zanoni-第21节

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and　the　one　who　had　first　accosted　Viola）　stood　apart　by　a

carriage　drawn　to　the　side　of　the　road。　　To　these　three　Zanoni

motioned；　they　advanced；　he　pointed　towards　the　first　mask；　who

was　in　fact　the　Prince　di　；　and　to　his　unspeakable　astonishment

the　prince　was　suddenly　seized　from　behind。



〃Treason！〃　he　cried。　　〃Treason　among　my　own　men！　　What　means

this？〃



〃Place　him　in　his　carriage！　　If　he　resist；　his　blood　be　on　his

own　head！〃　said　Zanoni；　calmly。



He　approached　the　men　who　had　detained　the　coachman。



〃You　are　outnumbered　and　outwitted；〃　said　he；　〃join　your　lord；

you　are　three　men；we　six；　armed　to　the　teeth。　　Thank　our　mercy

that　we　spare　your　lives。　　Go！〃



The　men　gave　way；　dismayed。　　The　driver　remounted。



〃Cut　the　traces　of　their　carriage　and　the　bridles　of　their

horses；〃　said　Zanoni；　as　he　entered　the　vehicle　containing　Viola；

which　now　drove　on　rapidly；　leaving　the　discomfited　ravisher　in　a

state　of　rage　and　stupor　impossible　to　describe。



〃Allow　me　to　explain　this　mystery　to　you；〃　said　Zanoni。　　〃I

discovered　the　plot　against　you；no　matter　how；　I　frustrated　it

thus：　　The　head　of　this　design　is　a　nobleman；　who　has　long

persecuted　you　in　vain。　　He　and　two　of　his　creatures　watched　you

from　the　entrance　of　the　theatre；　having　directed　six　others　to

await　him　on　the　spot　where　you　were　attacked；　myself　and　five　of

my　servants　supplied　their　place；　and　were　mistaken　for　his　own

followers。　　I　had　previously　ridden　alone　to　the　spot　where　the

men　were　waiting；　and　informed　them　that　their　master　would　not

require　their　services　that　night。　　They　believed　me；　and

accordingly　dispersed。　　I　then　joined　my　own　band；　whom　I　had

left　in　the　rear；　you　know　all。　　We　are　at　your　door。〃





CHAPTER　2。III。



When　most　I　wink；　then　do　mine　eyes　best　see；

For　all　the　day　they　view　things　unrespected；

But　when　I　sleep；　in　dreams　they　look　on　thee；

And；　darkly　bright；　are　bright　in　dark　directed。

Shakespeare。



Zanoni　followed　the　young　Neapolitan　into　her　house；　Gionetta

vanished；they　were　left　alone。



Alone；　in　that　room　so　often　filled；　in　the　old　happy　days；　with

the　wild　melodies　of　Pisani；　and　now；　as　she　saw　this　mysterious；

haunting；　yet　beautiful　and　stately　stranger；　standing　on　the

very　spot　where　she　had　sat　at　her　father's　feet；　thrilled　and

spellbound；she　almost　thought；　in　her　fantastic　way　of

personifying　her　own　airy　notions；　that　that　spiritual　Music　had

taken　shape　and　life；　and　stood　before　her　glorious　in　the　image

it　assumed。　　She　was　unconscious　all　the　while　of　her　own

loveliness。　　She　had　thrown　aside　her　hood　and　veil；　her　hair；

somewhat　disordered；　fell　over　the　ivory　neck　which　the　dress

partially　displayed；　and　as　her　dark　eyes　swam　with　grateful

tears；　and　her　cheek　flushed　with　its　late　excitement；　the　god　of

light　and　music　himself　never；　amidst　his　Arcadian　valleys；

wooed；　in　his　mortal　guise；　maiden　or　nymph　more　fair。



