zanoni-第45章
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brought in one view before the gaze of man! Glyndononce more
the enthusiast; the artistwas enchained and entranced by
emotions vague and undefinable; half of delight and half of pain。
Leaning on the shoulder of his friend; he gazed around him; and
heard with deepening awe the rumbling of the earth below; the
wheels and voices of the Ministry of Nature in her darkest and
most inscrutable recess。 Suddenly; as a bomb from a shell; a
huge stone was flung hundreds of yards up from the jaws of the
crater; and falling with a mighty crash upon the rock below;
split into ten thousand fragments; which bounded down the sides
of the mountain; sparkling and groaning as they went。 One of
these; the largest fragment; struck the narrow space of soil
between the Englishmen and the guide; not three feet from the
spot where the former stood。 Mervale uttered an exclamation of
terror; and Glyndon held his breath; and shuddered。
〃Diavolo!〃 cried the guide。 〃Descend; Excellencies;descend! we
have not a moment to lose; follow me close!〃
So saying; the guide and the peasant fled with as much swiftness
as they were able to bring to bear。 Mervale; ever more prompt
and ready than his friend; imitated their example; and Glyndon;
more confused than alarmed; followed close。 But they had not
gone many yards; before; with a rushing and sudden blast; came
from the crater an enormous volume of vapour。 It pursued;it
overtook; it overspread them。 It swept the light from the
heavens。 All was abrupt and utter darkness; and through the
gloom was heard the shout of the guide; already distant; and lost
in an instant amidst the sound of the rushing gust and the groans
of the earth beneath。 Glyndon paused。 He was separated from his
friend; from the guide。 He was alone;with the Darkness and the
Terror。 The vapour rolled sullenly away; the form of the plumed
fire was again dimly visible; and its struggling and perturbed
reflection again shed a glow over the horrors of the path。
Glyndon recovered himself; and sped onward。 Below; he heard the
voice of Mervale calling on him; though he no longer saw his
form。 The sound served as a guide。 Dizzy and breathless; he
bounded forward; whenhark!a sullen; slow rolling sounded in
his ear! He halted;and turned back to gaze。 The fire had
overflowed its course; it had opened itself a channel amidst the
furrows of the mountain。 The stream pursued him fastfast; and
the hot breath of the chasing and preternatural foe came closer
and closer upon his cheek! He turned aside; he climbed
desperately with hands and feet upon a crag that; to the right;
broke the scathed and blasted level of the soil。 The stream
rolled beside and beneath him; and then taking a sudden wind
round the spot on which he stood; interposed its liquid fire;a
broad and impassable barrier between his resting…place and
escape。 There he stood; cut off from descent; and with no
alternative but to retrace his steps towards the crater; and
thence seek; without guide or clew; some other pathway。
For a moment his courage left him; he cried in despair; and in
that overstrained pitch of voice which is never heard afar off;
to the guide; to Mervale; to return to aid him。
No answer came; and the Englishman; thus abandoned solely to his
own resources; felt his spirit and energy rise against the
danger。 He turned back; and ventured as far towards the crater
as the noxious exhalation would permit; then; gazing below;
carefully and deliberately he chalked out for himself a path by
which he trusted to shun the direction the fire…stream had taken;
and trod firmly and quickly over the crumbling and heated strata。
He had proceeded about fifty yards; when he halted abruptly; an
unspeakable and unaccountable horror; not hitherto experienced
amidst all his peril; came over him。 He shook in every limb; his
muscles refused his will;he felt; as it were; palsied and
death…stricken。 The horror; I say; was unaccountable; for the
path seemed clear and safe。 The fire; above and behind; burned
clear and far; and beyond; the stars lent him their cheering
guidance。 No obstacle was visible;no danger seemed at hand。
As thus; spell…bound; and panic…stricken; he stood chained to the
soil;his breast heaving; large drops rolling down his brow; and
his eyes starting wildly from their sockets;he saw before him;
at some distance; gradually shaping itself more and more
distinctly to his gaze; a colossal shadow; a shadow that seemed
partially borrowed from the human shape; but immeasurably above
the human stature; vague; dark; almost formless; and differing;
he could not tell where or why; not only from the proportions;
but also from the limbs and outline of man。
The glare of the volcano; that seemed to shrink and collapse from
this gigantic and appalling apparition; nevertheless threw its
light; redly and steadily; upon another shape that stood beside;
quiet and motionless; and it was; perhaps; the contrast of these
two thingsthe Being and the Shadowthat impressed the beholder
with the difference between them;the Man and the Superhuman。
It was but for a momentnay; for the tenth part of a moment
that this sight was permitted to the wanderer。 A second eddy of
sulphureous vapours from the volcano; yet more rapidly; yet more
densely than its predecessor; rolled over the mountain; and
either the nature of the exhalation; or the excess of his own
dread; was such; that Glyndon; after one wild gasp for breath;
fell senseless on the earth。
CHAPTER 3。XI。
Was hab'ich;
Wenn ich nicht Alles habe?sprach der Jungling。
〃Das Verschleierte Bild zu Sais。〃
(〃What have I; if I possess not All?〃 said the youth。)
Mervale and the Italians arrived in safety at the spot where they
had left the mules; and not till they had recovered their own
alarm and breath did they think of Glyndon。 But then; as the
minutes passed; and he appeared not; Mervale; whose heart was as
good at least as human hearts are in general; grew seriously
alarmed。 He insisted on returning to search for his friend; and
by dint of prodigal promises prevailed at last on the guide to
accompany him。 The lower part of the mountain lay calm and white
in the starlight; and the guide's practised eye could discern all
objects on the surface at a considerable distance。 They had not;
however; gone very far; before they perceived two forms slowly
approaching them。
As they came near; Mervale recognised the form of his friend。
〃Thank Heaven; he is safe!〃 he cried; turning to the guide。
〃Holy angels befriend us!〃 said the Italian; trembling;〃behold
the very being that crossed me last Friday night。 It is he; but
his face is human now!〃
〃Signor Inglese;〃 said the voice of Zanoni; as Glyndonpale;
wan; and silentreturned passively the joyous greeting of
Mervale;〃Signor Inglese; I told your friend that we should meet
to…night。 You see you have NOT foiled my prediction。〃
〃But how?but where?〃 stammered Mervale; in great confusion and
surprise。
〃I found your friend stretched on the ground; overpowered by the
mephitic exhalation of the crater。 I bore him to a purer
atmosphere; and as I know the mountain well; I have conducted him
safely to you。 This is all our history。 You see; sir; that were
it not for that prophecy which you desired to frustrate; your
friend would ere this time have been a corpse; one minute more;
and the vapour had done its work。 Adieu; goodnight; and pleasant
dreams。〃
〃But; my preserver; you will not leave us?〃 said Glyndon;
anxiously; and speaking for the first time。 〃Will you not return
with us?〃
Zanoni paused; and drew Glyndon aside。 〃Young man;〃 said he;
gravely; 〃it is necessary that we should again meet to…night。 It
is necessary that you should; ere the first hour of morning;
decide on your own fate。 I know that you have insulted her whom
you profess to love。 It is not too