massimilla doni-第5节
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mocking hand had thought it sport to bring the match so near the
powder？ A fragrant room hung with rose…colored silk and brilliant with
wax lights； a bed dressed in lace； a silent palace； and Venice！ Two
young and beautiful creatures！ every ravishment at once。
Emilio snatched up his trousers； jumped out of bed； escaped into the
dressing…room； put on his clothes； came back and hurried to the door。
These were his thoughts while dressing：
〃Massimilla； beloved daughter of the Doni； in whom Italian beauty is
an hereditary prerogative； you who are worthy of the portrait of
/Margherita/； one of the few canvases painted entirely by Raphael to
his glory！ My beautiful and saintly mistress； shall I not have
deserved you if I fly from this abyss of flowers？ Should I be worthy
of you if I profaned a heart that is wholly yours？ No； I will not fall
into the vulgar snare laid for me by my rebellious senses！ This girl
has her Duke； mine be my Duchess！〃
As he lifted the curtain； he heard a moan。 The heroic lover looked
round and saw Clarina on her knees； her face hidden in the bed；
choking with sobs。 Is it to be believed？ The singer was lovelier
kneeling thus； her face invisible； than even in her confusion with a
glowing countenance。 Her hair； which had fallen over her shoulders；
her Magdalen…like attitude； the disorder of her half…unfastened dress；
the whole picture had been composed by the devil； who； as is well
known； is a fine colorist。
The Prince put his arm round the weeping girl； who slipped from him
like a snake； and clung to one foot； pressing it to her beautiful
bosom。
〃Will you explain to me；〃 said he； shaking his foot to free it from
her embrace； 〃how you happen to be in my palazzo？ How the impoverished
Emilio Memmi〃
〃Emilio Memmi！〃 cried Tinti； rising。 〃You said you were a Prince。〃
〃A Prince since yesterday。〃
〃You are in love with the Duchess Cataneo！〃 said she； looking at him
from head to foot。
Emilio stood mute； seeing that the prima dona was smiling at him
through her tears。
〃Your Highness does not know that the man who had me trained for the
stagethat the Dukeis Cataneo himself。 And your friend Vendramini；
thinking to do you a service； let him this palace for a thousand
crowns； for the period of my season at the /Fenice/。 Dear idol of my
heart！〃 she went on； taking his hand and drawing him towards her； 〃why
do you fly from one for whom many a man would run the risk of broken
bones？ Love； you see； is always love。 It is the same everywhere； it is
the sun of our souls； we can warm ourselves whenever it shines； and
herenowit is full noonday。 If to…morrow you are not satisfied；
kill me！ But I shall survive； for I am a real beauty！〃
Emilio decided on remaining。 When he signified his consent by a nod
the impulse of delight that sent a shiver through Clarina seemed to
him like a light from hell。 Love had never before appeared to him in
so impressive a form。
At that moment Carmagnola whistled loudly。
〃What can he want of me？〃 said the Prince。
But bewildered by love； Emilio paid no heed to the gondolier's
repeated signals。
If you have never traveled in Switzerland you may perhaps read this
description with pleasure； and if you have clambered among those
mountains you will not be sorry to be reminded of the scenery。
In that sublime land； in the heart of a mass of rock riven by a gorge；
a valley as wide as the Avenue de Neuilly in Paris； but a hundred
fathoms deep and broken into ravines；flows a torrent coming from
some tremendous height of the Saint…Gothard on the Simplon； which has
formed a pool； I know not how many yards deep or how many feet long
and wide； hemmed in by splintered cliffs of granite on which meadows
find a place； with fir…trees between them； and enormous elms； and
where violets also grow； and strawberries。 Here and there stands a
chalet and at the window you may see the rosy face of a yellow…haired
Swiss girl。 According to the moods of the sky the water in this tarn
is blue and green； but as a sapphire is blue； as an emerald is green。
Well； nothing in the world can give such an idea of depth； peace；
immensity； heavenly love； and eternal happinessto the most heedless
traveler； the most hurried courier； the most commonplace tradesmanas
this liquid diamond into which the snow； gathering from the highest
Alps； trickles through a natural channel hidden under the trees and
eaten through the rock； escaping below through a gap without a sound。
The watery sheet overhanging the fall glides so gently that no ripple