Zanoni　gazed　at　her　with　a　look　in　which　admiration　seemed　not

unmingled　with　compassion。　　He　muttered　a　few　words　to　himself；

and　then　addressed　her　aloud。



〃Viola；　I　have　saved　you　from　a　great　peril；　not　from　dishonour

only；　but　perhaps　from　death。　　The　Prince　di　；　under　a　weak

despot　and　a　venal　administration；　is　a　man　above　the　law。　　He　is

capable　of　every　crime；　but　amongst　his　passions　he　has　such

prudence　as　belongs　to　ambition；　if　you　were　not　to　reconcile

yourself　to　your　shame；　you　would　never　enter　the　world　again　to

tell　your　tale。　　The　ravisher　has　no　heart　for　repentance；　but　he

has　a　hand　that　can　murder。　　I　have　saved　you；　Viola。　　Perhaps

you　would　ask　me　wherefore？〃　　Zanoni　paused；　and　smiled

mournfully；　as　he　added；　〃You　will　not　wrong　me　by　the　thought

that　he　who　has　preserved　is　not　less　selfish　than　he　who　would

have　injured。　　Orphan；　I　do　not　speak　to　you　in　the　language　of

your　wooers；　enough　that　I　know　pity；　and　am　not　ungrateful　for

affection。　　Why　blush；　why　tremble　at　the　word？　　I　read　your

heart　while　I　speak；　and　I　see　not　one　thought　that　should　give

you　shame。　　I　say　not　that　you　love　me　yet；　happily；　the　fancy

may　be　roused　long　before　the　heart　is　touched。　　But　it　has　been

my　fate　to　fascinate　your　eye；　to　influence　your　imagination。　　It

is　to　warn　you　against　what　could　bring　you　but　sorrow；　as　I

warned　you　once　to　prepare　for　sorrow　itself；　that　I　am　now　your

guest。　　The　Englishman；　Glyndon；　loves　thee　well；better；

perhaps；　than　I　can　ever　love；　if　not　worthy　of　thee；　yet；　he　has

but　to　know　thee　more　to　deserve　thee　better。　　He　may　wed　thee；

he　may　bear　thee　to　his　own　free　and　happy　land；the　land　of　thy

mother's　kin。　　Forget　me；　teach　thyself　to　return　and　deserve　his

love；　and　I　tell　thee　that　thou　wilt　be　honoured　and　be　happy。〃



Viola　listened　with　silent；　inexpressible　emotion；　and　burning

blushes；　to　this　strange　address；　and　when　he　had　concluded；　she

covered　her　face　with　her　hands；　and　wept。　　And　yet；　much　as　his

words　were　calculated　to　humble　or　irritate；　to　produce

indignation　or　excite　shame；　those　were　not　the　feelings　with

which　her　eyes　streamed　and　her　heart　swelled。　　The　woman　at　that

moment　was　lost　in　the　child；　and　AS　a　child；　with　all　its

exacting；　craving；　yet　innocent　desire　to　be　loved；　weeps　in

unrebuking　sadness　when　its　affection　is　thrown　austerely　back

upon　itself；so；　without　anger　and　without　shame；　wept　Viola。



Zanoni　contemplated　her　thus；　as　her　graceful　head；　shadowed　by

its　redundant　tresses；　bent　before　him；　and　after　a　moment's

pause　he　drew　near　to　her；　and　said；　in　a　voice　of　the　most

soothing　sweetness；　and　with　a　half　smile　upon　his　lip；



〃Do　you　remember；　when　I　told　you　to　struggle　for　the　light；　that

I　pointed　for　example　to　the　resolute　and　earnest　tree？　　I　did

not　tell　you；　fair　child；　to　take　example　by　the　moth；　that　would

soar　to　the　star；　but　falls　scorched　beside　the　lamp。　　Come；　I

will　talk　to　thee。　　This　Englishman〃



