zanoni-第81节

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Amongst　those　loudest　and　sternest　against　the　reign　of　blood；

amongst　those　most　disenchanted　of　the　Revolution；　amongst　those

most　appalled　by　its　excesses；was；　as　might　be　expected；　the

Englishman；　Clarence　Glyndon。　　The　wit　and　accomplishments；　the

uncertain　virtues　that　had　lighted　with　fitful　gleams　the　mind　of

Camille　Desmoulins；　had　fascinated　Glyndon　more　than　the

qualities　of　any　other　agent　in　the　Revolution。　　And　when　（for

Camille　Desmoulins　had　a　heart；　which　seemed　dead　or　dormant　in

most　of　his　contemporaries）　that　vivid　child　of　genius　and　of

error；　shocked　at　the　massacre　of　the　Girondins；　and　repentant　of

his　own　efforts　against　them；　began　to　rouse　the　serpent　malice

of　Robespierre　by　new　doctrines　of　mercy　and　toleration；　Glyndon

espoused　his　views　with　his　whole　strength　and　soul。　　Camille

Desmoulins　perished；　and　Glyndon；　hopeless　at　once　of　his　own

life　and　the　cause　of　humanity；　from　that　time　sought　only　the

occasion　of　flight　from　the　devouring　Golgotha。　　He　had　two　lives

to　heed　besides　his　own；　for　them　he　trembled；　and　for　them　he

schemed　and　plotted　the　means　of　escape。　　Though　Glyndon　hated

the　principles；　the　party　（None　were　more　opposed　to　the

Hebertists　than　Camille　Desmoulins　and　his　friends。　　It　is

curious　and　amusing　to　see　these　leaders　of　the　mob；　calling　the

mob　〃the　people〃　one　day；　and　the　〃canaille〃　the　next；　according

as　it　suits　them。　　〃I　know；〃　says　Camille；　〃that　they　（the

Hebertists）　have　all　the　canaille　with　them。〃（Ils　ont　toute　la

canaille　pour　eux。））；　and　the　vices　of　Nicot；　he　yet　extended　to

the　painter's　penury　the　means　of　subsistence；　and　Jean　Nicot；　in

return；　designed　to　exalt　Glyndon　to　that　very　immortality　of　a

Brutus　from　which　he　modestly　recoiled　himself。　　He　founded　his

designs　on　the　physical　courage；　on　the　wild　and　unsettled

fancies　of　the　English　artist；　and　on　the　vehement　hate　and

indignant　loathing　with　which　he　openly　regarded　the　government

of　Maximilien。



At　the　same　hour；　on　the　same　day　in　July；　in　which　Robespierre

conferred　（as　we　have　seen）　with　his　allies；　two　persons　were

seated　in　a　small　room　in　one　of　the　streets　leading　out　of　the

Rue　St。　Honore；　the　one；　a　man；　appeared　listening　impatiently；

and　with　a　sullen　brow；　to　his　companion；　a　woman　of　singular

beauty；　but　with　a　bold　and　reckless　expression；　and　her　face　as

she　spoke　was　animated　by　the　passions　of　a　half…savage　and

vehement　nature。



〃Englishman；〃　said　the　woman；　〃beware！you　know　that；　whether　in

flight　or　at　the　place　of　death；　I　would　brave　all　to　be　by　your

side；you　know　THAT！　　Speak！〃



〃Well；　Fillide；　did　I　ever　doubt　your　fidelity？〃



〃Doubt　it　you　cannot；　betray　it　you　may。　　You　tell　me　that　in

flight　you　must　have　a　companion　besides　myself；　and　that

companion　is　a　female。　　It　shall　not　be！〃



〃Shall　not！〃



〃It　shall　not！〃　repeated　Fillide；　firmly；　and　folding　her　arms

across　her　breast。　　Before　Glyndon　could　reply；　a　slight　knock　at

the　door　was　heard；　and　Nicot　opened　the　latch　and　entered。



Fillide　sank　into　her　chair；　and；　leaning　her　face　on　her　hands；

appeared　unheeding　of　the　intruder　and　the　conversation　that

ensued。



〃I　cannot　bid　thee　good…day；　Glyndon；〃　said　Nicot；　as　in　his

sans…culotte　fashion　he　strode　towards　the　artist；　his　ragged　hat

on　his　head；　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　the　beard　of　a　week's

