zanoni-第66章

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Paolo　foots　it　bravely！　　Diavolo；　what　fury！　the　Tarantula　has

stung　them　all。　　Dance　or　die；　it　is　fury；the　Corybantes；　the

Maenads；　theHo；　ho！　more　wine！　the　Sabbat　of　the　Witches　at

Benevento　is　a　joke　to　this！　　From　cloud　to　cloud　wanders　the

moon；now　shining；　now　lost。　　Dimness　while　the　maiden　blushes；

light　when　the　maiden　smiles。



〃Fillide；　thou　art　an　enchantress！〃



〃Buona　notte；　Excellency；　you　will　see　me　again！〃



〃Ah；　young　man；〃　said　an　old；　decrepit；　hollow…eyed　octogenarian；

leaning　on　his　staff；　〃make　the　best　of　your　youth。　　I；　too；　once

had　a　Fillide！　　I　was　handsomer　than　you　then！　　Alas！　if　we　could

be　always　young！〃



〃Always　young！〃　Glyndon　started；　as　he　turned　his　gaze　from　the

fresh；　fair；　rosy　face　of　the　girl；　and　saw　the　eyes　dropping

rheum；　the　yellow　wrinkled　skin；　the　tottering　frame　of　the　old

man。



〃Ha；　ha！〃　said　the　decrepit　creature；　hobbling　near　to　him；　and

with　a　malicious　laugh。　　〃Yet　I；　too；　was　young　once！　　Give　me　a

baioccho　for　a　glass　of　aqua　vitae！〃



Tara；　rara；　ra…rara；　tara；　rara…ra！　　There　dances　Youth！　　Wrap

thy　rags　round　thee；　and　totter　off；　Old　Age！





CHAPTER　4。VI。



Whilest　Calidore　does　follow　that　faire　mayd；

Unmindful　of　his　vow　and　high　beheast

Which　by　the　Faerie　Queene　was　on　him　layd。

Spenser；　〃Faerie　Queene；〃　cant。　x。　s。　1。



It　was　that　grey；　indistinct；　struggling　interval　between　the

night　and　the　dawn；　when　Clarence　stood　once　more　in　his　chamber。

The　abstruse　calculations　lying　on　his　table　caught　his　eye；　and

filled　him　with　a　sentiment　of　weariness　and　distaste。　　But

〃Alas；　if　we　could　be　always　young！　　Oh；　thou　horrid　spectre　of

the　old；　rheum…eyed　man！　　What　apparition　can　the　mystic　chamber

shadow　forth　more　ugly　and　more　hateful　than　thou？　　Oh；　yes；　if

we　could　be　always　young！　　But　not　＇thinks　the　neophyte　now＇not

to　labour　forever　at　these　crabbed　figures　and　these　cold

compounds　of　herbs　and　drugs。　　No；　but　to　enjoy；　to　love；　to

revel！　　What　should　be　the　companion　of　youth　but　pleasure？　　And

the　gift　of　eternal　youth　may　be　mine　this　very　hour！　　What　means

this　prohibition　of　Mejnour's？　　Is　it　not　of　the　same　complexion

as　his　ungenerous　reserve　even　in　the　minutest　secrets　of

chemistry；　or　the　numbers　of　his　Cabala？compelling　me　to

perform　all　the　toils；　and　yet　withholding　from　me　the　knowledge

of　the　crowning　result？　　No　doubt　he　will　still；　on　his　return；

show　me　that　the　great　mystery　CAN　be　attained；　but　will　still

forbid　ME　to　attain　it。　　Is　it　not　as　if　he　desired　to　keep　my

youth　the　slave　to　his　age；　to　make　me　dependent　solely　on

himself；　to　bind　me　to　a　journeyman's　service　by　perpetual

excitement　to　curiosity；　and　the　sight　of　the　fruits　he　places

beyond　my　lips？〃　　These；　and　many　reflections　still　more

repining；　disturbed　and　irritated　him。　　Heated　with　wineexcited

by　the　wild　revels　he　had　lefthe　was　unable　to　sleep。　　The

image　of　that　revolting　Old　Age　which　Time；　unless　defeated；　must

bring　upon　himself；　quickened　the　eagerness　of　his　desire　for　the

dazzling　and　imperishable　Youth　he　ascribed　to　Zanoni。　　The

prohibition　only　served　to　create　a　spirit　of　defiance。　　The

reviving　day；　laughing　jocundly　through　his　lattice；　dispelled

all　the　fears　and　superstitions　that　belong　to　night。　　The　mystic

chamber　presented　to　his　imagination　nothing　to　differ　from　any

other　apartment　in　the　castle。　　What　foul　or　malignant　apparition

could　harm　him　in　the　light　of　that　blessed　sun！　　It　was　the

peculiar；　and　on　the　whole　most　unhappy；　contradiction　in

Glyndon's　nature；　that　while　his　reasonings　led　him　to　doubt；

and　doubt　rendered　him　in　MORAL　conduct　irresolute　and　unsteady；

he　was　PHYSICALLY　brave　to　rashness。　　Nor　is　this　uncommon：

scepticism　and　presumption　are　often　twins。　　When　a　man　of　this

character　determines　upon　any　action；　personal　fear　never　deters

him；　and　for　the　moral　fear；　any　sophistry　suffices　to　self…will。

