zanoni-第40章

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which　thou　hast　taught　my　heart；　and　which　my　hand　traces

rapidly；　as　at　thy　dictation。　　Sometimes；　while　I　write　or　muse；

I　could　fancy　that　I　heard　light　wings　hovering　around　me；　and

saw　dim　shapes　of　beauty　floating　round；　and　vanishing　as　they

smiled　upon　me。　　No　unquiet　and　fearful　dream　ever　comes　to　me

now　in　sleep；　yet　sleep　and　waking　are　alike　but　as　one　dream。

In　sleep　I　wander　with　thee；　not　through　the　paths　of　earth；　but

through　impalpable　airan　air　which　seems　a　musicupward　and

upward；　as　the　soul　mounts　on　the　tones　of　a　lyre！　　Till　I　knew

thee；　I　was　as　a　slave　to　the　earth。　　Thou　hast　given　to　me　the

liberty　of　the　universe！　　Before；　it　was　life；　it　seems　to　me　now

as　if　I　had　commenced　eternity！



。。。



〃Formerly；　when　I　was　to　appear　upon　the　stage；　my　heart　beat

more　loudly。　　I　trembled　to　encounter　the　audience；　whose　breath

gave　shame　or　renown；　and　now　I　have　no　fear　of　them。　　I　see

them；　heed　them；　hear　them　not！　　I　know　that　there　will　be　music

in　my　voice；　for　it　is　a　hymn　that　I　pour　to　thee。　　Thou　never

comest　to　the　theatre；　and　that　no　longer　grieves　me。　　Thou　art

become　too　sacred　to　appear　a　part　of　the　common　world；　and　I

feel　glad　that　thou　art　not　by　when　crowds　have　a　right　to　judge

me。



。。。



〃And　he　spoke　to　me　of　ANOTHER：　　to　another　he　would　consign　me！

No；　it　is　not　love　that　I　feel　for　thee；　Zanoni；　or　why　did　I

hear　thee　without　anger；　why　did　thy　command　seem　to　me　not　a

thing　impossible？　　As　the　strings　of　the　instrument　obey　the　hand

of　the　master；　thy　look　modulates　the　wildest　chords　of　my　heart

to　thy　will。　　If　it　please　thee；yes；　let　it　be　so。　　Thou　art

lord　of　my　destinies；　they　cannot　rebel　against　thee！　　I　almost

think　I　could　love　him；　whoever　it　be；　on　whom　thou　wouldst　shed

the　rays　that　circumfuse　thyself。　　Whatever　thou　hast　touched；　I

love；　whatever　thou　speakest　of；　I　love。　　Thy　hand　played　with

these　vine　leaves；　I　wear　them　in　my　bosom。　　Thou　seemest　to　me

the　source　of　all　love；　too　high　and　too　bright　to　be　loved

thyself；　but　darting　light　into　other　objects；　on　which　the　eye

can　gaze　less　dazzled。　　No；　no；　it　is　not　love　that　I　feel　for

thee；　and　therefore　it　is　that　I　do　not　blush　to　nourish　and

confess　it。　　Shame　on　me　if　I　loved；　knowing　myself　so　worthless

a　thing　to　thee！



。。。



〃ANOTHER！my　memory　echoes　back　that　word。　　Another！　　Dost　thou

mean　that　I　shall　see　thee　no　more？　　It　is　not　sadness；it　is

not　despair　that　seizes　me。　　I　cannot　weep。　　It　is　an　utter　sense

of　desolation。　　I　am　plunged　back　into　the　common　life；　and　I

shudder　coldly　at　the　solitude。　　But　I　will　obey　thee；　if　thou

wilt。　　Shall　I　not　see　thee　again　beyond　the　grave？　　O　how　sweet

it　were　to　die！



〃Why　do　I　not　struggle　from　the　web　in　which　my　will　is　thus

entangled？　　Hast　thou　a　right　to　dispose　of　me　thus？　　Give　me

backgive　me　back　the　life　I　knew　before　I　gave　life　itself　away

to　thee。　　Give　me　back　the　careless　dreams　of　my　youth；…my

liberty　of　heart　that　sung　aloud　as　it　walked　the　earth。　　Thou

hast　disenchanted　me　of　everything　that　is　not　of　thyself。　　Where

was　the　sin；　at　least；　to　think　of　thee；to　see　thee？　　Thy　kiss

still　glows　upon　my　hand；　is　that　hand　mine　to　bestow？　　Thy　kiss

claimed　and　hallowed　it　to　thyself。　　Stranger；　I　will　NOT　obey

thee。



。。。



〃Another　day；one　day　of　the　fatal　three　is　gone！　　It　is　strange

to　me　that　since　the　sleep　of　the　last　night；　a　deep　calm　has

settled　upon　my　breast。　　I　feel　so　assured　that　my　very　being　is

become　a　part　of　thee；　that　I　cannot　believe　that　my　life　can　be

separated　from　thine；　and　in　this　conviction　I　repose；　and　smile

even　at　thy　words　and　my　own　fears。　　Thou　art　fond　of　one　maxim；

which　thou　repeatest　in　a　thousand　forms；that　the　beauty　of　the

soul　is　faith；　that　as　ideal　loveliness　to　the　sculptor；　faith　is

to　the　heart；　that　faith；　rightly　understood；　extends　over　all

