zanoni-第30章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



antipodes　of　each　other！　　Your　pencil　is　your　wand；　your　canvas

may　raise　Utopias　fairer　than　Condorcet　dreams　of。　　I　press　not

yet　for　your　decision；　but　what　man　of　genius　ever　asked　more　to

cheer　his　path　to　the　grave　than　love　and　glory？〃



〃But；〃　said　Glyndon；　fixing　his　eyes　earnestly　on　Zanoni；　〃if

there　be　a　power　to　baffle　the　grave　itself〃



Zanoni's　brow　darkened。　　〃And　were　this　so；〃　he　said；　after　a

pause；　〃would　it　be　so　sweet　a　lot　to　outlive　all　you　loved；　and

to　recoil　from　every　human　tie？　　Perhaps　the　fairest　immortality

on　earth　is　that　of　a　noble　name。〃



〃You　do　not　answer　me；you　equivocate。　　I　have　read　of　the　long

lives　far　beyond　the　date　common　experience　assigns　to　man；〃

persisted　Glyndon；　〃which　some　of　the　alchemists　enjoyed。　　Is　the

golden　elixir　but　a　fable？〃



〃If　not；　and　these　men　discovered　it；　they　died；　because　they

refused　to　live！　　There　may　be　a　mournful　warning　in　your

conjecture。　　Turn　once　more　to　the　easel　and　the　canvas！〃



So　saying；　Zanoni　waved　his　hand；　and；　with　downcast　eyes　and　a

slow　step；　bent　his　way　back　into　the　city。





CHAPTER　2。VIII。



The　Goddess　Wisdom。



To　some　she　is　the　goddess　great；

To　some　the　milch　cow　of　the　field；

Their　care　is　but　to　calculate

What　butter　she　will　yield。

From　Schiller。



This　last　conversation　with　Zanoni　left　upon　the　mind　of　Glyndon

a　tranquillising　and　salutary　effect。



From　the　confused　mists　of　his　fancy　glittered　forth　again　those

happy；　golden　schemes　which　part　from　the　young　ambition　of　art；

to　play　in　the　air；　to　illumine　the　space　like　rays　that　kindle

from　the　sun。　　And　with　these　projects　mingled　also　the　vision　of

a　love　purer　and　serener　than　his　life　yet　had　known。　　His　mind

went　back　into　that　fair　childhood　of　genius；　when　the　forbidden

fruit　is　not　yet　tasted；　and　we　know　of　no　land　beyond　the　Eden

which　is　gladdened　by　an　Eve。　　Insensibly　before　him　there　rose

the　scenes　of　a　home；　with　his　art　sufficing　for　all　excitement；

and　Viola's　love　circling　occupation　with　happiness　and　content；

and　in　the　midst　of　these　fantasies　of　a　future　that　might　be　at

his　command；　he　was　recalled　to　the　present　by　the　clear；　strong

voice　of　Mervale；　the　man　of　common…sense。



Whoever　has　studied　the　lives　of　persons　in　whom　the　imagination

is　stronger　than　the　will；　who　suspect　their　own　knowledge　of

actual　life；　and　are　aware　of　their　facility　to　impressions；　will

have　observed　the　influence　which　a　homely；　vigorous；　worldly

understanding　obtains　over　such　natures。　　It　was　thus　with

Glyndon。　　His　friend　had　often　extricated　him　from　danger；　and

saved　him　from　the　consequences　of　imprudence；　and　there　was

something　in　Mervale's　voice　alone　that　damped　his　enthusiasm；

and　often　made　him　yet　more　ashamed　of　noble　impulses　than　weak

conduct。　　For　Mervale；　though　a　downright　honest　man；　could　not

sympathise　with　the　extravagance　of　generosity　any　more　than　with

that　of　presumption　and　credulity。　　He　walked　the　straight　line

of　life；　and　felt　an　equal　contempt　for　the　man　who　wandered　up

the　hill…sides；　no　matter　whether　to　chase　a　butterfly；　or　to

catch　a　prospect　of　the　ocean。



〃I　will　tell　you　your　thoughts；　Clarence；〃　said　Mervale；

laughing；　〃though　I　am　no　Zanoni。　　I　know　them　by　the　moisture　of

your　eyes；　and　the　half…smile　on　your　lips。　　You　are　musing　upon

that　fair　perdition；the　little　singer　of　San　Carlo。〃



The　little　singer　of　San　Carlo！　　Glyndon　coloured　as　he

answered；



〃Would　you　speak　thus　of　her　if　she　were　my　wife？〃



〃No！　for　then　any　contempt　I　might　venture　to　feel　would　be　for

yourself。　　One　may　dislike　the　duper；　but　it　is　the　dupe　that　one

despises。〃



〃Are　you　sure　that　I　should　be　the　dupe　in　such　a　union？　　Where

can　I　find　one　so　lovely　and　so　innocent；where　one　whose　virtue

has　been　tried　by　such　temptation？　　Does　even　a　single　breath　of

slander　sully　the　name　of　Viola　Pisani？〃



