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pause　not　to　ask　of　what　realities　they　are　the　proxies。　　When

the　actor　of　Athens　moved　all　hearts　as　he　clasped　the　burial

urn；　and　burst　into　broken　sobs；　how　few；　there；　knew　that　it

held　the　ashes　of　his　son！　　Gold；　as　well　as　fame；　was　showered

upon　the　young　actress；　but　she　still　kept　to　her　simple　mode　of

life；　to　her　lowly　home；　to　the　one　servant　whose　faults；　selfish

as　they　were；　Viola　was　too　inexperienced　to　perceive。　　And　it

was　Gionetta　who　had　placed　her　when　first　born　in　her　father's

arms！　　She　was　surrounded　by　every　snare；　wooed　by　every

solicitation　that　could　beset　her　unguarded　beauty　and　her

dangerous　calling。　　But　her　modest　virtue　passed　unsullied

through　them　all。　　It　is　true　that　she　had　been　taught　by　lips

now　mute　the　maiden　duties　enjoined　by　honour　and　religion。　　And

all　love　that　spoke　not　of　the　altar　only　shocked　and　repelled

her。　　But　besides　that；　as　grief　and　solitude　ripened　her　heart；

and　made　her　tremble　at　times　to　think　how　deeply　it　could　feel；

her　vague　and　early　visions　shaped　themselves　into　an　ideal　of

love。　　And　till　the　ideal　is　found；　how　the　shadow　that　it　throws

before　it　chills　us　to　the　actual！　　With　that　ideal；　ever　and

ever；　unconsciously；　and　with　a　certain　awe　and　shrinking；　came

the　shape　and　voice　of　the　warning　stranger。　　Nearly　two　years

had　passed　since　he　had　appeared　at　Naples。　　Nothing　had　been

heard　of　him；　save　that　his　vessel　had　been　directed；　some　months

after　his　departure；　to　sail　for　Leghorn。　　By　the　gossips　of

Naples；　his　existence；　supposed　so　extraordinary；　was　wellnigh

forgotten；　but　the　heart　of　Viola　was　more　faithful。　　Often　he

glided　through　her　dreams；　and　when　the　wind　sighed　through　that

fantastic　tree；　associated　with　his　remembrance；　she　started　with

a　tremor　and　a　blush；　as　if　she　had　heard　him　speak。



But　amongst　the　train　of　her　suitors　was　one　to　whom　she　listened

more　gently　than　to　the　rest；　partly　because；　perhaps；　he　spoke

in　her　mother's　native　tongue；　partly　because　in　his　diffidence

there　was　little　to　alarm　and　displease；　partly　because　his　rank；

nearer　to　her　own　than　that　of　lordlier　wooers；　prevented　his

admiration　from　appearing　insult；　partly　because　he　himself；

eloquent　and　a　dreamer；　often　uttered　thoughts　that　were　kindred

to　those　buried　deepest　in　her　mind。　　She　began　to　like；　perhaps

to　love　him；　but　as　a　sister　loves；　a　sort　of　privileged

familiarity　sprung　up　between　them。　　If　in　the　Englishman's

breast　arose　wild　and　unworthy　hopes；　he　had　not　yet　expressed

them。　　Is　there　danger　to　thee　here；　lone　Viola；　or　is　the　danger

greater　in　thy　unfound　ideal？



And　now；　as　the　overture　to　some　strange　and　wizard　spectacle；

closes　this　opening　prelude。　　Wilt　thou　hear　more？　　Come　with　thy

faith　prepared。　　I　ask　not　the　blinded　eyes；　but　the　awakened

sense。　　As　the　enchanted　Isle；　remote　from　the　homes　of　men；



〃Ove　alcun　legno

Rado；　o　non　mai　va　dalle　nostre　sponde；〃

〃Ger。Lib。；〃　cant。　xiv。　69。



（Where　ship　seldom　or　never　comes　from　our　coasts。）



is　the　space　in　the　weary　ocean　of　actual　life　to　which　the　Muse

