zanoni-第32章

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other　night；　every　quarter　of　an　hour；　to　see　whether　it　has　not

turned　into　pebbles。〃



〃Do　you　then　really　believe；〃　said　Viola；　with　timid　earnestness；

〃that　sorcery　still　exists？〃



〃Believe！　　Do　I　believe　in　the　blessed　San　Gennaro？　　How　do　you

think　he　cured　old　Filippo　the　fisherman；　when　the　doctor　gave

him　up？　　How　do　you　think　he　has　managed　himself　to　live　at　least

these　three　hundred　years？　　How　do　you　think　he　fascinates　every

one　to　his　bidding　with　a　look；　as　the　vampires　do？〃



〃Ah；　is　this　only　witchcraft？　　It　is　like　it；it　must　be！〃

murmured　Viola；　turning　very　pale。　　Gionetta　herself　was　scarcely

more　superstitious　than　the　daughter　of　the　musician。　　And　her

very　innocence；　chilled　at　the　strangeness　of　virgin　passion；

might　well　ascribe　to　magic　what　hearts　more　experienced　would

have　resolved　to　love。



〃And　then；　why　has　this　great　Prince　di　　been　so　terrified　by

him？　　Why　has　he　ceased　to　persecute　us？　　Why　has　he　been　so

quiet　and　still？　　Is　there　no　sorcery　in　all　that？〃



〃Think　you；　then；〃　said　Viola；　with　sweet　inconsistency；　〃that　I

owe　that　happiness　and　safety　to　his　protection？　　Oh；　let　me　so

believe！　　Be　silent；　Gionetta！　　Why　have　I　only　thee　and　my　own

terrors　to　consult？　　O　beautiful　sun！〃　and　the　girl　pressed　her

hand　to　her　heart　with　wild　energy；　〃thou　lightest　every　spot　but

this。　　Go；　Gionetta！　leave　me　alone；leave　me！〃



〃And　indeed　it　is　time　I　should　leave　you；　for　the　polenta　will

be　spoiled；　and　you　have　eat　nothing　all　day。　　If　you　don't　eat

you　will　lose　your　beauty；　my　darling；　and　then　nobody　will　care

for　you。　　Nobody　cares　for　us　when　we　grow　ugly；I　know　that；

and　then　you　must；　like　old　Gionetta；　get　some　Viola　of　your　own

to　spoil。　　I'll　go　and　see　to　the　polenta。〃



〃Since　I　have　known　this　man；〃　said　the　girl；　half　aloud；〃since

his　dark　eyes　have　haunted　me；　I　am　no　longer　the　same。　　I　long

to　escape　from　myself；to　glide　with　the　sunbeam　over　the

hill…tops；　to　become　something　that　is　not　of　earth。　　Phantoms

float　before　me　at　night；　and　a　fluttering；　like　the　wing　of　a

bird；　within　my　heart；　seems　as　if　the　spirit　were　terrified；　and

would　break　its　cage。〃



While　murmuring　these　incoherent　rhapsodies；　a　step　that　she　did

not　hear　approached　the　actress；　and　a　light　hand　touched　her

arm。



〃Viola！bellissima！Viola！〃



She　turned；　and　saw　Glyndon。　　The　sight　of　his　fair　young　face

calmed　her　at　once。　　His　presence　gave　her　pleasure。



〃Viola；〃　said　the　Englishman；　taking　her　hand；　and　drawing　her

again　to　the　bench　from　which　she　had　risen；　as　he　seated　himself

beside　her；　〃you　shall　hear　me　speak！　　You　must　know　already　that

I　love　thee！　　It　has　not　been　pity　or　admiration　alone　that　has

led　me　ever　and　ever　to　thy　dear　side；　reasons　there　may　have

been　why　I　have　not　spoken；　save　by　my　eyes；　before；　but　this

dayI　know　not　how　it　isI　feel　a　more　sustained　and　settled

courage　to　address　thee；　and　learn　the　happiest　or　the　worst。　　I

have　rivals；　I　know；rivals　who　are　more　powerful　than　the　poor

artist；　are　they　also　more　favoured？〃



Viola　blushed　faintly；　but　her　countenance　was　grave　and

distressed。　　Looking　down；　and　marking　some　hieroglyphical

figures　in　the　dust　with　the　point　of　her　slipper；　she　said；　with

some　hesitation；　and　a　vain　attempt　to　be　gay；　〃Signor；　whoever

wastes　his　thoughts　on　an　actress　must　submit　to　have　rivals。　　It

is　our　unhappy　destiny　not　to　be　sacred　even　to　ourselves。〃



〃But　you　do　not　love　this　destiny；　glittering　though　it　seem；

your　heart　is　not　in　the　vocation　which　your　gifts　adorn。〃



〃Ah；　no！〃　said　the　actress；　her　eyes　filling　with　tears。　　〃Once　I

loved　to　be　the　priestess　of　song　and　music；　now　I　feel　only　that

it　is　a　miserable　lot　to　be　slave　to　a　multitude。〃



〃Fly；　then；　with　me；〃　said　the　artist；　passionately；　〃quit

forever　the　calling　that　divides　that　heart　I　would　have　all　my

own。　　Share　my　fate　now　and　forever；my　pride；　my　delight；　my

ideal！　　Thou　shalt　inspire　my　canvas　and　my　song；　thy　beauty

shall　be　made　at　once　holy　and　renowned。　　In　the　galleries　of

princes；　crowds　shall　gather　round　the　effigy　of　a　Venus　or　a

Saint；　and　a　whisper　shall　break　forth；　'It　is　Viola　Pisani！'

