zanoni-第23章

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〃I　have　secured　you；〃　said　he；　〃a　place　in　the　Count　Cetoxa's

carriage。　　Come　along；　he　is　waiting　for　us。〃



〃How　kind　in　you！　how　did　you　find　me　out？〃



〃I　met　Zanoni　in　the　passage；'Your　friend　is　at　the　door　of　the

theatre；'　said　he；　'do　not　let　him　go　home　on　foot　to…night；　the

streets　of　Naples　are　not　always　safe。'　　I　immediately　remembered

that　some　of　the　Calabrian　bravos　had　been　busy　within　the　city

the　last　few　weeks；　and　suddenly　meeting　Cetoxabut　here　he　is。〃



Further　explanation　was　forbidden；　for　they　now　joined　the　count。

As　Glyndon　entered　the　carriage　and　drew　up　the　glass；　he　saw

four　men　standing　apart　by　the　pavement；　who　seemed　to　eye　him

with　attention。



〃Cospetto！〃　cried　one；　〃that　is　the　Englishman！〃　　Glyndon

imperfectly　heard　the　exclamation　as　the　carriage　drove　on。　　He

reached　home　in　safety。



The　familiar　and　endearing　intimacy　which　always　exists　in　Italy

between　the　nurse　and　the　child　she　has　reared；　and　which　the

〃Romeo　and　Juliet〃　of　Shakespeare　in　no　way　exaggerates；　could

not　but　be　drawn　yet　closer　than　usual；　in　a　situation　so

friendless　as　that　of　the　orphan…actress。　　In　all　that　concerned

the　weaknesses　of　the　heart；　Gionetta　had　large　experience；　and

when；　three　nights　before；　Viola；　on　returning　from　the　theatre；

had　wept　bitterly；　the　nurse　had　succeeded　in　extracting　from　her

a　confession　that　she　had　seen　one；not　seen　for　two　weary　and

eventful　years；but　never　forgotten；　and　who；　alas！　had　not

evinced　the　slightest　recognition　of　herself。　　Gionetta　could　not

comprehend　all　the　vague　and　innocent　emotions　that　swelled　this

sorrow；　but　she　resolved　them　all；　with　her　plain；　blunt

understanding；　to　the　one　sentiment　of　love。　　And　here；　she　was

well　fitted　to　sympathise　and　console。　　Confidante　to　Viola's

entire　and　deep　heart　she　never　could　be；for　that　heart　never

could　have　words　for　all　its　secrets。　　But　such　confidence　as　she

could　obtain；　she　was　ready　to　repay　by　the　most　unreproving　pity

and　the　most　ready　service。



〃Have　you　discovered　who　he　is？〃　asked　Viola；　as　she　was　now

alone　in　the　carriage　with　Gionetta。



〃Yes；　he　is　the　celebrated　Signor　Zanoni；　about　whom　all　the

great　ladies　have　gone　mad。　　They　say　he　is　so　rich！oh！　so　much

richer　than　any　of　the　Inglesi！not　but　what　the　Signor

Glyndon〃



〃Cease！〃　interrupted　the　young　actress。　　〃Zanoni！　　Speak　of　the

Englishman　no　more。〃



The　carriage　was　now　entering　that　more　lonely　and　remote　part　of

the　city　in　which　Viola's　house　was　situated；　when　it　suddenly

stopped。



Gionetta；　in　alarm；　thrust　her　head　out　of　the　window；　and

perceived；　by　the　pale　light　of　the　moon；　that　the　driver；　torn

from　his　seat；　was　already　pinioned　in　the　arms　of　two　men；　the

next　moment　the　door　was　opened　violently；　and　a　tall　figure；

masked　and　mantled；　appeared。



〃Fear　not；　fairest　Pisani；〃　said　he；　gently；　〃no　ill　shall　befall

you。〃　　As　he　spoke；　he　wound　his　arm　round　the　form　of　the　fair

actress；　and　endeavoured　to　lift　her　from　the　carriage。　　But

Gionetta　was　no　ordinary　ally；she　thrust　back　the　assailant

with　a　force　that　astonished　him；　and　followed　the　shock　by　a

volley　of　the　most　energetic　reprobation。



The　mask　drew　back；　and　composed　his　disordered　mantle。



〃By　the　body　of　Bacchus！〃　said　he；　half　laughing；　〃she　is　well

protected。　　Here；　Luigi；　Giovanni！　seize　the　hag！quick！why

loiter　ye？〃



The　mask　retired　from　the　door；　and　another　and　yet　taller　form

presented　itself。　　〃Be　calm；　Viola　Pisani；〃　said　he；　in　a　low

voice；　〃with　me　you　are　indeed　safe！〃　　He　lifted　his　mask　as　he

spoke；　and　showed　the　noble　features　of　Zanoni。



〃Be　calm；　be　hushed；I　can　save　you。〃　　He　vanished；　leaving

Viola　lost　in　surprise；　agitation；　and　delight。　　There　were；　in

all；　nine　masks：　　two　were　engaged　with　the　driver；　one　stood　at

the　head　of　the　carriage…horses；　a　fourth　guarded　the

well…trained　steeds　of　the　party；　three　others　（besides　Zanoni

