massimilla doni-第9节

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under　the　watch　of　a　pair　of　flashing　eyes；　or　to　climb　a　balcony　from
which　a　fair　hand　has　hung　a　silken　ladder。　He　can　love　a　woman　to
whom　opium　lends　such　poetic　grace　as　we　women　of　flesh　and　blood
could　never　show。

〃Presently　he　turns　over；　and　he　is　face　to　face　with　the　dreadful
frown　of　the　senator；　who　holds　a　dagger。　He　hears　the　blade　plunged
into　his　mistress'　heart。　She　dies　smiling　on　him；　for　she　has　saved
him。

〃And　she　is　a　happy　woman！〃　added　the　Duchess；　looking　at　Emilio。

〃He　escapes　and　flies　to　command　the　Dalmatians；　to　conquer　the
Illyrian　coast　for　his　beloved　Venice。　His　glory　wins　him　forgiveness；
and　he　enjoys　a　life　of　domestic　happiness；a　home；　a　winter　evening；
a　young　wife　and　charming　children；　who　pray　to　San　Marco　under　the
care　of　an　old　nurse。　Yes；　for　three　francs'　worth　of　opium　he
furnishes　our　empty　arsenal；　he　watches　convoys　of　merchandise　coming
in；　going　to　the　four　quarters　of　the　world。　The　forces　of　modern
industry　no　longer　reign　in　London；　but　in　his　own　Venice；　where　the
hanging　gardens　of　Semiramis；　the　Temple　of　Jerusalem；　the　marvels　of
Rome；　live　once　more。　He　adds　to　the　glories　of　the　middle　ages　by　the
labors　of　steam；　by　new　masterpieces　of　art　under　the　protection　of
Venice；　who　protected　it　of　old。　Monuments　and　nations　crowd　into　his
little　brain；　there　is　room　for　them　all。　Empires　and　cities　and
revolutions　come　and　vanish　in　the　course　of　a　few　hours；　while　Venice
alone　expands　and　lives；　for　the　Venice　of　his　dreams　is　the　empress
of　the　seas。　She　has　two　millions　of　inhabitants；　the　sceptre　of
Italy；　the　mastery　of　the　Mediterranean　and　the　Indies！〃

〃What　an　opera　is　the　brain　of　man！　What　an　unfathomed　abyss！even　to
those　who；　like　Gall；　have　mapped　it　out；〃　cried　the　physician。

〃Dear　Duchess；〃　said　Vendramin；　〃do　not　omit　the　last　service　that　my
elixir　will　do　me。　After　hearing　ravishing　voices　and　imbibing　music
through　every　pore；　after　experiencing　the　keenest　pleasures　and　the
fiercest　delights　of　Mahomet's　paradise；　I　see　none　but　the　most
terrible　images。　I　have　visions　of　my　beloved　Venice　full　of
children's　faces；　distorted；　like　those　of　the　dying；　of　women　covered
with　dreadful　wounds；　torn　and　wailing；　of　men　mangled　and　crushed　by
the　copper　sides　of　crashing　vessels。　I　begin　to　see　Venice　as　she　is；
shrouded　in　crape；　stripped；　robbed；　destitute。　Pale　phantoms　wander
through　her　streets！

〃Already　the　Austrian　soldiers　are　grinning　over　me；　already　my
visionary　life　is　drifting　into　real　life；　whereas　six　months　ago　real
life　was　the　bad　dream；　and　the　life　of　opium　held　love　and　bliss；
important　affairs　and　political　interests。　Alas！　To　my　grief；　I　see
the　dawn　over　my　tomb；　where　truth　and　falsehood　mingle　in　a　dubious
light；　which　is　neither　day　nor　darkness；　but　partakes　of　both。〃

〃So　you　see　that　in　this　head　there　is　too　much　patriotism；〃　said　the
Prince；　laying　his　hand　on　the　thick　black　curls　that　fell　on
Vendramin's　brow。

