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