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第84章

zanoni-第84章

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〃You; then; are the brave Dandolo with whom the Comite deputed me

to correspond?  And this citizen〃



〃Is Cottalto; whom my letters have so often mentioned。〃  (I know

not if the author of the original MSS。 designs; under these

names; to introduce the real Cottalto and the true Dandolo; who;

in 1797; distinguished themselves by their sympathy with the

French; and their democratic ardor。Ed。)



〃Health and brotherhood to him!  I have much to impart to you

both。  I will meet you at night; Dandolo。  But in the streets we

may be observed。〃



〃And I dare not appoint my own house; tyranny makes spies of our

very walls。  But the place herein designated is secure;〃 and he

slipped an address into the hand of his correspondent。



〃To…night; then; at nine!  Meanwhile I have other business。〃  The

man paused; his colour changed; and it was with an eager and

passionate voice that he resumed;



〃Your last letter mentioned this wealthy and mysterious visitor;

this Zanoni。  He is still at Venice?〃



〃I heard that he had left this morning; but his wife is still

here。〃



〃His wife!that is well!〃



〃What know you of him?  Think you that he would join us?  His

wealth would be〃



〃His house; his address;quick!〃 interrupted the man。



〃The Palazzo di ; on the Grand Canal。〃



〃I thank you;at nine we meet。〃



The man hurried on through the street from which he had emerged;

and; passing by the house in which he had taken up his lodging

(he had arrived at Venice the night before); a woman who stood by

the door caught his arm。



〃Monsieur;〃 she said in French; 〃I have been watching for your

return。  Do you understand me?  I will brave all; risk all; to go

back with you to France;to stand; through life or in death; by

my husband's side!〃



〃Citoyenne; I promised your husband that; if such your choice; I

would hazard my own safety to aid it。  But think again!  Your

husband is one of the faction which Robespierre's eyes have

already marked; he cannot fly。  All France is become a prison to

the 'suspect。'  You do not endanger yourself by return。  Frankly;

citoyenne; the fate you would share may be the guillotine。  I

speak (as you know by his letter) as your husband bade me。〃



〃Monsieur; I will return with you;〃 said the woman; with a smile

upon her pale face。



〃And yet you deserted your husband in the fair sunshine of the

Revolution; to return to him amidst its storms and thunder;〃 said

the man; in a tone half of wonder; half rebuke。



〃Because my father's days were doomed; because he had no safety

but in flight to a foreign land; because he was old and

penniless; and had none but me to work for him; because my

husband was not then in danger; and my father was! HE is dead

dead!  My husband is in danger now。  The daughter's duties are no

more;the wife's return!〃



〃Be it so; citoyenne; on the third night I depart。  Before then

you may retract your choice。〃



〃Never!〃



A dark smile passed over the man's face。



〃O guillotine!〃 he said; 〃how many virtues hast thou brought to

light!  Well may they call thee 'A Holy Mother!'  O gory

guillotine!〃



He passed on muttering to himself; hailed a gondola; and was soon

amidst the crowded waters of the Grand Canal。





CHAPTER 6。V。



Ce que j'ignore

Est plus triste peut…etre et plus affreux encore。

La Harpe; 〃Le Comte de Warwick;〃 Act 5; sc。 1。



(That which I know not is; perhaps; more sad and fearful still。)



The casement stood open; and Viola was seated by it。  Beneath

sparkled the broad waters in the cold but cloudless sunlight; and

to that fair form; that half…averted face; turned the eyes of

many a gallant cavalier; as their gondolas glided by。



But at last; in the centre of the canal; one of these dark

vessels halted motionless; as a man fixed his gaze from its

lattice upon that stately palace。  He gave the word to the

rowers;the vessel approached the marge。  The stranger quitted

the gondola; he passed up the broad stairs; he entered the

palace。  Weep on; smile no more; young mother!the last page is

turned!



An attendant entered the room; and gave to Viola a card; with

these words in English; 〃Viola; I must see you!  Clarence

Glyndon。〃



Oh; yes; how gladly Viola would see him; how gladly speak to him

of her happiness; of Zanoni!how gladly show to him her child!

Poor Clarence! she had forgotten him till now; as she had all the

fever of her earlier life;its dreams; its vanities; its poor

excitement; the lamps of the gaudy theatre; the applause of the

noisy crowd。



He entered。  She started to behold him; so changed were his

gloomy brow; his resolute; careworn features; from the graceful

form and careless countenance of the artist…lover。  His dress;

though not mean; was rude; neglected; and disordered。  A wild;

desperate; half…savage air had supplanted that ingenuous mien;

diffident in its grace; earnest in its diffidence; which had once

characterised the young worshipper of Art; the dreaming aspirant

after some starrier lore。



〃Is it you?〃 she said at last。  〃Poor Clarence; how changed!〃



〃Changed!〃 he said abruptly; as he placed himself by her side。

〃And whom am I to thank; but the fiendsthe sorcererswho have

seized upon thy existence; as upon mine?  Viola; hear me。  A few

weeks since the news reached me that you were in Venice。  Under

other pretences; and through innumerable dangers; I have come

hither; risking liberty; perhaps life; if my name and career are

known in Venice; to warn and save you。  Changed; you call me!

changed without; but what is that to the ravages within?  Be

warned; be warned in time!〃



The voice of Glyndon; sounding hollow and sepulchral; alarmed

Viola even more than his words。  Pale; haggard; emaciated; he

seemed almost as one risen from the dead; to appall and awe her。

〃What;〃 she said; at last; in a faltering voice;〃what wild

words do you utter!  Can you〃



〃Listen!〃 interrupted Glyndon; laying his hand upon her arm; and

its touch was as cold as death;〃listen!  You have heard of the

old stories of men who have leagued themselves with devils for

the attainment of preternatural powers。  Those stories are not

fables。  Such men live。  Their delight is to increase the

unhallowed circle of wretches like themselves。  If their

proselytes fail in the ordeal; the demon seizes them; even in

this life; as it hath seized me!if they succeed; woe; yea; a

more lasting woe!  There is another life; where no spells can

charm the evil one; or allay the torture。  I have come from a

scene where blood flows in rivers;where Death stands by the

side of the bravest and the highest; and the one monarch is the

Guillotine; but all the mortal perils with which men can be

beset; are nothing to the dreariness of the chamber where the

Horror that passes death moves and stirs!〃



It was then that Glyndon; with a cold and distinct precision;

detailed; as he had done to Adela; the initiation through which

he had gone。  He described; in words that froze the blood of his

listener; the appearance of that formless phantom; with the eyes

that seared the brain and congealed the marrow of those who

beheld。  Once seen; it never was to be exorcised。  It came at its

own will; prompting black thoughts;whispering strange

temptations。  Only in scenes of turbulent excitement was it

absent!  Solitude; serenity; the struggling desires after peace

and virtue;THESE were the elements it loved to haunt!

Bewildered; terror…stricken; the wild account confirmed by the

dim impressions that never; in the depth and confidence of

affection; had been closely examined; but rather banished as soon

as felt;that the life and attributes of Zanoni were not like

those of mortals;impressions which her own love had made her

hitherto censure as suspicions that wronged; and which; thus

mitigated; had perhaps only served to rivet the fascinated chains

in which he bound her

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