zanoni-第47章

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〃Romeo　and　Juliet。〃



The　young　actress　and　Gionetta　had　returned　from　the　theatre；　and

Viola　fatigued　and　exhausted；　had　thrown　herself　on　a　sofa；　while

Gionetta　busied　herself　with　the　long　tresses　which；　released

from　the　fillet　that　bound　them；　half…concealed　the　form　of　the

actress；　like　a　veil　of　threads　of　gold。　　As　she　smoothed　the

luxuriant　locks；　the　old　nurse　ran　gossiping　on　about　the　little

events　of　the　night；　the　scandal　and　politics　of　the　scenes　and

the　tireroom。　　Gionetta　was　a　worthy　soul。　　Almanzor；　in　Dryden's

tragedy　of　〃Almahide；〃　did　not　change　sides　with　more　gallant

indifference　than　the　exemplary　nurse。　　She　was　at　last　grieved

and　scandalised　that　Viola　had　not　selected　one　chosen　cavalier。

But　the　choice　she　left　wholly　to　her　fair　charge。　　Zegri　or

Abencerrage；　Glyndon　or　Zanoni；　it　had　been　the　same　to　her；

except　that　the　rumours　she　had　collected　respecting　the　latter；

combined　with　his　own　recommendations　of　his　rival；　had　given　her

preference　to　the　Englishman。　　She　interpreted　ill　the　impatient

and　heavy　sigh　with　which　Viola　greeted　her　praises　of　Glyndon；

and　her　wonder　that　he　had　of　late　so　neglected　his　attentions

behind　the　scenes；　and　she　exhausted　all　her　powers　of　panegyric

upon　the　supposed　object　of　the　sigh。　　〃And　then；　too；〃　she　said；

〃if　nothing　else　were　to　be　said　against　the　other　signor；　it　is

enough　that　he　is　about　to　leave　Naples。〃



〃Leave　Naples！Zanoni？〃



〃Yes；　darling！　　In　passing　by　the　Mole　to…day；　there　was　a　crowd

round　some　outlandish…looking　sailors。　　His　ship　arrived　this

morning；　and　anchors　in　the　bay。　　The　sailors　say　that　they　are

to　be　prepared　to　sail　with　the　first　wind；　they　were　taking　in

fresh　stores。　　They〃



〃Leave　me；　Gionetta！　　Leave　me！〃



The　time　had　already　passed　when　the　girl　could　confide　in

Gionetta。　　Her　thoughts　had　advanced　to　that　point　when　the　heart

recoils　from　all　confidence；　and　feels　that　it　cannot　be

comprehended。　　Alone　now；　in　the　principal　apartment　of　the

house；　she　paced　its　narrow　boundaries　with　tremulous　and

agitated　steps：　　she　recalled　the　frightful　suit　of　Nicot；the

injurious　taunt　of　Glyndon；　and　she　sickened　at　the　remembrance

of　the　hollow　applauses　which；　bestowed　on　the　actress；　not　the

woman；　only　subjected　her　to　contumely　and　insult。　　In　that　room

the　recollection　of　her　father's　death；　the　withered　laurel　and

the　broken　chords；　rose　chillingly　before　her。　　Hers；　she　felt；

was　a　yet　gloomier　fate；the　chords　may　break　while　the　laurel

is　yet　green。　　The　lamp；　waning　in　its　socket；　burned　pale　and

dim；　and　her　eyes　instinctively　turned　from　the　darker　corner　of

the　room。　　Orphan；　by　the　hearth　of　thy　parent；　dost　thou　fear

the　presence　of　the　dead！



And　was　Zanoni　indeed　about　to　quit　Naples？　　Should　she　see　him

no　more？　　Oh；　fool；　to　think　that　there　was　grief　in　any　other

thought！　　The　past！that　was　gone！　　The　future！there　was　no

future　to　her；　Zanoni　absent！　　But　this　was　the　night　of　the

third　day　on　which　Zanoni　had　told　her　that；　come　what　might；　he

would　visit　her　again。　　It　was；　then；　if　she　might　believe　him；

some　appointed　crisis　in　her　fate；　and　how　should　she　tell　him　of

Glyndon's　hateful　words？　　The　pure　and　the　proud　mind　can　never

confide　its　wrongs　to　another；　only　its　triumphs　and　its

happiness。　　But　at　that　late　hour　would　Zanoni　visit　her；could

she　receive　him？　　Midnight　was　at　hand。　　Still　in　undefined

suspense；　in　intense　anxiety；　she　lingered　in　the　room。　　The

quarter　before　midnight　sounded；　dull　and　distant。　　All　was

still；　and　she　was　about　to　pass　to　her　sleeping…room；　when　she

heard　the　hoofs　of　a　horse　at　full　speed；　the　sound　ceased；　there

was　a　knock　at　the　door。　　Her　heart　beat　violently；　but　fear　gave

way　to　another　sentiment　when　she　heard　a　voice；　too　well　known；

calling　on　her　name。　　She　paused；　and　then；　with　the　fearlessness

of　innocence；　descended　and　unbarred　the　door。