and　the　one　who　had　first　accosted　Viola）　stood　apart　by　a

carriage　drawn　to　the　side　of　the　road。　　To　these　three　Zanoni

motioned；　they　advanced；　he　pointed　towards　the　first　mask；　who

was　in　fact　the　Prince　di　；　and　to　his　unspeakable　astonishment

the　prince　was　suddenly　seized　from　behind。



〃Treason！〃　he　cried。　　〃Treason　among　my　own　men！　　What　means

this？〃



〃Place　him　in　his　carriage！　　If　he　resist；　his　blood　be　on　his

own　head！〃　said　Zanoni；　calmly。



He　approached　the　men　who　had　detained　the　coachman。



〃You　are　outnumbered　and　outwitted；〃　said　he；　〃join　your　lord；

you　are　three　men；we　six；　armed　to　the　teeth。　　Thank　our　mercy

that　we　spare　your　lives。　　Go！〃



The　men　gave　way；　dismayed。　　The　driver　remounted。



〃Cut　the　traces　of　their　carriage　and　the　bridles　of　their

horses；〃　said　Zanoni；　as　he　entered　the　vehicle　containing　Viola；

which　now　drove　on　rapidly；　leaving　the　discomfited　ravisher　in　a

state　of　rage　and　stupor　impossible　to　describe。



〃Allow　me　to　explain　this　mystery　to　you；〃　said　Zanoni。　　〃I

discovered　the　plot　against　you；no　matter　how；　I　frustrated　it

thus：　　The　head　of　this　design　is　a　nobleman；　who　has　long

persecuted　you　in　vain。　　He　and　two　of　his　creatures　watched　you

from　the　entrance　of　the　theatre；　having　directed　six　others　to

await　him　on　the　spot　where　you　were　attacked；　myself　and　five　of

my　servants　supplied　their　place；　and　were　mistaken　for　his　own

followers。　　I　had　previously　ridden　alone　to　the　spot　where　the

men　were　waiting；　and　informed　them　that　their　master　would　not

require　their　services　that　night。　　They　believed　me；　and

accordingly　dispersed。　　I　then　joined　my　own　band；　whom　I　had

left　in　the　rear；　you　know　all。　　We　are　at　your　door。〃





CHAPTER　2。III。



When　most　I　wink；　then　do　mine　eyes　best　see；

For　all　the　day　they　view　things　unrespected；

But　when　I　sleep；　in　dreams　they　look　on　thee；

And；　darkly　bright；　are　bright　in　dark　directed。

Shakespeare。



Zanoni　followed　the　young　Neapolitan　into　her　house；　Gionetta

vanished；they　were　left　alone。



Alone；　in　that　room　so　often　filled；　in　the　old　happy　days；　with

the　wild　melodies　of　Pisani；　and　now；　as　she　saw　this　mysterious；

haunting；　yet　beautiful　and　stately　stranger；　standing　on　the

very　spot　where　she　had　sat　at　her　father's　feet；　thrilled　and

spellbound；she　almost　thought；　in　her　fantastic　way　of

personifying　her　own　airy　notions；　that　that　spiritual　Music　had

taken　shape　and　life；　and　stood　before　her　glorious　in　the　image

it　assumed。　　She　was　unconscious　all　the　while　of　her　own

loveliness。　　She　had　thrown　aside　her　hood　and　veil；　her　hair；

somewhat　disordered；　fell　over　the　ivory　neck　which　the　dress

partially　displayed；　and　as　her　dark　eyes　swam　with　grateful

tears；　and　her　cheek　flushed　with　its　late　excitement；　the　god　of

light　and　music　himself　never；　amidst　his　Arcadian　valleys；

wooed；　in　his　mortal　guise；　maiden　or　nymph　more　fair。



Zanoni　gazed　at　her　with　a　look　in　which　admiration　seemed　not

unmingled　with　compassion。　　He　muttered　a　few　words　to　himself；

and　then　addressed　her　aloud。



〃Viola；　I　have　saved　you　from　a　great　peril；　not　from　dishonour

only；　but　perhaps　from　death。　　The　Prince　di　；　under　a　weak

despot　and　a　venal　administration；　is　a　man　above　the　law。　　He　is

capable　of　every　crime；　but　amongst　his　passions　he　has　such

prudence　as　belongs　to　ambition；　if　you　were　not　to　reconcile

yourself　to　your　shame；　you　would　never　enter　the　world　again　to

tell　your　tale。　　The　ravisher　has　no　heart　for　repentance；　but　he

has　a　hand　that　can　murder。　　I　have　saved　you；　Viola。　　Perhaps

you　would　ask　me　wherefore？〃　　Zanoni　paused；　and　smiled

mournfully；　as　he　added；　〃You　will　not　wrong　me　by　the　thought

that　he　who　has　preserved　is　not　less　selfish　than　he　who　would

have　injured。　　Orphan；　I　do　not　speak　to　you　in　the　language　of

your　wooers；　enough　that　I　know　pity；　and　am　not　ungrateful　for

affection。　　Why　blush；　why　tremble　a