zanoni-第112章

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MORROW　which　will　open　the　prison　doors！　　Thou　sayest　thou　canst

save　me；I　will　not　doubt　it　now。　　Oh；　let　us　dwell　no　more　in

cities！　　I　never　doubted　thee　in　our　lovely　isle；　no　dreams

haunted　me　there；　except　dreams　of　joy　and　beauty；　and　thine　eyes

made　yet　more　beautiful　and　joyous　the　world　in　waking。　　To…

morrow！why　do　you　not　smile？　　To…morrow；　love！　is　not　TO…MORROW

a　blessed　word！　　Cruel！　you　would　punish　me　still；　that　you　will

not　share　my　joy。　　Aha！　see　our　little　one；　how　it　laughs　to　my

eyes！　　I　will　talk　to　THAT。　　Child；　thy　father　is　come　back！〃



And　taking　the　infant　in　her　arms；　and　seating　herself　at　a

little　distance；　she　rocked　it　to　and　fro　on　her　bosom；　and

prattled　to　it；　and　kissed　it　between　every　word；　and　laughed　and

wept　by　fits；　as　ever　and　anon　she　cast　over　her　shoulder　her

playful；　mirthful　glance　upon　the　father　to　whom　those　fading

stars　smiled　sadly　their　last　farewell。　　How　beautiful　she　seemed

as　she　thus　sat；　unconscious　of　the　future！　　Still　half　a　child

herself；　her　child　laughing　to　her　laughter；two　soft　triflers

on　the　brink　of　the　grave！　　Over　her　throat；　as　she　bent；　fell；

like　a　golden　cloud；　her　redundant　hair；　it　covered　her　treasure

like　a　veil　of　light；　and　the　child's　little　hands　put　it　aside

from　time　to　time；　to　smile　through　the　parted　tresses；　and　then

to　cover　its　face　and　peep　and　smile　again。　　It　were　cruel　to

damp　that　joy；　more　cruel　still　to　share　it。



〃Viola；〃　said　Zanoni；　at　last；　〃dost　thou　remember　that；　seated

by　the　cave　on　the　moonlit　beach；　in　our　bridal　isle；　thou　once

didst　ask　me　for　this　amulet？the　charm　of　a　superstition　long

vanished　from　the　world；　with　the　creed　to　which　it　belonged。　　It

is　the　last　relic　of　my　native　land；　and　my　mother；　on　her

deathbed；　placed　it　round　my　neck。　　I　told　thee　then　I　would　give

it　thee　on　that　day　WHEN　THE　LAWS　OF　OUR　BEING　SHOULD　BECOME　THE

SAME。〃



〃I　remember　it　well。〃



〃To…morrow　it　shall　be　thine！〃



〃Ah；　that　dear　to…morrow！〃　　And；　gently　laying　down　her　child；

for　it　slept　now；she　threw　herself　on　his　breast；　and　pointed

to　the　dawn　that　began　greyly　to　creep　along　the　skies。



There；　in　those　horror…breathing　walls；　the　day…star　looked

through　the　dismal　bars　upon　those　three　beings；　in　whom　were

concentrated　whatever　is　most　tender　in　human　ties；　whatever　is

most　mysterious　in　the　combinations　of　the　human　mind；　the

sleeping　Innocence；　the　trustful　Affection；　that；　contented　with

a　touch；　a　breath；　can　foresee　no　sorrow；　the　weary　Science　that；

traversing　all　the　secrets　of　creation；　comes　at　last　to　Death

for　their　solution；　and　still　clings；　as　it　nears　the　threshold；

to　the　breast　of　Love。　　Thus；　within；　THE　WITHIN；a　dungeon；

without；　the　WITHOUT；stately　with　marts　and　halls；　with　palaces

and　temples；　Revenge　and　Terror；　at　their　dark　schemes　and

counter…schemes；　to　and　fro；　upon　the　tide　of　the　shifting

passions；　reeled　the　destinies　of　men　and　nations；　and　hard　at

hand　that　day…star；　waning　into　space；　looked　with　impartial　eye

on　the　church　tower　and　the　guillotine。　　Up　springs　the

blithesome　morn。　　In　yon　gardens　the　birds　renew　their　familiar

song。　　The　fishes　are　sporting　through　the　freshening　waters　of

the　Seine。　　The　gladness　of　divine　nature；　the　roar　and

dissonance　of　mortal　life；　awake　again：　　the　trader　unbars　his

windows；　the　flower…girls　troop　gayly　to　their　haunts；　busy　feet

are　tramping　to　the　daily　drudgeries　that　revolutions　which

strike　down　kings　and　kaisars；　leave　the　same　Cain's　heritage　to

the　boor；　the　wagons　groan　and　reel　to　the　mart；　Tyranny；　up

betimes；　holds　its　pallid　levee；　Conspiracy；　that　hath　not　slept；

hears　the　clock；　and　whispers　to　its　own　heart；　〃The　hour　draws

near。〃　　A　group　gather；　eager…eyed；　round　the　purlieus　of　the

Convention　Hall；　to…day　decides　the　sovereignty　of　France；about

the　courts　of　the　Tribunal　their　customary　hum　and　stir。　　No

