zanoni-第102章

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freed　IDEA　might　wander　from　star　to　star；if　such　discoveries

became　in　truth　their　own；　the　sublimest　luxury　of　their

knowledge　was　but　this；　to　wonder；　to　venerate；　and　adore！　　For；

as　one　not　unlearned　in　these　high　matters　has　expressed　it；

'There　is　a　principle　of　the　soul　superior　to　all　external

nature；　and　through　this　principle　we　are　capable　of　surpassing

the　order　and　systems　of　the　world；　and　participating　the

immortal　life　and　the　energy　of　the　Sublime　Celestials。　　When　the

soul　is　elevated　to　natures　above　itself；　it　deserts　the　order　to

which　it　is　awhile　compelled；　and　by　a　religious　magnetism　is

attracted　to　another　and　a　loftier；　with　which　it　blends　and

mingles。'　　（From　Iamblichus；　〃On　the　Mysteries；〃　c。　7；　sect。　7。）

Grant；　then；　that　such　beings　found　at　last　the　secret　to　arrest

death；　to　fascinate　danger　and　the　foe；　to　walk　the　revolutions

of　the　earth　unharmed；think　you　that　this　life　could　teach　them

other　desire　than　to　yearn　the　more　for　the　Immortal；　and　to　fit

their　intellect　the　better　for　the　higher　being　to　which　they

might；　when　Time　and　Death　exist　no　longer；　be　transferred？　　Away

with　your　gloomy　fantasies　of　sorcerer　and　demon！the　soul　can

aspire　only　to　the　light；　and　even　the　error　of　our　lofty

knowledge　was　but　the　forgetfulness　of　the　weakness；　the

passions；　and　the　bonds　which　the　death　we　so　vainly　conquered

only　can　purge　away！〃



This　address　was　so　different　from　what　Glyndon　had　anticipated；

that　he　remained　for　some　moments　speechless；　and　at　length

faltered　out；



〃But　why；　then；　to　me〃



〃Why；〃　added　Zanoni；〃why　to　thee　have　been　only　the　penance　and

the　terror；the　Threshold　and　the　Phantom？　　Vain　man！　look　to

the　commonest　elements　of　the　common　learning。　　Can　every　tyro　at

his　mere　wish　and　will　become　the　master；　can　the　student；　when

he　has　bought　his　Euclid；　become　a　Newton；　can　the　youth　whom　the

Muses　haunt；　say；　'I　will　equal　Homer；'　yea；　can　yon　pale　tyrant；

with　all　the　parchment　laws　of　a　hundred　system…shapers；　and　the

pikes　of　his　dauntless　multitude；　carve；　at　his　will；　a

constitution　not　more　vicious　than　the　one　which　the　madness　of　a

mob　could　overthrow？　　When；　in　that　far　time　to　which　I　have

referred；　the　student　aspired　to　the　heights　to　which　thou

wouldst　have　sprung　at　a　single　bound；　he　was　trained　from　his

very　cradle　to　the　career　he　was　to　run。　　The　internal　and　the

outward　nature　were　made　clear　to　his　eyes；　year　after　year；　as

they　opened　on　the　day。　　He　was　not　admitted　to　the　practical

initiation　till　not　one　earthly　wish　chained　that　sublimest

faculty　which　you　call　the　IMAGINATION；　one　carnal　desire　clouded

the　penetrative　essence　that　you　call　the　INTELLECT。　　And　even

then；　and　at　the　best；　how　few　attained　to　the　last　mystery！

Happier　inasmuch　as　they　attained　the　earlier　to　the　holy　glories

for　which　Death　is　the　heavenliest　gate。〃



Zanoni　paused；　and　a　shade　of　thought　and　sorrow　darkened　his

celestial　beauty。



〃And　are　there；　indeed；　others；　besides　thee　and　Mejnour；　who　lay

claim　to　thine　attributes；　and　have　attained　to　thy　secrets？〃



〃Others　there　have　been　before　us；　but　we　two　now　are　alone　on

earth。〃



〃Imposter；　thou　betrayest　thyself！　　If　they　could　conquer　Death；

why　live　they　not　yet？〃　（Glyndon　appears　to　forget　that　Mejnour

had　before　answered　the　very　question　which　his　doubts　here　a

second　time　suggest。）



〃Child　of　a　day！〃　answered　Zanoni；　mournfully；　〃have　I　not　told

thee　the　error　of　our　knowledge　was　the　forgetfulness　of　the

desires　and　passions　which　the　spirit　never　can　wholly　and

permanently　conquer　while　this　matter　cloaks　it？　　Canst　thou

think　that　it　is　no　sorrow；　either　to　reject　all　human　ties；　all

friendship；　and　all　love；　or　to　see；　day　after　day；　friendship

and　love　wither　from　our　life；　as　blossoms　from　the　stem？　　Canst

thou　wonder　how；　with　the　power　to　live　while　the　world　shall

