zanoni-第10节

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their　common　aspect　of　the　rugged　and　the　mean；　he　receded　from

her　eyes；　and　the　outward　scene　was　commonplace　once　more。



The　stranger　passed　on；　through　that　long　and　lovely　road　which

reaches　at　last　the　palaces　that　face　the　public　gardens；　and

conducts　to　the　more　populous　quarters　of　the　city。



A　group　of　young；　dissipated　courtiers；　loitering　by　the　gateway

of　a　house　which　was　open　for　the　favourite　pastime　of　the　day；

the　resort　of　the　wealthier　and　more　high…born　gamesters；made

way　for　him；　as　with　a　courteous　inclination　he　passed　them　by。



〃Per　fede；〃　said　one；　〃is　not　that　the　rich　Zanoni；　of　whom　the

town　talks？〃



〃Ay；　they　say　his　wealth　is　incalculable！〃



〃THEY　say；who　are　THEY？what　is　the　authority？　　He　has　not

been　many　days　at　Naples；　and　I　cannot　yet　find　any　one　who　knows

aught　of　his　birthplace；　his　parentage；　or；　what　is　more

important；　his　estates！〃



〃That　is　true；　but　he　arrived　in　a　goodly　vessel；　which　THEY　SAY

is　his　own。　　See；no；　you　cannot　see　it　here；　but　it　rides

yonder　in　the　bay。　　The　bankers　he　deals　with　speak　with　awe　of

the　sums　placed　in　their　hands。〃



〃Whence　came　he？〃



〃From　some　seaport　in　the　East。　　My　valet　learned　from　some　of

the　sailors　on　the　Mole　that　he　had　resided　many　years　in　the

interior　of　India。〃



〃Ah；　I　am　told　that　in　India　men　pick　up　gold　like　pebbles；　and

that　there　are　valleys　where　the　birds　build　their　nests　with

emeralds　to　attract　the　moths。　　Here　comes　our　prince　of

gamesters；　Cetoxa；　be　sure　that　he　already　must　have　made

acquaintance　with　so　wealthy　a　cavalier；　he　has　that　attraction

to　gold　which　the　magnet　has　to　steel。　　Well；　Cetoxa；　what　fresh

news　of　the　ducats　of　Signor　Zanoni？〃



〃Oh；〃　said　Cetoxa；　carelessly；　〃my　friend〃



〃Ha！　ha！　hear　him；　his　friend〃



〃Yes；　my　friend　Zanoni　is　going　to　Rome　for　a　short　time；　when　he

returns；　he　has　promised　me　to　fix　a　day　to　sup　with　me；　and　I

will　then　introduce　him　to　you；　and　to　the　best　society　of

Naples！　　Diavolo！　but　he　is　a　most　agreeable　and　witty

gentleman！〃



〃Pray　tell　us　how　you　came　so　suddenly　to　be　his　friend。〃



〃My　dear　Belgioso；　nothing　more　natural。　　He　desired　a　box　at　San

Carlo；　but　I　need　not　tell　you　that　the　expectation　of　a　new

opera　（ah；　how　superb　it　is；that　poor　devil；　Pisani；　who　would

have　thought　it？）　and　a　new　singer　（what　a　face；what　a　voice！

ah！）　had　engaged　every　corner　of　the　house。　　I　heard　of　Zanoni's

desire　to　honour　the　talent　of　Naples；　and；　with　my　usual

courtesy　to　distinguished　strangers；　I　sent　to　place　my　box　at

his　disposal。　　He　accepts　it；I　wait　on　him　between　the　acts；　he

is　most　charming；　he　invites　me　to　supper。　　Cospetto；　what　a

retinue！　　We　sit　late；I　tell　him　all　the　news　of　Naples；　we

grow　bosom　friends；　he　presses　on　me　this　diamond　before　we

part；is　a　trifle；　he　tells　me：　　the　jewellers　value　it　at　5000

pistoles！the　merriest　evening　I　have　passed　these　ten　years。〃