matter　what　the　hazard　of　the　die；　or　who　the　ruler；　this　day

eighty　heads　shall　fall！



。。。



And　she　slept　so　sweetly。　　Wearied　out　with　joy；　secure　in　the

presence　of　the　eyes　regained；　she　had　laughed　and　wept　herself

to　sleep；　and　still　in　that　slumber　there　seemed　a　happy

consciousness　that　the　loved　was　by；the　lost　was　found。　　For

she　smiled　and　murmured　to　herself；　and　breathed　his　name　often；

and　stretched　out　her　arms；　and　sighed　if　they　touched　him　not。

He　gazed　upon　her　as　he　stood　apart；with　what　emotions　it　were

vain　to　say。　　She　would　wake　no　more　to　him；　she　could　not　know

how　dearly　the　safety　of　that　sleep　was　purchased。　　That　morrow

she　had　so　yearned　for；it　had　come　at　last。　　HOW　WOULD　SHE

GREET　THE　EVE？　　Amidst　all　the　exquisite　hopes　with　which　love

and　youth　contemplate　the　future；　her　eyes　had　closed。　　Those

hopes　still　lent　their　iris…colours　to　her　dreams。　　She　would

wake　to　live！　　To…morrow；　and　the　Reign　of　Terror　was　no　more；

the　prison　gates　would　be　opened；she　would　go　forth；　with　their

child；　into　that　summer…world　of　light。　　And　HE？he　turned；　and

his　eye　fell　upon　the　child；　it　was　broad　awake；　and　that　clear；

serious；　thoughtful　look　which　it　mostly　wore；　watched　him　with　a

solemn　steadiness。　　He　bent　over　and　kissed　its　lips。



〃Never　more；〃　he　murmured；　〃O　heritor　of　love　and　grief；never

more　wilt　thou　see　me　in　thy　visions；　never　more　will　the　light

of　those　eyes　be　fed　by　celestial　commune；　never　more　can　my　soul

guard　from　thy　pillow　the　trouble　and　the　disease。　　Not　such　as　I

would　have　vainly　shaped　it；　must　be　thy　lot。　　In　common　with　thy

race；　it　must　be　thine　to　suffer；　to　struggle；　and　to　err。　　But

mild　be　thy　human　trials；　and　strong　be　thy　spirit　to　love　and　to

believe！　　And　thus；　as　I　gaze　upon　thee；thus　may　my　nature

breathe　into　thine　its　last　and　most　intense　desire；　may　my　love

for　thy　mother　pass　to　thee；　and　in　thy　looks　may　she　hear　my

spirit　comfort　and　console　her。　　Hark！　they　come！　　Yes！　I　await

ye　both　beyond　the　grave！〃



The　door　slowly　opened；　the　jailer　appeared；　and　through　the

aperture　rushed；　at　the　same　instant；　a　ray　of　sunlight：　　it

streamed　over　the　fair；　hushed　face　of　the　happy　sleeper；it

played　like　a　smile　upon　the　lips　of　the　child　that；　still；　mute；

and　steadfast；　watched　the　movements　of　its　father。　　At　that

moment　Viola　muttered　in　her　sleep；　〃The　day　is　come；the　gates

are　open！　　Give　me　thy　hand；　we　will　go　forth！　　To　sea；　to　sea！

How　the　sunshine　plays　upon　the　waters！to　home；　beloved　one；　to

home　again！〃



〃Citizen；　thine　hour　is　come！〃



〃Hist！　she　sleeps！　　A　moment！　　There；　it　is　done！　thank　Heaven！

and　STILL　she　sleeps！〃　　He　would　not　kiss；　lest　he　should　awaken

her；　but　gently　placed　round　her　neck　the　amulet　that　would　speak

to　her；　hereafter；　the　farewell；and　promise；　in　that　farewell；

reunion！　　He　is　at　the　threshold；he　turns　again；　and　again。

The　door　closes！　　He　is　gone　forever！



She　woke　at　last；she　gazed　round。　　〃Zanoni；　it　is　day！〃　　No

answer　but　the　low　wail　of　her　child。　　Merciful　Heaven！　was　it

then　all　a　dream？　　She　tossed　back　the　long　tresses　that　must

veil　her　sight；　she　felt　the　amulet　on　her　bosom；it　was　NO

dream！　　〃O　God！　and　he　is　gone！〃　　She　sprang　to　the　door；　she

shrieked　aloud。　　The　jailer　comes。　　〃My　husband；　my　child's

father？〃



〃He　is　gone　before　thee；　woman！〃



〃Whither？　　Speakspeak！〃



〃To　the　guillotine！〃and　the　black　door　closed　again。



It　closed　upon　the　senseless！　　As　a　lightning…flash；　Zanoni's

words；　his　sadness；　the　true　meaning　of　his　mystic　gift；　the　very

sacrifice　he　made　for　her；　all　became　distinct　for　a　moment　to

her　mind；and　then　darkness　swept　on　it　like　a　storm；　yet

darkness　which　had　its　light。　　And　while　she　sat　there；　mute；

rigid；　voiceless；　as　congealed　to　stone；　A　VISION；　like　a　wind；

glided　over　the　deeps　within；the　grim　court；　the　judge；　the

jury；　the　accuser；　and　amidst　the　victims　the　one　dauntless　and

radiant　form。



〃Thou　knowest　the　danger　to　the　State；confess！