zanoni-第24章

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

affection。　　Why　blush；　why　tremble　at　the　word？　　I　read　your

heart　while　I　speak；　and　I　see　not　one　thought　that　should　give

you　shame。　　I　say　not　that　you　love　me　yet；　happily；　the　fancy

may　be　roused　long　before　the　heart　is　touched。　　But　it　has　been

my　fate　to　fascinate　your　eye；　to　influence　your　imagination。　　It

is　to　warn　you　against　what　could　bring　you　but　sorrow；　as　I

warned　you　once　to　prepare　for　sorrow　itself；　that　I　am　now　your

guest。　　The　Englishman；　Glyndon；　loves　thee　well；better；

perhaps；　than　I　can　ever　love；　if　not　worthy　of　thee；　yet；　he　has

but　to　know　thee　more　to　deserve　thee　better。　　He　may　wed　thee；

he　may　bear　thee　to　his　own　free　and　happy　land；the　land　of　thy

mother's　kin。　　Forget　me；　teach　thyself　to　return　and　deserve　his

love；　and　I　tell　thee　that　thou　wilt　be　honoured　and　be　happy。〃



Viola　listened　with　silent；　inexpressible　emotion；　and　burning

blushes；　to　this　strange　address；　and　when　he　had　concluded；　she

covered　her　face　with　her　hands；　and　wept。　　And　yet；　much　as　his

words　were　calculated　to　humble　or　irritate；　to　produce

indignation　or　excite　shame；　those　were　not　the　feelings　with

which　her　eyes　streamed　and　her　heart　swelled。　　The　woman　at　that

moment　was　lost　in　the　child；　and　AS　a　child；　with　all　its

exacting；　craving；　yet　innocent　desire　to　be　loved；　weeps　in

unrebuking　sadness　when　its　affection　is　thrown　austerely　back

upon　itself；so；　without　anger　and　without　shame；　wept　Viola。



Zanoni　contemplated　her　thus；　as　her　graceful　head；　shadowed　by

its　redundant　tresses；　bent　before　him；　and　after　a　moment's

pause　he　drew　near　to　her；　and　said；　in　a　voice　of　the　most

soothing　sweetness；　and　with　a　half　smile　upon　his　lip；



〃Do　you　remember；　when　I　told　you　to　struggle　for　the　light；　that

I　pointed　for　example　to　the　resolute　and　earnest　tree？　　I　did

not　tell　you；　fair　child；　to　take　example　by　the　moth；　that　would

soar　to　the　star；　but　falls　scorched　beside　the　lamp。　　Come；　I

will　talk　to　thee。　　This　Englishman〃



Viola　drew　herself　away；　and　wept　yet　more　passionately。



〃This　Englishman　is　of　thine　own　years；　not　far　above　thine　own

rank。　　Thou　mayst　share　his　thoughts　in　life；thou　mayst　sleep

beside　him　in　the　same　grave　in　death！　　And　Ibut　THAT　view　of

the　future　should　concern　us　not。　　Look　into　thy　heart；　and　thou

wilt　see　that　till　again　my　shadow　crossed　thy　path；　there　had

grown　up　for　this　thine　equal　a　pure　and　calm　affection　that

would　have　ripened　into　love。　　Hast　thou　never　pictured　to

thyself　a　home　in　which　thy　partner　was　thy　young　wooer？〃



〃Never！〃　said　Viola；　with　sudden　energy；〃never　but　to　feel　that

such　was　not　the　fate　ordained　me。　　And；　oh！〃　she　continued；

rising　suddenly；　and；　putting　aside　the　tresses　that　veiled　her

face；　she　fixed　her　eyes　upon　the　questioner；〃and；　oh！　whoever

thou　art　that　thus　wouldst　read　my　soul　and　shape　my　future；　do

not　mistake　the　sentiment　that；　that〃　she　faltered　an　instant；

and　went　on　with　downcast　eyes；〃that　has　fascinated　my　thoughts

to　thee。　　Do　not　think　that　I　could　nourish　a　love　unsought　and

unreturned。　　It　is　not　love　that　I　feel　for　thee；　stranger。　　Why

should　I？　　Thou　hast　never　spoken　to　me　but　to　admonish；and

now；　to　wound！〃　　Again　she　paused；　again　her　voice　faltered；　the

tears　trembled　on　her　eyelids；　she　brushed　them　away　and　resumed。

〃No；　not　love；if　that　be　love　which　I　have　heard　and　read　of；

and　sought　to　simulate　on　the　stage；but　a　more　solemn；　fearful；

and；　it　seems　to　me；　almost　preternatural　attraction；　which　makes

me　associate　thee；　waking　or　dreaming；　with　images　that　at　once

charm　and　awe。　　Thinkest　thou；　if　it　were　love；　that　I　could

speak　to　thee　thus；　that；〃　she　raised　her　looks　suddenly　to　his；

〃mine　eyes　could　thus　search　and　confront　thine　own？　　Stranger；　I

ask　but　at　times　to　see；　to　hear　thee！　　Stranger；　talk　not　to　me

of　others。　　Forewarn；　rebuke；　bruise　my　heart；　reject　the　not

