zanoni-第50章

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manuscript　parts　in　the　favourite　operas。　　He　paused；　and；

summoning　courage；　tapped　at　the　door　which　seemed　to　lead　into

the　inner　apartment。　　The　door　was　ajar；　and；　hearing　no　sound

within；　he　pushed　it　open。　　It　was　the　sleeping…chamber　of　the

young　actress；　that　holiest　ground　to　a　lover；　and　well　did　the

place　become　the　presiding　deity：　　none　of　the　tawdry　finery　of

the　profession　was　visible；　on　the　one　hand；　none　of　the　slovenly

disorder　common　to　the　humbler　classes　of　the　South；　on　the

other。　　All　was　pure　and　simple；　even　the　ornaments　were　those　of

an　innocent　refinement；a　few　books；　placed　carefully　on

shelves；　a　few　half…faded　flowers　in　an　earthen　vase；　which　was

modelled　and　painted　in　the　Etruscan　fashion。　　The　sunlight

streamed　over　the　snowy　draperies　of　the　bed；　and　a　few　articles

of　clothing　on　the　chair　beside　it。　　Viola　was　not　there；　but　the

nurse！was　she　gone　also？　　He　made　the　house　resound　with　the

name　of　Gionetta；　but　there　was　not　even　an　echo　to　reply。　　At

last；　as　he　reluctantly　quitted　the　desolate　abode；　he　perceived

Gionetta　coming　towards　him　from　the　street。



The　poor　old　woman　uttered　an　exclamation　of　joy　on　seeing　him；

but；　to　their　mutual　disappointment；　neither　had　any　cheerful

tidings　or　satisfactory　explanation　to　afford　the　other。

Gionetta　had　been　aroused　from　her　slumber　the　night　before　by

the　noise　in　the　rooms　below；　but　ere　she　could　muster　courage　to

descend；　Viola　was　gone！　　She　found　the　marks　of　violence　on　the

door　without；　and　all　she　had　since　been　able　to　learn　in　the

neighbourhood　was；　that　a　Lazzarone；　from　his　nocturnal　resting…

place　on　the　Chiaja；　had　seen　by　the　moonlight　a　carriage；　which

he　recognised　as　belonging　to　the　Prince　di　；　pass　and　repass

that　road　about　the　first　hour　of　morning。　　Glyndon；　on　gathering

from　the　confused　words　and　broken　sobs　of　the　old　nurse　the

heads　of　this　account；　abruptly　left　her；　and　repaired　to　the

palace　of　Zanoni。　There　he　was　informed　that　the　signor　was　gone

to　the　banquet　of　the　Prince　di　；　and　would　not　return　till

late。　　Glyndon　stood　motionless　with　perplexity　and　dismay；　he

knew　not　what　to　believe；　or　how　to　act。　　Even　Mervale　was　not　at

hand　to　advise　him。　　His　conscience　smote　him　bitterly。　　He　had

had　the　power　to　save　the　woman　he　had　loved；　and　had　foregone

that　power；　but　how　was　it　that　in　this　Zanoni　himself　had

failed？　　How　was　it　that　he　was　gone　to　the　very　banquet　of　the

ravisher？　　Could　Zanoni　be　aware　of　what　had　passed？　　If　not；

should　he　lose　a　moment　in　apprising　him？　　Though　mentally

irresolute；　no　man　was　more　physically　brave。　　He　would　repair　at

once　to　the　palace　of　the　prince　himself；　and　if　Zanoni　failed　in

the　trust　he　had　half…appeared　to　arrogate；　he；　the　humble

foreigner；　would　demand　the　captive　of　fraud　and　force；　in　the

very　halls　and　before　the　assembled　guests　of　the　Prince　di　。





CHAPTER　3。XVI。



Ardua　vallatur　duris　sapientia　scrupis。

Hadr。　Jun。；　〃Emblem。〃　xxxvii。



（Lofty　wisdom　is　circled　round　with　rugged　rocks。）



We　must　go　back　some　hours　in　the　progress　of　this　narrative。　　It

was　the　first　faint　and　gradual　break　of　the　summer　dawn；　and　two

men　stood　in　a　balcony　overhanging　a　garden　fragrant　with　the

scents　of　the　awakening　flowers。　　The　stars　had　not　yet　left　the

sky；the　birds　were　yet　silent　on　the　boughs：　　all　was　still；

hushed；　and　tranquil；　but　how　different　the　tranquillity　of

reviving　day　from　the　solemn　repose　of　night！　　In　the　music　of

silence　there　are　a　thousand　variations。　　These　men；　who　alone

seemed　awake　in　Naples；　were　Zanoni　and　the　mysterious　stranger

who　had　but　an　hour　or　two　ago　startled　the　Prince　di　　in　his

voluptuous　palace。



〃No；〃　said　the　latter；　〃hadst　thou　delayed　the　acceptance　of　the

Arch…gift　until　thou　hadst　attained　to　the　years；　and　passed

through　all　the　desolate　bereavements　that　chilled　and　seared

myself　ere　my　researches　had　made　it　mine；　thou　wouldst　have

