zanoni-第95节

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sacrifice　can　save。　　Ha！　ha！〃　　And　the　shape　again　suddenly

dilated　into　the　gloom　of　its　giant　stature；　and　its　ghastly

laugh　exulted；　as　if　the　Foe；　a　moment　baffled；　had　regained　its

might。　　〃Ha！　ha！thou　canst　save　her　life；　if　thou　wilt

sacrifice　thine　own！　　Is　it　for　this　thou　hast　lived　on　through

crumbling　empires　and　countless　generations　of　thy　race？　　At　last

shall　Death　reclaim　thee？　　Wouldst　thou　save　her？DIE　FOR　HER！

Fall；　O　stately　column；　over　which　stars　yet　unformed　may　gleam；

fall；　that　the　herb　at　thy　base　may　drink　a　few　hours　longer

the　sunlight　and　the　dews！　　Silent！　　Art　thou　ready　for　the

sacrifice？　　See；　the　moon　moves　up　through　heaven。　　Beautiful　and

wise　one；　wilt　thou　bid　her　smile　to…morrow　on　thy　headless

clay？〃



〃Back！　for　my　soul；　in　answering　thee　from　depths　where　thou

canst　not　hear　it；　has　regained　its　glory；　and　I　hear　the　wings

of　Adon…Ai　gliding　musical　through　the　air。〃



He　spoke；　and；　with　a　low　shriek　of　baffled　rage　and　hate；　the

Thing　was　gone；　and　through　the　room　rushed；　luminous　and　sudden；

the　Presence　of　silvery　light。



As　the　heavenly　visitor　stood　in　the　atmosphere　of　his　own

lustre；　and　looked　upon　the　face　of　the　Theurgist　with　an　aspect

of　ineffable　tenderness　and　love；　all　space　seemed　lighted　from

his　smile。　　Along　the　blue　air　without；　from　that　chamber　in

which　his　wings　had　halted；　to　the　farthest　star　in　the　azure

distance；　it　seemed　as　if　the　track　of　his　flight　were　visible；

by　a　lengthened　splendour　in　the　air；　like　the　column　of

moonlight　on　the　sea。　　Like　the　flower　that　diffuses　perfume　as

the　very　breath　of　its　life；　so　the　emanation　of　that　presence

was　joy。　　Over　the　world；　as　a　million　times　swifter　than　light；

than　electricity；　the　Son　of　Glory　had　sped　his　way　to　the　side

of　love；　his　wings　had　scattered　delight　as　the　morning　scatters

dew。　　For　that　brief　moment；　Poverty　had　ceased　to　mourn；　Disease

fled　from　its　prey；　and　Hope　breathed　a　dream　of　Heaven　into　the

darkness　of　Despair。



〃Thou　art　right；〃　said　the　melodious　Voice。　　〃Thy　courage　has

restored　thy　power。　　Once　more；　in　the　haunts　of　earth；　thy　soul

charms　me　to　thy　side。　　Wiser　now；　in　the　moment　when　thou

comprehendest　Death；　than　when　thy　unfettered　spirit　learned　the

solemn　mystery　of　Life；　the　human　affections　that　thralled　and

humbled　thee　awhile　bring　to　thee；　in　these　last　hours　of　thy

mortality；　the　sublimest　heritage　of　thy　race；the　eternity　that

commences　from　the　grave。〃



〃O　Adon…Ai；〃　said　the　Chaldean；　as；　circumfused　in　the　splendour

of　the　visitant；　a　glory　more　radiant　than　human　beauty　settled

round　his　form；　and　seemed　already　to　belong　to　the　eternity　of

which　the　Bright　One　spoke；　〃as　men；　before　they　die；　see　and

comprehend　the　enigmas　hidden　from　them　before　（The　greatest

poet；　and　one　of　the　noblest　thinkers；　of　the　last　age；　said；　on

his　deathbed；　〃Many　things　obscure　to　me　before；　now　clear　up；