last；　ere　even　our　ordinary　date　be　finished　we　yet　may　prefer　to

die？　　Wonder　rather　that　there　are　two　who　have　clung　so

faithfully　to　earth！　　Me；　I　confess；　that　earth　can　enamour　yet。

Attaining　to　the　last　secret　while　youth　was　in　its　bloom；　youth

still　colours　all　around　me　with　its　own　luxuriant　beauty；　to　me；

yet；　to　breathe　is　to　enjoy。　　The　freshness　has　not　faded　from

the　face　of　Nature；　and　not　an　herb　in　which　I　cannot　discover　a

new　charm；an　undetected　wonder。



As　with　my　youth；　so　with　Mejnour's　age：　　he　will　tell　you　that

life　to　him　is　but　a　power　to　examine；　and　not　till　he　has

exhausted　all　the　marvels　which　the　Creator　has　sown　on　earth；

would　he　desire　new　habitations　for　the　renewed　Spirit　to

explore。　　We　are　the　types　of　the　two　essences　of　what　is

imperishable；'ART；　that　enjoys；　and　SCIENCE；　that

contemplates！'　　And　now；　that　thou　mayest　be　contented　that　the

secrets　are　not　vouchsafed　to　thee；　learn　that　so　utterly　must

the　idea　detach　itself　from　what　makes　up　the　occupation　and

excitement　of　men；　so　must　it　be　void　of　whatever　would　covet；　or

love；　or　hate；that　for　the　ambitious　man；　for　the　lover；　the

hater；　the　power　avails　not。　　And　I；　at　last；　bound　and　blinded

by　the　most　common　of　household　ties；　I；　darkened　and　helpless；

adjure　thee；　the　baffled　and　discontented；I　adjure　thee　to

direct；　to　guide　me；　where　are　they？　　Oh；　tell　me；speak！　　My

wife；my　child？　　Silent！oh；　thou　knowest　now　that　I　am　no

sorcerer；　no　enemy。　　I　cannot　give　thee　what　thy　faculties　deny；

I　cannot　achieve　what　the　passionless　Mejnour　failed　to

accomplish；　but　I　can　give　thee　the　next…best　boon；　perhaps　the

fairest；I　can　reconcile　thee　to　the　daily　world；　and　place

peace　between　thy　conscience　and　thyself。〃



〃Wilt　thou　promise？〃



〃By　their　sweet　lives；　I　promise！〃



Glyndon　looked　and　believed。　　He　whispered　the　address　to　the

house　whither　his　fatal　step　already　had　brought　woe　and　doom。



〃Bless　thee　for　this；〃　exclaimed　Zanoni；　passionately；　〃and　thou

shalt　be　blessed！　　What！　couldst　thou　not　perceive　that　at　the

entrance　to　all　the　grander　worlds　dwell　the　race　that　intimidate

and　awe？　　Who　in　thy　daily　world　ever　left　the　old　regions　of

Custom　and　Prescription；　and　felt　not　the　first　seizure　of　the

shapeless　and　nameless　Fear？　　Everywhere　around　thee　where　men

aspire　and　labour；　though　they　see　it　not；in　the　closet　of　the

sage；　in　the　council　of　the　demagogue；　in　the　camp　of　the

warrior；everywhere　cowers　and　darkens　the　Unutterable　Horror。

But　there；　where　thou　hast　ventured；　alone　is　the　Phantom

VISIBLE；　and　never　will　it　cease　to　haunt；　till　thou　canst　pass

to　the　Infinite；　as　the　seraph；　or　return　to　the　Familiar；　as　a

child！　　But　answer　me　this：　　when；　seeking　to　adhere　to　some　calm

resolve　of　virtue；　the　Phantom　hath　stalked　suddenly　to　thy　side；

when　its　voice　hath　whispered　thee　despair；　when　its　ghastly　eyes

would　scare　thee　back　to　those　scenes　of　earthly　craft　or　riotous

excitement　from　which；　as　it　leaves　thee　to　worse　foes　to　the

soul；　its　presence　is　ever　absent；hast　thou　never　bravely

resisted　the　spectre　and　thine　own　horror；　hast　thou　never　said；

'Come　what　may；　to　Virtue　I　will　cling？'〃



〃Alas！〃　answered　Glyndon；　〃only　of　late　have　I　dared　to　do　so。〃



〃And　thou　hast　felt　then　that　the　Phantom　grew　more　dim　and　its

power　more　faint？〃



〃It　is　true。〃



〃Rejoice；　then！thou　hast　overcome　the　true　terror　and　mystery

of　the　ordeal。　　Resolve　is　the　first　success。　　Rejoice；　for　the

exorcism　is　sure！　　Thou　art　not　of　those　who；　denying　a　life　to

come；　are　the　victims　of　the　Inexorable　Horror。　　Oh；　when　shall

men　learn；　at　last；　that　if　the　Great　Religion　inculcates　so

rigidly　the　necessity　of　FAITH；　it　is　not　alone　that　FAITH　leads

to　the　world　to　be；　but　that　without　faith　there　is　no　excellence

in　this；faith　in　something　wiser；　happier；　diviner；　than　we　see

on　earth！the　artist　calls　it　the　Ideal；the　priest；　Faith。

The　Ideal　and　Faith　are　one　and　the　same。　　Return；　O　wanderer；

return！　　Feel　what