〃I　know　not　all　the　gossip　of　Naples；　and　therefore　cannot

answer；　but　I　know　this；　that　in　England　no　one　would　believe

that　a　young　Englishman；　of　good　fortune　and　respectable　birth；

who　marries　a　singer　from　the　theatre　of　Naples；　has　not　been

lamentably　taken　in。　　I　would　save　you　from　a　fall　of　position　so

irretrievable。　　Think　how　many　mortifications　you　will　be

subjected　to；　how　many　young　men　will　visit　at　your　house；and

how　many　young　wives　will　as　carefully　avoid　it。〃



〃I　can　choose　my　own　career；　to　which　commonplace　society　is　not

essential。　　I　can　owe　the　respect　of　the　world　to　my　art；　and　not

to　the　accidents　of　birth　and　fortune。〃



〃That　is；　you　still　persist　in　your　second　folly；the　absurd

ambition　of　daubing　canvas。　　Heaven　forbid　I　should　say　anything

against　the　laudable　industry　of　one　who　follows　such　a

profession　for　the　sake　of　subsistence；　but　with　means　and

connections　that　will　raise　you　in　life；　why　voluntarily　sink

into　a　mere　artist？　　As　an　accomplishment　in　leisure　moments；　it

is　all　very　well　in　its　way；　but　as　the　occupation　of　existence；

it　is　a　frenzy。〃



〃Artists　have　been　the　friends　of　princes。〃



〃Very　rarely　so；　I　fancy；　in　sober　England。　　There　in　the　great

centre　of　political　aristocracy；　what　men　respect　is　the

practical；　not　the　ideal。　　Just　suffer　me　to　draw　two　pictures　of

my　own。　　Clarence　Glyndon　returns　to　England；　he　marries　a　lady

of　fortune　equal　to　his　own；　of　friends　and　parentage　that

advance　rational　ambition。　　Clarence　Glyndon；　thus　a　wealthy　and

respectable　man；　of　good　talents；　of　bustling　energies　then

concentrated；　enters　into　practical　life。　　He　has　a　house　at

which　he　can　receive　those　whose　acquaintance　is　both　advantage

and　honour；　he　has　leisure　which　he　can　devote　to　useful　studies；

his　reputation；　built　on　a　solid　base；　grows　in　men's　mouths。　　He

attaches　himself　to　a　party；　he　enters　political　life；　and　new

connections　serve　to　promote　his　objects。　　At　the　age　of

five…and…forty；　what；　in　all　probability；　may　Clarence　Glyndon

be？　　Since　you　are　ambitious　I　leave　that　question　for　you　to

decide！　　Now　turn　to　the　other　picture。　　Clarence　Glyndon　returns

to　England　with　a　wife　who　can　bring　him　no　money；　unless　he　lets

her　out　on　the　stage；　so　handsome；　that　every　one　asks　who　she

is；　and　every　one　hears；the　celebrated　singer；　Pisani。

Clarence　Glyndon　shuts　himself　up　to　grind　colours　and　paint

pictures　in　the　grand　historical　school；　which　nobody　buys。

There　is　even　a　prejudice　against　him；　as　not　having　studied　in

the　Academy；as　being　an　amateur。　　Who　is　Mr。　Clarence　Glyndon？

Oh；　the　celebrated　Pisani's　husband！　　What　else？　　Oh；　he　exhibits

those　large　pictures！　　Poor　man！　they　have　merit　in　their　way；

but　Teniers　and　Watteau　are　more　convenient；　and　almost　as　cheap。

Clarence　Glyndon；　with　an　easy　fortune　while　single；　has　a　large

family　which　his　fortune；　unaided　by　marriage；　can　just　rear　up

to　callings　more　plebeian　than　his　own。　　He　retires　into　the

country；　to　save　and　to　paint；　he　grows　slovenly　and

discontented；　'the　world　does　not　appreciate　him；'　he　says；　and

he　runs　away　from　the　world。　　At　the　age　of　forty…five　what　will

be　Clarence　Glyndon？　　Your　ambition　shall　decide　that　question

also！〃



〃If　all　men　were　as　worldly　as　you；〃　said　Glyndon；　rising；　〃there

would　never　have　been　an　artist　or　a　poet！〃



〃Perhaps　we　should　do　just　as　well　without　them；〃　answered

Mervale。　　〃Is　it　not　time　to　think　of　dinner？　　The　mullets　here

are　remarkably　fine！〃





CHAPTER　2。IX。



Wollt　ihr　hoch　auf　ihren　Flugeln　schweben；

Werft　die　Angst　des　Irdischen　von　euch！

Fliehet　aus　dem　engen　dumpfen　Leben

In　des　Ideales　Reich！

〃Das　Ideal　und　das　Leben。〃



Wouldst　thou　soar　heavenward　on　its　joyous　wing？

Cast　off　the　earthly　burden　of　the　Real；

High　from　this　cramped　and　dungeoned　being；　spring

Into　the　realm　of　the　Ideal。



As　some　injudicious　master　lowers　and　vitiates　the　taste　of　the

student　by　fixing　his　attention