is to be seen on the surface which mirrors the chaise as you drive
past。 The postboy smacks his whip； you turn past a crag； you cross a
bridge： suddenly there is a terrific uproar of cascades tumbling
together one upon another。 The water； taking a mighty leap； is broken
into a hundred falls； dashed to spray on the boulders； it sparkles in
a myriad jets against a mass that has fallen from the heights that
tower over the ravine exactly in the middle of the road that has been
so irresistibly cut by the most formidable of active forces。
If you have formed a clear idea of this landscape； you will see in
those sleeping waters the image of Emilio's love for the Duchess； and
in the cascades leaping like a flock of sheep； an idea of his passion
shared with la Tinti。 In the midst of his torrent of love a rock stood
up against which the torrent broke。 The Prince； like Sisyphus； was
constantly under the stone。
〃What on earth does the Duke do with a violin？〃 he wondered。 〃Do I owe
this symphony to him？〃
He asked Clara Tinti。
〃My dear child；〃for she saw that Emilio was but a child；〃dear
child；〃 said she； 〃that man； who is a hundred and eighteen in the
parish register of vice； and only forty…seven in the register of the
Church； has but one single joy left to him in life。 Yes； everything is
broken； everything in him is ruin or rags； his soul； intellect； heart；
nerves；everything in man that can supply an impulse and remind him
of heaven； either by desire or enjoyment； is bound up with music； or
rather with one of the many effects produced by music； the perfect
unison of two voices； or of a voice with the top string of his violin。
The old ape sits on my knee； takes his instrument；he plays fairly
well；he produces the notes； and I try to imitate them。 Then； when
the long…sought…for moment comes when it is impossible to distinguish
in the body of sound which is the note on the violin and which
proceeds from my throat； the old man falls into an ecstasy； his dim
eyes light up with their last remaining fires； he is quite happy and
will roll on the floor like a drunken man。
〃That is why he pays Genovese such a price。 Genovese is the only tenor
whose voice occasionally sounds in unison with mine。 Either we really
do sing exactly together once or twice in an evening； or the Duke
imagines that we do； and for that imaginary pleasure he has bought
Genovese。 Genovese belongs to him。 No theatrical manager can engage
that tenor without me； nor have me to sing without him。 The Duke
brought me up on purpose to gratify that whim； to him I owe my talent；
my beauty；my fortune； no doubt。 He will die of an attack of perfect
unison。 The sense of hearing alone has survived the wreck of his
faculties； that is the only thread by which he holds on to life。 A
vigorous shoot springs from that rotten stump。 There are； I am told；
many men in the same predicament。 May Madonna preserve them！
〃You have not come to that！ You can do all you wantall I want of
you； I know。〃
Towards morning the Prince stole away and found Carmagnola lying
asleep across the door。
〃Altezza；〃 said the gondolier； 〃the Duchess ordered me to give you
this note。〃
He held out a dainty sheet of paper folded into a triangle。 The Prince
felt dizzy； he went back into the room and dropped into a chair； for
his sight was dim； and his hands shook as he read：
〃DEAR EMILIO：Your gondola stopped at your palazzo。 Did you not
know that Cataneo has taken it for la Tinti？ If you love me； go
to…night to Vendramin； who tells me he has a room ready for you in
his house。 What shall I do？ Can I remain in Venice to see my
husband and his opera singer？ Shall we go back together to Friuli？
Write me one word； if only to tell me what the letter was you
tossed into the lagoon。
〃MASSIMILLA DONI。〃
The writing and the scent of the paper brought a thousand memories
back to the young Venetian's mind。 The sun of a single…minded passion
threw its radiance on the blue depths come from so far； collected in a
bottomless pool； and shining like a star。 The noble youth could not
restrain the tears that flowed freely from his eyes； for in the
languid state produced by satiated senses he was disarmed by the
thought of that purer divinity。
Even in her sleep Clarina heard his weeping； she sat up in bed； saw
her Prince in a dejected attitude； and threw herself at his knees。
〃They are still waiting for the answer；〃 said Carmagnola； putting the
curtain aside。
〃Wretch； you have undone me！〃 cried Emilio； starting up and spurning
Clarina with his foot。
She clutched it so lovingly； her look imploring some explanation；the
look of a