Viola　drew　herself　away；　and　wept　yet　more　passionately。



〃This　Englishman　is　of　thine　own　years；　not　far　above　thine　own

rank。　　Thou　mayst　share　his　thoughts　in　life；thou　mayst　sleep

beside　him　in　the　same　grave　in　death！　　And　Ibut　THAT　view　of

the　future　should　concern　us　not。　　Look　into　thy　heart；　and　thou

wilt　see　that　till　again　my　shadow　crossed　thy　path；　there　had

grown　up　for　this　thine　equal　a　pure　and　calm　affection　that

would　have　ripened　into　love。　　Hast　thou　never　pictured　to

thyself　a　home　in　which　thy　partner　was　thy　young　wooer？〃



〃Never！〃　said　Viola；　with　sudden　energy；〃never　but　to　feel　that

such　was　not　the　fate　ordained　me。　　And；　oh！〃　she　continued；

rising　suddenly；　and；　putting　aside　the　tresses　that　veiled　her

face；　she　fixed　her　eyes　upon　the　questioner；〃and；　oh！　whoever

thou　art　that　thus　wouldst　read　my　soul　and　shape　my　future；　do

not　mistake　the　sentiment　that；　that〃　she　faltered　an　instant；

and　went　on　with　downcast　eyes；〃that　has　fascinated　my　thoughts

to　thee。　　Do　not　think　that　I　could　nourish　a　love　unsought　and

unreturned。　　It　is　not　love　that　I　feel　for　thee；　stranger。　　Why

should　I？　　Thou　hast　never　spoken　to　me　but　to　admonish；and

now；　to　wound！〃　　Again　she　paused；　again　her　voice　faltered；　the

tears　trembled　on　her　eyelids；　she　brushed　them　away　and　resumed。

〃No；　not　love；if　that　be　love　which　I　have　heard　and　read　of；

and　sought　to　simulate　on　the　stage；but　a　more　solemn；　fearful；

and；　it　seems　to　me；　almost　preternatural　attraction；　which　makes

me　associate　thee；　waking　or　dreaming；　with　images　that　at　once

charm　and　awe。　　Thinkest　thou；　if　it　were　love；　that　I　could

speak　to　thee　thus；　that；〃　she　raised　her　looks　suddenly　to　his；

〃mine　eyes　could　thus　search　and　confront　thine　own？　　Stranger；　I

ask　but　at　times　to　see；　to　hear　thee！　　Stranger；　talk　not　to　me

of　others。　　Forewarn；　rebuke；　bruise　my　heart；　reject　the　not

unworthy　gratitude　it　offers　thee；　if　thou　wilt；　but　come　not

always　to　me　as　an　omen　of　grief　and　trouble。　　Sometimes　have　I

seen　thee　in　my　dreams　surrounded　by　shapes　of　glory　and　light；

thy　looks　radiant　with　a　celestial　joy　which　they　wear　not　now。

Stranger；　thou　hast　saved　me；　and　I　thank　and　bless　thee！　　Is

that　also　a　homage　thou　wouldst　reject？〃　　With　these　words；　she

crossed　her　arms　meekly　on　her　bosom；　and　inclined　lowlily　before

him。　　Nor　did　her　humility　seem　unwomanly　or　abject；　nor　that　of

mistress　to　lover；　of　slave　to　master；　but　rather　of　a　child　to

its　guardian；　of　a　neophyte　of　the　old　religion　to　her　priest。

Zanoni's　brow　was　melancholy　and　thoughtful。　　He　looked　at　her

with　a　strange　expression　of　kindness；　of　sorrow；　yet　of　tender

affection；　in　his　eyes；　but　his　lips　were　stern；　and　his　voice

cold；　as　he　replied；



〃Do　you　know　what　you　ask；　Viola？　　Do　you　guess　the　danger　to

yourselfperhaps　to　both　of　uswhich　you　court？　　Do　you　know

that　my　life；　separated　from　the　turbulent　herd　of　men；　is　one

worship　of　the　Beautiful；　from