escaped　the　curse　of　which　thou　complainest　now；thou　wouldst

not　have　mourned　over　the　brevity　of　human　affection　as　compared

to　the　duration　of　thine　own　existence；　for　thou　wouldst　have

survived　the　very　desire　and　dream　of　the　love　of　woman。

Brightest；　and；　but　for　that　error；　perhaps　the　loftiest；　of　the

secret　and　solemn　race　that　fills　up　the　interval　in　creation

between　mankind　and　the　children　of　the　Empyreal；　age　after　age

wilt　thou　rue　the　splendid　folly　which　made　thee　ask　to　carry　the

beauty　and　the　passions　of　youth　into　the　dreary　grandeur　of

earthly　immortality。〃



〃I　do　not　repent；　nor　shall　I；〃　answered　Zanoni。　　〃The　transport

and　the　sorrow；　so　wildly　blended；　which　have　at　intervals

diversified　my　doom；　are　better　than　the　calm　and　bloodless　tenor

of　thy　solitary　waythou；　who　lovest　nothing；　hatest　nothing；

feelest　nothing；　and　walkest　the　world　with　the　noiseless　and

joyless　footsteps　of　a　dream！〃



〃You　mistake；〃　replied　he　who　had　owned　the　name　of　Mejnour；

〃though　I　care　not　for　love；　and　am　dead　to　every　PASSION　that

agitates　the　sons　of　clay；　I　am　not　dead　to　their　more　serene

enjoyments。　　I　carry　down　the　stream　of　the　countless　years；　not

the　turbulent　desires　of　youth；　but　the　calm　and　spiritual

delights　of　age。　　Wisely　and　deliberately　I　abandoned　youth

forever　when　I　separated　my　lot　from　men。　　Let　us　not　envy　or

reproach　each　other。　　I　would　have　saved　this　Neapolitan；　Zanoni

（since　so　it　now　pleases　thee　to　be　called）；　partly　because　his

grandsire　was　but　divided　by　the　last　airy　barrier　from　our　own

brotherhood；　partly　because　I　know　that　in　the　man　himself　lurk

the　elements　of　ancestral　courage　and　power；　which　in　earlier

life　would　have　fitted　him　for　one　of　us。　　Earth　holds　but　few　to

whom　Nature　has　given　the　qualities　that　can　bear　the　ordeal。

But　time　and　excess；　that　have　quickened　his　grosser　senses；　have

blunted　his　imagination。　　I　relinquish　him　to　his　doom。〃



〃And　still；　then；　Mejnour；　you　cherish　the　desire　to　revive　our

order；　limited　now　to　ourselves　alone；　by　new　converts　and

allies。　　Surelysurelythy　experience　might　have　taught　thee；

that　scarcely　once　in　a　thousand　years　is　born　the　being　who　can

pass　through　the　horrible　gates　that　lead　into　the　worlds

without！　　Is　not　thy　path　already　strewed　with　thy　victims？　　Do

not　their　ghastly　faces　of　agony　and　fearthe　blood…stained

suicide；　the　raving　maniacrise　before　thee；　and　warn　what　is

yet　left　to　thee　of　human　sympathy　from　thy　insane　ambition？〃



〃Nay；〃　answered　Mejnour；　〃have　I　not　had　success　to

counterbalance　failure？　　And　can　I　forego　this　lofty　and　august

hope；　worthy　alone　of　our　high　condition；the　hope　to　form　a

mighty　and　numerous　race　with　a　force　and　power　sufficient　to

permit　them　to　acknowledge　to　mankind　their　majestic　conquests

and　dominion；　to　become　the　true　lords　of　this　planet；　invaders；

perchance；　of　others；　masters　of　the　inimical　and　malignant

tribes　by　which　at　this　moment　we　are　surrounded：　　a　race　that

may　proceed；　in　their　deathless　destinies；　from　stage　to　stage　of

celestial　glory；　and　rank　at　last　amongst　the　nearest　ministrants

and　agents　gathered　round　the　Throne　of　Thrones？　　What　matter　a

thousand　victims　for　one　convert　to　our　band？　　And　you；　Zanoni；〃

continued　Mejnour；　after　a　pause；〃you；　even　you；　should　this

affection　for　a　mortal　beauty　that　you　have　dared；　despite

yourself；　to　cherish；　be　more　than　a　passing　fancy；　should　it；

once　admitted　into　your　inmost　nature；　partake　of　its　bright　and

enduring　essence；even　you　may　brave　all　things　to　raise　the

beloved　one　into　your　equal。　　Nay；　interrupt　me　not。　　Can　you　see

sickness　menace　her；　danger　hover　around；　years　creep　on；　the

eyes　grow　dim；　the　beauty　fade；　while　the　heart；　youthful　still；

clings　and　fastens　round　your　own；can　you　see　this；　and　know　it

is　yours　to〃



〃Cease！〃　cried　Zanoni；　fiercely。　　〃What　is　all　other　fate　as

compared　to　the　death　of　terror？　　What；　when　the　coldest　sage；

the　mo