zanoni-第74节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



that　guards　the　Threshold　has　entangled　me　in　its　web。　　Canst

thou　credit　me；　when　I　tell　thee　that　I　have　accepted　its　gifts；

and　endure　the　forfeit？　　Ages　must　pass　ere　the　brighter　beings

can　again　obey　the　spirit　that　has　bowed　to　the　ghastly　one！

And



。。。



In　this　hope；　then；　Mejnour；　I　triumph　still；　I　yet　have　supreme

power　over　this　young　life。　　Insensibly　and　inaudibly　my　soul

speaks　to　its　own；　and　prepares　it　even　now。　　Thou　knowest　that

for　the　pure　and　unsullied　infant　spirit；　the　ordeal　has　no

terror　and　no　peril。　　Thus　unceasingly　I　nourish　it　with　no

unholy　light；　and　ere　it　yet　be　conscious　of　the　gift；　it　will

gain　the　privileges　it　has　been　mine　to　attain：　　the　child；　by

slow　and　scarce…seen　degrees；　will　communicate　its　own　attributes

to　the　mother；　and　content　to　see　Youth　forever　radiant　on　the

brows　of　the　two　that　now　suffice　to　fill　up　my　whole　infinity　of

thought；　shall　I　regret　the　airier　kingdom　that　vanishes　hourly

from　my　grasp？　　But　thou；　whose　vision　is　still　clear　and　serene；

look　into　the　far　deeps　shut　from　my　gaze；　and　counsel　me；　or

forewarn！　　I　know　that　the　gifts　of　the　Being　whose　race　is　so

hostile　to　our　own　are；　to　the　ccommon　seeker；　fatal　and

perfidious　as　itself。　　And　hence；　when；　at　the　outskirts　of

knowledge；　which　in　earlier　ages　men　called　Magic；　they

encountered　the　things　of　the　hostile　tribes；　they　believed　the

apparitions　to　be　fiends；　and；　by　fancied　compacts；　imagined　they

had　signed　away　their　souls；　as　if　man　could　give　for　an　eternity

that　over　which　he　has　control　but　while　he　lives！　　Dark；　and

shrouded　forever　from　human　sight；　dwell　the　demon　rebels；　in

their　impenetrable　realm；　in　them　is　no　breath　of　the　Divine　One。

In　every　human　creature　the　Divine　One　breathes；　and　He　alone　can

judge　His　own　hereafter；　and　allot　its　new　career　and　home。

Could　man　sell　himself　to　the　fiend；　man　could　prejudge　himself；

and　arrogate　the　disposal　of　eternity！　　But　these　creatures；

modifications　as　they　are　of　matter；　and　some　with　more　than　the

malignanty　of　man；　may　well　seem；　to　fear　and　unreasoning

superstition；　the　representatives　of　fiends。　　And　from　the

darkest　and　mightiest　of　them　I　have　accepted　a　boon；the　secret

that　startled　Death　from　those　so　dear　to　me。　　Can　I　not　trust

that　enough　of　power　yet　remains　to　me　to　baffle　or　to　daunt　the

Phantom；　if　it　seek　to　pervert　the　gift？　　Answer　me；　Mejnour；　for

in　the　darkness　that　veils　me；　I　see　only　the　pure　eyes　of　the

new…born；　I　hear　only　the　low　beating　of　my　heart。　　Answer　me；

thou　whose　wisdom　is　without　love！



Mejnour　to　Zanoni。



Rome。



Fallen　One！I　see　before　thee　Evil　and　Death　and　Woe！　　Thou　to

have　relinquished　Adon…Ai　for　the　nameless　Terror；the　heavenly

stars　for　those　fearful　eyes！　　Thou；　at　the　last　to　be　the　victim

of　the　Larva　of　the　dreary　Threshold；　that；　in　thy　first

novitiate；　fled；　withered　and　shrivelled；　from　thy　kingly　brow！