〃Oh；　if　he　loves　us　he　will　give　up　his　dreadful　opium！〃　said
Massimilla。

〃I　will　cure　your　friend；〃　said　the　Frenchman。

〃Achieve　that；　and　we　shall　love　you；〃　said　the　Duchess。　〃But　if　on
your　return　to　France　you　do　not　calumniate　us；　we　shall　love　you　even
better。　The　hapless　Italians　are　too　much　crushed　by　foreign　dominion
to　be　fairly　judgedfor　we　have　known　yours；〃　she　added；　with　a
smile。

〃It　was　more　generous　than　Austria's；〃　said　the　physician；　eagerly。

〃Austria　squeezes　and　gives　us　nothing　back；　and　you　squeeze　to
enlarge　and　beautify　our　towns；　you　stimulated　us　by　giving　us　an
army。　You　thought　you　could　keep　Italy；　and　they　expect　to　lose　it
there　lies　the　difference。

〃The　Austrians　provide　us　with　a　sort　of　ease　that　is　as　stultifying
and　heavy　as　themselves；　while　you　overwhelmed　us　by　your　devouring
energy。　But　whether　we　die　of　tonics　or　of　narcotics；　what　does　it
matter？　It　is　death　all　the　same；　Monsieur　le　docteur。〃

〃Unhappy　Italy！　In　my　eyes　she　is　like　a　beautiful　woman　whom　France
ought　to　protect　by　making　her　his　mistress；〃　exclaimed　the　Frenchman。

〃But　you　could　not　love　us　as　we　wish　to　be　loved；〃　said　the　Duchess；
smiling。　〃We　want　to　be　free。　But　the　liberty　I　crave　is　not　your
ignoble　and　middle…class　liberalism；　which　would　kill　all　art。　I　ask；〃
said　she；　in　a　tone　that　thrilled　through　the　box；〃that　is　to　say；　I
would　ask；that　each　Italian　republic　should　be　resuscitated；　with
its　nobles；　its　citizens；　its　special　privileges　for　each　caste。　I
would　have　the　old　aristocratic　republics　once　more　with　their
intestine　warfare　and　rivalry　that　gave　birth　to　the　noblest　works　of
art；　that　created　politics；　that　raised　up　the　great　princely　houses。
By　extending　the　action　of　one　government　over　a　vast　expanse　of
country　it　is　frittered　down。　The　Italian　republics　were　the　glory　of
Europe　in　the　middle　ages。　Why　has　Italy　succumbed　when　the　Swiss；　who
were　her　porters；　have　triumphed？〃

〃The　Swiss　republics；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃were　worthy　housewives；　busy
with　their　own　little　concerns；　and　neither　having　any　cause　for
envying　another。　Your　republics　were　haughty　queens；　preferring　to
sell　themselves　rather　than　bow　to　a　neighbor；　they　fell　too　low　ever
to　rise　again。　The　Guelphs　are　triumphant。〃

〃Do　not　pity　us　too　much；〃　said　the　Duchess；　in　a　voice　that　made　the
two　friends　start。　〃We　are　still　supreme。　Even　in　the　depths　of　her
misfortune　Italy　governs　through　the　choicer　spirits　that　abound　in
her　cities。

〃Unfortunately　the　greater　number　of　her　geniuses　learn　to　understand
life　so　quickly　that　they　lie　sunk　in　poverty…stricken　pleasure。　As
for　those　who　are　willing　to　play　the　melancholy　game　for　immortality；
they　know　how　to　get　at　your　gold　and　to　secure　your　praises。　Ay；　in
this　landpitied　for　its　fallen　state　by　traveled　simpletons　and
hypocritical　poets；　while　its　character　is　traduced　by　politiciansin
this　land；　which　appears　so　languid；　powerless；　and　ruinous；　worn　out
rather　than　old；　there　are　puissant　brains　in　every　branch　of　life；
genius　throwing　out　vigorous　shoots　as　an　old　vine…stock　throws　out
canes　productive　of　delicious　fruit。　This　race　of　ancient　rulers　still
gives　birth　to　kingsLagrange；　Volta；　Rasori；　Canova；　Rossini；
Bartolini；　Galvani；　Vigano；　Beccaria；　Cicognara；　Corvetto。　These
Italians　are　masters　of　the　scientific　peaks　on　which　they　stand；　or
of　the　arts　to　which　they　devote　themselves。　To　say　nothing　of　the
singers　and　executants　who　captivate　Europe　by　their　amazing
perfections：　Taglioni；　Paganini；　and　the　rest。　Italy　still　rules　the
world　which　will　always　come　to　worship　her。

