zanoni-第24节

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Real　philosophy　seeks　rather　to　solve　than　to　deny。　　While　we

hear；　every　day；　the　small　pretenders　to　science　talk　of　the

absurdities　of　alchemy　and　the　dream　of　the　Philosopher's　Stone；

a　more　erudite　knowledge　is　aware　that　by　alchemists　the　greatest

discoveries　in　science　have　been　made；　and　much　which　still　seems

abstruse；　had　we　the　key　to　the　mystic　phraseology　they　were

compelled　to　adopt；　might　open　the　way　to　yet　more　noble

acquisitions。　　The　Philosopher's　Stone　itself　has　seemed　no

visionary　chimera　to　some　of　the　soundest　chemists　that　even　the

present　century　has　produced。　　（Mr。　Disraeli；　in　his　〃Curiosities

of　Literature〃　（article　〃Alchem〃）；　after　quoting　the　sanguine

judgments　of　modern　chemists　as　to　the　transmutation　of　metals；

observes　of　one　yet　greater　and　more　recent　than　those　to　which

Glyndon's　thoughts　could　have　referred；　〃Sir　Humphry　Davy　told　me

that　he　did　not　consider　this　undiscovered　art　as　impossible；　but

should　it　ever　be　discovered；　it　would　certainly　be　useless。〃）

Man　cannot　contradict　the　Laws　of　Nature。　　But　are　all　the　laws

of　Nature　yet　discovered？



〃Give　me　a　proof　of　your　art；〃　says　the　rational　inquirer。　　〃When

I　have　seen　the　effect；　I　will　endeavour；　with　you；　to　ascertain

the　causes。〃



Somewhat　to　the　above　effect　were　the　first　thoughts　of　Clarence

Glyndon　on　quitting　Zanoni。　　But　Clarence　Glyndon　was　no

〃rational　inquirer。〃　　The　more　vague　and　mysterious　the　language

of　Zanoni；　the　more　it　imposed　upon　him。　　A　proof　would　have　been

something　tangible；　with　which　he　would　have　sought　to　grapple。

And　it　would　have　only　disappointed　his　curiosity　to　find　the

supernatural　reduced　to　Nature。　　He　endeavoured　in　vain；　at　some

moments　rousing　himself　from　credulity　to　the　scepticism　he

deprecated；　to　reconcile　what　he　had　heard　with　the　probable

motives　and　designs　of　an　imposter。　　Unlike　Mesmer　and

Cagliostro；　Zanoni；　whatever　his　pretensions；　did　not　make　them　a

source　of　profit；　nor　was　Glyndon's　position　or　rank　in　life

sufficient　to　render　any　influence　obtained　over　his　mind；

subservient　to　schemes；　whether　of　avarice　or　ambition。　　Yet；

ever　and　anon；　with　the　suspicion　of　worldly　knowledge；　he　strove

to　persuade　himself　that　Zanoni　had　at　least　some　sinister　object

in　inducing　him　to　what　his　English　pride　and　manner　of　thought

considered　a　derogatory　marriage　with　the　poor　actress。　　Might

not　Viola　and　the　Mystic　be　in　league　with　each　other？　　Might　not

all　this　jargon　of　prophecy　and　menace　be　but　artifices　to　dupe

him？



He　felt　an　unjust　resentment　towards　Viola　at　having　secured　such

an　ally。　　But　with　that　resentment　was　mingled　a　natural

jealousy。　　Zanoni　threatened　him　with　rivalry。　　Zanoni；　who；

whatever　his　character　or　his　arts；　possessed　at　least　all　the

external　attributes　that　dazzle　and　command。　　Impatient　of　his

own　doubts；　he　plunged　into　the　society　of　such　acquaintances　as

he　had　made　at　Napleschiefly　artists；　like　himself；　men　of

letters；　and　the　rich　commercialists；　who　were　already　vying　with

the　splendour；　though　debarred　from　the　privileges；　of　the

nobles。　　From　these　he　heard　much　of　Zanoni；　already　with　them；

as　with　the　idler　classes；　an　object　of　curiosity　and

speculation。



He　had　noticed；　as　a　thing　remarkable；　that　Zanoni　had　conversed

with　him　in　English；　and　with　a　command　of　the　language　so

complete　that　he　might　have　passed　for　a　native。　　On　the　other

hand；　in　Italian；　Zanoni　was　equally　at　ease。　　Glyndon　found　that

it　was　the　same　in　languages　less　usually　learned　by　foreigners。

A　painter　from　Sweden；　who　had　conversed　with　him；　was　positive

that　he　was　a　Swede；　and　a　merchant　from　Constantinople；　who　had

sold　some　of　his　goods　to　Zanoni；　professed　his　conviction　that

none　but　a　Turk；　or　at　least　a　native　of　the　East；　could　have　so

thoroughly　mastered　the　soft　Oriental　intonations。　　Yet　in　all

these　languages；　when　they　came　to　compare　their　several

recollections；　there　was　a　slight；　scarce　perceptible

distinction；　not　in　pronunciation；　nor　even　accent；　but　in　the

key　and　chime；　as　it　were；　of　the　voice；　between　himself　and　a

native。　　This　faculty　was　one　which　Glyndon　called　to　mind；　that

sect；　whose　tenets　and　powers　have　never　been　more　than　most

partially　explored；　the　Rosicrucians；　especially　arrogated。　　He

remembered　to　have　heard　in　Germany　of　the　work　of　John　Bringeret

（Printed　in　1615。）；　asserting　that　all　the　languages　of　the　earth

