zanoni-第95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！



after　day；　to　visit　her；　did　the　fair　daughter　of　the　careless

South　know　how　heavy　and　universal　was　the　Death…Air　that　girt

her　round。　　Sublime　in　her　passive　unconsciousness；her　mechanic

life；she　sat；　and　feared　not；　in　the　den　of　the　Beasts　of　Prey。



The　door　of　the　room　opened　abruptly；　and　Glyndon　entered。　　His

manner　was　more　agitated　than　usual。



〃Is　it　you；　Clarence？〃　she　said　in　her　soft；　languid　tones。　　〃You

are　before　the　hour　I　expected　you。〃



〃Who　can　count　on　his　hours　at　Paris？〃　returned　Glyndon；　with　a

frightful　smile。　　〃Is　it　not　enough　that　I　am　here！　　Your　apathy

in　the　midst　of　these　sorrows　appalls　me。　　You　say　calmly；

'Farewell；'　calmly　you　bid　me；　'Welcome！'as　if　in　every　corner

there　was　not　a　spy；　and　as　if　with　every　day　there　was　not　a

massacre！〃



〃Pardon　me！　　But　in　these　walls　lies　my　world。　　I　can　hardly

credit　all　the　tales　you　tell　me。　　Everything　here；　save　THAT；〃

and　she　pointed　to　the　infant；　〃seems　already　so　lifeless；　that

in　the　tomb　itself　one　could　scarcely　less　heed　the　crimes　that

are　done　without。〃



Glyndon　paused　for　a　few　moments；　and　gazed　with　strange　and

mingled　feelings　upon　that　face　and　form；　still　so　young；　and　yet

so　invested　with　that　saddest　of　all　repose；when　the　heart

feels　old。



〃O　Viola；〃　said　he；　at　last；　and　in　a　voice　of　suppressed

passion；　〃was　it　thus　I　ever　thought　to　see　you；ever　thought　to

feel　for　you；　when　we　two　first　met　in　the　gay　haunts　of　Naples？

Ah；　why　then　did　you　refuse　my　love；　or　why　was　mine　not　worthy

of　you？　　Nay；　shrink　not！let　me　touch　your　hand。　　No　passion　so

sweet　as　that　youthful　love　can　return　to　me　again。　　I　feel　for

you　but　as　a　brother　for　some　younger　and　lonely　sister。　　With

you；　in　your　presence；　sad　though　it　be；　I　seem　to　breathe　back

the　purer　air　of　my　early　life。　　Here　alone；　except　in　scenes　of

turbulence　and　tempest；　the　Phantom　ceases　to　pursue　me。　　I

forget　even　the　Death　that　stalks　behind；　and　haunts　me　as　my

shadow。　　But　better　days　may　be　in　store　for　us　yet。　　Viola；　I　at

last　begin　dimly　to　perceive　how　to　baffle　and　subdue　the　Phantom

that　has　cursed　my　life；it　is　to　brave；　and　defy　it。　　In　sin

and　in　riot；　as　I　have　told　thee；　it　haunts　me　not。　　But　I

comprehend　now　what　Mejnour　said　in　his　dark　apothegms；　'that　I

should　dread　the　spectre　most　WHEN　UNSEEN。'　　In　virtuous　and　calm

resolution　it　appears；ay；　I　behold　it　now；　there；　there；　with

its　livid　eyes！〃and　the　drops　fell　from　his　brow。　　〃But　it

shall　no　longer　daunt　me　from　that　resolution。　　I　face　it；　and　it

gradually　darkens　back　into　the　shade。〃　　He　paused；　and　his　eyes

dwelt　with　a　terrible　exultation　upon　the　sunlit　space；　then；

with　a　heavy　and　deep…drawn　breath；　he　resumed；　〃Viola；　I　have

found　the　means　of　escape。　　We　will　leave　this　city。　　In　some

other　land　we　will　endeavour　to　comfort　each　other；　and　forget

the　past。〃



〃No；〃　said　Viola；　calmly；　〃I　have　no　further　wish　to　stir；　till　I

am　born　hence　to　the　last　resting…place。　　I　dreamed　of　him　last

night；　Clarence！dreamed　of　him　for　the　first　time　since　we

parted；　and；　do　not　mock　me；　methought　that　he　forgave　the

deserter；　and　called　me　'Wife。'　　That　dream　hallows　the　room。

Perhaps　it　will　visit　me　again　before　I　die。〃



〃Talk　not　of　him；of　the　demi…fiend！〃　cried　Glyndon；　fiercely；

and　stamping　his　foot。　　〃Thank　the　Heavens　for　any　fate　that　hath

rescued　thee　from　him！〃



〃Hush！〃　said　Viola；　gravely。　　And　as　she　was　about　to　proceed；

her　eye　fell　upon　the　child。　　It　was　standing　in　the　very　centre

of　that　slanting　column　of　light　which　the　sun　poured　into　the

chamber；　and　the　rays　seemed　to　surround　it　as　a　halo；　and

settled；　crown…like；　on　the　gold　of　its　shining　hair。　　In　its

small　shape；　so　exquisitely　modelled；　in　its　large；　steady；

tranquil　eyes；　there　was　something　that　awed；　while　it　charmed

the　mother's　pride。　　It　gazed　on　Glyndon　as　he　spoke；　with　a　look