and　become　visible。〃See　the　〃Life　of　Schiller。〃）；　so　in　this

hour；　when　the　sacrifice　of　self　to　another　brings　the　course　of

ages　to　its　goal；　I　see　the　littleness　of　Life；　compared　to　the

majesty　of　Death；　but　oh；　Divine　Consoler；　even　here；　even　in　thy

presence；　the　affections　that　inspire　me；　sadden。　　To　leave

behind　me　in　this　bad　world；　unaided；　unprotected；　those　for　whom

I　die！　the　wife！　the　child！oh；　speak　comfort　to　me　in　this！〃



〃And　what；〃　said　the　visitor；　with　a　slight　accent　of　reproof　in

the　tone　of　celestial　pity；〃what；　with　all　thy　wisdom　and　thy

starry　secrets；　with　all　thy　empire　of　the　past；　and　thy　visions

of　the　future；　what　art　thou　to　the　All…Directing　and　Omniscient？

Canst　thou　yet　imagine　that　thy　presence　on　earth　can　give　to　the

hearts　thou　lovest　the　shelter　which　the　humblest　take　from　the

wings　of　the　Presence　that　lives　in　heaven？　　Fear　not　thou　for

their　future。　　Whether　thou　live　or　die；　their　future　is　the　care

of　the　Most　High！　　In　the　dungeon　and　on　the　scaffold　looks

everlasting　the　Eye　of　HIM；　tenderer　than　thou　to　love；　wiser

than　thou　to　guide；　mightier　than　thou　to　save！〃



Zanoni　bowed　his　head；　and　when　he　looked　up　again；　the　last

shadow　had　left　his　brow。　　The　visitor　was　gone；　but　still　the

glory　of　his　presence　seemed　to　shine　upon　the　spot；　still　the

solitary　air　seemed　to　murmur　with　tremulous　delight。　　And　thus

ever　shall　it　be　with　those　who　have　once；　detaching　themselves

utterly　from　life；　received　the　visit　of　the　Angel　FAITH。

Solitude　and　space　retain　the　splendour；　and　it　settles　like　a

halo　round　their　graves。





CHAPTER　7。XIV。



Dann　zur　Blumenflor　der　Sterne

Aufgeschauet　liebewarm；

Fass'　ihn　freundlich　Arm　in　Arm

Trag'　ihn　in　die　blaue　Ferne。

Uhland；　〃An　den　Tod。〃



Then　towards　the　Garden　of　the　Star

Lift　up　thine　aspect　warm　with　love；

And；　friendlike　link'd　through　space　afar；

Mount　with　him；　arm　in　arm；　above。

Uhland；　〃Poem　to　Death。〃



He　stood　upon　the　lofty　balcony　that　overlooked　the　quiet　city。

Though　afar；　the　fiercest　passions　of　men　were　at　work　on　the　web

of　strife　and　doom；　all　that　gave　itself　to　his　view　was　calm　and

still　in　the　rays　of　the　summer　moon；　for　his　soul　was　wrapped

from　man　and　man's　narrow　sphere；　and　only　the　serener　glories　of

creation　were　present　to　the　vision　of　the　seer。　　There　he　stood；

alone　and　thoughtful；　to　take　the　last　farewell　of　the　wondrous

life　that　he　had　known。



Coursing　through　the　fields　of　space；　he　beheld　the　gossamer

shapes；　whose　choral　joys　his　spirit　had　so　often　shared。　　There；

group　upon　group；　they　circled　in　the　starry　silence　multiform　in

the　unimaginable　beauty　of　a　being　fed　by　ambrosial　dews　and

serenest　light。　　In　his　trance；　all　the　universe　stretched

visible　beyond；　in　the　green　valleys　afar；　he　saw　the　dances　of

the　fairies；　in　the　bowels　of　the　mountains；　he　beheld　the　race

that　breathe　the　lurid　air　of　the　volcanoes；　and　hide　from　the

light　of　heaven；　on　every　leaf　in　the　numberless　forests；　in