were　known　to　the　genuine　Brotherhood　of　the　Rosy　Cross。　　Did

Zanoni　belong　to　this　mystical　Fraternity；　who；　in　an　earlier

age；　boasted　of　secrets　of　which　the　Philosopher's　Stone　was　but

the　least；　who　considered　themselves　the　heirs　of　all　that　the

Chaldeans；　the　Magi；　the　Gymnosophists；　and　the　Platonists　had

taught；　and　who　differed　from　all　the　darker　Sons　of　Magic　in　the

virtue　of　their　lives；　the　purity　of　their　doctrines；　and　their

insisting；　as　the　foundation　of　all　wisdom；　on　the　subjugation　of

the　senses；　and　the　intensity　of　Religious　Faith？a　glorious

sect；　if　they　lied　not！　　And；　in　truth；　if　Zanoni　had　powers

beyond　the　race　of　worldly　sages；　they　seemed　not　unworthily

exercised。　　The　little　known　of　his　life　was　in　his　favour。　　Some

acts；　not　of　indiscriminate；　but　judicious　generosity　and

beneficence；　were　recorded；　in　repeating　which；　still；　however；

the　narrators　shook　their　heads；　and　expressed　surprise　how　a

stranger　should　have　possessed　so　minute　a　knowledge　of　the　quiet

and　obscure　distresses　he　had　relieved。　　Two　or　three　sick

persons；　when　abandoned　by　their　physicians；　he　had　visited；　and

conferred　with　alone。　　They　had　recovered：　　they　ascribed　to　him

their　recovery；　yet　they　could　not　tell　by　what　medicines　they

had　been　healed。　　They　could　only　depose　that　he　came；　conversed

with　them；　and　they　were　cured；　it　usually；　however；　happened

that　a　deep　sleep　had　preceded　the　recovery。



Another　circumstance　was　also　beginning　to　be　remarked；　and　spoke

yet　more　in　his　commendation。　　Those　with　whom　he　principally

associatedthe　gay；　the　dissipated；　the　thoughtless；　the　sinners

and　publicans　of　the　more　polished　worldall　appeared　rapidly；

yet　insensibly　to　themselves；　to　awaken　to　purer　thoughts　and

more　regulated　lives。　　Even　Cetoxa；　the　prince　of　gallants；

duellists；　and　gamesters；　was　no　longer　the　same　man　since　the

night　of　the　singular　events　which　he　had　related　to　Glyndon。

The　first　trace　of　his　reform　was　in　his　retirement　from　the

gaming…houses；　the　next　was　his　reconciliation　with　an　hereditary

enemy　of　his　house；　whom　it　had　been　his　constant　object　for　the

last　six　years　to　entangle　in　such　a　quarrel　as　might　call　forth

his　inimitable　manoeuvre　of　the　stoccata。　　Nor　when　Cetoxa　and

his　young　companions　were　heard　to　speak　of　Zanoni；　did　it　seem

that　this　change　had　been　brought　about　by　any　sober　lectures　or

admonitions。　　They　all　described　Zanoni　as　a　man　keenly　alive　to

enjoyment：　　of　manners　the　reverse　of　formal；not　precisely　gay；

but　equable；　serene；　and　cheerful；　ever　ready　to　listen　to　the

talk　of　others；　however　idle；　or　to　charm　all　ears　with　an

inexhaustible　fund　of　brilliant　anecdote　and　worldly　experience。

All　manners；　all　nations；　all　grades　of　men；　seemed　familiar　to

him。　　He　was　reserved　only　if　allusion　were　ever　ventured　to　his

birth　or　history。



The　more　general　opinion　of　his　origin　certainly　seemed　the　more

plausible。　　His　riches；　his　familiarity　with　the　languages　of　the

East；　his　residence　in　India；　a　certain　gravity　which　never

deserted　his　most　cheerful　and　familiar　hours；　the　lustrous

darkness　of　his　eyes　and　hair；　and　even　the　peculiarities　of　his

shape；　in　the　delicate　smallness　of　the　hands；　and　the　Arab…like

turn　of　the　stately　head；　appeared　to　fix　him　as　belonging　to　one

at　least　of　the　Oriental　races。　　And　a　dabbler　in　the　Eastern

tongues　even　sought　to　reduce　the　simple　name　of　Zanoni；　which　a

century　before　had　been　borne　by　an　inoffensive　naturalist　of

Bologna　（The　author　of　two　works　on　botany　and　rare　plants。）；　to

the　radicals　of　the　extinct　language。　　Zan　was　unquestionably　the

Chaldean　appellation　for　the　sun。　　Even　the　Greeks；　who　mutilated

every　Oriental　name；　had　retained　the　right　one　in　this　case；　as

the　Cretan　inscription　on　the　tomb　of　Zeus　（Ode　megas　keitai

Zan。〃Cyril　contra　Julian。〃　　（Here　lies　great　Jove。））

significantly　showed。　　As　to　the　rest；　the　Zan；　or　Zaun；　was；

with　the　Sidonians；　no　uncommon　prefix　to　On。　　Adonis　was　but

another　name　for　Zanonas；　whose　worship　in　Sidon　Hesychius

records。　　To　this　profound　and　unanswerable　derivation　Mervale

listened　with　great　attention；　and　observed　that　he　now　ventured

to　announce　an　erudite　discovery　he　himself　had　long　since　made；…

…namely；　that　the　numerous　family　of　Smiths　in　England　were

undoubtedly　the　ancient　priests　of　the　Phrygian　Apollo。　　〃For；〃

said　he；　〃was　not　Apollo's　surname；　in　Phrygia；　Smintheus？　　How

clear　all　the　ensuing　corruptions　of