zanoni-第89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！



Italian　of　immense　wealth；　and　there　is　no　doubt　that　she　has

moneys　which　are　spent　in　corrupting　the　citizens。　　She　should　be

seized　and　arrested。〃



〃Write　down　her　name　also。〃



〃But　no　time　is　to　be　lost；　for　I　know　that　both　have　a　design　to

escape　from　Paris　this　very　night。〃



〃Our　government　is　prompt；　good　Nicot；never　fear。　　Humph！

humph！〃　and　Robespierre　took　the　paper　on　which　Nicot　had

written；　and　stooping　over　itfor　he　was　near…sightedadded；

smilingly；　〃Dost　thou　always　write　the　same　hand；　citizen？　　This

seems　almost　like　a　disguised　character。〃



〃I　should　not　like　them　to　know　who　denounced　them；

Representant。〃



〃Good！　good！　　Thy　virtue　shall　be　rewarded；　trust　me。　　Salut　et

fraternite！〃



Robespierre　half　rose　as　he　spoke；　and　Nicot　withdrew。



〃Ho；　there！without！〃　cried　the　Dictator；　ringing　his　bell；　and

as　the　ready　Jacobin　attended　the　summons；　〃Follow　that　man；　Jean

Nicot。　　The　instant　he　has　cleared　the　house　seize　him。　　At　once

to　the　Conciergerie　with　him。　　Stay！nothing　against　the　law；

there　is　thy　warrant。　　The　public　accuser　shall　have　my

instruction。　　Away！quick！〃



The　Jacobin　vanished。　　All　trace　of　illness；　of　infirmity；　had

gone　from　the　valetudinarian；　he　stood　erect　on　the　floor；　his

face　twitching　convulsively；　and　his　arms　folded。　　〃Ho！　Guerin！〃

the　spy　reappeared〃take　these　addresses！　　Within　an　hour　this

Englishman　and　his　woman　must　be　in　prison；　their　revelations

will　aid　me　against　worthier　foes。　　They　shall　die：　　they　shall

perish　with　the　rest　on　the　10th；the　third　day　from　this。

There！〃　and　he　wrote　hastily；〃there；　also；　is　thy　warrant！

Off！



〃And　now；　Couthon；　Payan；　we　will　dally　no　longer　with　Tallien

and　his　crew。　　I　have　information　that　the　Convention　will　NOT

attend　the　Fete　on　the　10th。　　We　must　trust　only　to　the　sword　of

the　law。　　I　must　compose　my　thoughts；prepare　my　harangue。　　To…

morrow；　I　will　reappear　at　the　Convention；　to…morrow；　bold　St。

Just　joins　us；　fresh　from　our　victorious　armies；　to…morrow；　from

the　tribune；　I　will　dart　the　thunderbolt　on　the　masked　enemies　of

France；　to…morrow；　I　will　demand；　in　the　face　of　the　country；　the

heads　of　the　conspirators。〃





CHAPTER　7。VIII。



Le　glaive　est　contre　toi　tourne　de　toutes　parties。

La　Harpe；　〃Jeanne　de　Naples；〃　Act　iv。　sc。　4。



（The　sword　is　raised　against　you　on　all　sides。）



In　the　mean　time　Glyndon；　after　an　audience　of　some　length　with

C；　in　which　the　final　preparations　were　arranged；　sanguine　of

safety；　and　foreseeing　no　obstacle　to　escape；　bent　his　way　back

to　Fillide。　　Suddenly；　in　the　midst　of　his　cheerful　thoughts；　he

fancied　he　heard　a　voice　too　well　and　too　terribly　recognised；

hissing　in　his　ear；　〃What！　thou　wouldst　defy　and　escape　me！　thou

wouldst　go　back　to　virtue　and　content。　　It　is　in　vain；it　is　too

late。　　No；　_I_　will　not　haunt　thee；　HUMAN　footsteps；　no　less

inexorable；　dog　thee　now。　　Me　thou　shalt　not　see　again　till　in