growth　upon　his　chin；〃I　cannot　bid　thee　good…day；　for　while　the

tyrant　lives；　evil　is　every　sun　that　sheds　its　beams　on　France。〃



〃It　is　true；　what　then？　　We　have　sown　the　wind；　we　must　reap　the

whirlwind。〃



〃And　yet；〃　said　Nicot；　apparently　not　heeding　the　reply；　and　as

if　musingly　to　himself；　〃it　is　strange　to　think　that　the　butcher

is　as　mortal　as　the　butchered；　that　his　life　hangs　on　as　slight　a

thread；　that　between　the　cuticle　and　the　heart　there　is　as　short

a　passage；that；　in　short；　one　blow　can　free　France　and　redeem

mankind！〃



Glyndon　surveyed　the　speaker　with　a　careless　and　haughty　scorn；

and　made　no　answer。



〃And；〃　proceeded　Nicot；　〃I　have　sometimes　looked　round　for　the

man　born　for　this　destiny；　and　whenever　I　have　done　so；　my　steps

have　led　me　hither！〃



〃Should　they　not　rather　have　led　thee　to　the　side　of　Maximilien

Robespierre？〃　said　Glyndon；　with　a　sneer。



〃No；〃　returned　Nicot；　coldly；〃no；　for　I　am　a　'suspect：'　　I

could　not　mix　with　his　train；　I　could　not　approach　within　a

hundred　yards　of　his　person；　but　I　should　be　seized；　YOU；　as　yet；

are　safe。　　Hear　me！〃and　his　voice　became　earnest　and

expressive；〃hear　me！　　There　seems　danger　in　this　action；　there

is　none。　　I　have　been　with　Collot　d'Herbois　and　Bilaud…Varennes；

they　will　hold　him　harmless　who　strikes　the　blow；　the　populace

would　run　to　thy　support；　the　Convention　would　hail　thee　as　their

deliverer；　the〃



〃Hold；　man！　　How　darest　thou　couple　my　name　with　the　act　of　an

assassin？　　Let　the　tocsin　sound　from　yonder　tower；　to　a　war

between　Humanity　and　the　Tyrant；　and　I　will　not　be　the　last　in

the　field；　but　liberty　never　yet　acknowledged　a　defender　in　a

felon。〃



There　was　something　so　brave　and　noble　in　Glyndon's　voice；　mien；

and　manner；　as　he　thus　spoke；　that　Nicot　at　once　was　silenced；　at

once　he　saw　that　he　had　misjudged　the　man。



〃No；〃　said　Fillide；　lifting　her　face　from　her　hands；〃no！　your

friend　has　a　wiser　scheme　in　preparation；　he　would　leave　you

wolves　to　mangle　each　other。　　He　is　right；　but〃



〃Flight！〃　exclaimed　Nicot；　〃is　it　possible？　　Flight；　how？when？

by　what　means？　　All　France　begirt　with　spies　and　guards！

Flight！　would　to　Heaven　it　were　in　our　power！〃



〃Dost　thou；　too；　desire　to　escape　the　blessed　Revolution？〃



〃Desire！　　Oh！〃　cried　Nicot；　suddenly；　and；　falling　down；　he

clasped　Glyndon's　knees；〃oh；　save　me　with　thyself！　　My　life　is

a　torture；　every　moment　the　guillotine　frowns　before　me。　　I　know

that　my　hours　are　numbered；　I　know　that　the　tyrant　waits　but　his

time　to　write　my　name　in　his　inexorable　list；　I　know　that　Rene

Dumas；　the　judge　who　never　pardons；　has；　from　the　first；　resolved

upon　my　death。　　Oh；　Glyndon；　by　our　old　friendship；　by　our　common