which　almost　might　have　seemed　disdain；　and　which　Viola；　at

least；　interpreted　as　a　defence　of　the　Absent；　stronger　than　her

own　lips　could　frame。



Glyndon　broke　the　pause。



〃Thou　wouldst　stay；　for　what？　　To　betray　a　mother's　duty！　　If　any

evil　happen　to　thee　here；　what　becomes　of　thine　infant？　　Shall　it

be　brought　up　an　orphan；　in　a　country　that　has　desecrated　thy

religion；　and　where　human　charity　exists　no　more？　　Ah；　weep；　and

clasp　it　to　thy　bosom；　but　tears　do　not　protect　and　save。〃



〃Thou　hast　conquered；　my　friend；　I　will　fly　with　thee。〃



〃To…morrow　night；　then；　be　prepared。　　I　will　bring　thee　the

necessary　disguises。〃



And　Glyndon　then　proceeded　to　sketch　rapidly　the　outline　of　the

path　they　were　to　take；　and　the　story　they　were　to　tell。　　Viola

listened；　but　scarcely　comprehended；　he　pressed　her　hand　to　his

heart　and　departed。





CHAPTER　7。V。



Van　seco　pur　anco

Sdegno　ed　Amor；　quasi　due　Veltri　al　fianco。

〃Ger。　Lib。〃　cant。　xx。　cxvii。



（There　went　with　him　still　Disdain　and　Love；　like　two　greyhounds

side　by　side。）



Glyndon　did　not　perceive；　as　he　hurried　from　the　house；　two　forms

crouching　by　the　angle　of　the　wall。　　He　saw　still　the　spectre

gliding　by　his　side；　but　he　beheld　not　the　yet　more　poisonous

eyes　of　human　envy　and　woman's　jealousy　that　glared　on　his

retreating　footsteps。



Nicot　advanced　to　the　house；　Fillide　followed　him　in　silence。

The　painter；　an　old　sans…culotte；　knew　well　what　language　to

assume　to　the　porter。　　He　beckoned　the　latter　from　his　lodge；

〃How　is　this；　citizen？　　Thou　harbourest　a　'suspect。'〃



〃Citizen；　you　terrify　me！if　so；　name　him。〃



〃It　is　not　a　man；　a　refugee；　an　Italian　woman；　lodges　here。〃



〃Yes；　au　troisieme；the　door　to　the　left。　　But　what　of　her？she

cannot　be　dangerous；　poor　child！〃



〃Citizen；　beware！　　Dost　thou　dare　to　pity　her？〃



〃I？　　No；　no；　indeed。　　But〃



〃Speak　the　truth！　　Who　visits　her？〃



〃No　one　but　an　Englishman。〃



〃That　is　it；an　Englishman；　a　spy　of　Pitt　and　Coburg。〃



〃Just　Heaven！　is　it　possible？〃



〃How；　citizen！　dost　thou　speak　of　Heaven？　　Thou　must　be　an

aristocrat！〃



〃No；　indeed；　it　was　but　an　old　bad　habit；　and　escaped　me

unawares。〃



〃How　often　does　the　Englishman　visit　her？〃



〃Daily。〃



Fillide　uttered　an　exclamation。



She　never　stirs　out；〃　said　the　porter。　　〃Her　sole　occupations　are

in　work；　and　care　of　her　infant。〃



〃Her　infant！〃



Fillide　made　a　bound　forward。　　Nicot　in　vain　endeavoured　to

arrest　her。　　She　sprang　up　the　stairs；　she　paused　not　till　she

was　before　the　door　indicated　by　the　porter；　it　stood　ajar；　she

entered；　she　stood　at　the　threshold；　and　beheld　that　face；　still

so　lovely！　　The　sight　of　so　much　beauty　left　her　hopeless。　　And

the　child；　over　whom　the　mother　bent！she　who　had　never　been　a

mother！she　uttered　no　sound；　the　furies　were　at　work　within　her

breast。　　Viola　turned；　and　saw　her；　and；　terrified　by　the　strange

apparition；　with　features　that　expressed　the　deadliest　hate　and

scorn　and　vengeance；　uttered　a　cry；　and　snatched　the　child　to　her

bosom。　　The　Italian　laughed　aloud；turned；　descended；　and；

gaining　the　spot　where　Nicot　still　conversed　with　the　frightened

porter　drew　him　from　the　house。　　When　they　were　in　the　open

street；　she　halted　abruptly；　and　said；　〃Avenge　me；　and　name　thy

price！〃



〃My　price；　sweet　one！　is　but　permission　to　love　thee。　　Thou　wilt

fly　with　me　to…morrow　night；　thou　wilt　possess　thyself　of　the

passports　and　the　plan。〃



〃And　they〃



〃Shall；　before　then；　find　their　asylum　in　the　Conciergerie。　　The

guillotine　shall　requite　thy　wrongs。〃



〃Do　this；　and　I　am　satisfied；〃　said　Fillide；　firmly。



And　they　spoke　no　more　till　they　regained　the　house。　　But　when

she　there；　looking　up　to　the　dull　building；　saw　the　windows　of

the　room　which　the　belief　of　Glyndon's　love　had　once　made　a

paradise；　the　tiger　relented　at　the　heart；　something　of　the　woman

gushed　back　upon　her　nature；　dark　and　savage　as　it　was。　　She

pressed　the　arm　on　wh