Almost　without　analysing　himself　the　mental　process　by　which　his

nerves　hardened　themselves　and　his　limbs　moved；　he　traversed　the

corridor；　gained　Mejnour's　apartment；　and　opened　the　forbidden

door。　　All　was　as　he　had　been　accustomed　to　see　it；　save　that　on

a　table　in　the　centre　of　the　room　lay　open　a　large　volume。　　He

approached；　and　gazed　on　the　characters　on　the　page；　they　were　in

a　cipher；　the　study　of　which　had　made　a　part　of　his　labours。

With　but　slight　difficulty　he　imagined　that　he　interpreted　the

meaning　of　the　first　sentences；　and　that　they　ran　thus：



〃To　quaff　the　inner　life；　is　to　see　the　outer　life：　　to　live　in

defiance　of　time；　is　to　live　in　the　whole。　　He　who　discovers　the

elixir　discovers　what　lies　in　space；　for　the　spirit　that　vivifies

the　frame　strengthens　the　senses。　　There　is　attraction　in　the

elementary　principle　of　light。　　In　the　lamps　of　Rosicrucius　the

fire　is　the　pure　elementary　principle。　　Kindle　the　lamps　while

thou　openst　the　vessel　that　contains　the　elixir；　and　the　light

attracts　towards　thee　those　beings　whose　life　is　that　light。

Beware　of　Fear。　　Fear　is　the　deadliest　enemy　to　Knowledge。〃　　Here

the　ciphers　changed　their　character；　and　became　incomprehensible。

But　had　he　not　read　enough？　　Did　not　the　last　sentence　suffice？

〃Beware　of　Fear！〃　　It　was　as　if　Mejnour　had　purposely　left　the

page　open；as　if　the　trial　was；　in　truth；　the　reverse　of　the　one

pretended；　as　if　the　mystic　had　designed　to　make　experiment　of

his　COURAGE　while　affecting　but　that　of　his　FORBEARANCE。　　Not

Boldness；　but　Fear；　was　the　deadliest　enemy　to　Knowledge。　　He

moved　to　the　shelves　on　which　the　crystal　vases　were　placed；　with

an　untrembling　hand　he　took　from　one　of　them　the　stopper；　and　a

delicious　odor　suddenly　diffused　itself　through　the　room。　　The

air　sparkled　as　if　with　a　diamond…dust。　　A　sense　of　unearthly

delight；of　an　existence　that　seemed　all　spirit；　flashed　through

his　whole　frame；　and　a　faint；　low；　but　exquisite　music　crept；

thrilling；　through　the　chamber。　　At　this　moment　he　heard　a　voice

in　the　corridor　calling　on　his　name；　and　presently　there　was　a

knock　at　the　door　without。　　〃Are　you　there；　signor？〃　said　the

clear　tones　of　Maestro　Paolo。　　Glyndon　hastily　reclosed　and

replaced　the　vial；　and　bidding　Paolo　await　him　in　his　own

apartment；　tarried　till　he　heard　the　intruder's　steps　depart；　he

then　reluctantly　quitted　the　room。　　As　he　locked　the　door；　he

still　heard　the　dying　strain　of　that　fairy　music；　and　with　a

light　step　and　a　joyous　heart　he　repaired　to　Paolo；　inly

resolving　to　visit　again　the　chamber　at　an　hour　when　his

experiment　would　be　safe　from　interruption。



As　he　crossed　his　threshold；　Paolo　started　back；　and　exclaimed；

〃Why；　Excellency！　　I　scarcely　recognise　you！　　Amusement；　I　see；

is　a　great　beautifier　to　the　young。　　Yesterday　you　looked　so　pale

and　haggard；　but　Fillide's　merry　eyes　have　done　more　for　you　than

the　Philosopher's　Stone　（saints　forgive　me　for　naming　it）　ever

did　for　the　wizards。〃　　And　Glyndon；　glancing　at　the　old　Venetian

mirror　as　Paolo　spoke；　was　scarcely　less　startled　than　Paolo

himself　at　the　change　in　his　own　mien　and　bearing。　　His　form；

before　bent　with　thought；　seemed　to　him　taller　by　half　the　head；

so　lithesome　and　erect　rose　his　slender　stature；　his　eyes　glowed；

his　cheeks　bloomed　with　health　and　the　innate　and　pervading

pleasure。　　If　the　mere　fragrance　of　the　elixir　was　thus　potent；

well　might　the　alchemists　have　ascribed　life　and　youth　to　the

draught！



〃You　must　forgive　me；　Excellency；　for　disturbing　you；〃　said

Paolo；　producing　a　letter　from　his　pouch；　〃but　our　Patron　has

just　written　to　me　to　say　that　he　will　be　here　to…morrow；　and

desired　me　to　lose　not　a　moment　in　giving　to　yourself　this

billet；　which　he　enclosed。〃



〃Who　brought　the　letter？〃



〃A　horseman；　who　did　not　wait　for　any　reply。〃



Glyndon　opened　the　letter；　and　read　as　follows：



〃I　return　a　week　sooner　than　I　had　intended；　and　you　will　expect

me　to…morrow。　　You　will　then　enter　on　the　ordeal