zanoni-第106章

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！


iron　lamp　and　two　branches　scatter　over　the　vast　room　a　murky；

fuliginous　ray；　beneath　the　light　of　which　the　fierce　faces　of

that　Pandemonium　seem　more　grim　and　haggard。　　There；　from　the

orator's　tribune；　shrieks　the　shrill　wrath　of　Robespierre！



Meanwhile　all　is　chaos；　disorder；　half　daring　and　half　cowardice；

in　the　Committee　of　his　foes。　　Rumours　fly　from　street　to　street；

from　haunt　to　haunt；　from　house　to　house。　　The　swallows　flit　low；

and　the　cattle　group　together　before　the　storm。　　And　above　this

roar　of　the　lives　and　things　of　the　little　hour；　alone　in　his

chamber　stood　he　on　whose　starry　youthsymbol　of　the

imperishable　bloom　of　the　calm　Ideal　amidst　the　mouldering

Actualthe　clouds　of　ages　had　rolled　in　vain。



All　those　exertions　which　ordinary　wit　and　courage　could　suggest

had　been　tried　in　vain。　　All　such　exertions　WERE　in　vain；　where；

in　that　Saturnalia　of　death；　a　life　was　the　object。　　Nothing　but

the　fall　of　Robespierre　could　have　saved　his　victims；　now；　too

late；　that　fall　would　only　serve　to　avenge。



Once　more；　in　that　last　agony　of　excitement　and　despair；　the　seer

had　plunged　into　solitude；　to　invoke　again　the　aid　or　counsel　of

those　mysterious　intermediates　between　earth　and　heaven　who　had

renounced　the　intercourse　of　the　spirit　when　subjected　to　the

common　bondage　of　the　mortal。　　In　the　intense　desire　and　anguish

of　his　heart；　perhaps；　lay　a　power　not　yet　called　forth；　for　who

has　not　felt　that　the　sharpness　of　extreme　grief　cuts　and　grinds

away　many　of　those　strongest　bonds　of　infirmity　and　doubt　which

bind　down　the　souls　of　men　to　the　cabined　darkness　of　the　hour；

and　that　from　the　cloud　and　thunderstorm　often　swoops　the

Olympian　eagle　that　can　ravish　us　aloft！



And　the　invocation　was　heard；the　bondage　of　sense　was　rent　away

from　the　visual　mind。　　He　looked；　and　saw；no；　not　the　being　he

had　called；　with　its　limbs　of　light　and　unutterably　tranquil

smilenot　his　familiar；　Adon…Ai；　the　Son　of　Glory　and　the　Star；

but　the　Evil　Omen；　the　dark　Chimera；　the　implacable　Foe；　with

exultation　and　malice　burning　in　its　hell…lit　eyes。　　The　Spectre；

no　longer　cowering　and　retreating　into　shadow；　rose　before　him；

gigantic　and　erect；　the　face；　whose　veil　no　mortal　hand　had　ever

raised；　was　still　concealed；　but　the　form　was　more　distinct；

corporeal；　and　cast　from　it；　as　an　atmosphere；　horror　and　rage

and　awe。　　As　an　iceberg；　the　breath　of　that　presence　froze　the

air；　as　a　cloud；　it　filled　the　chamber　and　blackened　the　stars

from　heaven。



〃Lo！〃　said　its　voice；　〃I　am　here　once　more。　　Thou　hast　robbed　me

of　a　meaner　prey。　　Now　exorcise　THYSELF　from　my　power！　　Thy　life

has　left　thee；　to　live　in　the　heart　of　a　daughter　of　the　charnel

and　the　worm。　　In　that　life　I　come　to　thee　with　my　inexorable

tread。　　Thou　art　returned　to　the　Threshold；thou；　whose　steps

have　trodden　the　verges　of　the　Infinite！　　And　as　the　goblin　of

its　fantasy　seizes　on　a　child　in　the　dark；mighty　one；　who

wouldst　conquer　Death；I　seize　on　thee！〃



