zanoni-第36章

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rival　forced　themselves　upon　him；　defects　before　unseen　magnified

themselves　to　deformities　in　his　languid　and　discontented　eyes。

He　touched　and　retouched；　but　his　hand　failed　him；　he　threw　down

his　instruments　in　despair；　he　opened　his　casement：　　the　day

without　was　bright　and　lovely；　the　street　was　crowded　with　that

life　which　is　ever　so　joyous　and　affluent　in　the　animated

population　of　Naples。　　He　saw　the　lover；　as　he　passed；　conversing

with　his　mistress　by　those　mute　gestures　which　have　survived　all

changes　of　languages；　the　same　now　as　when　the　Etruscan　painted

yon　vases　in　the　Museo　Borbonico。　　Light　from　without　beckoned

his　youth　to　its　mirth　and　its　pleasures；　and　the　dull　walls

within；　lately　large　enough　to　comprise　heaven　and　earth；　seemed

now　cabined　and　confined　as　a　felon's　prison。　　He　welcomed　the

step　of　Mervale　at　his　threshold；　and　unbarred　the　door。



〃And　is　that　all　you　have　done？〃　said　Mervale；　glancing

disdainfully　at　the　canvas。　　〃Is　it　for　this　that　you　have　shut

yourself　out　from　the　sunny　days　and　moonlit　nights　of　Naples？〃



〃While　the　fit　was　on　me；　I　basked　in　a　brighter　sun；　and　imbibed

the　voluptuous　luxury　of　a　softer　moon。〃



〃You　own　that　the　fit　is　over。　　Well；　that　is　some　sign　of

returning　sense。　　After　all；　it　is　better　to　daub　canvas　for

three　days　than　make　a　fool　of　yourself　for　life。　　This　little

siren？〃



〃Be　dumb！　　I　hate　to　hear　you　name　her。〃



Mervale　drew　his　chair　nearer　to　Glyndon's；　thrust　his　hands　deep

in　his　breeches…pockets；　stretched　his　legs；　and　was　about　to

begin　a　serious　strain　of　expostulation；　when　a　knock　was　heard

at　the　door；　and　Nicot；　without　waiting　for　leave；　obtruded　his

ugly　head。



〃Good…day；　mon　cher　confrere。　　I　wished　to　speak　to　you。　　Hein！

you　have　been　at　work；　I　see。　　This　is　well；very　well！　　A　bold

outline；great　freedom　in　that　right　hand。　　But；　hold！　is　the

composition　good？　　You　have　not　got　the　great　pyramidal　form。

Don't　you　think；　too；　that　you　have　lost　the　advantage　of

contrast　in　this　figure；　since　the　right　leg　is　put　forward；

surely　the　right　arm　should　be　put　back？　　Peste！　but　that　little

finger　is　very　fine！〃



Mervale　detested　Nicot。　　For　all　speculators；　Utopians；　alterers

of　the　world；　and　wanderers　from　the　high　road；　were　equally

hateful　to　him；　but　he　could　have　hugged　the　Frenchman　at　that

moment。　　He　saw　in　Glyndon's　expressive　countenance　all　the

weariness　and　disgust　he　endured。　　After　so　wrapped　a　study；　to

be　prated　to　about　pyramidal　forms　and　right　arms　and　right　legs；

the　accidence　of　the　art；　the　whole　conception　to　be　overlooked；

and　the　criticism　to　end　in　approval　of　the　little　finger！



〃Oh；〃　said　Glyndon；　peevishly；　throwing　the　cloth　over　his

design；　〃enough　of　my　poor　performance。　　What　is　it　you　have　to

say　to　me？〃



〃In　the　first　place；〃　said　Nicot；　huddling　himself　together　upon

a　stool；〃in　the　first　place；　this　Signor　Zanoni；this　second

Cagliostro；who　disputes　my　doctrines！　（no　doubt　a　spy　of　the

man　Capet）　I　am　not　vindictive；　as　Helvetius　says；　'our　errors

arise　from　our　passions。'　　I　keep　mine　in　order；　but　it　is

virtuous　to　hate　in　the　cause　of　mankind；　I　would　I　had　the

denouncing　and　the　judging　of　Signor　Zanoni　at　Paris。〃　　And

Nicot's　small　eyes　shot　fire；　and　he　gnashed　his　teeth。



〃Have　you　any　new　cause　to　hate　him？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Nicot；　fiercely。　　〃Yes；　I　hear　he　is　courting　the