〃Go　to　Florian's　to…night；　you　will　find　in　Capraja　one　of　our
cleverest　men；　but　in　love　with　obscurity。　No　one　but　the　Duke；　my
master；　understands　music　so　thoroughly　as　he　does；　indeed　he　is　known
here　as　/il　Fanatico/。〃

After　sitting　a　few　minutes　listening　to　the　eager　war　of　words
between　the　physician　and　the　Duchess；　who　showed　much　ingenious
eloquence；　the　Italians；　one　by　one；　took　leave；　and　went　off　to　tell
the　news　in　every　box；　that　la　Cataneo；　who　was　regarded　as　a　woman　of
great　wit　and　spirit；　had；　on　the　question　of　Italy；　defeated　a　famous
French　doctor。　This　was　the　talk　of　the　evening。

As　soon　as　the　Frenchman　found　himself　alone　with　the　Duchess　and　the
Prince；　he　understood　that　they　were　to　be　left　together；　and　took
leave。　Massimilla　bowed　with　a　bend　of　the　neck　that　placed　him　at
such　a　distance　that　this　salute　might　have　secured　her　the　man's
hatred；　if　he　could　have　ignored　the　charm　of　her　eloquence　and
beauty。

Thus　at　the　end　of　the　opera；　Emilio　and　Massimilla　were　alone；　and
holding　hands　they　listened　together　to　the　duet　that　finishes　/Il
Barbiere/。

〃There　is　nothing　but　music　to　express　love；〃　said　the　Duchess；　moved
by　that　song　as　of　two　rapturous　nightingales。

A　tear　twinkled　in　Emilio's　eye；　Massimilla；　sublime　in　such　beauty　as
beams　in　Raphael's　Saint…Cecilia；　pressed　his　hand；　their　knees
touched；　there　was；　as　it　seemed；　the　blossom　of　a　kiss　on　her　lips。
The　Prince　saw　on　her　blushing　face　a　glow　of　joy　like　that　which　on　a
summer's　day　shines　down　on　the　golden　harvest；　his　heart　seemed
bursting　with　the　tide　of　blood　that　rushed　to　it。　He　fancied　that　he
could　hear　an　angelic　chorus　of　voices；　and　he　would　have　given　his
life　to　feel　the　fire　of　passion　which　at　this　hour　last　night　had
filled　him　for　the　odious　Clarina；　but　he　was　at　the　moment　hardly
conscious　of　having　a　body。

Massimilla；　much　distressed；　ascribed　this　tear；　in　her　guilelessness；
to　the　remark　she　had　made　as　to　Genovese's　cavatina。

〃But；　/carino/；〃　said　she　in　Emilio's　ear；　〃are　not　you　as　far　better
than　every　expression　of　love；　as　cause　is　superior　to　effect？〃

After　handing　the　Duchess　to　her　gondola；　Emilio　waited　for　Vendramin
to　go　to　Florian's。



The　Cafe　Florian　at　Venice　is　a　quite　undefinable　institution。
Merchants　transact　their　business　there；　and　lawyers　meet　to　talk　over
their　most　difficult　cases。　Florian's　is　at　once　an　Exchange；　a　green…
room；　a　newspaper　office；　a　club；　a　confessional；and　it　is　so　well
adapted　to　the　needs　of　the　place　that　some　Venetian　wome