When；　at　the　primary　grades　of　initiation；　the　pupil　I　took　from

thee　on　the　shores　of　the　changed　Parthenope；　fell　senseless　and

cowering　before　that　Phantom…Darkness；　I　knew　that　his　spirit　was

not　formed　to　front　the　worlds　beyond；　for　FEAR　is　the　attraction

of　man　to　earthiest　earth；　and　while　he　fears；　he　cannot　soar。

But　THOU；　seest　thou　not　that　to　love　is　but　to　fear；　seest　thou

not　that　the　power　of　which　thou　boastest　over　the　malignant　one

is　already　gone？　　It　awes；　it　masters　thee；　it　will　mock　thee　and

betray。　　Lose　not　a　moment；　come　to　me。　　If　there　can　yet　be

sufficient　sympathy　between　us；　through　MY　eyes　shalt　thou　see；

and　perhaps　guard　against　the　perils　that；　shapeless　yet；　and

looming　through　the　shadow；　marshal　themselves　around　thee　and

those　whom　thy　very　love　has　doomed。　　Come　from　all　the　ties　of

thy　fond　humanity；　they　will　but　obscure　thy　vision！　　Come　forth

from　thy　fears　and　hopes；　thy　desires　and　passions。　　Come；　as

alone　Mind　can　be　the　monarch　and　the　seer；　shining　through　the

home　it　tenants；a　pure；　impressionless；　sublime　intelligence！





Chapter　6。IV。



Plus　que　vous　ne　pensez　ce　moment　est　terrible。

La　Harpe；　〃Le　Comte　de　Warwick；〃　Act　3；　sc。　5。



（The　moment　is　more　terrible　than　you　think。）



For　the　first　time　since　their　union；　Zanoni　and　Viola　were

separated；Zanoni　went　to　Rome　on　important　business。　　〃It　was；〃

he　said；　〃but　for　a　few　days；〃　and　he　went　so　suddenly　that　there

was　little　time　either　for　surprise　or　sorrow。　　But　first　parting

is　always　more　melancholy　than　it　need　be：　　it　seems　an

interruption　to　the　existence　which　Love　shares　with　Love；　it

makes　the　heart　feel　what　a　void　life　will　be　when　the　last

parting　shall　succeed；　as　succeed　it　must；　the　first。　　But　Viola

had　a　new　companion；　she　was　enjoying　that　most　delicious　novelty

which　ever　renews　the　youth　and　dazzles　the　eyes　of　woman。　　As

the　mistressthe　wifeshe　leans　on　another；　from　another　are

reflected　her　happiness；　her　being；as　an　orb　that　takes　light

from　its　sun。　　But　now；　in　turn；　as　the　mother；　she　is　raised

from　dependence　into　power；　it　is　another　that　leans　on　her；a

star　has　sprung　into　space；　to　which　she　herself　has　become　the

sun！



A　few　days；but　they　will　be　sweet　through　the　sorrow！　　A　few

days；every　hour　of　which　seems　an　era　to　the　infant；　over　whom

bend　watchful　the　eyes　and　the　heart。　　From　its　waking　to　its

sleep；　from　its　sleep　to　its　waking；　is　a　revolution　in　Time。

Every　gesture　to　be　noted；every　smile　to　seem　a　new　progress

into　the　world　it　has　come　to　bless！　　Zanoni　has　gone；the　last

dash　of　the　oar　is　lost；　the　last　speck　of　the　gondola　has

vanished　from　the　ocean…streets　of　Venice！　　Her　infant　is

sleeping　in　the　cradle　at　the　mother's　feet；　and　she　thinks

through　her　tears　what　tales　of　the　fairy…land；　that　spreads　far

and　wide；　with　a　thousand　wonders；　in　that　narrow　bed；　she　shall

have　to　tell　the　father！　　Smile　on；　weep　on；　young　mother！

