zanoni-第55章

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one　of　that　mighty　few　over　whom　Zanoni　has　no　superiority　in

power　and　wisdom？〃



〃In　me；〃　answered　the　stranger；　〃you　see　one　from　whom　Zanoni

himself　learned　some　of　his　loftiest　secrets。　　On　these　shores；

on　this　spot；　have　I　stood　in　ages　that　your　chroniclers　but

feebly　reach。　　The　Phoenician；　the　Greek；　the　Oscan；　the　Roman；

the　Lombard；　I　have　seen　them　all！leaves　gay　and　glittering　on

the　trunk　of　the　universal　life；　scattered　in　due　season　and

again　renewed；　till；　indeed；　the　same　race　that　gave　its　glory　to

the　ancient　world　bestowed　a　second　youth　upon　the　new。　　For　the

pure　Greeks；　the　Hellenes；　whose　origin　has　bewildered　your

dreaming　scholars；　were　of　the　same　great　family　as　the　Norman

tribe；　born　to　be　the　lords　of　the　universe；　and　in　no　land　on

earth　destined　to　become　the　hewers　of　wood。　　Even　the　dim

traditions　of　the　learned；　which　bring　the　sons　of　Hellas　from

the　vast　and　undetermined　territories　of　Northern　Thrace；　to　be

the　victors　of　the　pastoral　Pelasgi；　and　the　founders　of　the　line

of　demi…gods；　which　assign　to　a　population　bronzed　beneath　the

suns　of　the　West；　the　blue…eyed　Minerva　and　the　yellow…haired

Achilles　（physical　characteristics　of　the　North）；　which

introduce；　amongst　a　pastoral　people；　warlike　aristocracies　and

limited　monarchies；　the　feudalism　of　the　classic　time；even

these　might　serve　you　to　trace　back　the　primeval　settlements　of

the　Hellenes　to　the　same　region　whence；　in　later　times；　the

Norman　warriors　broke　on　the　dull　and　savage　hordes　of　the　Celt；

and　became　the　Greeks　of　the　Christian　world。　　But　this　interests

you　not；　and　you　are　wise　in　your　indifference。　　Not　in　the

knowledge　of　things　without；　but　in　the　perfection　of　the　soul

within；　lies　the　empire　of　man　aspiring　to　be　more　than　man。〃



〃And　what　books　contain　that　science；　from　what　laboratory　is　it

wrought？〃



〃Nature　supplies　the　materials；　they　are　around　you　in　your　daily

walks。　　In　the　herbs　that　the　beast　devours　and　the　chemist

disdains　to　cull；　in　the　elements　from　which　matter　in　its

meanest　and　its　mightiest　shapes　is　deduced；　in　the　wide　bosom　of

the　air；　in　the　black　abysses　of　the　earth；　everywhere　are　given

to　mortals　the　resources　and　libraries　of　immortal　lore。　　But　as

the　simplest　problems　in　the　simplest　of　all　studies　are　obscure

to　one　who　braces　not　his　mind　to　their　comprehension；　as　the

rower　in　yonder　vessel　cannot　tell　you　why　two　circles　can　touch

each　other　only　in　one　point；so　though　all　earth　were　carved

over　and　inscribed　with　the　letters　of　diviner　knowledge；　the

characters　would　be　valueless　to　him　who　does　not　pause　to

inquire　the　language　and　meditate　the　truth。　　Young　man；　if　thy

imagination　is　vivid；　if　thy　heart　is　daring；　if　thy　curiosity　is

insatiate；　I　will　accept　thee　as　my　　pupil。　　But　the　first

lessons　are　stern　and　dread。〃



〃If　thou　hast　mastered　them；　why　not　I？〃　answered　Glyndon；

boldly。　　〃I　have　felt　from　my　boyhood　that　strange　mysteries　were

reserved　for　my　career；　and　from　the　proudest　ends　of　ordinary

ambition　I　have　carried　my　gaze　into　the　cloud　and　darkness　that

stretch　beyond。　　The　instant　I　beheld　Zanoni；　I　felt　as　if　I　had

discovered　the　guide　and　the　tutor　for　which　my　youth　had　idly

languished　and　vainly　burned。〃



〃And　to　me　his　duty　is　transferred；〃　replied　the　stranger。

〃Yonder　lies；　anchored　in　the　bay；　the　vessel　in　which　Zanoni

seeks　a　fairer　home；　a　little　while　and　the　breeze　will　rise；　the

sail　will　swell；　and　the　stranger　will　have　passed；　like　a　wind；

away。　　Still；　like　the　wind；　he　leaves　in　thy　heart　the　seeds

that　may　bear　the　blossom　and　the　fruit。　　Zanoni　hath　performed

his　task；he　is　wanted　no　more；　the　perfecter　of　his　work　is　at

thy　side。　　He　comes！　　I　hear　the　dash　of　the　oar。　　You　will　have

your　choice　submitted　to　you。　　According　as　you　decide　we　shall

meet　again。〃　　With　these　words　the　stranger　moved　slowly　away；

