zanoni-第75章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



design　to　entrap　him　to　his　own　misery；　or　as　the　trick　of　an

imposter；　who　knew　that　he　could　not　realise　the　great

professions　he　had　made。　　On　glancing　again　over　the　more

mysterious　threats　and　warnings　in　Mejnour's　letter；　they　seemed

to　assume　the　language　of　mere　parable　and　allegory；the　jargon

of　the　Platonists　and　Pythagoreans。　　By　little　and　little；　he

began　to　consider　that　the　very　spectra　he　had　seeneven　that

one　phantom　so　horrid　in　its　aspectwere　but　the　delusions　which

Mejnour's　science　had　enable　him　to　raise。　　The　healthful

sunlight；　filling　up　every　cranny　in　his　chamber；　seemed　to　laugh

away　the　terrors　of　the　past　night。　　His　pride　and　his　resentment

nerved　his　habitual　courage；　and　when；　having　hastily　dressed

himself；　he　rejoined　Paolo；　it　was　with　a　flushed　cheek　and　a

haughty　step。



〃So；　Paolo；〃　said　he；　〃the　Padrone；　as　you　call　him；　told　you　to

expect　and　welcome　me　at　your　village　feast？〃



〃He　did　so　by　a　message　from　a　wretched　old　cripple。　　This

surprised　me　at　the　time；　for　I　thought　he　was　far　distant；　but

these　great　philosophers　make　a　joke　of　two　or　three　hundred

leagues。〃



〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me　you　had　heard　from　Mejnour？〃



