zanoni-第51章

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

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

the　most　heated　enthusiast；　the　hardiest　warrior　with　his　nerves

of　iron；　have　been　found　dead　in　their　beds；　with　straining

eyeballs　and　horrent　hair；　at　the　first　step　of　the　Dread

Progress；thinkest　thou　that　this　weak　womanfrom　whose　cheek　a

sound　at　the　window；　the　screech　of　the　night…owl；　the　sight　of　a

drop　of　blood　on　a　man's　sword；　would　start　the　colourcould

brave　one　glance　ofAway！　the　very　thought　of　such　sights　for

her　makes　even　myself　a　coward！〃



〃When　you　told　her　you　loved　her；when　you　clasped　her　to　your

breast；　you　renounced　all　power　to　foresee　her　future　lot；　or

protect　her　from　harm。　　Henceforth　to　her　you　are　human；　and

human　only。　　How　know　you；　then；　to　what　you　may　be　tempted；　how

know　you　what　her　curiosity　may　learn　and　her　courage　brave？　　But

enough　of　this；you　are　bent　on　your　pursuit？〃



〃The　fiat　has　gone　forth。〃



〃And　to…morrow？〃



〃To…morrow；　at　this　hour；　our　bark　will　be　bounding　over　yonder

ocean；　and　the　weight　of　ages　will　have　fallen　from　my　heart！　　I

compassionate　thee；　O　foolish　sage；THOU　hast　given　up　THY

youth！〃





CHAPTER　3。XVII。



Alch：　　Thou　always　speakest　riddles。　　Tell　me　if　thou　art　that

fountain　of　which　Bernard　Lord　Trevizan　writ？



Merc：　　I　am　not　that　fountain；　but　I　am　the　water。　　The　fountain

compasseth　me　about。



Sandivogius；　〃New　Light　of　Alchymy。〃



The　Prince　di　　was　not　a　man　whom　Naples　could　suppose　to　be

addicted　to　superstitious　fancies。　　Still；　in　the　South　of　Italy；

there　was　then；　and　there　still　lingers　a　certain　spirit　of

credulity；　which　may；　ever　and　anon；　be　visible　amidst　the

boldest　dogmas　of　their　philosophers　and　sceptics。　　In　his

childhood；　the　prince　had　learned　strange　tales　of　the　ambition；

the　genius；　and　the　career　of　his　grandsire；and　secretly；

perhaps　influenced　by　ancestral　example；　in　earlier　youth　he

himself　had　followed　science；　not　only　through　her　legitimate

course；　but　her　antiquated　and　erratic　windings。　　I　have；　indeed；

been　shown　in　Naples　a　little　volume；　blazoned　with　the　arms　of

the　Visconti；　and　ascribed　to　the　nobleman　I　refer　to；　which

treats　of　alchemy　in　a　spirit　half…mocking　and　half…reverential。



Pleasure　soon　distracted　him　from　such　speculations；　and　his

talents；　which　were　unquestionably　great；　were　wholly　perverted

to　extravagant　intrigues；　or　to　the　embellishment　of　a　gorgeous

ostentation　with　something　of　classic　grace。　　His　immense　wealth；

his　imperious　pride；　his　unscrupulous　and　daring　character；　made

him　an　object　of　no　inconsiderable　fear　to　a　feeble　and　timid

court；　and　the　ministers　of　the　indolent　government　willingly

connived　at　excesses　which　allured　him　at　least　from　ambition。

The　strange　visit　and　yet　more　strange　departure　of　Mejnour

filled　the　breast　of　the　Neapolitan　with　awe　and　wonder；　against

which　all　the　haughty　arrogance　and　learned　scepticism　of　his

maturer　manhood　combated　in　vain。　　The　apparition　of　Mejnour

served；　indeed；　to　invest　Zanoni　with　a　character　in　which　the

prince　had　not　hitherto　regarded　him。　　He　felt　a　strange　alarm　at

the　rival　he　had　braved；at　the　foe　he　had　provoked。　　When；　a

little　before　his　banquet；　he　had　resumed　his　self…possession；　it

was　with　a　fell　and　gloomy　resolution　that　he　brooded　over　the

perfidious　schemes　he　had　previously　formed。　　He　felt　as　if　the

death　of　the　mysterious　Zanoni　were　necessary　for　the

preservation　of　his　own　life；　and　if　at　an　earlier　period　of

their　rivalry　he　had　determined　on　the　fate　of　Zanoni；　the

warnings　of　Mejnour　only　served　to　confirm　his　resolve。



〃We　will　try　if　his　magic　can　invent　an　antidote　to　the　bane；〃

said　he；　half…aloud；　and　with　a　stern　smile；　as　he　summoned

Mascari　to　his　presence。　　The　poison　which　the　prince；　with　his

own　hands；　mixed　into　the　wine　intended　for　his　guest；　was

compounded　from　materials；　the　secret　of　which　had　been　one　of