and　disappeared　beneath　the　shadow　of　the　cliffs。　　A　boat　glided

rapidly　across　the　waters：　　it　touched　land；　a　man　leaped　on

shore；　and　Glyndon　recognised　Zanoni。



〃I　give　thee；　Glyndon；I　give　thee　no　more　the　option　of　happy

love　and　serene　enjoyment。　　That　hour　is　past；　and　fate　has

linked　the　hand　that　might　have　been　thine　own　to　mine。　　But　I

have　ample　gifts　to　bestow　upon　thee；　if　thou　wilt　abandon　the

hope　that　gnaws　thy　heart；　and　the　realisation　of　which　even　_I_

have　not　the　power　to　foresee。　　Be　thine　ambition　human；　and　I

can　gratify　it　to　the　full。　　Men　desire　four　things　in　life；

love；　wealth；　fame；　power。　　The　first　I　cannot　give　thee；　the

rest　are　at　my　disposal。　　Select　which　of　them　thou　wilt；　and　let

us　part　in　peace。〃



〃Such　are　not　the　gifts　I　covet。　　I　choose　knowledge；　that

knowledge　must　be　thine　own。　　For　this；　and　for　this　alone；　I

surrendered　the　love　of　Viola；　this；　and　this　alone；　must　be　my

recompense。〃



〃I　cannot　gain　say　thee；　though　I　can　warn。　　The　desire　to　learn

does　not　always　contain　the　faculty　to　acquire。　　I　can　give　thee；

it　is　true；　the　teacher；the　rest　must　depend　on　thee。　　Be　wise

in　time；　and　take　that　which　I　can　assure　to　thee。〃



〃Answer　me　but　these　questions；　and　according　to　your　answer　I

will　decide。　　Is　it　in　the　power　of　man　to　attain　intercourse

with　the　beings　of　other　worlds？　　Is　it　in　the　power　of　man　to

influence　the　elements；　and　to　insure　life　against　the　sword　and

against　disease？〃



〃All　this　may　be　possible；〃　answered　Zanoni；　evasively；　〃to　the

few；　but　for　one　who　attains　such　secrets；　millions　may　perish　in

the　attempt。〃



〃One　question　more。　　Thou〃



〃Beware！　　Of　myself；　as　I　have　said　before；　I　render　no　account。〃



〃Well；　then；　the　stranger　I　have　met　this　night；are　his　boasts

to　be　believed？　　Is　he　in　truth　one　of　the　chosen　seers　whom　you

allow　to　have　mastered　the　mysteries　I　yearn　to　fathom？〃



〃Rash　man；〃　said　Zanoni；　in　a　tone　of　compassion；　〃thy　crisis　is

past；　and　thy　choice　made！　　I　can　only　bid　thee　be　bold　and

prosper；　yes；　I　resign　thee　to　a　master　who　HAS　the　power　and　the

will　to　open　to　thee　the　gates　of　an　awful　world。　　Thy　weal　or

woe　are　as　nought　in　the　eyes　of　his　relentless　wisdom。　　I　would

bid　him　spare　thee；　but　he　will　heed　me　not。　　Mejnour；　receive

thy　pupil！〃　　Glyndon　turned；　and　his　heart　beat　when　he　perceived

that　the　stranger；　whose　footsteps　he　had　not　heard　upon　the

pebbles；　whose　approach　he　had　not　beheld　in　the　moonlight；　was

once　more　by　his　side。



〃Farewell；〃　resumed　Zanoni；　〃thy　trial　commences。　　When　next　we

meet；　thou　wilt　be　the　victim　or　the　victor。〃



Glyndon's　eyes　followed　the　receding　form　of　the　mysterious

stranger。　　He　saw　him　enter　the　boat；　and　he　then　for　the　first

time　noticed　that　besides　the　rowers　there　was　a　female；　who

stood　up　as　Zanoni　gained　the　boat。　　Even　at　the　distance　he

recognised　the　once…adored　form　of　Viola。　　She　waved　her　hand　to

him；　and　across　the　still　and　shining　air　came　her　voice；

mournfully　and　sweetly；　in　her　mother's　tongue；　〃Farewell；

Clarence；I　forgive　thee！farewell；　farewell！〃



He　strove　to　answer；　but　the　voice　touched　a　chord　at　his　heart；

and　the　words　failed　him。　　Viola　was　then　lost　forever；　gone　with

this　dread　stranger；　darkness　was　round　her　lot！　　And　he　himself

had　decided　her　fate　and　his　own！　　The　boat　bounded　on；　the　soft

waves　flashed　and　sparkled　beneath　the　oars；　and　it　was　along　one

sapphire　track　of　moonlight　that　the　frail　vessel　bore　away　the

lovers。　　Farther　and　farther　from　his　gaze　sped　the　boat；　till　at

last　the　speck；　scarcely　visible；　touched　the　side　of　the　ship

that　lay　lifeless　in　the　glorious　bay。　　At　that　instant；　as　if　by

magic；　up　sprang；　with　a　glad　murmur；　the　playful　and　freshening

wind：　　and　Glyndon　turned　to　Mejnour　and　broke　the　silence。



〃Tell　meif　thou　canst　read　the　futuretell　me　that　HER　lot

will　be　fair；　and　that　HER　choice　at　least　is　wise？〃



〃My　pupil！〃　answered　Mejnour；　in　a　voice　the　calmness　of　which

well　a