every　drop　of　the　unmeasured　seas；　he　surveyed　its　separate　and

swarming　world；　far　up；　in　the　farthest　blue；　he　saw　orb　upon　orb

ripening　into　shape；　and　planets　starting　from　the　central　fire；

to　run　their　day　of　ten　thousand　years。　　For　everywhere　in

creation　is　the　breath　of　the　Creator；　and　in　every　spot　where

the　breath　breathes　is　life！　　And　alone；　in　the　distance；　the

lonely　man　beheld　his　Magian　brother。　　There；　at　work　with　his

numbers　and　his　Cabala；　amidst　the　wrecks　of　Rome；　passionless

and　calm；　sat　in　his　cell　the　mystic　Mejnour；living　on；　living

ever　while　the　world　lasts；　indifferent　whether　his　knowledge

produces　weal　or　woe；　a　mechanical　agent　of　a　more　tender　and　a

wiser　will；　that　guides　every　spring　to　its　inscrutable　designs。

Living　on；living　ever；as　science　that　cares　alone　for

knowledge；　and　halts　not　to　consider　how　knowledge　advances

happiness；　how　Human　Improvement；　rushing　through　civilisation；

crushes　in　its　march　all　who　cannot　grapple　to　its　wheels　（〃You

colonise　the　lands　of　the　savage　with　the　Anglo…Saxon；you

civilise　that　portion　of　THE　EARTH；　but　is　the　SAVAGE　civilised？

He　is　exterminated！　　You　accumulate　machinery；you　increase　the

total　of　wealth；　but　what　becomes　of　the　labour　you　displace？

One　generation　is　sacrificed　to　the　next。　　You　diffuse

knowledge；and　the　world　seems　to　grow　brighter；　but　Discontent

at　Poverty　replaces　Ignorance；　happy　with　its　crust。　　Every

improvement；　every　advancement　in　civilisation；　injures　some；　to

benefit　others；　and　either　cherishes　the　want　of　to…day；　or

prepares　the　revolution　of　to…morrow。〃Stephen　Montague。）；　ever；

with　its　Cabala　and　its　number；　lives　on　to　change；　in　its

bloodless　movements；　the　face　of　the　habitable　world！



And；　〃Oh；　farewell　to　life！〃　murmured　the　glorious　dreamer。

〃Sweet；　O　life！　hast　thou　been　to　me。　　How　fathomless　thy　joys；

how　rapturously　has　my　soul　bounded　forth　upon　the　upward　paths！

To　him　who　forever　renews　his　youth　in　the　clear　fount　of　Nature；

how　exquisite　is　the　mere　happiness　TO　BE！　　Farewell；　ye　lamps　of

heaven；　and　ye　million　tribes；　the　Populace　of　Air。　　Not　a　mote

in　the　beam；　not　an　herb　on　the　mountain；　not　a　pebble　on　the

shore；　not　a　seed　far…blown　into　the　wilderness；　but　contributed

to　the　lore　that　sought　in　all　the　true　principle　of　life；　the

Beautiful；　the　Joyous；　the　Immortal。　　To　others；　a　land；　a　city；

a　hearth；　has　been　a　home；　MY　home　has　been　wherever　the

intellect　could　pierce；　or　the　spirit　could　breathe　the　air。〃



He　paused；　and　through　the　immeasurable　space　his　eyes　and　his

heart；　penetrating　the　dismal　dungeon；　rested　on　his　child。　　He

saw　it　slumbering　in　the　arms　of　the　pale　mother；　and　HIS　soul

spoke　to　the　sleeping　soul。　　〃Forgive　me；　if　my　desire　was　sin；　I

dreamed　to　have　reared　and　nurtured　thee　to　the　divinest

destinies　my　visions　could　foresee。　　Betimes；　as　the　mortal　part

was　strengthened　against　disease；　to　have　purified　the　spiritual

from　ever