zanoni-第69章

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that　divine　sea。　　His　abode；　at　some　distance　from　the　city；　but

near　one　of　the　creeks　on　the　shore；　belonged　to　a　Venetian；　and；

though　small；　had　more　of　elegance　than　the　natives　ordinarily

cared　for。　　On　the　seas；　and　in　sight；　rode　his　vessel。　　His

Indians；　as　before；　ministered　in　mute　gravity　to　the　service　of

the　household。　　No　spot　could　be　more　beautiful；no　solitude

less　invaded。　　To　the　mysterious　knowledge　of　Zanoni；　to　the

harmless　ignorance　of　Viola；　the　babbling　and　garish　world　of

civilised　man　was　alike　unheeded。　　The　loving　sky　and　the　lovely

earth　are　companions　enough　to　Wisdom　and　to　Ignorance　while　they

love。



Although；　as　I　have　before　said；　there　was　nothing　in　the　visible

occupations　of　Zanoni　that　betrayed　a　cultivator　of　the　occult

sciences；　his　habits　were　those　of　a　man　who　remembers　or

reflects。　　He　loved　to　roam　alone；　chiefly　at　dawn；　or　at　night；

when　the　moon　was　clear　（especially　in　each　month；　at　its　rise

and　full）；　miles　and　miles　away　over　the　rich　inlands　of　the

island；　and　to　cull　herbs　and　flowers；　which　he　hoarded　with

jealous　care。　　Sometimes；　at　the　dead　of　night；　Viola　would　wake

by　an　instinct　that　told　her　he　was　not　by　her　side；　and；

stretching　out　her　arms；　find　that　the　instinct　had　not　deceived

her。　　But　she　early　saw　that　he　was　reserved　on　his　peculiar

habits；　and　if　at　times　a　chill；　a　foreboding；　a　suspicious　awe

crept　over　her；　she　forebore　to　question　him。



But　his　rambles　were　not　always　unaccompanied；he　took　pleasure

in　excursions　less　solitary。　　Often；　when　the　sea　lay　before　them

like　a　lake；　the　barren　dreariness　of　the　opposite　coast　of

Cephallenia　contrasting　the　smiling　shores　on　which　they　dwelt；

Viola　and　himself　would　pass　days　in　cruising　slowly　around　the

coast；　or　　in　visits　to　the　neighbouring　isles。　　Every　spot　of

the　Greek　soil；　〃that　fair　Fable…Land；〃　seemed　to　him　familiar；

and　as　he　conversed　of　the　past　and　its　exquisite　traditions；　he

taught　Viola　to　love　the　race　from　which　have　descended　the

poetry　and　the　wisdom　of　the　world。　　There　was　much　in　Zanoni；　as

she　knew　him　better；　that　deepened　the　fascination　in　which　Viola

was　from　the　first　enthralled。　　His　love　for　herself　was　so

tender；　so　vigilant；　and　had　that　best　and　most　enduring

attribute；　that　it　seemed　rather　grateful　for　the　happiness　in

its　own　cares　than　vain　of　the　happiness　it　created。　　His

habitual　mood　with　all　who　approached　him　was　calm　and　gentle；

almost　to　apathy。　　An　angry　word　never　passed　his　lips；an　angry

gleam　never　shot　from　his　eyes。　　Once　they　had　been　exposed　to

the　danger　not　uncommon　in　those　then　half…savage　lands。　　Some

pirates　who　infested　the　neighbouring　coasts　had　heard　of　the

arrival　of　the　strangers；　and　the　seamen　Zanoni　employed　had

gossiped　of　their　master's　wealth。　　One　night；　after　Viola　had

retired　to　rest；　she　was　awakened　by　a　slight　noise　below。

Zanoni　was　not　by　her　side；　she　listened　in　some　alarm。　　Was　that

a　groan　that　came　upon　her　ear？　　She　started　up；　she　went　to　the

door；　all　was　still。　　A　footstep　now　slowly　approached；　and

Zanoni　entered　calm　as　usual；　and　seemed　unconscious　of　her

fears。



The　next　morning　three　men　were　found　dead　at　the　threshold　of

the　principal　entrance；　the　door　of　which　had　been　forced。　　They

were　recognised　in　the　neighbourhood　as　the　most　sanguinary　and

terrible　marauders　of　the　coasts；men　stained　with　a　thousand

murders；　and　who　had　never　hitherto　failed　in　any　attempt　to

which　the　lust　of　rapine　had　impelled　them。　　The　footsteps　of

many　others　were　tracked　to　the　seashore。　　It　seemed　that　their

accomplices　must　have　fled　on　the　death　of　their　leaders。　　But

when　the　Venetian　Proveditore；　or　authority；　of　the　island；　came

to　examine　into　the　matter；　the　most　unaccountable　mystery　was

the　manner　in　which　these　ruffians　had　met　their　fate。　　Zanoni

had　not　stirred　from　the　apartment　in　which　he　ordinarily　pursued