the　works　of　the　Creator；　whom　we　can　know　but　through　belief；

that　it　embraces　a　tranquil　confidence　in　ourselves；　and　a　serene

repose　as　to　our　future；　that　it　is　the　moonlight　that　sways　the

tides　of　the　human　sea。　　That　faith　I　comprehend　now。　　I　reject

all　doubt；　all　fear。　　I　know　that　I　have　inextricably　linked　the

whole　that　makes　the　inner　life　to　thee；　and　thou　canst　not　tear

me　from　thee；　if　thou　wouldst！　　And　this　change　from　struggle

into　calm　came　to　me　with　sleep；a　sleep　without　a　dream；　but

when　I　woke；　it　was　with　a　mysterious　sense　of　happiness；an

indistinct　memory　of　something　blessed；as　if　thou　hadst　cast

from　afar　off　a　smile　upon　my　slumber。　　At　night　I　was　so　sad；

not　a　blossom　that　had　not　closed　itself　up；　as　if　never　more　to

open　to　the　sun；　and　the　night　itself；　in　the　heart　as　on　the

earth；　has　ripened　the　blossoms　into　flowers。　　The　world　is

beautiful　once　more；　but　beautiful　in　repose；not　a　breeze　stirs

thy　tree；　not　a　doubt　my　soul！〃





CHAPTER　3。VI。



Tu　vegga　o　per　violenzia　o　per　inganno

Patire　o　disonore　o　mortal　danno。

〃Orlando　Furioso；〃　Cant。　xlii。　i。



（Thou　art　about；　either　through　violence　or　artifice；　to　suffer

either　dishonour　or　mortal　loss。）



It　was　a　small　cabinet；　the　walls　were　covered　with　pictures；　one

of　which　was　worth　more　than　the　whole　lineage　of　the　owner　of

the　palace。　　Oh；　yes！　Zanoni　was　right。　　The　painter　IS　a

magician；　the　gold　he　at　least　wrings　from　his　crucible　is　no

delusion。　　A　Venetian　noble　might　be　a　fribble；　or　an　assassin；

a　scoundrel；　or　a　dolt；　worthless；　or　worse　than　worthless；　yet

he　might　have　sat　to　Titian；　and　his　portrait　may　be

inestimable；a　few　inches　of　painted　canvas　a　thousand　times

more　valuable　than　a　man　with　his　veins　and　muscles；　brain；　will；

heart；　and　intellect！



In　this　cabinet　sat　a　man　of　about　three…and…forty；dark…eyed；

sallow；　with　short；　prominent　features；　a　massive　conformation　of

jaw；　and　thick；　sensual；　but　resolute　lips；　this　man　was　the

Prince　di　。　　His　form；　above　the　middle　height；　and　rather

inclined　to　corpulence；　was　clad　in　a　loose　dressing…robe　of　rich

brocade。　　On　a　table　before　him　lay　an　old…fashioned　sword　and

hat；　a　mask；　dice　and　dice…box；　a　portfolio；　and　an　inkstand　of

silver　curiously　carved。



〃Well；　Mascari；〃　said　the　prince；　looking　up　towards　his

parasite；　who　stood　by　the　embrasure　of　the　deep…set　barricadoed

window；〃well！　the　Cardinal　sleeps　with　his　fathers。　　I　require

comfort　for　the　loss　of　so　excellent　a　relation；　and　where　a　more

dulcet　voice　than　Viola　Pisani's？〃



〃Is　your　Excellency　serious？　　So　soon　after　the　death　of　his

Eminence？〃



〃It　will　be　the　less　talked　of；　and　I　the　less　suspected。　　Hast

thou　ascertained　the　name　of　the　insolent　who　baffled　us　that

night；　and　advised　the　Cardinal　the　next　day？〃



〃Not　yet。〃



〃Sapient　Mascari！　　I　will　inform　thee。　　It　was　the　strange

Unknown。〃



〃The　Signor　Zanoni！　　Are　you　sure；　my　prince？〃



〃Mascari；　yes。　　There　is　a　tone　in　that　man's　voice　that　I　never

can　mistake；　so　clear；　and　so　commanding；　when　I　hear　it　I　almost

fancy　there　is　such　a　thing　as　conscience。　　However；　we　must　rid

ourselves　of　an　impertinent。　　Mascari；　Signor　Zanoni　hath　not　yet

honoured　our　poor　house　with　his　presence。　　He　is　a　distinguished

stranger；we　must　give　a　banquet　in　his　honour。〃



〃Ah；　and　the　Cyprus　wine！　　The　cypress　is　a　proper　emblem　of　the

grave。〃



〃But　this　anon。　　I　am　superstitious；　there　are　strange　stories　of

Zanoni's　power　and　foresight；　remember　the　death　of　Ughelli。　　No

matter；　though　the　Fiend　were　his　ally；　he　should　not　rob　me　of

my　prize；　no；　nor　my　revenge。〃



〃Your　Excellency　is　infatuated；　the　actress　has　bewitched　you。〃



〃Mascari；〃　said　the　prince；　with　a　haughty　smile；　〃through　these

veins　rolls　the　blood　of　the　old　Viscontiof　those　who　boasted

that　no　woman　ever　escaped　their　lust；　and　no　man　their

resentment。　　The　crown　of　my　fathers　has　shrunk　into　a　gewgaw　and

a　toy；their　ambition　and　their　spirit　are　undecayed