massimilla doni-第13章

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Emilio　sprang　into　the　gondola；　where　he　was　seized　in　a　pair　of　soft
armsan　embrace　of　ironand　dragged　down　on　to　the　cushions；　where
he　felt　the　heaving　bosom　of　an　ardent　woman。　And　then　he　was　no　more
Emilio；　but　Clarina's　lover；　for　his　ideas　and　feelings　were　so
bewildering　that　he　yielded　as　if　stupefied　by　her　first　kiss。

〃Forgive　this　trick；　my　beloved；〃　said　the　Sicilian。　〃I　shall　die　if
you　do　not　come　with　me。〃

And　the　gondola　flew　over　the　secret　water。



At　half…past　seven　on　the　following　evening；　the　spectators　were　again
in　their　places　in　the　theatre；　excepting　that　those　in　the　pit　always
took　their　chances　of　where　they　might　sit。　Old　Capraja　was　in
Cataneo's　box。

Before　the　overture　the　Duke　paid　a　call　on　the　Duchess；　he　made　a
point　of　standing　behind　her　and　leaving　the　front　seat　to　Emilio　next
the　Duchess。　He　made　a　few　trivial　remarks；　without　sarcasm　or
bitterness；　and　with　as　polite　a　manner　as　if　he　were　visiting　a
stranger。

But　in　spite　of　his　efforts　to　seem　amiable　and　natural；　the　Prince
could　not　control　his　expression；　which　was　deeply　anxious。　Bystanders
would　have　ascribed　such　a　change　in　his　usually　placid　features　to
jealousy。　The　Duchess　no　doubt　shared　Emilio's　feelings；　she　looked
gloomy　and　was　evidently　depressed。　The　Duke；　uncomfortable　enough
between　two　sulky　people；　took　advantage　of　the　French　doctor's
entrance　to　slip　away。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Cataneo　to　his　physician　before　dropping　the　curtain
over　the　entrance　to　the　box；　〃you　will　hear　to…night　a　grand　musical
poem；　not　easy　of　comprehension　at　a　first　hearing。　But　in　leaving　you
with　the　Duchess　I　know　that　you　can　have　no　more　competent
interpreter；　for　she　is　my　pupil。〃

The　doctor；　like　the　Duke；　was　struck　by　the　expression　stamped　on　the
faces　of　the　lovers；　a　look　of　pining　despair。

〃Then　does　an　Italian　opera　need　a　guide　to　it？〃　he　asked　Massimilla；
with　a　smile。

Recalled　by　this　question　to　her　duties　as　mistress　of　the　box；　the
Duchess　tried　to　chase　away　the　clouds　that　darkened　her　brow；　and
replied；　with　eager　haste；　to　open　a　conversation　in　which　she　might
vent　her　irritation：

〃This　is　not　so　much　an　opera；　monsieur；〃　said　she；　〃as　an　oratorioa
work　which　is　in　fact　not　unlike　a　most　magnificent　edifice；　and　I
shall　with　pleasure　be　your　guide。　Believe　me；　it　will　not　be　too　much
to　give　all　your　mind　to　our　great　Rossini；　for　you　need　to　be　at　once
a　poet　and　a　musician　to　appreciate　the　whole　bearing　of　such　a　work。

〃You　belong　to　a　race　whose　language　and　genius　are　too　practical　for
it　to　enter　into　music　without　an　effort；　but　France　is　too
intellectual　not　to　learn　to　love　it　and　cultivate　it；　and　to　succeed
in　that　as　in　everything　else。　Also；　it　must　be　acknowledged　that
music；　as　created　by　Lulli；　Rameau；　Haydn；　Mozart；　Beethoven；
Cimarosa；　Paisiello；　and　Rossini；　and　as　it　will　be　carried　on　by　the
great　geniuses　of　the　future；　is　a　new　art；　unknown　to　former
generations；　they　had　indeed　no　such　variety　of　instruments　on　which
the　flowers　of　melody　now　blossom　as　on　some　rich　soil。

〃So　novel　an　art　demands　study　in　the　public；　study　of　a　kind　that　may
develop　the　feelings　to　which　music　appeals。　That　sentiment　hardly
exists　as　yet　among　youa　nation　given　up　to　philosophical　theories；
to　analysis　and　discussion；　and　always　torn　by　civil　disturbances。
Modern　music　demands　perfect　peace；　it　is　the　language　of　loving　and
sentimental　souls；　inclined　to　lofty　emotional　aspiration。

〃That　language；　a　thousand　times　fuller　than　the　language　of　words；　is
to　speech　and　ideas　what　the　thought　is　to　its　utterance；　it　arouses
sensations　and　ideas　in　their　primitive　form；　in　that　part　of　us　where
sensations　and　ideas　have　their　birth；　but　leaves　them　as　they　are　in
each　of　us。　That　power　over　our　inmost　being　is　one　of　the　grandest
facts　in　music。　All　other　arts　present　to　the　mind　a　definite
creation；　those　of　music　are　indefiniteinfinite。　We　are　compelled　to
accept　the　ideas　of　the　poet；　the　painter's　picture；　the　sculptor's
statue；　but　music　each　one　can　interpret　at　the　will　of　his　sorrow　or
his　gladness；　his　hope　or　his　despair。　While　other　arts　restrict　our
mind　by　fixing　it　on　a　predestined　object；　music　frees　it　to　roam　over
all　nature　which　it　alone　has　the　power　of　expressing。　You　shall　hear
how　I　interpret　Rossini's　/Mose/。〃

