massimilla doni-第17章
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breast;〃you felt rapturous emotions。 Massimilla's voice fell on your
soul in waves of light; her touch released a thousand imprisoned joys
which emerged from the convolutions of your brain to gather about you
in clouds; to waft your etherealized body through the blue air to a
purple glow far above the snowy heights; to where the pure love of
angels dwells。 The smile; the kisses of her lips wrapped you in a
poisoned robe which burnt up the last vestiges of your earthly nature。
Her eyes were twin stars that turned you into shadowless light。 You
knelt together on the palm…branches of heaven; waiting for the gates
of Paradise to be opened; but they turned heavily on their hinges; and
in your impatience you struck at them; but could not reach them。 Your
hand touched nothing but clouds more nimble than your desires。 Your
radiant companion; crowned with white roses like a bride of Heaven;
wept at your anguish。 Perhaps she was murmuring melodious litanies to
the Virgin; while the demoniacal cravings of the flesh were haunting
you with their shameless clamor; and you disdained the divine fruits
of that ecstasy in which I live; though shortening my life。〃
〃Your exaltation; my dear Vendramin;〃 replied Emilio; calmly; 〃is
still beneath reality。 Who can describe that purely physical
exhaustion in which we are left by the abuse of a dream of pleasure;
leaving the soul still eternally craving; and the spirit in clear
possession of its faculties?
〃But I am weary of this torment; which is that of Tantalus。 This is my
last night on earth。 After one final effort; our Mother shall have her
child againthe Adriatic will silence my last sigh〃
〃Are you idiotic?〃 cried Vendramin。 〃No; you are mad; for madness; the
crisis we despise; is the memory of an antecedent condition acting on
our present state of being。 The genius of my dreams has taught me
that; and much else! You want to make one of the Duchess and la Tinti;
nay; dear Emilio; take them separately; it will be far wiser。 Raphael
alone ever united form and idea。 You want to be the Raphael of love;
but chance cannot be commanded。 Raphael was a 'fluke' of God's
creation; for He foreordained that form and idea should be
antagonistic; otherwise nothing could live。 When the first cause is
more potent than the outcome; nothing comes of it。 We must live either
on earth or in the skies。 Remain in the skies; it is always too soon
to come down to earth。〃
〃I will take the Duchess home;〃 said the Prince; 〃and make a last
attemptafterwards?〃
〃Afterwards;〃 cried Vendramin; anxiously; 〃promise to call for me at
Florian's。〃
〃I will。〃
This dialogue; in modern Greek; with which Vendramin and Emilio were
familiar; as many Venetians are; was unintelligible to the Duchess and
to the Frenchman。 Although he was quite outside the little circle that
held the Duchess; Emilio and Vendramin togetherfor these three
understood each other by means of Italian glances; by turns arch and
keen; or veiled and sidelongthe physician at last discerned part of
the truth。 An earnest entreaty from the Duchess had prompted
Vendramin's suggestion to Emilio; for Massimilla had begun to suspect
the misery endured by her lover in that cold empyrean where he was
wandering; though she had no suspicions of la Tinti。
〃These two young men are mad!〃 said the doctor。
〃As to the Prince;〃 said the Duchess; 〃trust me to cure him。 As to
Vendramin; if he cannot understand this sublime music; he is perhaps
incurable。〃
〃If you would but tell me the cause of their madness; I could cure
them;〃 said the Frenchman。
〃And since when have great physicians ceased to read men's minds?〃
said she; jestingly。
The ballet was long since ended; the second act of /Mose/ was
beginning。 The pit was perfectly attentive。 A rumor had got abroad
that Duke Cataneo had lectured Genovese; representing to him what
injury he was doing to Clarina; the /diva/ of the day。 The second act
would certainly be magnificent。
〃The Egyptian Prince and his father are on the stage;〃 said the
Duchess。 〃They have yielded once more; though insulting the Hebrews;
but they are trembling with rage。 The father congratulates himself on
his son's approaching marriage; and the son is in despair at this
fresh obstacle; though it only increases his love; to which everything
is opposed。 Genovese and Carthagenova are singing admirably。 As you
see; the tenor is making his peace with the house。 How well he brings
out the beauty of the music! The phrase given out by the son on the
tonic; and repeated by the father on the dominant; is all in character
with the simple; serious scheme which prevails throughout the score;
the sobriety of it makes the endless variety of the music all the more
wonderful。 All Egypt is there。
〃I do not believe that there is in modern music a composition more
perfectly noble。 The solemn and majestic paternity of a king is fully
expressed in that magnificent theme; in harmony with the grand style
that stamps the opera throughout。 The idea of a Pharaoh's son pouring
out his sorrows on his father's bosom could surely not be more
admirably represented than in this grand imagery。 Do you not feel a
sense of the splendor we are wont to attribute to that monarch of
antiquity?〃
〃It is indeed sublime music;〃 said the Frenchman。
〃The air /Pace mia smarrita/; which the Queen will now sing; is one of
those /bravura/ songs which every composer is compelled to introduce;
though they mar the general scheme of the work; but an opera would as
often as not never see the light; if the prima donna's vanity were not
duly flattered。 Still; this musical 'sop' is so fine in itself that it
is performed as written; on every stage; it is so brilliant that the
leading lady does not substitute her favorite show piece; as is very
commonly done in operas。
〃And now comes the most striking movement in the score: the duet
between Osiride and Elcia in the subterranean chamber where he has
hidden her to keep her from the departing Israelites; and to fly with
her himself from Egypt。 The lovers are then intruded on by Aaron; who
has been to warn Amalthea; and we get the grandest of all quartettes:
/Mi manca la voce; mi sento morire/。 This is one of those masterpieces
that will survive in spite of time; that destroyer of fashion in
music; for it speaks the language of the soul which can never change。
Mozart holds his own by the famous /finale/ to /Don Giovanni/;
Marcello; by his psalm; /Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei/; Cimarosa; by the
air /Pria che spunti/; Beethoven by his C minor symphony; Pergolesi;
by his /Stabat Mater/; Rossini will live by /Mi manca la voce/。 What
is most to be admired in Rossini is his command of variety to form; to
produce the effect here required; he has had recourse to the old
structure of the canon in unison; to bring the voices in; and merge
them in the same melody。 As the form of these sublime melodies was
new; he set them in an old frame; and to give it the more relief he
has silenced the orchestra; accompanying the voices with the harps
alone。 It is impossible to show greater ingenuity of detail; or to
produce a grander general effect。Dear me! again an outbreak!〃 said
the Duchess。
Genovese; who had sung his duet with Carthagenova so well; was
caricaturing himself now that la Tinti was on the stage。 From a great
singer he sank to the level of the most worthless chorus singer。
The most formidable uproar arose that had ever echoed to the roof of
the /Fenice/。 The commotion only yielded to Clarina; and she; furious
at the difficulties raised by Genovese's obstinacy; sang /Mi manca la
voce/ as it will never be sung again。 The enthusiasm was tremendous;
the audience forgot their indignation and rage in pleasure that was
really acute。
〃She floods my soul with purple glow!〃 said Capraja; waving his hand
in benediction at la /Diva/ Tinti。
〃Heaven send all its blessings on your head!〃 cried a gondolier。
〃Pharaoh will now revoke his commands;〃 said the Duchess; while the
commotion in the pit was calming down。 〃Moses will overwhelm him; even
on his throne; by declaring the death of every first…born son in
Egypt; singing that strain of vengeance wh