zanoni-第86章

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forbid　to　cross；　and　never；　hitherto；　in　that　sweet　repose　of

confidence　which　belongs　to　contented　love；　had　she　even　felt　the

curious　desire　to　disobey；now；　that　chamber　drew　her　towards

it。　　Perhaps　THERE　might　be　found　a　somewhat　to　solve　the　riddle；

to　dispel　or　confirm　the　doubt：　　that　thought　grew　and　deepened

in　its　intenseness；　it　fastened　on　her　as　with　a　palpable　and

irresistible　grasp；　it　seemed　to　raise　her　limbs　without　her

will。



And　now；　through　the　chamber；　along　the　galleries　thou　glidest；　O

lovely　shape！　sleep…walking；　yet　awake。　　The　moon　shines　on　thee

as　thou　glidest　by；　casement　after　casement；　white…robed　and

wandering　spirit！thine　arms　crossed　upon　thy　bosom；　thine　eyes

fixed　and　open；　with　a　calm　unfearing　awe。　　Mother；　it　is　thy

child　that　leads　thee　on！　　The　fairy　moments　go　before　thee；　thou

hearest　still　the　clock…knell　tolling　them　to　their　graves

behind。　　On；　gliding　on；　thou　hast　gained　the　door；　no　lock　bars

thee；　no　magic　spell　drives　thee　back。　　Daughter　of　the　dust；

thou　standest　alone　with　night　in　the　chamber　where；　pale　and

numberless；　the　hosts　of　space　have　gathered　round　the　seer！





CHAPTER　6。VII。



Des　Erdenlebens

Schweres　Traumbild　sinkt；　und　sinkt；　und　sinkt。

〃Das　Ideal　und　das　Lebens。〃



（The　Dream　Shape　of　the　heavy　earthly　life　sinks；　and　sinks；　and

sinks。）



She　stood　within　the　chamber；　and　gazed　around　her；　no　signs　by

which　an　inquisitor　of　old　could　have　detected　the　scholar　of　the

Black　Art　were　visible。　　No　crucibles　and　caldrons；　no　brass…

bound　volumes　and　ciphered　girdles；　no　skulls　and　cross…bones。

Quietly　streamed　the　broad　moonlight　through　the　desolate　chamber

with　its　bare；　white　walls。　　A　few　bunches　of　withered　herbs；　a

few　antique　vessels　of　bronze；　placed　carelessly　on　a　wooden

form；　were　all　which　that　curious　gaze　could　identify　with　the

pursuits　of　the　absent　owner。　　The　magic；　if　it　existed；　dwelt　in

the　artificer；　and　the　materials；　to　other　hands；　were　but　herbs

and　bronze。　　So　is　it　ever　with　thy　works　and　wonders；　O　Genius；

Seeker　of　the　Stars！　　Words　themselves　are　the　common　property

of　all　men；　yet；　from　words　themselves；　Thou　Architect　of

Immortalities；　pilest　up　temples　that　shall　outlive　the　Pyramids；

and　the　very　leaf　of　the　Papyrus　becomes　a　Shinar；　stately　with

towers；　round　which　the　Deluge　of　Ages；　shall　roar　in　vain！



But　in　that　solitude　has　the　Presence　that　there　had　invoked　its

wonders　left　no　enchantment　of　its　own？　　It　seemed　so；　for　as

Viola　stood　in　the　chamber；　she　became　sensible　that　some

mysterious　change　was　at　work　within　herself。　　Her　blood　coursed

rapidly；　and　with　a　sensation　of　delight；　through　her　veins；she

felt　as　if　chains　were　falling　from　her　limbs；　as　if　cloud　after

cloud　was　rolling　from　her　gaze。　　All　the　confused　thoughts　which

had　moved　through　her　trance　settled　and　centred　themselves　in

one　intense　desire　to　see　the　Absent　One；to　be　with　him。　　The

monads　that　make　up　space　and　air　seemed　charged　with　a　spiritual

attraction；to　become　a　medium　through　which　her　spirit　could

pass　from　its　clay；　and　confer　with　the　spirit　to　which　the

unutterable　desire　compelled　it。　　A　faintness　seized　her；　she

tottered　to　the　seat　on　which　the　vessels　and　herbs　were　placed；

and；　as　she　bent　down；　she　saw　in　one　of　the　vessels　a　small　vase

of　crystal。　　By　a　mechanical　and　involuntary　impulse；　her　hand

seized　the　vase；　she　opened　it；　and　the　volatile　essence　it

contained　sparkled　up；　and　spread　through　the　room　a　powerful　and

delicious　fragrance。　　She　inhaled　the　odour；　she　laved　her

temples　with　the　liquid；　and　suddenly　her　life　seemed　to　spring

up　from　the　previous　faintness；to　spring；　to　soar；　to　float；　to

dilate　upon　the　wings　of　a　bird。　　The　room　vanished　from　her

eyes。　　Away；　away；　over　lands　and　seas　and　space　on　the　rushing

desire　flies　the　disprisoned　mind！



Upon　a　stratum；　not　of　this　world；　stood　the　world…born　shapes　of

