zanoni-第17章

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joyous　notes；the　string　seems　to　screech　with　horror。　　The　king

learns　the　murder　of　his　son　by　the　hands　of　the　avenging

sisters。　　Swift　rage　the　chords；　through　the　passions　of　fear；　of

horror；　of　fury；　and　dismay。　　The　father　pursues　the　sisters。

Hark！　what　changes　the　dreadthe　discordinto　that　long；

silvery；　mournful　music？　　The　transformation　is　completed；　and

Philomel；　now　the　nightingale；　pours　from　the　myrtle…bough　the

full；　liquid；　subduing　notes　that　are　to　tell　evermore　to　the

world　the　history　of　her　woes　and　wrongs。　　Now；　it　was　in　the

midst　of　this　complicated　and　difficult　attempt　that　the　health

of　the　over…tasked　musician；　excited　alike　by　past　triumph　and

new　ambition；　suddenly　gave　way。　　He　was　taken　ill　at　night。　　The

next　morning　the　doctor　pronounced　that　his　disease　was　a

malignant　and　infectious　fever。　　His　wife　and　Viola　shared　in

their　tender　watch；　but　soon　that　task　was　left　to　the　last

alone。　　The　Signora　Pisani　caught　the　infection；　and　in　a　few

hours　was　even　in　a　state　more　alarming　than　that　of　her　husband。

The　Neapolitans；　in　common　with　the　inhabitants　of　all　warm

climates；　are　apt　to　become　selfish　and　brutal　in　their　dread　of

infectious　disorders。　　Gionetta　herself　pretended　to　be　ill；　to

avoid　the　sick…chamber。　　The　whole　labour　of　love　and　sorrow　fell

on　Viola。　　It　was　a　terrible　trial；I　am　willing　to　hurry　over

the　details。　　The　wife　died　first！



One　day；　a　little　before　sunset；　Pisani　woke　partially　recovered

from　the　delirium　which　had　preyed　upon　him；　with　few　intervals；

since　the　second　day　of　the　disease；　and　casting　about　him　his

dizzy　and　feeble　eyes；　he　recognised　Viola；　and　smiled。　　He

faltered　her　name　as　he　rose　and　stretched　his　arms。　　She　fell

upon　his　breast；　and　strove　to　suppress　her　tears。



〃Thy　mother？〃　he　said。　　〃Does　she　sleep？〃



〃She　sleeps；ah；　yes！〃　and　the　tears　gushed　forth。



〃I　thoughteh！　　I　know　not　WHAT　I　have　thought。　　But　do　not

weep：　　I　shall　be　well　now；quite　well。　　She　will　come　to　me

when　she　wakes；will　she？〃



Viola　could　not　speak；　but　she　busied　herself　in　pouring　forth　an

anodyne；　which　she　had　been　directed　to　give　the　sufferer　as　soon

as　the　delirium　should　cease。　　The　doctor　had　told　her；　too；　to

send　for　him　the　instant　so　important　a　change　should　occur。



She　went　to　the　door　and　called　to　the　woman　who；　during

Gionetta's　pretended　illness；　had　been　induced　to　supply　her

place；　but　the　hireling　answered　not。　　She　flew　through　the

chambers　to　search　for　her　in　vain；the　hireling　had　caught

Gionetta's　fears；　and　vanished。　　What　was　to　be　done？　　The　case

was　urgent；the　doctor　had　declared　not　a　moment　should　be　lost

in　obtaining　his　attendance；　she　must　leave　her　father；she　must

go　herself！　　She　crept　back　into　the　room；the　anodyne　seemed

already　to　have　taken　benign　effect；　the　patient's　eyes　were

closed；　and　he　breathed　regularly；　as　in　sleep。　　She　stole　away；

threw　her　veil　over　her　face；　and　hurried　from　the　house。



Now　the　anodyne　had　not　produced　the　effect　which　it　appeared　to

have　done；　instead　of　healthful　sleep；　it　had　brought　on　a　kind

of　light…headed　somnolence；　in　which　the　mind；　preternaturally

restless；　wandered　about　its　accustomed　haunts；　waking　up　its　old

familiar　instincts　and　inclinations。　　It　was　not　sleep；it　was

not　delirium；　it　was　the　dream…wakefulness　which　opium　sometimes

induces；　when　every　nerve　grows　tremulously　alive；　and　creates　a

corresponding　activity　in　the　frame；　to　which　it　gives　a　false

and　hectic　vigour。　　Pisani　missed　something；what；　he　scarcely

knew；　it　was　a　combination　of　the　two　wants　most　essential　to　his

mental　life；the　voice　of　his　wife；　the　touch　of　his　Familiar。

He　rose；he　left　his　bed；　he　leisurely　put　on　his　old

dressing…robe；　in　which　he　had　been　wont　to　compose。　　He　smiled

complacently　as　the　associations　connected　with　the　garment　came

over　his　memory；　he　walked　tremulously　across　the　room；　and

