zanoni-第70章

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





CHAPTER　4。IX。



There　is　a　principle　of　the　soul；　superior　to　all　nature；　through

which　we　are　capable　of　surpassing　the　order　and　systems　of　the

world。　　When　the　soul　is　elevated　to　natures　better　than　itself；

THEN　it　is　entirely　separated　from　subordinate　natures；　exchanges

this　for　another　life；　and；　deserting　the　order　of　things　with

which　it　was　connected；　links　and　mingles　itself　with　another。

Iamblichus。



〃Adon…Ai！　　Adon…Ai！appear；　appear！〃



And　in　the　lonely　cave；　whence　once　had　gone　forth　the　oracles　of

a　heathen　god；　there　emerged　from　the　shadows　of　fantastic　rocks

a　luminous　and　gigantic　column；　glittering　and　shifting。　　It

resembled　the　shining　but　misty　spray　which；　seen　afar　off；　a

fountain　seems　to　send　up　on　a　starry　night。　　The　radiance　lit

the　stalactites；　the　crags；　the　arches　of　the　cave；　and　shed　a

pale　and　tremulous　splendour　on　the　features　of　Zanoni。



〃Son　of　Eternal　Light；〃　said　the　invoker；　〃thou　to　whose

knowledge；　grade　after　grade；　race　after　race；　I　attained　at

last；　on　the　broad　Chaldean　plains；　thou　from　whom　I　have　drawn

so　largely　of　the　unutterable　knowledge　that　yet　eternity　alone

can　suffice　to　drain；　thou　who；　congenial　with　myself；　so　far　as

our　various　beings　will　permit；　hast　been　for　centuries　my

familiar　and　my　friend；answer　me　and　counsel！〃



From　the　column　there　emerged　a　shape　of　unimaginable　glory。　　Its

face　was　that　of　a　man　in　its　first　youth；　but　solemn；　as　with

the　consciousness　of　eternity　and　the　tranquillity　of　wisdom；

light；　like　starbeams；　flowed　through　its　transparent　veins；

light　made　its　limbs　themselves；　and　undulated；　in　restless

sparkles；　through　the　waves　of　its　dazzling　hair。　　With　its　arms

folded　on　its　breast；　it　stood　distant　a　few　feet　from　Zanoni；

and　its　low　voice　murmured　gently；　〃My　counsels　were　sweet　to

thee　once；　and　once；　night　after　night；　thy　soul　could　follow　my

wings　through　the　untroubled　splendours　of　the　Infinite。　　Now

thou　hast　bound　thyself　back　to　the　earth　by　its　strongest

chains；　and　the　attraction　to　the　clay　is　more　potent　than　the

sympathies　that　drew　to　thy　charms　the　Dweller　of　the　Starbeam

and　the　Air。　　When　last　thy　soul　hearkened　to　me；　the　senses

already　troubled　thine　intellect　and　obscured　thy　vision。　　Once

again　I　come　to　thee；　but　thy　power　even　to　summon　me　to　thy　side

is　fading　from　thy　spirit；　as　sunshine　fades　from　the　wave　when

the　winds　drive　the　cloud　between　the　ocean　and　the　sky。〃



〃Alas；　Adon…Ai！〃　answered　the　seer；　mournfully；　〃I　know　too　well

the　conditions　of　the　being　which　thy　presence　was　wont　to

rejoice。　　I　know　that　our　wisdom　comes　but　from　the　indifference

to　the　things　of　the　world　which　the　wisdom　masters。　　The　mirror

of　the　soul　cannot　reflect　both　earth　and　heaven；　and　the　one

vanishes　from　the　surface　as　the　other　is　glassed　upon　its　deeps。

But　it　is　not　to　restore　me　to　that　sublime　abstraction　in　which

the　intellect；　free　and　disembodied；　rises；　region　after　region；

to　the　spheres；that　once　again；　and　with　the　agony　and　travail

of　enfeebled　power　I　have　called　thee　to　mine　aid。　　I　love；　and

in　love　I　begin　to　live　in　the　sweet　humanities　of　another。　　If

wise；　yet　in　all　which　makes　danger　powerless　against　myself；　or

those　on　whom　I　can　gaze　from　the　calm　height　of　indifferent

science；　I　am　blind　as　the　merest　mortal　to　the　destinies　of　the

creature　that　makes　my　heart　beat　with　the　passions　which　obscure

my　gaze。〃



〃What　matter！〃　answered　Adon…Ai。　　〃Thy　love　must　be　but　a　mockery

of　the　name；　thou　canst　not　love　as　they　do　for　whom　there　are

death　and　the　grave。　　A　short　time；like　a　day　in　thy

incalculable　life；and　the　form　thou　dotest　on　is　dust！　　Others

of　the　nether　world　go　hand　in　hand；　each　with　each；　unto　the

tomb；　hand　in　hand　they　ascend　from　the　worm　to　new　cycles　of

existence。　　For　thee；　below　are　ages；　for　her；　but　hours。　　And

