zanoni-第25章

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

vanished　from　Naples；　with　the　lordly　races　of　the　Norman　and　the

Spaniard。



As　he　entered　the　rooms　reserved　for　his　private　hours；　two

Indians；　in　the　dress　of　their　country；　received　him　at　the

threshold　with　the　grave　salutations　of　the　East。　　They　had

accompanied　him　from　the　far　lands　in　which；　according　to　rumour；

he　had　for　many　years　fixed　his　home。　　But　they　could　communicate

nothing　to　gratify　curiosity　or　justify　suspicion。　　They　spoke　no

language　but　their　own。　　With　the　exception　of　these　two　his

princely　retinue　was　composed　of　the　native　hirelings　of　the

city；　whom　his　lavish　but　imperious　generosity　made　the　implicit

creatures　of　his　will。　　In　his　house；　and　in　his　habits；　so　far

as　they　were　seen；　there　was　nothing　to　account　for　the　rumours

which　were　circulated　abroad。　　He　was　not；　as　we　are　told　of

Albertus　Magnus　or　the　great　Leonardo　da　Vinci；　served　by　airy

forms；　and　no　brazen　image；　the　invention　of　magic　mechanism；

communicated　to　him　the　influences　of　the　stars。　　None　of　the

apparatus　of　the　alchemistthe　crucible　and　the　metalsgave

solemnity　to　his　chambers；　or　accounted　for　his　wealth；　nor　did

he　even　seem　to　interest　himself　in　those　serener　studies　which

might　be　supposed　to　colour　his　peculiar　conversation　with

abstract　notions；　and　often　with　recondite　learning。　　No　books

spoke　to　him　in　his　solitude；　and　if　ever　he　had　drawn　from　them

his　knowledge；　it　seemed　now　that　the　only　page　he　read　was　the

wide　one　of　Nature；　and　that　a　capacious　and　startling　memory

supplied　the　rest。　　Yet　was　there　one　exception　to　what　in　all

else　seemed　customary　and　commonplace；　and　which；　according　to

the　authority　we　have　prefixed　to　this　chapter；　might　indicate

the　follower　of　the　occult　sciences。　　Whether　at　Rome　or　Naples；

or；　in　fact；　wherever　his　abode；　he　selected　one　room　remote　from

the　rest　of　the　house；　which　was　fastened　by　a　lock　scarcely

larger　than　the　seal　of　a　ring；　yet　which　sufficed　to　baffle　the

most　cunning　instruments　of　the　locksmith：　　at　least；　one　of　his

servants；　prompted　by　irresistible　curiosity；　had　made　the

attempt　in　vain；　and　though　he　had　fancied　it　was　tried　in　the

most　favourable　time　for　secrecy；not　a　soul　near；　in　the　dead

of　night；　Zanoni　himself　absent　from　home；yet　his　superstition；

or　his　conscience；　told　him　the　reason　why　the　next　day　the　Major

Domo　quietly　dismissed　him。　　He　compensated　himself　for　this

misfortune　by　spreading　his　own　story；　with　a　thousand　amusing

exaggerations。　　He　declared　that；　as　he　approached　the　door；

invisible　hands　seemed　to　pluck　him　away；　and　that　when　he

touched　the　lock；　he　was　struck；　as　by　a　palsy；　to　the　ground。

One　surgeon；　who　heard　the　tale；　observed；　to　the　distaste　of　the

wonder…mongers；　that　possibly　Zanoni　made　a　dexterous　use　of

electricity。　　Howbeit；　this　room；　once　so　secured；　was　never

entered　save　by　Zanoni　himself。



The　solemn　voice　of　Time；　from　the　neighbouring　church　at　last

aroused　the　lord　of　the　palace　from　the　deep　and　motionless

reverie；　rather　resembling　a　trance　than　thought；　in　which　his

mind　was　absorbed。



〃It　is　one　more　sand　out　of　the　mighty　hour…glass；〃　said　he；

murmuringly；　〃and　yet　time　neither　adds　to；　nor　steals　from；　an

atom　in　the　Infinite！　　Soul　of　mine；　the　luminous；　the　Augoeides

（Augoeides；a　word　favoured　by　the　mystical　Platonists；　sphaira

psuches　augoeides；　otan　mete　ekteinetai　epi　ti；　mete　eso

suntreche　mete　sunizane；　alla　photi　lampetai；　o　ten　aletheian　opa

ten　panton；　kai　ten　en　aute。Marc。　Ant。；　lib。　2。The　sense　of

which　beautiful　sentence　of　the　old　philosophy；　which；　as　Bayle

well　observes；　in　his　article　on　Cornelius　Agrippa；　the　modern

Quietists　have　（however　impotently）　sought　to　imitate；　is　to　the

effect　that　〃the　sphere　of　the　soul　is　luminous　when　nothing

external　has　contact　with　the　soul　itself；　but　when　lit　by　its

own　light；　it　sees　the　truth　of　all　things　and　the　truth　centred