his　chemical　studies。　　None　of　the　servants　had　even　been

disturbed　from　their　slumbers。　　No　marks　of　human　violence　were

on　the　bodies　of　the　dead。　　They　died；　and　made　no　sign。　　From

that　moment　Zanoni's　housenay；　the　whole　vicinitywas　sacred。

The　neighbouring　villages；　rejoiced　to　be　delivered　from　a

scourge；　regarded　the　stranger　as　one　whom　the　Pagiana　（or

Virgin）　held　under　her　especial　protection。



In　truth；　the　lively　Greeks　around；　facile　to　all　external

impressions；　and　struck　with　the　singular　and　majestic　beauty　of

the　man　who　knew　their　language　as　a　native；　whose　voice　often

cheered　them　in　their　humble　sorrows；　and　whose　hand　was　never

closed　to　their　wants；　long　after　he　had　left　their　shore

preserved　his　memory　by　grateful　traditions；　and　still　point　to

the　lofty　platanus　beneath　which　they　had　often　seen　him　seated；

alone　and　thoughtful；　in　the　heats　of　noon。　　But　Zanoni　had

haunts　less　open　to　the　gaze　than　the　shade　of　the　platanus。　　In

that　isle　there　are　the　bituminous　springs　which　Herodotus　has

commemorated。　　Often　at　night；　the　moon；　at　least；　beheld　him

emerging　from　the　myrtle　and　cystus　that　clothe　the　hillocks

around　the　marsh　that　imbeds　the　pools　containing　the　inflammable

materia；　all　the　medical　uses　of　which；　as　applied　to　the　nerves

of　organic　life；　modern　science　has　not　yet　perhaps　explored。

Yet　more　often　would　he　pass　his　hours　in　a　cavern；　by　the

loneliest　part　of　the　beach；　where　the　stalactites　seem　almost

arranged　by　the　hand　of　art；　and　which　the　superstition　of　the

peasants　associates；　in　some　ancient　legends；　with　the　numerous

and　almost　incessant　earthquakes　to　which　the　island　is　so

singularly　subjected。



Whatever　the　pursuits　that　instigated　these　wanderings　and

favoured　these　haunts；　either　they　were　linked　with；　or　else

subordinate　to；　one　main　and　master　desire；　which　every　fresh　day

passed　in　the　sweet　human　company　of　Viola　confirmed　and

strengthened。



The　scene　that　Glyndon　had　witnessed　in　his　trance　was　faithful

to　truth。　　And　some　little　time　after　the　date　of　that　night；

Viola　was　dimly　aware　that　an　influence；　she　knew　not　of　what

nature；　was　struggling　to　establish　itself　over　her　happy　life。

Visions　indistinct　and　beautiful；　such　as　those　she　had　known　in

her　earlier　days；　but　more　constant　and　impressive；　began　to

haunt　her　night　and　day　when　Zanoni　was　absent；　to　fade　in　his

presence；　and　seem　less　fair　than　THAT。　　Zanoni　questioned　her

eagerly　and　minutely　of　these　visitations；　but　seemed

dissatisfied；　and　at　times　perplexed；　by　her　answers。



〃Tell　me　not；〃　he　said；　one　day；　〃of　those　unconnected　images；

those　evolutions　of　starry　shapes　in　a　choral　dance；　or　those

delicious　melodies　that　seem　to　thee　of　the　music　and　the

language　of　the　distant　spheres。　　Has　no　ONE　shape　been　to　thee

more　distinct　and　more　beautiful　than　the　rest；no　voice

uttering；　or　seeming　to　utter；　thine　own　tongue；　and　whispering

to　thee　of　strange　secrets　and　solemn　knowledge？〃



〃No；　all　is　confused　in　these　dreams；　whether　of　day　or　night；

and　when　at　the　sound　of　thy　footsteps　I　recover；　my　memory

retains　nothing　but　a　vague　impression　of　happiness。　　How

differenthow　coldto　the　rapture　of　hanging　on　thy　smile；　and

listening　to　thy　voice；　when　it　says；　'I　love　thee！'〃



〃Yet；　how　is　it　that　visions　less　fair　than　these　once　seemed　to

thee　so　alluring？　　How　is　it　that　they　then　stirred　thy　fancies

and　filled　thy　heart？　　Once　thou　didst　desire　a　fairy…land；　and

now　thou　seemest　so　contented　with　common　life。〃



〃Have　I　not　explained　it　to　thee　before？　　Is　it　common　life；

then；　to　love；　and　to　live　with　the　one　we　love？　　My　true

fairy…land　is　won！　　Speak　to　me　of　no　other。〃



And　so　night　surprised　them　by　the　lonely　beach；　and　Zanoni；

allured　from　his　sublimer　projects；　and　bending　over　that　tender

face；　forgot　that；　in　the　Harmonious　Infinite　which　spread

around；　there　were　other　worlds　than　that　one　human　heart。





CHAPTER　4。IX。



There　is　a　principle　of