unworthy　gratitude　it　offers　thee；　if　thou　wilt；　but　come　not

always　to　me　as　an　omen　of　grief　and　trouble。　　Sometimes　have　I

seen　thee　in　my　dreams　surrounded　by　shapes　of　glory　and　light；

thy　looks　radiant　with　a　celestial　joy　which　they　wear　not　now。

Stranger；　thou　hast　saved　me；　and　I　thank　and　bless　thee！　　Is

that　also　a　homage　thou　wouldst　reject？〃　　With　these　words；　she

crossed　her　arms　meekly　on　her　bosom；　and　inclined　lowlily　before

him。　　Nor　did　her　humility　seem　unwomanly　or　abject；　nor　that　of

mistress　to　lover；　of　slave　to　master；　but　rather　of　a　child　to

its　guardian；　of　a　neophyte　of　the　old　religion　to　her　priest。

Zanoni's　brow　was　melancholy　and　thoughtful。　　He　looked　at　her

with　a　strange　expression　of　kindness；　of　sorrow；　yet　of　tender

affection；　in　his　eyes；　but　his　lips　were　stern；　and　his　voice

cold；　as　he　replied；



〃Do　you　know　what　you　ask；　Viola？　　Do　you　guess　the　danger　to

yourselfperhaps　to　both　of　uswhich　you　court？　　Do　you　know

that　my　life；　separated　from　the　turbulent　herd　of　men；　is　one

worship　of　the　Beautiful；　from　which　I　seek　to　banish　what　the

Beautiful　inspires　in　most？　　As　a　calamity；　I　shun　what　to　man

seems　the　fairest　fate；the　love　of　the　daughters　of　earth。　　At

present　I　can　warn　and　save　thee　from　many　evils；　if　I　saw　more

of　thee；　would　the　power　still　be　mine？　　You　understand　me　not。

What　I　am　about　to　add；　it　will　be　easier　to　comprehend。　　I　bid

thee　banish　from　thy　heart　all　thought　of　me；　but　as　one　whom　the

Future　cries　aloud　to　thee　to　avoid。　　Glyndon；　if　thou　acceptest

his　homage；　will　love　thee　till　the　tomb　closes　upon　both。　　I；

too；〃　he　added　with　emotion；〃I；　too；　might　love　thee！〃



〃You！〃　cried　Viola；　with　the　vehemence　of　a　sudden　impulse　of

delight；　of　rapture；　which　she　could　not　suppress；　but　the

instant　after；　she　would　have　given　worlds　to　recall　the

exclamation。



〃Yes；　Viola；　I　might　love　thee；　but　in　that　love　what　sorrow　and

what　change！　　The　flower　gives　perfume　to　the　rock　on　whose　heart

it　grows。　　A　little　while；　and　the　flower　is　dead；　but　the　rock

still　endures；the　snow　at　its　breast；　the　sunshine　on　its

summit。　　Pause；think　well。　　Danger　besets　thee　yet。　　For　some

days　thou　shalt　be　safe　from　thy　remorseless　persecutor；　but　the

hour　soon　comes　when　thy　only　security　will　be　in　flight。　　If　the

Englishman　love　thee　worthily；　thy　honour　will　be　dear　to　him　as

his　own；　if　not；　there　are　yet　other　lands　where　love　will　be

truer；　and　virtue　less　in　danger　from　fraud　and　force。　　Farewell；

my　own　destiny　I　cannot　foresee　except　through　cloud　and　shadow。

I　know；　at　least；　that　we　shall　meet　again；　but　learn　ere　then；

sweet　flower；　that　there　are　more　genial　resting…places　than　the

rock。〃



He　turned　as　he　spoke；　and　gained　the　outer　door　where　Gionetta

discreetly　stood。　　Zanoni　lightly　laid　his　hand　on　her　arm。　　With

the　gay　accent　of　a　jesting　cavalier；　he　said；



〃The　Signor　Glyndon　woos　your　mistress；　he　may　wed　her。　　I　know

your　love　for　her。　　Disabuse　her　of　any　caprice　for　me。　　I　am　a

bird　ever　on　the　wing。〃



He　dropped　a　purse　into　Gionetta's　hand　as　he　spoke；　and　was

gone。





CHAPTER　2。IV。



Les　Intelligences　Celestes　se　font　voir；　et　see　communiquent　plus

volontiers；　dans　le　silence　et　dans　la　tranquillite　de　la

solitude。　　On　aura　donc　une　petite　chambre　ou　un　cabinet　secret；

etc。

〃Les　Clavicules　de　Rabbi　Salomon；〃　chapter　3；　traduites

exactement　du　texte　Hebreu　par　M。　Pierre　Morissoneau；　Professeur

des　Langues　Orientales；　et　Sectateur　de　la　Philosophie　des　Sages

Cabalistes。　　（Manuscript　Translation。）



（The　Celestial　Intelligences　exhibit　and　explain　themselves　most

freely　in　silence　and　the　tranquillity　of　solitude。　　One　will

have　then　a　little　chamber；　or　a　secret　cabinet；　etc。）



The　palace　retained　by　Zanoni　was　in　one　of　the　less　frequented

quarters　of　the　city。　　It　still　stands；　now　ruined　and

dismantled；　a　monument　of　the　splendour　of　a　chivalry　long　since

vani