massimilla doni-第18节
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stood as motionless as one of the statues in the ducal palace。 Cataneo
seemed moved to some feeling。 The Frenchman； taken by surprise； was
meditative； like a man of science in the presence of a phenomenon that
upsets all his fundamental axioms。 These four minds； all so different；
whose hopes were so small； who believed in nothing for themselves or
after themselves； who regarded their own existence as that of a
transient and a fortuitous being；like the little life of a plant or
a beetle；had a glimpse of Heaven。 Never did music more truly merit
the epithet divine。 The consoling notes； as they were poured out；
enveloped their souls in soft and soothing airs。 On these vapors；
almost visible； as it seemed to the listeners； like the marble shapes
about them in the silver moonlight； angels sat whose wings； devoutly
waving； expressed adoration and love。 The simple； artless melody
penetrated to the soul as with a beam of light。 It was a holy passion！
But the singer's vanity roused them from their emotion with a terrible
shock。
〃Now； am I a bad singer？〃 he exclaimed； as he ended。
His audience only regretted that the instrument was not a thing of
Heaven。 This angelic song was then no more than the outcome of a man's
offended vanity！ The singer felt nothing； thought nothing； of the
pious sentiments and divine images he could create in others；no
more； in fact； than Paganini's violin knows what the player makes it
utter。 What they had seen in fancy was Venice lifting its shroud and
singingand it was merely the result of a tenor's /fiasco/！
〃Can you guess the meaning of such a phenomenon？〃 the Frenchman asked
of Capraja； wishing to make him talk； as the Duchess had spoken of him
as a profound thinker。
〃What phenomenon？〃 said Capraja。
〃Genovesewho is admirable in the absence of la Tinti； and when he
sings with her is a braying ass。〃
〃He obeys an occult law of which one of your chemists might perhaps
give you the mathematical formula； and which the next century will no
doubt express in a statement full of /x/； /a/； and /b/； mixed up with
little algebraic signs； bars； and quirks that give me the colic； for
the finest conceptions of mathematics do not add much to the sum total
of our enjoyment。
〃When an artist is so unfortunate as to be full of the passion he
wishes to express； he cannot depict it because he is the thing itself
instead of its image。 Art is the work of the brain； not of the heart。
When you are possessed by a subject you are a slave； not a master； you
are like a king besieged by his people。 Too keen a feeling； at the
moment when you want to represent that feeling； causes an insurrection
of the senses against the governing faculty。〃
〃Might we not convince ourselves of this by some further experiment？〃
said the doctor。
〃Cataneo； you might bring your tenor and the prima donna together
again；〃 said Capraja to his friend。
〃Well； gentlemen；〃 said the Duke； 〃come to sup with me。 We ought to
reconcile the tenor and la Clarina； otherwise the season will be
ruined in Venice。〃
The invitation was accepted。
〃Gondoliers！〃 called Cataneo。
〃One minute；〃 said Vendramin。 〃Memmi is waiting for me at Florian's； I
cannot leave him to himself。 We must make him tipsy to…night； or he
will kill himself to…morrow。〃
〃/Corpo santo！/〃 exclaimed the Duke。 〃I must keep that young fellow
alive； for the happiness and future prospects of my race。 I will
invite him； too。〃
They all went back to Florian's； where the assembled crowd were
holding an eager and stormy discussion to which the tenor's arrival
put an end。 In one corner； near a window looking out on the colonnade；
gloomy； with a fixed gaze and rigid attitude； Emilio was a dismal
image of despair。
〃That crazy fellow；〃 said the physician； in French； to Vendramin；
〃does not know what he wants。 Here is a man who can make of a
Massimilla Doni a being apart from the rest of creation； possessing
her in heaven； amid ideal splendor such as no power on earth can make
real。 He can behold his mistress for ever sublime and pure； can always
hear within him what we have just heard on the seashore； can always
live in the light of a pair of eyes which create for him the warm and
golden glow that surrounds the Virgin in Titian's Assumption；after
Raphael had invented it or had it revealed to him for the
Transfiguration；and this man only longs to smirch the poem。
〃By my advice he must needs combine his sensual joys and his heavenly
adoration in one woman。 In short； like all the rest of us； he will