〃Back　to　thy　thraldom；　slave！　　If　thou　art　come　to　the　voice　that

called　thee　not；　it　is　again　not　to　command；　but　to　obey！　　Thou；

from　whose　whisper　I　gained　the　boons　of　the　lives　lovelier　and

dearer　than　my　own；　thouI　command　thee；　not　by　spell　and　charm；

but　by　the　force　of　a　soul　mightier　than　the　malice　of　thy

being；thou　serve　me　yet；　and　speak　again　the　secret　that　can

rescue　the　lives　thou　hast；　by　permission　of　the　Universal

Master；　permitted　me　to　retain　awhile　in　the　temple　of　the　clay！〃



Brighter　and　more　devouringly　burned　the　glare　from　those　lurid

eyes；　more　visible　and　colossal　yet　rose　the　dilating　shape；　a

yet　fiercer　and　more　disdainful　hate　spoke　in　the　voice　that

answered；　〃Didst　thou　think　that　my　boon　would　be　other　than　thy

curse？　　Happy　for　thee　hadst　thou　mourned　over　the　deaths　which

come　by　the　gentle　hand　of　Nature；hadst　thou　never　known　how

the　name　of　mother　consecrates　the　face　of　Beauty；　and　never；

bending　over　thy　first…born；　felt　the　imperishable　sweetness　of　a

father's　love！　　They　are　saved；　for　what？the　mother；　for　the

death　of　violence　and　shame　and　blood；　for　the　doomsman's　hand　to

put　aside　that　shining　hair　which　has　entangled　thy　bridegroom

kisses；　the　child；　first　and　last　of　thine　offspring；　in　whom

thou　didst　hope　to　found　a　race　that　should　hear　with　thee　the

music　of　celestial　harps；　and　float；　by　the　side　of　thy　familiar；

Adon…Ai；　through　the　azure　rivers　of　joy；the　child；　to　live　on

a　few　days　as　a　fungus　in　a　burial…vault；　a　thing　of　the

loathsome　dungeon；　dying　of　cruelty　and　neglect　and　famine。　　Ha！

ha！　thou　who　wouldst　baffle　Death；　learn　how　the　deathless　die　if

they　dare　to　love　the　mortal。　　Now；　Chaldean；　behold　my　boons！

Now　I　seize　and　wrap　thee　with　the　pestilence　of　my　presence；

now；　evermore；　till　thy　long　race　is　run；　mine　eyes　shall　glow

into　thy　brain；　and　mine　arms　shall　clasp　thee；　when　thou　wouldst

take　the　wings　of　the　Morning　and　flee　from　the　embrace　of

Night！〃



〃I　tell　thee；　no！　　And　again　I　compel　thee；　speak　and　answer　to

the　lord　who　can　command　his　slave。　　I　know；　though　my　lore　fails

me；　and　the　reeds　on　which　I　leaned　pierce　my　side；I　know　yet

that　it　is　written　that　the　life　of　which　I　question　can　be　saved

from　the　headsman。　　Thou　wrappest　her　future　in　the　darkness　of

thy　shadow；　but　thou　canst　not　shape　it。　　Thou　mayest　foreshow

the　antidote；　thou　canst　not　effect　the　bane。　　From　thee　I　wring

the　secret；　though　it　torture　thee　to　name　it。　　I　approach　thee；

I　look　dauntless　into　thine　eyes。　　The　soul　that　loves　can　dare

all　things。　　Shadow；　I　defy　thee；　and　compel！〃



The　spectre　waned　and　recoiled。　　Like　a　vapour　that　lessens　as

the　sun　pierces　and　pervades　it；　the　form　shrank　cowering　and

dwarfed　in　the　dimmer　distance；　and　through　the　casement　again

rushed　the　stars。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Voice；　with　a　faint　and　hollow　accent；　〃thou

CANST　save　her　from　the　headsman；　for　it　is　written；　that

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