the　dungeon；　at　midnight；　before　thy　doom！　　Behold〃



And　Glyndon；　mechanically　turning　his　head；　saw；　close　behind

him；　the　stealthy　figure　of　a　man　whom　he　had　observed　before；

but　with　little　heed；　pass　and　repass　him；　as　he　quitted　the

house　of　Citizen　C。　　Instantly　and　instinctively　he　knew　that

he　was　watched；that　he　was　pursued。　　The　street　he　was　in　was

obscure　and　deserted；　for　the　day　was　oppressively　sultry；　and　it

was　the　hour　when　few　were　abroad；　either　on　business　or

pleasure。　　Bold　as　he　was；　an　icy　chill　shot　through　his　heart；

he　knew　too　well　the　tremendous　system　that　then　reigned　in　Paris

not　to　be　aware　of　his　danger。　　As　the　sight　of　the　first　plague…

boil　to　the　victim　of　the　pestilence；　was　the　first　sight　of　the

shadowy　spy　to　that　of　the　Revolution：　　the　watch；　the　arrest；

the　trial；　the　guillotine；these　made　the　regular　and　rapid

steps　of　the　monster　that　the　anarchists　called　Law！　　He　breathed

hard；　he　heard　distinctly　the　loud　beating　of　his　heart。　　And　so

he　paused；　still　and　motionless；　gazing　upon　the　shadow　that

halted　also　behind　him。



Presently；　the　absence　of　all　allies　to　the　spy；　the　solitude　of

the　streets；　reanimated　his　courage；　he　made　a　step　towards　his

pursuer；　who　retreated　as　he　advanced。　　〃Citizen；　thou　followest

me；〃　he　said。　　〃Thy　business？〃



〃Surely；〃　answered　the　man；　with　a　deprecating　smile；　〃the

streets　are　broad　enough　for　both？　　Thou　art　not　so　bad　a

republican　as　to　arrogate　all　Paris　to　thyself！〃



〃Go　on　first；　then。　　I　make　way　for　thee。〃



The　man　bowed；　doffed　his　hat　politely；　and　passed　forward。　　The

next　moment　Glyndon　plunged　into　a　winding　lane；　and　fled　fast

through　a　labyrinth　of　streets；　passages；　and　alleys。　　By　degrees

he　composed　himself；　and；　looking　behind；　imagined　that　he　had

baffled　the　pursuer；　he　then；　by　a　circuitous　route；　bent　his　way

once　more　to　his　home。　　As　he　emerged　into　one　of　the　broader

streets；　a　passenger；　wrapped　in　a　mantle；　brushing　so　quickly　by

him　that　he　did　not　observe　his　countenance；　whispered；　〃Clarence

Glyndon；　you　are　dogged；follow　me！〃　and　the　stranger　walked

quickly　before　him。　　Clarence　turned；　and　sickened　once　more　to

see　at　his　heels；　with　the　same　servile　smile　on　his　face；　the

pursuer　he　fancied　he　had　escaped。　　He　forgot　the　injunction　of

the　stranger　to　follow　him；　and　perceiving　a　crowd　gathered　close

at　hand；　round　a　caricature…shop；　dived　amidst　them；　and；　gaining

another　street；　altered　the　direction　he　had　before　taken；　and；

after　a　long　and　breathless　course；　gained　without　once　more

seeing　the　spy；　a　distant　quartier　of　the　city。



Here；　indeed；　all　seemed　so　serene　and　fair　that　his　artist　eye；

even　in　that　imminent　hour；　rested　with　pleasure　on　the　scene。

It　was　a　comparatively　broad　space；　formed　by　one　of　the　noble

quays。　　The　Seine　flowed　majestically　along；　with　boats　and　craft

resting　on　its　surface。　　The　sun　gilt　a　thousand　spires　and

