zanoni-第9节

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vanity　and　triumph；　the　happiness　in　the　happiness　she　had

caused；　all　this　was　better　than　sleep。　　But　still　from　all　this；

again　and　again　her　thoughts　flew　to　those　haunting　eyes；　to　that

smile　with　which　forever　the　memory　of　the　triumph；　of　the

happiness；　was　to　be　united。　　Her　feelings；　like　her　own

character；　were　strange　and　peculiar。　　They　were　not　those　of　a

girl　whose　heart；　for　the　first　time　reached　through　the　eye；

sighs　its　natural　and　native　language　of　first　love。　　It　was　not

so　much　admiration；　though　the　face　that　reflected　itself　on

every　wave　of　her　restless　fancies　was　of　the　rarest　order　of

majesty　and　beauty；　nor　a　pleased　and　enamoured　recollection　that

the　sight　of　this　stranger　had　bequeathed：　　it　was　a　human

sentiment　of　gratitude　and　delight；　mixed　with　something　more

mysterious；　of　fear　and　awe。　　Certainly　she　had　seen　before　those

features；　but　when　and　how？　　Only　when　her　thoughts　had　sought　to

shape　out　her　future；　and　when；　in　spite　of　all　the　attempts　to

vision　forth　a　fate　of　flowers　and　sunshine；　a　dark　and　chill

foreboding　made　her　recoil　back　into　her　deepest　self。　　It　was　a

something　found　that　had　long　been　sought　for　by　a　thousand

restless　yearnings　and　vague　desires；　less　of　the　heart　than

mind；　not　as　when　youth　discovers　the　one　to　be　beloved；　but

rather　as　when　the　student；　long　wandering　after　the　clew　to　some

truth　in　science；　sees　it　glimmer　dimly　before　him；　to　beckon；　to

recede；　to　allure；　and　to　wane　again。　　She　fell　at　last　into

unquiet　slumber；　vexed　by　deformed；　fleeting；　shapeless　phantoms；

and；　waking；　as　the　sun；　through　a　veil　of　hazy　cloud；　glinted

with　a　sickly　ray　across　the　casement；　she　heard　her　father

settled　back　betimes　to　his　one　pursuit；　and　calling　forth　from

his　Familiar　a　low　mournful　strain；　like　a　dirge　over　the　dead。



〃And　why；〃　she　asked；　when　she　descended　to　the　room　below；

〃why；　my　father；　was　your　inspiration　so　sad；　after　the　joy　of

last　night？〃



〃I　know　not；　child。　　I　meant　to　be　merry；　and　compose　an　air　in

honour　of　thee；　but　he　is　an　obstinate　fellow；　this；and　he

would　have　it　so。〃





CHAPTER　1。IV。



E　cosi　i　pigri　e　timidi　desiri

Sprona。

〃Gerusal。　Lib。；〃　cant。　iv。　lxxxviii。



（And　thus　the　slow　and　timid　passions　urged。）



It　was　the　custom　of　Pisani；　except　when　the　duties　of　his

profession　made　special　demand　on　his　time；　to　devote　a　certain

portion　of　the　mid…day　to　sleep；a　habit　not　so　much　a　luxury　as

a　necessity　to　a　man　who　slept　very　little　during　the　night。　　In

fact；　whether　to　compose　or　to　practice；　the　hours　of　noon　were

precisely　those　in　which　Pisani　could　not　have　been　active　if　he

would。　　His　genius　resembled　those　fountains　full　at　dawn　and

evening；　overflowing　at　night；　and　perfectly　dry　at　the　meridian。

　During　this　time；　consecrated　by　her　husband　to　repose；　the

signora　generally　stole　out　to　make　the　purchases　necessary　for

the　little　household；　or　to　enjoy　（as　what　woman　does　not？）　a

little　relaxation　in　gossip　with　some　of　her　own　sex。　　And　the

day　following　this　brilliant　triumph；　how　many　congratulations

would　she　have　to　receive！



At　these　times　it　was　Viola's　habit　to　seat　herself　without　the

door　of　the　house；　under　an　awning　which　sheltered　from　the　sun

without　obstructing　the　view；　and　there　now；　with　the　prompt…book

on　her　knee；　on　which　her　eye　roves　listlessly　from　time　to　time；

you　may　behold　her；　the　vine…leaves　clustering　from　their　arching

trellis　over　the　door　behind；　and　the　lazy　white…sailed　boats

skimming　along　the　sea　that　stretched　before。



As　she　thus　sat；　rather　in　reverie　than　thought；　a　man　coming

from　the　direction　of　Posilipo；　with　a　slow　step　and　downcast

eyes；　passed　close　by　the　house；　and　Viola；　looking　up　abruptly；

started　in　a　kind　of　terror　as　she　recognised　the　stranger。　　She

uttered　an　involuntary　exclamation；　and　the　cavalier　turning；

saw；　and　paused。



He　stood　a　moment　or　two　between　her　and　the　sunlit　ocean；

contemplating　in　a　silence　too　serious　and　gentle　for　the

boldness　of　gallantry；　the　blushing　face　and　the　young　slight

form　before　him；　at　length　he　spoke。



〃Are　you　happy；　my　child；〃　he　said；　in　almost　a　paternal　tone；

〃at　the　career　that　lies　before　you？　　From　sixteen　to　thirty；　the

music　in　the　breath　of　applause　is　sweeter　than　all　the　music

your　voice　can　utter！〃



〃I　know　not；〃　replied　Viola；　falteringly；　but　encouraged　by　the