The　cavaliers　crowded　round　to　admire　the　diamond。



〃Signor　Count　Cetoxa；〃　said　one　grave…looking　sombre　man；　who　had

crossed　himself　two　or　three　times　during　the　Neapolitan's

narrative；　〃are　you　not　aware　of　the　strange　reports　about　this

person；　and　are　you　not　afraid　to　receive　from　him　a　gift　which

may　carry　with　it　the　most　fatal　consequences？　　Do　you　not　know

that　he　is　said　to　be　a　sorcerer；　to　possess　the　mal…occhio；

to〃



〃Prithee；　spare　us　your　antiquated　superstitions；〃　interrupted

Cetoxa；　contemptuously。　　〃They　are　out　of　fashion；　nothing　now

goes　down　but　scepticism　and　philosophy。　　And　what；　after　all；　do

these　rumours；　when　sifted；　amount　to？　　They　have　no　origin　but

this；a　silly　old　man　of　eighty…six；　quite　in　his　dotage；

solemnly　avers　that　he　saw　this　same　Zanoni　seventy　years　ago　（he

himself；　the　narrator；　then　a　mere　boy）　at　Milan；　when　this　very

Zanoni；　as　you　all　see；　is　at　least　as　young　as　you　or　I；

Belgioso。〃



〃But　that；〃　said　the　grave　gentleman；〃THAT　is　the　mystery。　　Old

Avelli　declares　that　Zanoni　does　not　seem　a　day　older　than　when

they　met　at　Milan。　　He　says　that　even　then　at　Milanmark　this

where；　though　under　another　name；　this　Zanoni　appeared　in　the

same　splendour；　he　was　attended　also　by　the　same　mystery。　　And

that　an　old　man　THERE　remembered　to　have　seen　him　sixty　years

before；　in　Sweden。〃



〃Tush；〃　returned　Cetoxa；　〃the　same　thing　has　been　said　of　the

quack　Cagliostro；mere　fables。　　I　will　believe　them　when　I　see

this　diamond　turn　to　a　wisp　of　hay。　　For　the　rest；〃　he　added

gravely；　〃I　consider　this　illustrious　gentleman　my　friend；　and　a

whisper　against　his　honour　and　repute　will　in　future　be

equivalent　to　an　affront　to　myself。〃



Cetoxa　was　a　redoubted　swordsman；　and　excelled　in　a　peculiarly

awkward　manoeuvre；　which　he　himself　had　added　to　the　variations

of　the　stoccata。　　The　grave　gentleman；　however　anxious　for　the

spiritual　weal　of　the　count；　had　an　equal　regard　for　his　own

corporeal　safety。　　He　contented　　himself　with　a　look　of

compassion；　and；　turning　through　the　gateway；　ascended　the　stairs

to　the　gaming…tables。



〃Ha；　ha！〃　said　Cetoxa；　laughing；　〃our　good　Loredano　is　envious　of

my　diamond。　　Gentlemen；　you　sup　with　me　to…night。　　I　assure　you　I

never　met　a　more　delightful；　sociable；　entertaining　person；　than

my　dear　friend　the　Signor　Zanoni。〃





CHAPTER　1。V。



Quello　Ippogifo；　grande　e　strano　augello

Lo　porta　via。

〃Orlando　Furioso；〃　c。　vi。　xviii。



（That　hippogriff；　great　and　marvellous　bird；　bears　him　away。）



And　now；　accompanying　this　mysterious　Zanoni；　am　I　compelled　to

bid　a　short　farewell　to　Naples。　　Mount　behind　me；mount　on　my

hippogriff；　reader；　settle　yourself　at　your　ease。　　I　bought　the

pillion　the　other　day　of　a　poet　who　loves　his　comfort；　it　has

been　newly　stuffed　for　your　special　accommodation。　　So；　so；　we

ascend！　　Look　as　we　ride　aloft；look！never　fear；　hippogriffs

never　stumble；　and　every　hippogriff　in　Italy　is　warranted　to