〃Because　the　old　cripple　forbade　me。〃



〃Did　you　not　see　the　man　afterwards　during　the　dance？〃



〃No；　Excellency。〃



〃Humph！〃



〃Allow　me　to　serve　you；〃　said　Paolo；　piling　Glyndon's　plate；　and

then　filling　his　glass。　　〃I　wish；　signor；　now　the　Padrone　is

gone；not；〃　added　Paolo；　as　he　cast　rather　a　frightened　and

suspicious　glance　round　the　room；　〃that　I　mean　to　say　anything

disrespectful　of　him；I　wish；　I　say；　now　that　he　is　gone；　that

you　would　take　pity　on　yourself；　and　ask　your　own　heart　what　your

youth　was　meant　for？　　Not　to　bury　yourself　alive　in　these　old

ruins；　and　endanger　body　and　soul　by　studies　which　I　am　sure　no

saint　could　approve　of。〃



〃Are　the　saints　so　partial；　then；　to　your　own　occupations；　Master

Paolo？〃



〃Why；〃　answered　the　bandit；　a　little　confused；　〃a　gentleman　with

plenty　of　pistoles　in　his　purse　need　not；　of　necessity；　make　it

his　profession　to　take　away　the　pistoles　of　other　people！　　It　is

a　different　thing　for　us　poor　rogues。　　After　all；　too；　I　always

devote　a　tithe　of　my　gains　to　the　Virgin；　and　I　share　the　rest

charitably　with　the　poor。　　But　eat；　drink；　enjoy　yourself；　be

absolved　by　your　confessor　for　any　little　peccadilloes　and　don't

run　too　long　scores　at　a　time；that's　my　advice。　　Your　health；

Excellency！　　Pshaw；　signor；　fasting；　except　on　the　days

prescribed　to　a　good　Catholic；　only　engenders　phantoms。〃



〃Phantoms！〃



〃Yes；　the　devil　always　tempts　the　empty　stomach。　　To　covet；　to

hate；　to　thieve；　to　rob；　and　to　murder；these　are　the　natural

desires　of　a　man　who　is　famishing。　　With　a　full　belly；　signor；　we

are　at　peace　with　all　the　world。　　That's　right；　you　like　the

partridge！　　Cospetto！　when　I　myself　have　passed　two　or　three　days

in　the　mountains；　with　nothing　from　sunset　to　sunrise　but　a　black

crust　and　an　onion；　I　grow　as　fierce　as　a　wolf。　　That's　not　the

worst；　too。　　In　these　times　I　see　little　imps　dancing　before　me。

Oh；　yes；　fasting　is　as　full　of　spectres　as　a　field　of　battle。〃



Glyndon　thought　there　was　some　sound　philosophy　in　the　reasoning

of　his　companion；　and　certainly　the　more　he　ate　and　drank；　the

more　the　recollection　of　the　past　night　and　of　Mejnour's

desertion　faded　from　his　mind。　　The　casement　was　open；　the　breeze

blew；　the　sun　shone；all　Nature　was　merry；　and　merry　as　Nature

herself　grew　Maestro　Paolo。　　He　talked　of　adventures；　of　travel；

of　women；　with　a　hearty　gusto　that　had　its　infection。　　But

Glyndon　listened　yet　more　complacently　when　Paolo　turned　with　an

arch　smile　to　praises　of　the　eye；　the　teeth；　the　ankles；　and　the

shape　of　the　handsome　Fillide。



This　man；　indeed；　seemed　the　very　personation　of　animal　sensual

life。　　He　would　have　been　to　Faust　a　more　dangerous　tempter　than

Mephistopheles。　　There　was　no　sneer　on　HIS　lip　at　the　pleasures

which　animated　his　voice。　　To　one　awaking　to　a　sense　of　the

vanities　in　knowledge；　this　reckless　ignorant　joyousness　of

temper　was　a　worse　corrupter　than　all　the　icy　mockeries　of　a

learned　Fiend。　　But　when　Paolo　took　his　leave；　with　a　promise　to

return　the　next　day；　the　mind　of　the　Englishman　again　settled

back　to　a　graver　and　more　thoughtful　mood。　　The　elixir　seemed；　in

truth；　to　have　left　the　refining　effects　Mejnour　had　ascribed　to

it。　　As　Glyndon　paced　to　and　fro　the　solitary　corridor；　or；

pausing；　gazed　upon　the　extended　and　glorious　scenery　that

stretched　below；　high　thoughts　of　enterprise　and　ambitionbright

visions　of　glorypassed　in　rapid　succession　through　his　soul。



〃Mejnour　denies　me　his　science。　　Well；〃　said　the　painter；

proudly；　〃he　has　not　robbed　me　of　my　art。〃



What！　　Clarence　Glyndon；　dost　thou　return　to　that　from　which　thy

career　commenced？　　Was　Zanoni　right　after　all？



He　found　himself　in　the　chamber　of　the　mystic；　not　a　vessel；not

an　herb！　the　solemn　volume　is　vanished；the　elixir　shall　sparkle

for　him　no　more！　　But　still　in　the　room　itself　seems　to　linger

the　atmosphere　of　a　charm。　　Faster　and　fiercer　it　burns　within

thee；　the　desire　to　achieve；　to　create！　　Thou　longest　for　a　life

beyond　the　sensual！but　the　life　that　is　permitted　to　all

genius；that　which　breathes　through　the　immortal　work；　and

endures　in　the　imperishable　name。



Where　are　the　implements　for　thine　art？　　Tush！when　did　the　true

workman　ever　fail　to　find　his　tools？　　Thou　art　again　in　thine　own

chamber；the　white　wall　thy　canvas；　a　fragment　of　charcoal　for

thy　pencil。　　They　suffice；　at　least；　to　give　outline　to　the

conception　that　may　otherwise　vanish　with　the　morrow。



The　idea　that　thus　excited　the　imagination　of　the　artist　was

unquestionably　noble　and　august。　　It　was　derived　from　that

Egyptian　ceremonial　which　Diodorus　has　recorded；the　Judgment　of

the　Dead　by　the　Living　（Diod。；　lib。　i。）：　　when　the　corpse；　duly

embalmed；　is　placed　by　the　margin　of　the　Acherusian　Lake；　and

before　it　may　be　consigned　to　the　bark　which　is　to　bear　it　across

the　waters　to　its　final　resting…place；　it　is　permitted　to　the

appointed　judges　to　hear　all　accusations　of　the　past　life　of　the

deceased；　and；　if　proved；　to　deprive　the　corpse　of　the　rites　of

sepulture。



Unconsciously　to　himself；　it　was　Mejnour's　description　of　this

custom；　which　he　had　illustrated　by　several　anecdotes　not　to　be

found　in　books；　that　now　suggested　the　design　to　the　artist；　and

gave　it　reality　and　force。　　He　supposed　a　powerful　and　guilty

king　whom　in　life　scarce　a　whisper　had　dared　to　arraign；　but

against　whom；　now　the　breath　was　gone；　came　the　slave　from　his

fetters；　the　mutilated　victim　from　his　dungeon；　livid　and　squalid

as　if　dead　themselves；　invoking　with　parched　lips　the　justice

that　outlives　the　grave。



Strange　fervour　this；　O　artist！　breaking　suddenly　forth　from　the

mists　and　darkness　which　the　occult　science　had　spread　so　long

over　thy　fancies；strange　that　the　reaction　of　the　night's

terror　and　the　day's　disappointment　should　be　back　to　thine　holy

art！　　Oh；　how　freely　goes　the　bold　hand　over　the　large　outline！

How；　despite　those　rude　materials；　speaks　forth　no　more　the

pupil；　but　the　master！　　Fresh　yet　from　the　glorious　elixir；　how

thou　givest　to　thy　creatures　the　finer　life　denied　to　thyself！

some　power　not　thine　own　writes　the　grand　symbols　on　the　wall。

Behind　rises　the　mighty　sepulchre；　on　the　building　of　which

repose　to　the　dead　the　lives　of　thousands　had　been　consumed。

There　sit　in　a　semicircle　the　solemn　judges。　　Black　and　sluggish

flows　the　lake。　　There　lies　the　mummied　and　royal　dead。　　Dost

thou　quail　at　the　frown　on　his　lifelike　brow？　　Ha！bravely　done；

O　artist！up　rise　the　haggard　forms！pale　speak　the　ghastly

faces！　　Shall　not　Humanity　after　death　avenge　itself　on　Power？

Thy　conception；　Clarence　Glyndon；　is　a　sublime　truth；　thy　design

promises　renown　to　genius。　　Better　this　magic　than　the　charms　of