art；　by　thy　loyal　English　faith　and　good　English　heart；　let　me

share　thy　flight！〃



〃If　thou　wilt；　so　be　it。〃



〃Thanks！my　whole　life　shall　thank　thee。　　But　how　hast　thou

prepared　the　means；　the　passports；　the　disguise；　the〃



〃I　will　tell　thee。　　Thou　knowest　C；　of　the　Convention；he　has

power；　and　he　is　covetous。　　'Qu'on　me　meprise；　pourvu　que　je

dine'　（Let　them　despise　me；　provided　that　I　dine。）；　said　he；　when

reproached　for　his　avarice。〃



〃Well？〃



〃By　the　help　of　this　sturdy　republican；　who　has　friends　enough　in

the　Comite；　I　have　obtained　the　means　necessary　for　flight；　I

have　purchased　them。　　For　a　consideration　I　can　procure　thy

passport　also。〃



〃Thy　riches；　then；　are　not　in　assignats？〃



〃No；　I　have　gold　enough　for　us　all。〃



And　here　Glyndon；　beckoning　Nicot　into　the　next　room；　first

briefly　and　rapidly　detailed　to　him　the　plan　proposed；　and　the

disguises　to　be　assumed　conformably　to　the　passports；　and　then

added；　〃In　return　for　the　service　I　render　thee；　grant　me　one

favour；　which　I　think　is　in　thy　power。　　Thou　rememberest　Viola

Pisani？〃



〃Ah；remember；　yes！and　the　lover　with　whom　she　fled。〃



〃And　FROM　whom　she　is　a　fugitive　now。〃



〃Indeedwhat！I　understand。　　Sacre　bleu！　but　you　are　a　lucky

fellow；　cher　confrere。〃



〃Silence；　man！　with　thy　eternal　prate　of　brotherhood　and　virtue；

thou　seemest　never　to　believe　in　one　kindly　action；　or　one

virtuous　thought！〃



Nicot　bit　his　lip；　and　replied　sullenly；　〃Experience　is　a　great

undeceiver。　　Humph！　　What　service　can　I　do　thee　with　regard　to

the　Italian？〃



〃I　have　been　accessory　to　her　arrival　in　this　city　of　snares　and

pitfalls。　　I　cannot　leave　her　alone　amidst　dangers　from　which

neither　innocence　nor　obscurity　is　a　safeguard。　　In　your　blessed

Republic；　a　good　and　unsuspected　citizen；　who　casts　a　desire　on

any　woman；　maid　or　wife；　has　but　to　say；　'Be　mine；　or　I　denounce

you！'　　In　a　word；　Viola　must　share　our　flight。〃



〃What　so　easy？　　I　see　your　passports　provide　for　her。〃



〃What　so　easy？　　What　so　difficult？　　This　Fillidewould　that　I

had　never　seen　her！would　that　I　had　never　enslaved　my　soul　to

my　senses！　　The　love　of　an　uneducated；　violent；　unprincipled

woman；　opens　with　a　heaven；　to　merge　in　a　hell！　　She　is　jealous

as　all　the　Furies；　she　will　not　hear　of　a　female　companion；　and

when　once　she　sees　the　beauty　of　Viola！I　tremble　to　think　of

it。　　She　is　capable　of　any　excess　in　the　storm　of　her　passions。〃



〃Aha；　I　know　what　such　women　are！　　My　wife；　Beatrice　Sacchini；

whom　I　took　from　Naples；　when　I　failed　with　this　very　Viola；

divorced　me　when　my　money　failed；　and；　as　the　mistress　of　a

judge；　passes　me　in　her　carriage　while　I　crawl　through　the

streets。　　Plague　on　her！but　patience；　patience！　such　is　the　lot

of　virtue。　　Would　I　were　Robespierr