massimilla doni-第15节

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his　ridiculous　behavior；　and　even　of　trying　to　spoil　her　performance
by　acting　passionate　devotion。　The　lady　was　shedding　bitter　tears　over
this　catastrophe。　She　had　been　hoping；　she　said；　to　charm　her　lover；
who　was　somewhere　in　the　house；　though　she　had　failed　to　discover　him。

Without　knowing　the　peaceful　course　of　daily　life　in　Venice　at　the
present　day；　so　devoid　of　incident　that　a　slight　altercation　between
two　lovers；　or　the　transient　huskiness　of　a　singer's　voice　becomes　a
subject　of　discussion；　regarded　of　as　much　importance　as　politics　in
England；　it　is　impossible　to　conceive　of　the　excitement　in　the　theatre
and　at　the　Cafe　Florian。　La　Tinti　was　in　love；　la　Tinti　had　been
hindered　in　her　performance；　Genovese　was　mad　or　purposely　malignant；
inspired　by　the　artist's　jealousy　so　familiar　to　Italians！　What　a　mine
of　matter　for　eager　discussion！

The　whole　pit　was　talking　as　men　talk　at　the　Bourse；　and　the　result
was　such　a　clamor　as　could　not　fail　to　amaze　a　Frenchman　accustomed　to
the　quiet　of　the　Paris　theatres。　The　boxes　were　in　a　ferment　like　the
stir　of　swarming　bees。

One　man　alone　remained　passive　in　the　turmoil。　Emilio　Memmi；　with　his
back　to　the　stage　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　Massimilla　with　a　melancholy
expression；　seemed　to　live　in　her　gaze；　he　had　not　once　looked　round
at　the　prima　donna。

〃I　need　not　ask　you；　/caro　carino/；　what　was　the　result　of　my
negotiation；〃　said　Vendramin　to　Emilio。　〃Your　pure　and　pious
Massimilla　has　been　supremely　kindin　short；　she　has　been　la　Tinti？〃

The　Prince's　reply　was　a　shake　of　his　head；　full　of　the　deepest
melancholy。

〃Your　love　has　not　descended　from　the　ethereal　spaces　where　you　soar；〃
said　Vendramin；　excited　by　opium。　〃It　is　not　yet　materialized。　This
morning；　as　every　day　for　six　monthsyou　felt　flowers　opening　their
scented　cups　under　the　dome　of　your　skull　that　had　expanded　to　vast
proportions。　All　your　blood　moved　to　your　swelling　heart　that　rose　to
choke　your　throat。　There；　in　there；〃and　he　laid　his　hand　on　Emilio's
breast；〃you　felt　rapturous　emotions。　Massimilla's　voice　fell　on　your
soul　in　waves　of　light；　her　touch　released　a　thousand　imprisoned　joys
which　emerged　from　the　convolutions　of　your　brain　to　gather　about　you
in　clouds；　to　waft　your　etherealized　body　through　the　blue　air　to　a
purple　glow　far　above　the　snowy　heights；　to　where　the　pure　love　of
angels　dwells。　The　smile；　the　kisses　of　her　lips　wrapped　you　in　a
poisoned　robe　which　burnt　up　the　last　vestiges　of　your　earthly　nature。
Her　eyes　were　twin　stars　that　turned　you　into　shadowless　light。　You
knelt　together　on　the　palm…branches　of　heaven；　waiting　for　the　gates
of　Paradise　to　be　opened；　but　they　turned　heavily　on　their　hinges；　and
in　your　impatience　you　struck　at　them；　but　could　not　reach　them。　Your
hand　touched　nothing　but　clouds　more　nimble　than　your　desires。　Your
radiant　companion；　crowned　with　white　roses　like　a　bride　of　Heaven；
wept　at　your　anguish。　Perhaps　she　was　murmuring　melodious　litanies　to
the　Virgin；　while　the　demoniacal　cravings　of　the　flesh　were　haunting
you　with　their　shameless　clamor；　and　you　disdained　the　divine　fruits
of　that　ecstasy　in　which　I　live；　though　shortening　my　life。〃

