massimilla doni-第22章

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gesture　of　his　hand。

〃And　I　have　devoured　it！〃　replied　the　Duke。

They　observed　that　the　physician　and　Vendramin　were　gone；　and　that
they　were　alone。



Next　morning；　after　a　night　of　perfect　happiness；　the　Prince's　sleep
was　disturbed　by　a　dream。　He　felt　on　his　heart　the　trickle　of　pearls；
dropped　there　by　an　angel；　he　woke；　and　found　himself　bathed　in　the
tears　of　Massimilla　Doni。　He　was　lying　in　her　arms；　and　she　gazed　at
him　as　he　slept。

That　evening；　at　the　/Fenice/；though　la　Tinti　had　not　allowed　him　to
rise　till　two　in　the　afternoon；　which　is　said　to　be　very　bad　for　a
tenor　voice；Genovese　sang　divinely　in　his　part　in　/Semiramide/。　He
was　recalled　with　la　Tinti；　fresh　crowns　were　given；　the　pit　was　wild
with　delight；　the　tenor　no　longer　attempted　to　charm　the　prima　donna
by　angelic　methods。

Vendramin　was　the　only　person　whom　the　doctor　could　not　cure。　Love　for
a　country　that　has　ceased　to　be　is　a　love　beyond　curing。　The　young
Venetian；　by　dint　of　living　in　his　thirteenth　century　republic；　and　in
the　arms　of　that　pernicious　courtesan　called　opium；　when　he　found
himself　in　the　work…a…day　world　to　which　reaction　brought　him；
succumbed；　pitied　and　regretted　by　his　friends。

No；　how　shall　the　end　of　this　adventure　be　toldfor　it　is　too
disastrously　domestic。　A　word　will　be　enough　for　the　worshipers　of　the
ideal。

The　Duchess　was　expecting　an　infant。

The　Peris；　the　naiads；　the　fairies；　the　sylphs　of　ancient　legend；　the
Muses　of　Greece；　the　Marble　Virgins　of　the　Certosa　at　Pavia；　the　Day
and　Night　of　Michael　Angelo；　the　little　Angels　which　Bellini　was　the
first　to　put　at　the　foot　of　his　Church　pictures；　and　which　Raphael
painted　so　divinely　in　his　Virgin　with　the　Donor；　and　the　Madonna　who
shivers　at　Dresden；　the　lovely　Maidens　by　Orcagna　in　the　Church　of
San…Michele；　at　Florence；　the　celestial　choir　round　the　tomb　in　Saint…
Sebaldus；　at　Nuremberg；　the　Virgins　of　the　Duomo；　at　Milan；　the　whole
population　of　a　hundred　Gothic　Cathedrals；　all　the　race　of　beings　who
burst　their　mould　to　visit　you；　great　imaginative　artistsall　these
angelic　and　disembodied　maidens　gathered　round　Massimilla's　bed；　and
wept！



PARIS；　May　25th；　1839。








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