for　her　and　theeO　poor；　but　mighty　one！will　there　be　even　a

joint　hereafter！　　Through　what　grades　and　heavens　of

spiritualised　being　will　her　soul　have　passed　when　thou；　the

solitary　loiterer；　comest　from　the　vapours　of　the　earth　to　the

gates　of　light！〃



〃Son　of　the　Starbeam；　thinkest　thou　that　this　thought　is　not　with

me　forever；　and　seest　thou　not　that　I　have　invoked　thee　to

hearken　and　minister　to　my　design？　　Readest　thou　not　my　desire

and　dream　to　raise　the　conditions　of　her　being　to　my　own？　　Thou；

Adon…Ai；　bathing　the　celestial　joy　that　makes　thy　life　in　the

oceans　of　eternal　splendour；thou；　save　by　the　sympathies　of

knowledge；　canst　conjecture　not　what　I；　the　offspring　of　mortals；

feeldebarred　yet　from　the　objects　of　the　tremendous　and　sublime

ambition　that　first　winged　my　desires　above　the　claywhen　I　see

myself　compelled　to　stand　in　this　low　world　alone。　　I　have　sought

amongst　my　tribe　for　comrades；　and　in　vain。　　At　last　I　have　found

a　mate。　　The　wild　bird　and　the　wild　beast　have　theirs；　and　my

mastery　over　the　malignant　tribes　of　terror　can　banish　their

larvae　from　the　path　that　shall　lead　her　upward；　till　the　air　of

eternity　fits　the　frame　for　the　elixir　that　baffles　death。〃



〃And　thou　hast　begun　the　initiation；　and　thou　art　foiled！　　I　know

it。　　Thou　hast　conjured　to　her　sleep　the　fairest　visions；　thou

hast　invoked　the　loveliest　children　of　the　air　to　murmur　their

music　to　her　trance；　and　her　soul　heeds　them　not；　and；　returning

to　the　earth；　escapes　from　their　control。　　Blind　one；　wherefore？

canst　thou　not　perceive？　　Because　in　her　soul　all　is　love。　　There

is　no　intermediate　passion　with　which　the　things　thou　wouldst

charm　to　her　have　association　and　affinities。　　Their　attraction

is　but　to　the　desires　and　cravings　of　the　INTELLECT。　　What　have

they　with　the　PASSION　that　is　of　earth；　and　the　HOPE　that　goes

direct　to　heaven？〃



〃But　can　there　be　no　mediumno　linkin　which　our　souls；　as　our

hearts；　can　be　united；　and　so　mine　may　have　influence　over　her

own？〃



〃Ask　me　not；thou　wilt　not　comprehend　me！〃



〃I　adjure　thee！speak！〃



〃When　two　souls　are　divided；　knowest　thou　not　that　a　third　in

which　both　meet　and　live　is　the　link　between　them！〃



〃I　do　comprehend　thee；　Adon…Ai；〃　said　Zanoni；　with　a　light　of

more　human　joy　upon　his　face　than　it　had　ever　before　been　seen　to

wear；　〃and　if　my　destiny；　which　here　is　dark　to　mine　eyes；

vouchsafes　to　me　the　happy　lot　of　the　humble；if　ever　there　be　a

child　that　I　may　clasp　to　my　bosom　and　call　my　own〃



〃And　is　it　to　be　man　at　last；　that　thou　hast　aspired　to　be　more

than　man？〃



〃But　a　child；a　second　Viola！〃　murmured　Zanoni；　scarcely　heeding

the　Son　of　Light；　〃a　young　soul　fresh　from　heaven；　that　I　may

rear　from　the　first　moment　it　touches　earth；whose　wings　I　may

train　to　follow　mine　through　the　glories　of　creation；　and　through

whom　the　mother　herself　may　be　led　upward　over　the　realm　of

death！〃



〃Beware；reflect！　　Knowest　thou　not　that　thy　darkest　enemy

dwells　in　the　Real？　　Thy　wishes　bring　thee　near　and　nearer　to

humanity。〃



〃Ah；　humanity　is　sweet！〃　answered　Zanoni。



And　as　the　seer　spoke；　on　the　glorious　face　of　Adon…Ai　there

broke　a　smile。





CHAPTER　4。X。



Aeterna　aeternus　tribuit；　mortalia　confert

Mortalis；　divina　Deus；　peritura　caducus。

〃Aurel。　Prud。　contra　Symmachum；〃　lib。　ii。



（The　Eternal　gives　eternal　things；　the　Mortal　gathers　mortal

things：　　God；　that　which　is　divine；　and　the　perishable　that　which

is　perishable。）



EXTRACTS　FROM　THE　LETTERS　OF　ZANONI　TO　MEJNOUR。



Letter　1。



Thou　hast　not　informed　me　of　the　progress　of　thy　pupil；　and　I

fear　that　so　differently　does　circumstance　shape　the　minds　of　the

generations　to　which　we　are　descended；　from　the　intense　and

earnest　children　of　the　earlier　world；　that　even　thy　most　careful

and　elaborate　guidance　would　fail；　with　loftier　and　purer　natures

than　that　of　the　neophyte　thou　hast　admitted　within　thy　gates。

Even　that　third　state　of　being；　wh