〃Your　exaltation；　my　dear　Vendramin；〃　replied　Emilio；　calmly；　〃is
still　beneath　reality。　Who　can　describe　that　purely　physical
exhaustion　in　which　we　are　left　by　the　abuse　of　a　dream　of　pleasure；
leaving　the　soul　still　eternally　craving；　and　the　spirit　in　clear
possession　of　its　faculties？

〃But　I　am　weary　of　this　torment；　which　is　that　of　Tantalus。　This　is　my
last　night　on　earth。　After　one　final　effort；　our　Mother　shall　have　her
child　againthe　Adriatic　will　silence　my　last　sigh〃

〃Are　you　idiotic？〃　cried　Vendramin。　〃No；　you　are　mad；　for　madness；　the
crisis　we　despise；　is　the　memory　of　an　antecedent　condition　acting　on
our　present　state　of　being。　The　genius　of　my　dreams　has　taught　me
that；　and　much　else！　You　want　to　make　one　of　the　Duchess　and　la　Tinti；
nay；　dear　Emilio；　take　them　separately；　it　will　be　far　wiser。　Raphael
alone　ever　united　form　and　idea。　You　want　to　be　the　Raphael　of　love；
but　chance　cannot　be　commanded。　Raphael　was　a　'fluke'　of　God's
creation；　for　He　foreordained　that　form　and　idea　should　be
antagonistic；　otherwise　nothing　could　live。　When　the　first　cause　is
more　potent　than　the　outcome；　nothing　comes　of　it。　We　must　live　either
on　earth　or　in　the　skies。　Remain　in　the　skies；　it　is　always　too　soon
to　come　down　to　earth。〃

〃I　will　take　the　Duchess　home；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃and　make　a　last
attemptafterwards？〃

〃Afterwards；〃　cried　Vendramin；　anxiously；　〃promise　to　call　for　me　at
Florian's。〃

〃I　will。〃

This　dialogue；　in　modern　Greek；　with　which　Vendramin　and　Emilio　were
familiar；　as　many　Venetians　are；　was　unintelligible　to　the　Duchess　and
to　the　Frenchman。　Although　he　was　quite　outside　the　little　circle　that
held　the　Duchess；　Emilio　and　Vendramin　togetherfor　these　three
understood　each　other　by　means　of　Italian　glances；　by　turns　arch　and
keen；　or　veiled　and　sidelongthe　physician　at　last　discerned　part　of
the　truth。　An　earnest　entreaty　from　the　Duchess　had　prompted
Vendramin's　suggestion　to　Emilio；　for　Massimilla　had　begun　to　suspect
the　misery　endured　by　her　lover　in　that　cold　empyrean　where　he　was
wandering；　though　she　had　no　suspicions　of　la　Tinti。

〃These　two　young　men　are　mad！〃　said　the　doctor。

〃As　to　the　Prince；〃　said　the　Duchess；　〃trust　me　to　cure　him。　As　to
Vendramin；　if　he　cannot　understand　this　sublime　music；　he　is　perhaps
incurable。〃

〃If　you　would　but　tell　me　the　cause　of　their　madness；　I　could　cure
them；〃　said　the　Frenchman。

〃And　since　when　have　great　physicians　ceased　to　read　men's　minds？〃
said　she；　jestingly。

The　ballet　was　long　since　ended；　the　second　act　of　/Mose/　was
beginning。　The　pit　was　perfectly　attentive。　A　rumor　had　got　abroad
that　Duke　Cataneo　had　lectured　Genovese；　representing　to　him　what
injury　he　was　doing　to　Clarina；　the　/diva/　of　the　day。　The　second　act
would　certainly　be　magnificent。