girl　I　mean　to　marry。〃



〃You！　　Whom　do　you　speak　of？〃



〃The　celebrated　Pisani！　　She　is　divinely　handsome。　　She　would

make　my　fortune　in　a　republic。　　And　a　republic　we　shall　have

before　the　year　is　out。〃



Mervale　rubbed　his　hands；　and　chuckled。　　Glyndon　coloured　with

rage　and　shame。



〃Do　you　know　the　Signora　Pisani？　　Have　you　ever　spoken　to　her？〃



〃Not　yet。　　But　when　I　make　up　my　mind　to　anything；　it　is　soon

done。　　I　am　about　to　return　to　Paris。　　They　write　me　word　that　a

handsome　wife　advances　the　career　of　a　patriot。　　The　age　of

prejudice　is　over。　　The　sublimer　virtues　begin　to　be　understood。

I　shall　take　back　the　handsomest　wife　in　Europe。〃



〃Be　quiet！　　What　are　you　about？〃　said　Mervale；　seizing　Glyndon　as

he　saw　him　advance　towards　the　Frenchman；　his　eyes　sparkling；　and

his　hands　clenched。



〃Sir！〃　said　Glyndon；　between　his　teeth；　〃you　know　not　of　whom　you

thus　speak。　　Do　you　affect　to　suppose　that　Viola　Pisani　would

accept　YOU？〃



〃Not　if　she　could　get　a　better　offer；〃　said　Mervale；　looking　up

to　the　ceiling。



〃A　better　offer？　　You　don't　understand　me；〃　said　Nicot。　　〃I；　Jean

Nicot；　propose　to　marry　the　girl；　marry　her！　　Others　may　make　her

more　liberal　offers；　but　no　one；　I　apprehend；　would　make　one　so

honourable。　　I　alone　have　pity　on　her　friendless　situation。

Besides；　according　to　the　dawning　state　of　things；　one　will

always；　in　France；　be　able　to　get　rid　of　a　wife　whenever　one

wishes。　　We　shall　have　new　laws　of　divorce。　　Do　you　imagine　that

an　Italian　girland　in　no　country　in　the　world　are　maidens；　it

seems；　more　chaste　（though　wives　may　console　themselves　with

virtues　more　philosophical）would　refuse　the　hand　of　an　artist

for　the　settlements　of　a　prince？　　No；　I　think　better　of　the

Pisani　than　you　do。　　I　shall　hasten　to　introduce　myself　to　her。〃



〃I　wish　you　all　success；　Monsieur　Nicot；〃　said　Mervale；　rising；

and　shaking　him　heartily　by　the　hand。



Glyndon　cast　at　them　both　a　disdainful　glance。



〃Perhaps；　Monsieur　Nicot；〃　said　he；　at　length；　constraining　his

lips　into　a　bitter　smile；〃perhaps　you　may　have　rivals。〃



〃So　much　the　better；〃　replied　Monsieur　Nicot；　carelessly；　kicking

his　heels　together；　and　appearing　absorbed　in　admiration　at　the

size　of　his　large　feet。



〃I　myself　admire　Viola　Pisani。〃



〃Every　painter　must！〃



〃I　may　offer　her　marriage　as　well　as　yourself。〃



〃That　would　be　folly　in　you；　though　wisdom　in　me。　　You　would　not

know　how　to　draw　profit　from　the　speculation！　　Cher　confrere；　you

have　prejudices。〃



〃You　do　not　dare　to　say　you　would　make　profit　from　your　own

wife？〃



〃The　virtuous　Cato　lent　his　wife　to　a　friend。　　I　love　virtue；　and

I　cannot　do　better　than　imitate　Cato。　　But　to　be　serious；I　do

not　fear　you　as　a　rival。　　You　are　good…looking；　and　I　am　ugly。

But　you　are　irresolute；　and　I　decisive。　　While　you　are　uttering

fine　phrases；　I　shall　say；　simply；　'I　have　a　bon　etat。　　Will　you

marry　me？'　　So　do　your　worst；　cher　confrere。　　Au　revoir；　behind

the　scenes！〃



So　saying；　Nicot　rose；　stretched　his　long　arms　and　short　legs；

yawned　till　he　showed　all　his　ragged　teeth　from　ear　to　ear；

pressed　down　his　cap　on　his　shaggy　head　with　an　air　of　defiance；

and　casting　over　his　left　shoulder　a　glance　of　triumph　and　malice

at　the　indignant　Glyndon；　sauntered　out　of　the　room。



Mervale　burst　into　a　violent　fit　of　laughter。　　〃See　how　your

Viola　is　estimated　by　your　friend。　　A　fine　victory；　to　carry　her

off　from　the　ugliest　dog　between　Lapland　and　the　Calmucks。〃



Glyndon　was　yet　too　indignant　to　answer；　when　a　new　visitor

arrived。　　It　was　Zanoni　himself。　　Mervale；　on　whom　the　appearance

and　aspect　of　this　personage　imposed　a　kind　of　reluctant

deference；　which　he　was　unwilling　to　acknowledge；　and　still　more

to　betray；　nodded　to　Glyndon；　and　saying；　simply；　〃More　when　I

see　you　again；〃　left　the　painter　and　his　unexpected　visitor。



〃I　see；〃　said　Zanoni；　lifting　the　cloth　from　the　canvas；　〃that

you　have　not　slighted　the　advice　I　gave　you。　　Courage；　young

artist；　this　is　an　escape　from　the　schools：　　this　is　full　of　the

bold　self…confidence　of　real　genius。　　You　had　no　Nicotno

Mervaleat　your　elbow　when　this　image　of　true　beauty　was

conceived！〃



Charmed　back　to　his　art　by　this　unlooked…for　praise；　Glyndon

replied　modestly；　〃I　thought　well　of　my　design　till　this　morning；

and　then　I　was　disenchanted　of　my　happy　persuasion。〃



〃Say；　rather；　that；　unaccustomed　to　continuous　labour；　you　were

fatigued　with　your　employment。〃



〃That　is　tr