liquid　softness　of　the　accents　that　addressed　her；〃I　know　not

whether　I　am　happy　now；　but　I　was　last　night。　　And　I　feel；　too；

Excellency；　that　I　have　you　to　thank；　though；　perhaps；　you　scarce

know　why！〃



〃You　deceive　yourself；〃　said　the　cavalier；　with　a　smile。　　〃I　am

aware　that　I　assisted　to　your　merited　success；　and　it　is　you　who

scarce　know　how。　　The　WHY　I　will　tell　you：　　because　I　saw　in　your

heart　a　nobler　ambition　than　that　of　the　woman's　vanity；　it　was

the　daughter　that　interested　me。　　Perhaps　you　would　rather　I

should　have　admired　the　singer？〃



〃No；　oh；　no！〃



〃Well；　I　believe　you。　　And　now；　since　we　have　thus　met；　I　will

pause　to　counsel　you。　　When　next　you　go　to　the　theatre；　you　will

have　at　your　feet　all　the　young　gallants　of　Naples。　　Poor　infant！

the　flame　that　dazzles　the　eye　can　scorch　the　wing。　　Remember

that　the　only　homage　that　does　not　sully　must　be　that　which　these

gallants　will　not　give　thee。　　And　whatever　thy　dreams　of　the

future；and　I　see；　while　I　speak　to　thee；　how　wandering　they

are；　and　wild；may　only　those　be　fulfilled　which　centre　round

the　hearth　of　home。〃



He　paused；　as　Viola's　breast　heaved　beneath　its　robe。　　And　with　a

burst　of　natural　and　innocent　emotions；　scarcely　comprehending；

though　an　Italian；　the　grave　nature　of　his　advice；　she

exclaimed；



〃Ah；　Excellency；　you　cannot　know　how　dear　to　me　that　home　is

already。　　And　my　father；there　would　be　no　home；　signor；　without

him！〃



A　deep　and　melancholy　shade　settled　over　the　face　of　the

cavalier。　　He　looked　up　at　the　quiet　house　buried　amidst　the

vine…leaves；　and　turned　again　to　the　vivid；　animated　face　of　the

young　actress。



〃It　is　well；〃　said　he。　　〃A　simple　heart　may　be　its　own　best

guide；　and　so；　go　on；　and　prosper。　　Adieu；　fair　singer。〃



〃Adieu；　Excellency；　but；〃　and　something　she　could　not　resistan

anxious；　sickening　feeling　of　fear　and　hope；impelled　her　to　the

question；　〃I　shall　see　you　again；　shall　I　not；　at　San　Carlo？〃



〃Not；　at　least；　for　some　time。　　I　leave　Naples　to…day。〃



〃Indeed！〃　and　Viola's　heart　sank　within　her；　the　poetry　of　the

stage　was　gone。



〃And；〃　said　the　cavalier；　turning　back；　and　gently　laying　his

hand　on　hers；〃and；　perhaps；　before　we　meet；　you　may　have

suffered：　　known　the　first　sharp　griefs　of　human　life；known　how

little　what　fame　can　gain；　repays　what　the　heart　can　lose；　but　be

brave　and　yield　not；not　even　to　what　may　seem　the　piety　of

sorrow。　　Observe　yon　tree　in　your　neighbour's　garden。　　Look　how

it　grows　up；　crooked　and　distorted。　　Some　wind　scattered　the　germ

from　which　it　sprang；　in　the　clefts　of　the　rock；　choked　up　and

walled　round　by　crags　and　buildings；　by　Nature　and　man；　its　life

has　been　one　struggle　for　the　light；light　which　makes　to　that

life　the　necessity　and　the　principle：　　you　see　how　it　has　writhed

and　twisted；　how；　meeting　the　barrier　in　one　spot；　it　has

laboured　and　worked；　stem　and　branches；　towards　the　clear　skies

at　last。　　What　has　preserved　it　through　each　disfavour　of　birth

and　circumstances；why　are　its　leaves　as　green　and　fair　as　those

of　the　vine　behind　you；　which；　with　all　its　arms；　can　embrace　the

open　sunshine？　　My　child；　because　of　the　very　instinct　that

impelled　the　struggle；because　the　labour　for　the　light　won　to

the　light　at　length。　　So　with　a　gallant　heart；　through　every

adverse　accident　of　sorrow　and　of　fate　to　turn　to　the　sun；　to

strive　for　the　heaven；　this　it　is　that　gives　knowledge　to　the

strong　and　happiness　to　the　weak。　　Ere　we　meet　again；　you　will

turn　sad　and　heavy　eyes　to　those　quiet　boughs；　and　when　you　hear

the　birds　sing　from　them；　and　see　the　sunshine　come　aslant　from

crag　and　housetop　to　be　the　playfellow　of　their　leaves；　learn　the

lesson　that　Nature　teaches　you；　and　strive　through　darkness　to

the　light！〃



As　he　spoke　he　moved　on　slowly；　and　left　Viola　wondering；　silent；

saddened　with　his　dim　prophecy　of　coming　evil；　and　yet；　through

sadness；　charmed。　　Involuntarily　her　eyes　followed　him；

involuntarily　she　stretched　forth　her　arms；　as　if　by　a　gesture　to

call　him　back；　she　would　have　given　worlds　to　have　seen　him

turn；to　have　heard　once　more　his　low；　calm；　silvery　voice；　to

have　felt　again　the　light　touch　of　his　hand　on　hers。　　As

moonlight　that　softens　into　beauty　every　angle　on　which　it　falls；

seemed　his　presence；as　moonlight　vanishes；　and　things　assume

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

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



The　stranger　pas