〃The　Egyptian　Prince　and　his　father　are　on　the　stage；〃　said　the
Duchess。　〃They　have　yielded　once　more；　though　insulting　the　Hebrews；
but　they　are　trembling　with　rage。　The　father　congratulates　himself　on
his　son's　approaching　marriage；　and　the　son　is　in　despair　at　this
fresh　obstacle；　though　it　only　increases　his　love；　to　which　everything
is　opposed。　Genovese　and　Carthagenova　are　singing　admirably。　As　you
see；　the　tenor　is　making　his　peace　with　the　house。　How　well　he　brings
out　the　beauty　of　the　music！　The　phrase　given　out　by　the　son　on　the
tonic；　and　repeated　by　the　father　on　the　dominant；　is　all　in　character
with　the　simple；　serious　scheme　which　prevails　throughout　the　score；
the　sobriety　of　it　makes　the　endless　variety　of　the　music　all　the　more
wonderful。　All　Egypt　is　there。

〃I　do　not　believe　that　there　is　in　modern　music　a　composition　more
perfectly　noble。　The　solemn　and　majestic　paternity　of　a　king　is　fully
expressed　in　that　magnificent　theme；　in　harmony　with　the　grand　style
that　stamps　the　opera　throughout。　The　idea　of　a　Pharaoh's　son　pouring
out　his　sorrows　on　his　father's　bosom　could　surely　not　be　more
admirably　represented　than　in　this　grand　imagery。　Do　you　not　feel　a
sense　of　the　splendor　we　are　wont　to　attribute　to　that　monarch　of
antiquity？〃

〃It　is　indeed　sublime　music；〃　said　the　Frenchman。

〃The　air　/Pace　mia　smarrita/；　which　the　Queen　will　now　sing；　is　one　of
those　/bravura/　songs　which　every　composer　is　compelled　to　introduce；
though　they　mar　the　general　scheme　of　the　work；　but　an　opera　would　as
often　as　not　never　see　the　light；　if　the　prima　donna's　vanity　were　not
duly　flattered。　Still；　this　musical　'sop'　is　so　fine　in　itself　that　it
is　performed　as　written；　on　every　stage；　it　is　so　brilliant　that　the
leading　lady　does　not　substitute　her　favorite　show　piece；　as　is　very
commonly　done　in　operas。

〃And　now　comes　the　most　striking　movement　in　the　score：　the　duet
between　Osiride　and　Elcia　in　the　subterranean　chamber　where　he　has
hidden　her　to　keep　her　from　the　departing　Israelites；　and　to　fly　with
her　himself　from　Egypt。　The　lovers　are　then　intruded　on　by　Aaron；　who
has　been　to　warn　Amalthea；　and　we　get　the　grandest　of　all　quartettes：
/Mi　manca　la　voce；　mi　sento　morire/。　This　is　one　of　those　masterpieces
that　will　survive　in　spite　of　time；　that　destroyer　of　fashion　in
music；　for　it　speaks　the　language　of　the　soul　which　can　never　change。
Mozart　holds　his　own　by　the　famous　/finale/　to　/Don　Giovanni/；
Marcello；　by　his　psalm；　/Coeli　enarrant　gloriam　Dei/；　Cimarosa；　by　the
air　/Pria　che　spunti/；　Beethoven　by　his　C　minor　symphony；　Pergolesi；
by　his　/Stabat　Mater/；　Rossini　will　live　by　/Mi　manca　la　voce/。　What
is　most　to　be　admired　in　Rossini　is　his　command　of　variety　to　form；　to
produce　the　effect　here　required；　he　has　had　recourse　to　the　old
structure　of　the　canon　in　unison；　to　bring　the　voices　in；　and　merge
them　in　the　same　melody。　As　the　form　of　these　sublime　melodies　was
new；　he　set　them　in　an　old　frame；　and　to　give　it　the　more　relief　he
has　silenced　the　orchestra；　accompanying　the　voices　with　the　harps
alone。　It　is　impossible　to　show　greater　ingenuity　of　detail；　or　to
produce　a　grander　general　effect。Dear　me！　again　an　outbre