entered　the　small　cabinet　next　to　his　chamber；　in　which　his　wife

had　been　accustomed　more　often　to　watch　than　sleep；　when　illness

separated　her　from　his　side。　　The　room　was　desolate　and　void。　　He

looked　round　wistfully；　and　muttered　to　himself；　and　then

proceeded　regularly；　and　with　a　noiseless　step；　through　the

chambers　of　the　silent　house；　one　by　one。



He　came　at　last　to　that　in　which　old　Gionettafaithful　to　her

own　safety；　if　nothing　elsenursed　herself；　in　the　remotest

corner　of　the　house；　from　the　danger　of　infection。　　As　he　glided

in；wan；　emaciated；　with　an　uneasy；　anxious；　searching　look　in

his　haggard　eyes；the　old　woman　shrieked　aloud；　and　fell　at　his

feet。　　He　bent　over　her；　passed　his　thin　hands　along　her　averted

face；　shook　his　head；　and　said　in　a　hollow　voice；



〃I　cannot　find　them；　where　are　they？〃



〃Who；　dear　master？　　Oh；　have　compassion　on　yourself；　they　are　not

here。　　Blessed　saints！　this　is　terrible；　he　has　touched　me；　I　am

dead！〃



〃Dead！　who　is　dead？　　Is　any　one　dead？〃



〃Ah！　don't　talk　so；　you　must　know　it　well：　　my　poor　mistress；

she　caught　the　fever　from　you；　it　is　infectious　enough　to　kill　a

whole　city。　　San　Gennaro　protect　me！　　My　poor　mistress；　she　is

dead；buried；　too；　and　I；　your　faithful　Gionetta；　woe　is　me！

Go；　gototo　bed　again；　dearest　master；go！〃



The　poor　musician　stood　for　one　moment　mute　and　unmoving；　then　a

slight　shiver　ran　through　his　frame；　he　turned　and　glided　back；

silent　and　spectre…like；　as　he　had　entered。　　He　came　into　the

room　where　he　had　been　accustomed　to　compose；where　his　wife；　in

her　sweet　patience；　had　so　often　sat　by　his　side；　and　praised　and

flattered　when　the　world　had　but　jeered　and　scorned。　　In　one

corner　he　found　the　laurel…wreath　she　had　placed　on　his　brows

that　happy　night　of　fame　and　triumph；　and　near　it；　half　hid　by

her　mantilla；　lay　in　its　case　the　neglected　instrument。



Viola　was　not　long　gone：　　she　had　found　the　physician；　she

returned　with　him；　and　as　they　gained　the　threshold；　they　heard　a

strain　of　music　from　within；a　strain　of　piercing；　heart…rending

anguish。　　It　was　not　like　some　senseless　instrument；　mechanical

in　its　obedience　to　a　human　hand；it　was　as　some　spirit　calling；

in　wail　and　agony　from　the　forlorn　shades；　to　the　angels　it

beheld　afar　beyond　the　Eternal　Gulf。　　They　exchanged　glances　of

dismay。　　They　hurried　into　the　house；　they　hastened　into　the

room。　　Pisani　turned；　and　his　look；　full　of　ghastly　intelligence

and　stern　command；　awed　them　back。　　The　black　mantilla；　the　faded

laurel…leaf；　lay　there　before　him。　　Viola's　heart　guessed　all　at

a　single　glance；　she　sprung　to　his　knees；　she　clasped　them；

〃Father；　father；　_I_　am　left　thee　still！〃



The　wail　ceased；the　note　changed；　with　a　confused　association

half　of　the　man；　half　of　the　artistthe　anguish；　still　a　melody；

was　connected　with　sweeter　sounds　and　thoughts。　　The　nightingale

had　escaped　the　pursuit；soft；　airy；　bird…like；　thrilled　the

delicious　notes　a　moment；　and　then　died　away。　　The　instrument

fell　to　the　floor；　and　its　chords　snapped。　　You　heard　that　sound

through　the　silence。　　The　artist　looked　on　his　kneeling　child；

and　then　on　the　broken　chords。。。〃Bury　me　by　her　side；〃　he　said；

in　a　very　calm；　low　voice；　〃and　THAT　by　mine。〃　　And　with　these

words　his　whole　frame　became　rigid；　as　if　turned　to　stone。　　The

last　change　passed　over　his　face。　　He　fell　to　the　ground；　sudden

and　heavy。　　The　chords　THERE；　too；the　chords　of　the　human

instrument　were　snapped　asunder。　　As　he　fell；　his　robe　brushed

the　laurel…wreath；　and　that　fell　also；　near　but　not　in　reach　of

the　dead　man's　nerveless　hand。



Broken　instrument；　broken　heart；　withered　laurel…wreath！the

setting　sun　through　the　vine…clad　lattice　streamed　on　all！　　So

smiles　the　eternal　Nature　on　the　wrecks　of　all　that　make　life

glorious！　　And　not　a　sun　that　sets　not　somewhere　on　the　silenced

music；on　the　faded　laurel！





CHAPTER　1。X。



Che　difesa　miglior　ch'　usbergo　e　scudo；

E　la　santa　innocenza　al　petto　ignudo！