shall　outlive　the　Pyramids；

and　the　very　leaf　of　the　Papyrus　becomes　a　Shinar；　stately　with

towers；　round　which　the　Deluge　of　Ages；　shall　roar　in　vain！



But　in　that　solitude　has　the　Presence　that　there　had　invoked　its

wonders　left　no　enchantment　of　its　own？　　It　seemed　so；　for　as

Viola　stood　in　the　chamber；　she　became　sensible　that　some

mysterious　change　was　at　work　within　herself。　　Her　blood　coursed

rapidly；　and　with　a　sensation　of　delight；　through　her　veins；she

felt　as　if　chains　were　falling　from　her　limbs；　as　if　cloud　after

cloud　was　rolling　from　her　gaze。　　All　the　confused　thoughts　which

had　moved　through　her　trance　settled　and　centred　themselves　in

one　intense　desire　to　see　the　Absent　One；to　be　with　him。　　The

monads　that　make　up　space　and　air　seemed　charged　with　a　spiritual

attraction；to　become　a　medium　through　which　her　spirit　could

pass　from　its　clay；　and　confer　with　the　spirit　to　which　the

unutterable　desire　compelled　it。　　A　faintness　seized　her；　she

tottered　to　the　seat　on　which　the　vessels　and　herbs　were　placed；

and；　as　she　bent　down；　she　saw　in　one　of　the　vessels　a　small　vase

of　crystal。　　By　a　mechanical　and　involuntary　impulse；　her　hand

seized　the　vase；　she　opened　it；　and　the　volatile　essence　it

contained　sparkled　up；　and　spread　through　the　room　a　powerful　and

delicious　fragrance。　　She　inhaled　the　odour；　she　laved　her

temples　with　the　liquid；　and　suddenly　her　life　seemed　to　spring

up　from　the　previous　faintness；to　spring；　to　soar；　to　float；　to

dilate　upon　the　wings　of　a　bird。　　The　room　vanished　from　her

eyes。　　Away；　away；　over　lands　and　seas　and　space　on　the　rushing

desire　flies　the　disprisoned　mind！



Upon　a　stratum；　not　of　this　world；　stood　the　world…born　shapes　of

the　sons　of　Science；　upon　an　embryo　world；　upon　a　crude；　wan；

attenuated　mass　of　matter