Already　the　fairest　leaf　in　the　wild　volume　is　closed　for　thee；

and　the　invisible　finger　turns　the　page！



。。。



By　the　bridge　of　the　Rialto　stood　two　Venetiansardent

Republicans　and　Democratslooking　to　the　Revolution　of　France　as

the　earthquake　which　must　shatter　their　own　expiring　and　vicious

constitution；　and　give　equality　of　ranks　and　rights　to　Venice。



〃Yes；　Cottalto；〃　said　one；　〃my　correspondent　of　Paris　has

promised　to　elude　all　obstacles；　and　baffle　all　danger。　　He　will

arrange　with　us　the　hour　of　revolt；　when　the　legions　of　France

shall　be　within　hearing　of　our　guns。　　One　day　in　this　week；　at

this　hour；　he　is　to　meet　me　here。　　This　is　but　the　fourth　day。〃



He　had　scarce　said　these　words　before　a　man；　wrapped　in　his

roquelaire；　emerging　from　one　of　the　narrow　streets　to　the　left；

halted　opposite　the　pair；　and　eying　them　for　a　few　moments　with

an　earnest　scrutiny；　whispered；　〃Salut！〃



〃Et　fraternite；〃　answered　the　speaker。



〃You；　then；　are　the　brave　Dandolo　with　whom　the　Comite　deputed　me

to　correspond？　　And　this　citizen〃



〃Is　Cottalto；　whom　my　letters　have　so　often　mentioned。〃　　（I　know

not　if　the　author　of　the　original　MSS。　designs；　under　these

names；　to　introduce　the　real　Cottalto　and　the　true　Dandolo；　who；

in　1797；　distinguished　themselves　by　their　sympathy　with　the

French；　and　their　democratic　ardor。Ed。）



〃Health　and　brotherhood　to　him！　　I　have　much　to　impart　to　you

both。　　I　will　meet　you　at　night；　Dandolo。　　But　in　the　streets　we

may　be　observed。〃



〃And　I　dare　not　appoint　my　own　house；　tyranny　makes　spies　of　our

very　walls。　　But　the　place　herein　designated　is　secure；〃　and　he

slipped　an　address　into　the　hand　of　his　correspondent。



〃To…night；　then；　at　nine！　　Meanwhile　I　have　other　business。〃　　The

man　paused；　his　colour　changed；　and　it　was　with　an　eager　and

passionate　voice　that　he　resumed；



〃Your　last　letter　mentioned　this　wealthy　and　mysterious　visitor；

this　Zanoni。　　He　is　still　at　Venice？〃



〃I　heard　that　he　had　left　this　morning；　but　his　wife　is　still

here。〃



〃His　wife！that　is　well！〃



〃What　know　you　of　him？　　Think　you　that　he　would　join　us？　　His

wealth　would　be〃



〃His　house；　his　address；quick！〃　interrupted　the　man。



〃The　Palazzo　di　；　on　the　Grand　Canal。〃



〃I　thank　you；at　nine　we　meet。〃



The　man　hurried　on　through　the　street　from　which　he　had　emerged；

and；　passing　by　the　house　in　which　he　had　taken　up　his　lodging

（he　had　arrived　at　Venice　the　night　before）；　a　woman　who　stood　by

the　door　caught　his　arm。



〃Monsieur；〃　she　said　in　French；　〃I　have　been　watching　for　your

return。　　Do　you　understand　me？　　I　will　brave　all；　risk　all；　to　go

back　with　you　to　France；to　stand；　through　life　or　in　death；　by

my　husband's　side！〃



〃Citoyenne；　I　promised　your　husband　that；　if　such　your　choice；　I

would　hazard　my　own　safety　to　aid　it。　　But　think　again！　　Your

husband　is　one　of　the　faction　which　Robespierre's　eyes　have

already　marked；　he　cannot　fly。　　All　France　is　become　a　prison　to

the　'susp