domes；　and　gleamed　on　the　white　palaces　of　a　fallen　chivalry。

Here　fatigued　and　panting；　he　paused　an　instant；　and　a　cooler　air

from　the　river　fanned　his　brow。　　〃Awhile；　at　least；　I　am　safe

here；〃　he　murmured；　and　as　he　spoke；　some　thirty　paces　behind

him；　he　beheld　the　spy。　　He　stood　rooted　to　the　spot；　wearied

and　spent　as　he　was；　escape　seemed　no　longer　possible；the　river

on　one　　side　（no　bridge　at　hand）；　and　the　long　row　of　mansions

closing　up　the　other。　　As　he　halted；　he　heard　laughter　and

obscene　songs　from　a　house　a　little　in　his　rear；　between　himself

and　the　spy。　　It　was　a　cafe　fearfully　known　in　that　quarter。

Hither　often　resorted　the　black　troop　of　Henriot；the　minions

and　huissiers　of　Robespierre。　　The　spy；　then；　had　hunted　the

victim　within　the　jaws　of　the　hounds。　　The　man　slowly　advanced；

and；　pausing　before　the　open　window　of　the　cafe；　put　his　head

through　the　aperture；　as　to　address　and　summon　forth　its　armed

inmates。



At　that　very　instant；　and　while　the　spy's　head　was　thus　turned

from　him；　standing　in　the　half…open　gateway　of　the　house

immediately　before　him；　he　perceived　the　stranger　who　had　warned；

the　figure；　scarcely　distinguishable　through　the　mantle　that

wrapped　it；　motioned　to　him　to　enter。　　He　sprang　noiselessly

through　the　friendly　opening：　　the　door　closed；　breathlessly　he

followed　the　stranger　up　a　flight　of　broad　stairs　and　through　a

suite　of　empty　rooms；　until；　having　gained　a　small　cabinet；　his

conductor　doffed　the　large　hat　and　the　long　mantle　that　had

hitherto　concealed　his　shape　and　features；　and　Glyndon　beheld

Zanoni！





CHAPTER　7。IX。



Think　not　my　magic　wonders　wrought　by　aid

Of　Stygian　angels　summoned　up　from　hell；

Scorned　and　accursed　be　those　who　have　essayed

Her　gloomy　Dives　and　Afrites　to　compel。

But　by　perception　of　the　secret　powers

Of　mineral　springs　in　Nature's　inmost　cell；

Of　herbs　in　curtain　of　her　greenest　bowers；

And　of　the　moving　stars　o'er　mountain　tops　and　towers。

Wiffen's　〃Translation　of　Tasso；〃　cant。　xiv。　xliii。



〃You　are　safe　here；　young　Englishman！〃　said　Zanoni；　motioning

Glyndon　to　a　seat。　　〃Fortunate　for　you　that　I　come　on　your　track

at　last！〃



〃Far　happier　had　it　been　if　we　had　never　met！　　Yet　even　in　these

last　hours　of　my　fate；　I　rejoice　to　look　once　more　on　the　face　of

that　ominous　and　mysterious　being　to　whom　I　can　ascribe　all　the

sufferings　I　have　known。　　Here；　then；　thou　shalt　not　palter　with

or　elude　me。　　Here；　before　we　part；　thou　shalt　unravel　to　me　the

dark　enigma；　if　not　of　thy　life；　of　my　own！〃



〃Hast　thou　suffered？　　Poor　neophyte！〃　said　Zanoni；　pityingly。

〃Yes；　I　see　it　on　thy　brow。　　But　wherefore　wouldst　thou　blame　me？

Did　I　not　warn　thee　against　the　whispers　of　thy　spirit；　did　I　not

warn　thee　to　forbear？　　Did　I　not　tell　thee　that　the　ordeal　was

one　of　awful　hazard　and　tremendous　fears；nay；　did　I　not　offer

to　resign　to　thee　the　heart　that　was　mighty　enough；　while　mine；

Glyndon；　to　content　me？　　Was　it　not　thine　own　daring　and　resolute

choice　to　brav