carry　elderly　gentlemen；look　down　on　the　gliding　landscapes！

There；　near　the　ruins　of　the　Oscan's　old　Atella；　rises　Aversa；

once　the　stronghold　of　the　Norman；　there　gleam　the　columns　of

Capua；　above　the　Vulturnian　Stream。　　Hail　to　ye；　cornfields　and

vineyards　famous　for　the　old　Falernian！　　Hail　to　ye；　golden

orange…groves　of　Mola　di　Gaeta！　　Hail　to　ye；　sweet　shrubs　and

wild　flowers；　omnis　copia　narium；　that　clothe　the　mountain…skirts

of　the　silent　Lautulae！　　Shall　we　rest　at　the　Volscian　Anxur；

the　modern　Terracina；where　the　lofty　rock　stands　like　the　giant

that　guards　the　last　borders　of　the　southern　land　of　love？　　Away；

away！　and　hold　your　breath　as　we　flit　above　the　Pontine　Marshes。

　Dreary　and　desolate；　their　miasma　is　to　the　gardens　we　have

passed　what　the　rank　commonplace　of　life　is　to　the　heart　when　it

has　left　love　behind。



Mournful　Campagna；　thou　openest　on　us　in　majestic　sadness。　　Rome；

seven…hilled　Rome！　receive　us　as　Memory　receives　the　way…worn；

receive　us　in　silence；　amidst　ruins！　　Where　is　the　traveller　we

pursue？　　Turn　the　hippogriff　loose　to　graze：　　he　loves　the

acanthus　that　wreathes　round　yon　broken　columns。　　Yes；　that　is

the　arch　of　Titus；　the　conqueror　of　Jerusalem；that　the

Colosseum！　　Through　one　passed　the　triumph　of　the　deified

invader；　in　one　fell　the　butchered　gladiators。　　Monuments　of

murder；　how　poor　the　thoughts；　how　mean　the　memories　ye　awaken；

compared　with　those　that　speak　to　the　heart　of　man　on　the　heights

of　Phyle；　or　by　thy　lone　mound；　grey　Marathon！　　We　stand　amidst

weeds　and　brambles　and　long　waving　herbage。　　Where　we　stand

reigned　Nero；here　were　his　tessellated　floors；　here；



〃Mighty　in　the　heaven；　a　second　heaven；〃



hung　the　vault　of　his　ivory　roofs；　here；　arch　upon　arch；　pillar

on　pillar；　glittered　to　the　world　the　golden　palace　of　its

master；the　Golden　House　of　Nero。　　How　the　lizard　watches　us

with　his　bright；　timorous　eye！　　We　disturb　his　reign。　　Gather

that　wild　flower：　　the　Golden　House　is　vanished；　but　the　wild

flower　may　have　kin　to　those　which　the　stranger's　hand　scattered

over　the　tyrant's　grave；　see；　over　this　soil；　the　grave　of　Rome；

Nature　strews　the　wild　flowers　still！



In　the　midst　of　this　desolation　is　an　old　building　of　the　middle

ages。　　Here　dwells　a　singular　recluse。　　In　the　season　of　the

malaria　the　native　peasant　flies　the　rank　vegetation　round；　but

he；　a　stranger　and　a　foreigner；　no　associates；　no　companions；

except　books　and　instruments　of　science。　　He　is　often　seen

wandering　over　the　grass…grown　hills；　or　sauntering　through　the

streets　of　the　new　city；　not　with　the　absent　brow　and　incurious

air　of　students；　but　with　observant　piercing　eyes　that　seem　to

dive　into　the　hearts　of　the　passers…by。　　An　old　man；　but　not

infirm；erect　and　stately；　as　if　in　his　prime。　　None　know

whether　he　be　rich　or　poor。　　He　asks　no　charity；　and　he　gives

none；he　does　no　evil；　and　seems　to　confer　no　good。　　He　is　a　man

who　appears　to　have　no　world　beyond　himself；　but　appearanc