the　sons　of　Science；　upon　an　embryo　world；　upon　a　crude；　wan；

attenuated　mass　of　matter；　one　of　the　Nebulae；　which　the　suns　of

the　myriad　systems　throw　off　as　they　roll　round　the　Creator's

throne*；　to　become　themselves　new　worlds　of　symmetry　and　glory；

planets　and　suns　that　forever　and　forever　shall　in　their　turn

multiply　their　shining　race；　and　be　the　fathers　of　suns　and

planets　yet　to　come。



（*〃Astronomy　instructs　us　that；　in　the　original　condition　of　the

solar　system；　the　sun　was　the　nucleus　of　a　nebulosity　or　luminous

mass　which　revolved　on　its　axis；　and　extended　far　beyond　the

orbits　of　all　the　planets；the　planets　as　yet　having　no

existence。　　Its　temperature　gradually　diminished；　and；　becoming

contracted　by　cooling；　the　rotation　increased　in　rapidity；　and

zones　of　nebulosity　were　successively　thrown　off；　in　consequence

of　the　centrifugal　force　overpowering　the　central　attraction。

The　condensation　of　these　separate　masses　constituted　the　planets

and　satellites。　　But　this　view　of　the　conversion　of　gaseous

matter　into　planetary　bodies　is　not　limited　to　our　own　system；　it

extends　to　the　formation　of　the　innumerable　suns　and　worlds　which

are　distributed　throughout　the　universe。　　The　sublime　discoveries

of　modern　astronomers　have　shown　that　every　part　of　the　realms　of

space　abounds　in　large　expansions　of　attenuated　matter　termed

nebulae；　which　are　irregularly　reflective　of　light；　of　various

figures；　and　in　different　states　of　condensation；　from　that　of　a

diffused；　luminous　mass　to　suns　and　planets　like　our　own。〃From

Mantell's　eloquent　and　delightful　work；　entitled　〃The　Wonders　of

Geology；〃　volume　i。　page　22。）



There；　in　that　enormous　solitude　of　an　infant　world；　which

thousands　and　thousands　of　years　can　alone　ripen　into　form；　the

spirit　of　Viola　beheld　the　shape　of　Zanoni；　or　rather　the

likeness；　the　simulacrun；　the　LEMUR　of　his　shape；　not　its　human

and　corporeal　substance；as　if；　like　hers；　the　Intelligence　was

parted　from　the　Clay；and　as　the　sun；　while　it　revolves　and

glows；　had　cast　off　into　remotest　space　that　nebular　image　of

itself；　so　the　thing　of　earth；　in　the　action　of　its　more　luminous

and　enduring　being；　had　thrown　its　likeness　into　that　new…born

stranger　of　the　heavens。　　There　stood　the　phantom；a　phantom

Mejnour；　by　its　side。　　In　the　gigantic　chaos　around　raved　and

struggled　the　kindling　elements；　water　and　fire；　darkness　and

light；　at　war；vapour　and　cloud　hardening　into　mountains；　and

the　Breath　of　Life　moving　like　a　steadfast　splendour　over　all。



As　the　dreamer　looked；　and　shivered；　she　beheld　that　even　there

the　two　phantoms　of　humanity　were　not　alone。　　Dim　monster…forms

that　that　disordered　chaos　alone　could　engender；　the　first

reptile　Colossal　race　that　wreathe　and　crawl　through　the　earliest

stratum　of　a　world　labouring　into　life；　coiled　in　the　oozing

matter　or　hovered　through　the　meteorous　vapours。　　But　these　the

two　seekers　seemed　not　to　heed；　their　gaze　was　fixed　intent　upon

an　object　in　the　farthest　space。　　With　the　eyes　of　the　spirit；

Viola　followed　theirs；　with　a　terror　far　greater　than　the　chaos

and　its　hideous　inhabitants　produced；　she　beheld　a　shadowy

likeness　of　the　very　room　in　which　her　form　yet　dwelt；　its　white

walls；　the　moonshine　sleeping　on　its　floor；　its　open　casement；

with　the　quiet　roofs　and　domes　of　Venice　looming　over　the　sea

that　sighed　below；and　in　that　room　the　ghost…like　image　of

herself！　　This　double　phantomhere　herself　a　phantom；　gazing

there　upon　a　phantom…selfhad　in　it　a　horror　which　no　words　can

tell；　no　length　of　life　forego。



But　presently　she　saw　this　image　of　herself　rise　slowly；　leave

the　room　with　its　noiseless　feet：　　it　passes　the　corridor；　it

kneels　by　a　cradle！　　Heaven　of　Heaven！　　She　beholds　her　child！

still　with　its　wondrous；　child…like　beauty　and　its　silent；

wakeful　eyes。　　But　beside　that　cradle　there　sits　cowering　a

mantled；　shadowy　form；the　more　fearful　and　ghastly　from　its

indistinct　and　unsubstantial　gloom。　　The　walls　of　that　chamber