the　proudest　heir…looms　of　that　able　and　evil　race　which　gave　to

Italy　her　wisest　and　guiltiest　tyrants。　　Its　operation　was　quick

yet　not　sudden：　　it　produced　no　pain；it　left　on　the　form　no

grim　convulsion；　on　the　skin　no　purpling　spot；　to　arouse

suspicion；　you　might　have　cut　and　carved　every　membrane　and　fibre

of　the　corpse；　but　the　sharpest　eyes　of　the　leech　would　not　have

detected　the　presence　of　the　subtle　life…queller。　　For　twelve

hours　the　victim　felt　nothing　save　a　joyous　and　elated

exhilaration　of　the　blood；　a　delicious　languor　followed；　the　sure

forerunner　of　apoplexy。　　No　lancet　then　could　save！　　Apoplexy　had

run　much　in　the　families　of　the　enemies　of　the　Visconti！



The　hour　of　the　feast　arrived；the　guests　assembled。　　There　were

the　flower　of　the　Neapolitan　seignorie；　the　descendants　of　the

Norman；　the　Teuton；　the　Goth；　for　Naples　had　then　a　nobility；　but

derived　it　from　the　North；　which　has　indeed　been　the　Nutrix

Leonum；the　nurse　of　the　lion…hearted　chivalry　of　the　world。



Last　of　the　guests　came　Zanoni；　and　the　crowd　gave　way　as　the

dazzling　foreigner　moved　along　to　the　lord　of　the　palace。　　The

prince　greeted　him　with　a　meaning　smile；　to　which　Zanoni　answered

by　a　whisper；　〃He　who　plays　with　loaded　dice　does　not　always

win。〃



The　prince　bit　his　lip；　and　Zanoni；　passing　on；　seemed　deep　in

conversation　with　the　fawning　Mascari。



〃Who　is　the　prince's　heir？〃　asked　the　guest。



〃A　distant　relation　on　the　mother's　side；　with　his　Excellency

dies　the　male　line。〃



〃Is　the　heir　present　at　our　host's　banquet？〃



〃No；　they　are　not　friends。〃



〃No　matter；　he　will　be　here　to…morrow。〃



Mascari　stared　in　surprise；　but　the　signal　for　the　banquet　was

given；　and　the　guests　were　marshalled　to　the　board。　　As　was　the

custom　then；　the　feast　took　place　not　long　after　mid…day。　　It　was

a　long；　oval　hall；　the　whole　of　one　side　opening　by　a　marble

colonnade　upon　a　court　or　garden；　in　which　the　eye　rested

gratefully　upon　cool　fountains　and　statues　of　whitest　marble；

half…sheltered　by　orange…trees。　　Every　art　that　luxury　could

invent　to　give　freshness　and　coolness　to　the　languid　and

breezeless　heat　of　the　day　without　（a　day　on　which　the　breath　of

the　sirocco　was　abroad）　had　been　called　into　existence。

Artificial　currents　of　air　through　invisible　tubes；　silken　blinds

waving　to　and　fro；　as　if　to　cheat　the　senses　into　the　belief　of

an　April　wind；　and　miniature　jets　d'eau　in　each　corner　of　the

apartment；　gave　to　the　Italians　the　same　sense　of　exhilaration

and　COMFORT　（if　I　may　use　the　word）　which　the　well…drawn　curtains

and　the　blazing　hearth　afford　to　the　children　of　colder　climes。



The　conversation　was　somewhat　more　lively　and　intellectual　than

is　common　amongst　the　languid　pleasure…hunters　of　the　South；　for

the　prince；　himself　accomplished；　sought　his　acquaintance　not

only　amongst　the　beaux　esprits　of　his　own　country；　but　amongst

the　gay　foreigners　who　adorned　and　relieved　the　monotony　of　the

Neapolitan　circles。　　There　were　present　two　or　three　of　the

brilliant　Frenchmen　of　the　old　regime；　who　had　already　emigrated

from　the　advancing　Revolution；　and　their　peculiar　turn　of　thought

and　wit　was　well　calculated　for　the　meridian　of　a　society　that

made　the　dolce　far　niente　at　once　its　philosophy　and　its　faith。

The　prince；　however；　was　more　silent　than　usual；　and　when　he

sought　to　rouse　himself；　his　spirits　were　forced　and　exaggerated。

To　the　manners　of　his　host；　those　of　Zanoni　afforded　a　striking

contrast。　　The　bearing　of　this　singular　person　was　at　all　times

characterised　by　a　calm　and　polished　ease；　which　was　attributed

by　the　courtiers　to　the　long　habit　of　society。　　He　could　scarcely

be　called　gay；　yet　few　persons　more　tended　to　animate　the　general

spirits　of　a　convivial　circle。　　He　seemed；　by　a　kind　of

intuition；　to　elicit　from　each　companion　the　qualities　in　which

he　most　excelled；　and　if　occasionally　a　certain　tone　of　latent

mockery　cha