in　itself。〃）；　why　descendest　thou　from　thy　sphere；why　from　the

eternal；　starlike；　and　passionless　Serene；　shrinkest　thou　back　to

the　mists　of　the　dark　sarcophagus？　　How　long；　too　austerely

taught　that　companionship　with　the　things　that　die　brings　with　it

but　sorrow　in　its　sweetness；　hast　thou　dwelt　contented　with　thy

majestic　solitude？〃



As　he　thus　murmured；　one　of　the　earliest　birds　that　salute　the

dawn　broke　into　sudden　song　from　amidst　the　orange…trees　in　the

garden　below　his　casement；　and　as　suddenly；　song　answered　song；

the　mate；　awakened　at　the　note；　gave　back　its　happy　answer　to　the

bird。　　He　listened；　and　not　the　soul　he　had　questioned；　but　the

heart　replied。　　He　rose；　and　with　restless　strides　paced　the

narrow　floor。　　〃Away　from　this　world！〃　he　exclaimed　at　length；

with　an　impatient　tone。　　〃Can　no　time　loosen　its　fatal　ties？　　As

the　attraction　that　holds　the　earth　in　space；　is　the　attraction

that　fixes　the　soul　to　earth。　　Away　from　the　dark　grey　planet！

Break；　ye　fetters：　　arise；　ye　wings！〃



He　passed　through　the　silent　galleries；　and　up　the　lofty　stairs；

and　entered　the　secret　chamber。



。。。





CHAPTER　2。V。



I　and　my　fellows

Are　ministers　of　Fate。

〃The　Tempest。〃



The　next　day　Glyndon　bent　his　steps　towards　Zanoni's　palace。　　The

young　man's　imagination；　naturally　inflammable；　was　singularly

excited　by　the　little　he　had　seen　and　heard　of　this　strange

being；a　spell；　he　could　neither　master　nor　account　for；

attracted　him　towards　the　stranger。　　Zanoni's　power　seemed

mysterious　and　great；　his　motives　kindly　and　benevolent；　yet　his

manners　chilling　and　repellent。　　Why　at　one　moment　reject

Glyndon's　acquaintance；　at　another　save　him　from　danger？　　How　had

Zanoni　thus　acquired　the　knowledge　of　enemies　unknown　to　Glyndon

himself？　　His　interest　was　deeply　roused；　his　gratitude　appealed

to；　he　resolved　to　make　another　effort　to　conciliate　the

ungracious　herbalist。



The　signor　was　at　home；　and　Glyndon　was　admitted　into　a　lofty

saloon；　where　in　a　few　moments　Zanoni　joined　him。



〃I　am　come　to　thank　you　for　your　warning　last　night；〃　said　he；

〃and　to　entreat　you　to　complete　my　obligation　by　informing　me　of

the　quarter　to　which　I　may　look　for　enmity　and　peril。〃



〃You　are　a　gallant；〃　said　Zanoni；　with　a　smile；　and　in　the

English　language；　〃and　do　you　know　so　little　of　the　South　as　not

to　be　aware　that　gallants　have　always　rivals？〃



〃Are　you　serious？〃　said　Glyndon；　colouring。



〃Most　serious。　　You　love　Viola　Pisani；　you　have　for　rival　one　of

the　most　powerful　and　relentless　of　the　Neapolitan　princes。　　Your

danger　is　indeed　great。〃



〃But　pardon　me！how　came　it　known　to　you？〃



〃I　give　no　account　of　myself　to　mortal　man；〃　replied　Zanoni；

haughtily；　〃and　to　me　it　matters　nothing　whether　you　regard　or

scorn　my　warning。〃



〃Well；　if　I　may　not　question　you；　be　it　so；　but　at　least　advise

me　what　to　do。〃



〃Would　you　follow　my　advice？〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃Because　you　are　constitutionally　brave；　you　are　fond　of

excitement　and　mystery；　you　like　to　be　the　hero　of　a　romance。

Were　I　to　advise　you　to　leave　Naples；　would　you　do　so　while

Naples　contains　a　foe　to　confront　or　a　mistress　to　pursue？〃



〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　young　Englishman；　with　energy。　　〃No！

and　you　cannot　reproach　me　for　such　a　resolution。〃



〃But　there　is　another　course　left　to　you：　　do　you　love　Viola

Pisani　truly　and　fervently？if　so；　marry　her；　and　take　a　bride

to　your　native　land。〃



〃Nay；〃　answered　Glyndon；　embarrassed；　〃Viola　is　not　of　my　rank。

Her　profession；　too；　isin　short；　I　am　enslaved　by　her　beauty；

but　I　cannot　wed　her。〃



Zanoni　frowned。



〃Your　love；　then；　is　but　selfish　lust；　and　I　advise　you　to　your

own　happiness　no　more。　　Young　man；　Destiny　is　less　inexorable

than　it　appears。　　The　resources　of　the　great　Ruler　of　the

Universe　are　not　so　scanty　and　so　stern　as　to　deny　to　men　the

divine　privilege　of　Free　Will；　all　of　us　can　carve