She　leaned　across　to　the　Frenchman　to　speak　to　him；　without　being
overheard。

〃Moses　is　the　liberator　of　an　enslaved　race！〃　said　she。　〃Remember
that；　and　you　will　see　with　what　religious　hope　the　whole　house　will
listen　to　the　prayer　of　the　rescued　Hebrews；　with　what　a　thunder　of
applause　it　will　respond！〃

As　the　leader　raised　his　bow；　Emilio　flung　himself　into　a　back　seat。
The　Duchess　pointed　out　the　place　he　had　left；　for　the　physician　to
take　it。　But　the　Frenchman　was　far　more　curious　to　know　what　had　gone
wrong　between　the　lovers　than　to　enter　the　halls　of　music　built　up　by
the　man　whom　all　Italy　was　applaudingfor　it　was　the　day　of　Rossini's
triumph　in　his　own　country。　He　was　watching　the　Duchess；　and　she　was
talking　with　a　feverish　excitement。　She　reminded　him　of　the　Niobe　he
had　admired　at　Florence：　the　same　dignity　in　woe；　the　same　physical
control；　and　yet　her　soul　shone　though；　in　the　warm　flush　of　her
cheeks；　and　her　eyes；　where　anxiety　was　disguised　under　a　flash　of
pride；　seemed　to　scorch　the　tears　away　by　their　fire。　Her　suppressed
grief　seemed　calmer　when　she　looked　at　Emilio；　who　never　took　his　eyes
off　her；　it　was　easy　to　see　that　she　was　trying　to　mollify　some　fierce
despair。　The　state　of　her　feelings　gave　a　certain　loftiness　to　her
mind。

Like　most　women　when　under　the　stress　of　some　unusual　agitation；　she
overstepped　her　ordinary　limitations　and　assumed　something　of　the
Pythoness；　though　still　remaining　calm　and　beautiful；　for　it　was　the
form　of　her　thoughts　that　was　wrung　with　desperation；　not　the　features
of　her　face。　And　perhaps　she　wanted　to　shine　with　all　her　wit　to　lend
some　charm　to　life　and　detain　her　lover　from　death。

When　the　orchestra　had　given　out　the　three　chords　in　C　major；　placed
at　the　opening　by　the　composer　to　announce　that　the　overture　will　be
sungfor　the　real　overture　is　the　great　movement　beginning　with　this
stern　attack；　and　ending　only　when　light　appears　at　the　command　of
Mosesthe　Duchess　could　not　control　a　little　spasmodic　start；　that
showed　how　entirely　the　music　was　in　accordance　with　her　concealed
distress。

〃Those　three　chords　freeze　the　blood；〃　said　she。　〃They　announce
trouble。　Listen　attentively　to　this　introduction；　the　terrible　lament
of　a　nation　stricken　by　the　hand　of　God。　What　wailing！　The　King；　the
Queen；　their　first…born　son；　all　the　dignitaries　of　the　kingdom　are
sighing；　they　are　wounded　in　their　pride；　in　their　conquests；　checked
in　their　avarice。　Dear　Rossini！　you　have　done　well　to　throw　this　bone
to　gnaw　to　the　/Tedeschi/；　who　declared　we　had　no　harmony；　no　science！

〃Now　you　will　hear　the　ominous　melody　the　maestro　has　engrafted　on　to
this　profound　harmonic　composition；　worthy　to　compare　with　the　most
elaborate　structures　of　the　Germans；　but　never　fatiguing　or　tiresome。

〃You　French；　who　carried　through　such　a　bloodthirsty　revolution；　who
crushed　your　aristocracy　under　the　paw　of　the　lion　mob；　on　the　day
when　this　oratorio　is　performed　in　your　capital；　you　will　understand
this　glorious　dirge　of　the　victims　on　whom　God　is　avenging　his　chosen
people。　None　but　an　Italian　could　have　written　this　pregnant　and
inexhaustible　themetruly　Dantesque。　Do　you　think　that　it　is　nothing
to　have　such　a　dream　of　vengeance；　even　for　a　moment？　Handel；
Sebastian　Bach；　all　you　old　German　masters；　nay；　even　you；　great
Beethoven；　on　your　knees！　Here　is　the　queen　of　arts；　Italy
triumphant！〃

The　Duchess　had　spoken　while　the　curtain　was　being　raised。　And　now　the
physician　heard　the　sublime　symphony　with　which　the　composer
introduces　the　great　Biblical　drama。　It　is　to　express　the　sufferings
of　a　whole　nation。　Suffering　is　uniform　in　its　expression；　especially
physical　suffering。　Thus；　having　instinctively　felt；　like　all　men　of
genius；　that　here　there　must　be　no　variety　of　idea；　the　musici