Zanoni　entered　with　a　light　and　hasty　step。　　His　horseman's　cloak

fitted　tightly　to　his　noble　form；　and　his　broad　hat　threw　a

gloomy　shade　over　his　commanding　features。



The　girl　followed　him　into　the　room　she　had　just　left；　trembling

and　blushing　deeply；　and　stood　before　him　with　the　lamp　she　held

shining　upward　on　her　cheek　and　the　long　hair　that　fell　like　a

shower　of　light　over　the　half…clad　shoulders　and　heaving　bust。



〃Viola；〃　said　Zanoni；　in　a　voice　that　spoke　deep　emotion；　〃I　am

by　thy　side　once　more　to　save　thee。　　Not　a　moment　is　to　be　lost。

Thou　must　fly　with　me；　or　remain　the　victim　of　the　Prince　di　。

I　would　have　made　the　charge　I　now　undertake　another's；　thou

knowest　I　would；thou　knowest　it！but　he　is　not　worthy　of　thee；

the　cold　Englishman！　　I　throw　myself　at　thy　feet；　have　trust　in

me；　and　fly。〃



He　grasped　her　hand　passionately　as　he　dropped　on　his　knee；　and

looked　up　into　her　face　with　his　bright；　beseeching　eyes。



〃Fly　with　thee！〃　said　Viola；　scarce　believing　her　senses。



〃With　me。　　Name；　fame；　honour；all　will　be　sacrificed　if　thou

dost　not。〃



〃Thenthen；〃　said　the　wild　girl；　falteringly；　and　turning　aside

her　face；〃then　I　am　not　indifferent　to　thee；　thou　wouldst　not

give　me　to　another？〃



Zanoni　was　silent；　but　his　breast　heaved；　his　cheeks　flushed；　his

eyes　darted　dark　and　impassioned　fire。



〃Speak！〃　exclaimed　Viola；　in　jealous　suspicion　of　his　silence。



〃Indifferent　to　me！　　No；　but　I　dare　not　yet　say　that　I　love

thee。〃



〃Then　what　matters　my　fate？〃　said　Viola；　turning　pale；　and

shrinking　from　his　side；　〃leave　me；I　fear　no　danger。　　My　life；

and　therefore　my　honour；　is　in　mine　own　hands。〃



〃Be　not　so　mad；〃　said　Zanoni。　　〃Hark！　do　you　hear　the　neigh　of　my

steed？it　is　an　alarm　that　warns　us　of　the　approaching　peril。

Haste；　or　you　are　lost！〃



〃Why　dost　thou　care　for　me？〃　said　the　girl；　bitterly。　　〃Thou　hast

read　my　heart；　thou　knowest　that　thou　art　become　the　lord　of　my

destiny。　　But　to　be　bound　beneath　the　weight　of　a　cold

obligation；　to　be　the　beggar　on　the　eyes　of　indifference；　to　cast

myself　on　one　who　loves　me　not；THAT　were　indeed　the　vilest　sin

of　my　sex。　　Ah；　Zanoni；　rather　let　me　die！〃



She　had　thrown　back　her　clustering　hair　from　her　face　while　she

spoke；　and　as　she　now　stood；　with　her　arms　drooping　mournfully；

and　her　hands　clasped　together　with　the　proud　bitterness　of　her

wayward　spirit；　giving　new　zest　and　charm　to　her　singular　beauty；

it　was　impossible　to　conceive　a　sight　more　irresistible　to　the

eye　and　the　heart。



〃Tempt　me　not　to　thine　own　danger；perhaps　destruction！〃

exclaimed　Zanoni；　in　faltering　accents。　　〃Thou　canst　not　dream　of

what　thou　wouldst　demand；come！〃　and；　advancing；　he　wound　his

arm　round　her　waist。　　〃Come；　Viola；　believe　at　least　in　my

friendship；　my　honour；　my　protection〃



〃And　not　thy　love；〃　said　the　Italian；　turning　on　him　her

reproachful　eyes。　　Those　eyes　met　his；　and　he　could　not　withdraw

from　the　charm　of　their　gaze。　　He　felt　her　heart　throbbing

beneath　his　own；　her　breath　came　warm　upon　his　cheek。　　He

trembled；HE！　the　lofty；　the　mysterious　Zanoni；　who　seemed　to

stand　aloof　from　his　race。　　With　a　deep　and　burning　sigh；　he

murmured；　〃Viola；　I　love　thee！　　Oh！〃　he　continued　passionately；

and；　releasing　his　hold；　he　threw　himself　abruptly　at　her　feet；

〃I　no　more　command；as　woman　should　be　wooed；　I　woo　thee。　　From

the　first　glance　of　those　eyes；　from　the　first　sound　of　thy

voice；　thou　becamest　too　fatally　dear　to　me。　　Thou　speakest　of

fascination；it　lives　and　it　breathes　in　thee！　　I　fled　from

Naples　to　fly　from　thy　presence；it　pursued　me。　　Months；　years

passed；　and　thy　sweet　face　still　shone　upon　my　heart。　　I

returned；　because　I　pictured　thee　alone　and　sorrowful　in　the

world；　and　knew　that　dangers；　from　which　I　might　save　thee；　were

gathering　near　thee　and　around。　　Beautiful　Soul！　whose　leaves　I

have　read　with　reverence；　it　was　for　thy　sake；　thine　alone；　that

I　would　have　given　thee　to　one　who　might　make　thee　happier　o