Ah！　Viola；　I　adore　thee；　tell　me　that　I　do　not　worship　in　vain。〃



〃Thou　art　good　and　fair；〃　said　Viola；　gazing　on　her　lover；　as　he

pressed　nearer　to　her；　and　clasped　her　hand　in　his；　〃but　what

should　I　give　thee　in　return？〃



〃Love；　love；only　love！〃



〃A　sister's　love？〃



〃Ah；　speak　not　with　such　cruel　coldness！〃



〃It　is　all　I　have　for　thee。　　Listen　to　me；　signor：　　when　I　look

on　your　face；　when　I　hear　your　voice；　a　certain　serene　and

tranquil　calm　creeps　over　and　lulls　thoughts；oh；　how　feverish；

how　wild！　　When　thou　art　gone；　the　day　seems　a　shade　more　dark；

but　the　shadow　soon　flies。　　I　miss　thee　not；　I　think　not　of　thee：

no；　I　love　thee　not；　and　I　will　give　myself　only　where　I　love。〃



〃But　I　would　teach　thee　to　love　me；　fear　it　not。　　Nay；　such　love

as　thou　describest；　in　our　tranquil　climates；　is　the　love　of

innocence　and　youth。〃



〃Of　innocence！〃　said　Viola。　　〃Is　it　so？　　Perhaps〃　　She　paused；

and　added；　with　an　effort；　〃Foreigner！　and　wouldst　thou　wed　the

orphan？　　Ah；　THOU　at　least　art　generous！　　It　is　not　the　innocence

thou　wouldst　destroy！〃



Glyndon　drew　back；　conscience…stricken。



〃No；　it　may　not　be！〃　she　said；　rising；　but　not　conscious　of　the

thoughts；　half　of　shame；　half　suspicion；　that　passed　through　the

mind　of　her　lover。　　〃Leave　me；　and　forget　me。　　You　do　not

understand；　you　could　not　comprehend；　the　nature　of　her　whom　you

think　to　love。　　From　my　childhood　upward；　I　have　felt　as　if　I

were　marked　out　for　some　strange　and　preternatural　doom；　as　if　I

were　singled　from　my　kind。　　This　feeling　（and；　oh！　at　times　it　is

one　of　delirious　and　vague　delight；　at　others　of　the　darkest

gloom）　deepens　within　me　day　by　day。　　It　is　like　the　shadow　of

twilight；　spreading　slowly　and　solemnly　around。　　My　hour

approaches：　　a　little　while；　and　it　will　be　night！〃



As　she　spoke；　Glyndon　listened　with　visible　emotion　and

perturbation。　　〃Viola！〃　he　exclaimed；　as　she　ceased；　〃your　words

more　than　ever　enchain　me　to　you。　　As　you　feel；　I　feel。　　I；　too；

have　been　ever　haunted　with　a　chill　and　unearthly　foreboding。

Amidst　the　crowds　of　men　I　have　felt　alone。　　In　all　my　pleasures；

my　toils；　my　pursuits；　a　warning　voice　has　murmured　in　my　ear；

'Time　has　a　dark　mystery　in　store　for　thy　manhood。'　　When　you

spoke；　it　was　as　the　voice　of　my　own　soul。〃



Viola　gazed　upon　him　in　wonder　and　fear。　　Her　countenance　was　as

white　as　marble；　and　those　features；　so　divine　in　their　rare

symmetry；　might　have　served　the　Greek　with　a　study　for　the

Pythoness；　when；　from　the　mystic　cavern　and　the　bubbling　spring；

she　first　hears　the　voice　of　the　inspiring　god。　　Gradually　the

rigour　and　tension　of　that　wonderful　face　relaxed；　the　colour

returned；　the　pulse　beat：　　the　heart　animated　the　frame。



〃Tell　me；〃　she　said；　turning　partially　aside；〃tell　me；　have　you

seendo　you　knowa　stranger　in　this　city；one　of　whom　wild

stories　are　afloat？〃



〃You　speak　of　Zanoni？　　I　have　seen　him：　　I　know　him；and　you？

Ah；　he；　too；　would　be　my　rival！he；　too；　would　bear　thee　from

me！〃



〃You　err；〃　said　Viola；　hastily；　and　with　a　deep　sigh；　〃he　pleads

for　you：　　he　informed　me　of　your　love；　he　besought　me　notnot　to

reject　it。〃



〃Strange　being！　incomprehensible　enigma！　　Why　did　you　name　him？〃



〃Why！　ah；　I　would　have　asked　whether；　when　you　first　saw　him；　the

foreboding；　the　instinct；　of　which　you　spoke；　came　on　you　more

fearfully；　more　intelligibly　than　before；　whether　you　felt　at

once　repelled　from　him；　yet　attracted　towards　him；　whether　you

felt；〃　and　the　actress　spoke　with　hurried　animation；　〃that　with

HIM　was　connected　the　secret　of　your　life？〃



〃All　this　I　felt；〃　answered　Glyndon；　in　a　trembling　voice；　〃the

first　time　I　was　in　his　presence。　　Though　all　a