have a mistress。 He had a divinity； and the wretched creature insists
on her being a female！ I assure you； monsieur； he is resigning heaven。
I will not answer for it that he may not ultimately die of despair。
〃O ye women's faces； delicately outlined in a pure and radiant oval；
reminding us of those creations of art where it has most successfully
competed with nature！ Divine feet that cannot walk； slender forms that
an earthly breeze would break； shapes too frail ever to conceive；
virgins that we dreamed of as we grew out of childhood； admired in
secret； and adored without hope； veiled in the beams of some
unwearying desire；maids whom we may never see again； but whose smile
remains supreme in our life； what hog of Epicurus could insist on
dragging you down to the mire of this earth！
〃The sun； monsieur； gives light and heat to the world； only because it
is at a distance of thirty…three millions of leagues。 Get nearer to
it； and science warns you that it is not really hot or luminous；for
science is of some use；〃 he added； looking at Capraja。
〃Not so bad for a Frenchman and a doctor；〃 said Capraja； patting the
foreigner on the shoulder。 〃You have in those words explained the
thing which Europeans least understand in all Dante： his Beatrice。
Yes； Beatrice； that ideal figure； the queen of the poet's fancies；
chosen above all the elect； consecrated with tears； deified by memory；
and for ever young in the presence of ineffectual desire！〃
〃Prince；〃 said the Duke to Emilio； 〃come and sup with me。 You cannot
refuse the poor Neapolitan whom you have robbed both of his wife and
of his mistress。〃
This broad Neapolitan jest； spoken with an aristocratic good manner；
made Emilio smile； he allowed the Duke to take his arm and lead him
away。
Cataneo had already sent a messenger to his house from the cafe。
As the Palazzo Memmi was on the Grand Canal； not far from Santa Maria
della Salute； the way thither on foot was round by the Rialto； or it
could be reached in a gondola。 The four guests would not separate and
preferred to walk； the Duke's infirmities obliged him to get into his
gondola。
At about two in the morning anybody passing the Memmi palace would
have seen light pouring out of every window across the Grand Canal；
and have heard the delightful overture to /Semiramide/ performed at
the foot of the steps by the orchestra of the /Fenice/； as a serenade
to la Tinti。
The company were at supper in the second floor gallery。 From the
balcony la Tinti in return sang Almavida's /Buona sera/ from /Il
Barbiere/； while the Duke's steward distributed payment from his
master to the poor artists and bid them to dinner the next day； such
civilities as are expected of grand signors who protect singers； and
of fine ladies who protect tenors and basses。 In these cases there is
nothing for it but to marry all the /corps de theatre/。
Cataneo did things handsomely； he was the manager's banker； and this
season was costing him two thousand crowns。
He had had all the palace furnished； had imported a French cook； and
wines of all lands。 So the supper was a regal entertainment。
The Prince； seated next la Tinti； was keenly alive； all through the
meal； to what poets in every language call the darts of love。 The
transcendental vision of Massimilla was eclipsed； just as the idea of
God is sometimes hidden by clouds of doubt in the consciousness of
solitary thinkers。 Clarina thought herself the happiest woman in the
world as she perceived Emilio was in love with her。 Confident of
retaining him； her joy was reflected in her features； her beauty was
so dazzling that the men； as they lifted their glasses； could not
resist bowing to her with instinctive admiration。
〃The Duchess is not to compare with la Tinti；〃 said the Frenchman；
forgetting his theory under the fire of the Sicilian's eyes。
The tenor ate and drank languidly； he seemed to care only to identify
himself with the prima donna's life； and had lost the hearty sense of
enjoyment which is characteristic of Italian men singers。
〃Come； signorina；〃 said the Duke； with an imploring glance at Clarina；
〃and you； /caro prima uomo/；〃 he added to Genovese； 〃unite your voices
in one perfect sound。 Let us have the C of /Qual portento/； when light
appears in the oratorio we have just heard； to convince my old friend
Capraja of the superiority of unison to any embellishment。〃
〃I will carry her off from that Prince she is in love with； for she
adores himit stares me in the face！〃 said Genovese to himself。
What was the amazement of the guests who had heard Genovese out of
doors； when he began to bray； to coo； mew； squeal； gargle； bellow；