or　Sibyl　（ancient　in　years；　but　ever　young　in　aspect）；　offers

thee　no　unhallowed　sail；



〃Quinci　ella　in　cima　a　una　montagna　ascende

Disabitata；　e　d'　ombre　oscura　e　bruna；

E　par　incanto　a　lei　nevose　rende

Le　spalle　e　i　fianchi；　e　sensa　neve　alcuna

Gli　lascia　il　capo　verdeggiante　e　vago；

E　vi　fonda　un　palagio　appresso　un　lago。〃



（There；　she　a　mountain's　lofty　peak　ascends；

Unpeopled；　shady；　shagg'd　with　forests　brown；

Whose　sides；　by　power　of　magic；　half…way　down

She　heaps　with　slippery　ice　and　frost　and　snow；

But　sunshiny　and　verdant　leaves　the　crown

With　orange…woods　and　myrtles；speaks；　and　lo！

Rich　from　the　bordering　lake　a　palace　rises　slow。

Wiffin's　〃Translation。〃





BOOK　II。



ART；　LOVE；　AND　WONDER。



Diversi　aspetti　in　un　confusi　e　misti。

〃Ger。　Lib；〃　cant。　iv。　7。



Different　appearances；　confused　and　mixt　in　one。





CHAPTER　2。I。



Centauri；　e　Sfingi；　e　pallide　Gorgoni。

〃Ger。　Lib。；〃　c。　iv。　v。



（Centaurs　and　Sphinxes　and　pallid　Gorgons。）



One　moonlit　night；　in　the　Gardens　at　Naples；　some　four　or　five

gentleman　were　seated　under　a　tree；　drinking　their　sherbet；　and

listening；　in　the　intervals　of　conversation；　to　the　music　which

enlivened　that　gay　and　favourite　resort　of　an　indolent

population。　　One　of　this　little　party　was　a　young　Englishman；　who

had　been　the　life　of　the　whole　group；　but　who；　for　the　last　few

moments；　had　sunk　into　a　gloomy　and　abstracted　reverie。　　One　of

his　countrymen　observed　this　sudden　gloom；　and；　tapping　him　on

the　back；　said；　〃What　ails　you；　Glyndon？　　Are　you　ill？　　You　have

grown　quite　pale；you　tremble。　　Is　it　a　sudden　chill？　　You　had

better　go　home：　　these　Italian　nights　are　often　dangerous　to　our

English　constitutions。〃



〃No；　I　am　well　now；　it　was　a　passing　shudder。　　I　cannot　account

for　it　myself。〃



A　man；　apparently　of　about　thirty　years　of　age；　and　of　a　mien　and

countenance　strikingly　superior　to　those　around　him；　turned

abruptly；　and　looked　steadfastly　at　Glyndon。



〃I　think　I　understand　what　you　mean；〃　said　he；　〃and　perhaps；〃　he

added；　with　a　grave　smile；　〃I　could　explain　it　better　than

yourself。〃　　Here；　turning　to　the　others；　he　added；　〃You　must

often　have　felt；　gentlemen；　each　and　all　of　you；　especially　when

sitting　alone　at　night；　a　strange　and　unaccountable　sensation　of

coldness　and　awe　creep　over　you；　your　blood　curdles；　and　the

heart　stands　still；　the　limbs　shiver；　the　hair　bristles；　you　are

afraid　to　look　up；　to　turn　your　eyes　to　the　darker　corners　of　the

room；　you　have　a　horrible　fancy　that　something　unearthly　is　at

hand；　presently　the　whole　spell；　if　I　may　so　call　it；　passes

away；　and　you　are　ready　to　laugh　at　your　own　weakness。　　Have　you

not　often　felt　what　I　have　thus　imperfectly　described？if　so；

you　can　understand　what　our　young　friend　has　just　experienced；

even　amidst　the　delights　of　this　magical　scene；　and　amidst　the

balmy　whispers　of　a　July　night。〃



〃Sir；〃　replied　Glyndon；　evidently　much　surprised；　〃you　have

defined　exactly　the　nature　of　that　shudder　which　came　over　me。

But　how　could　my　manner　be　so　faithful　an　index　to　my

impressions？〃



〃I　know　the　signs　of　the　visitation；〃　returned　the　stranger；

gravely；　〃they　are　not　to　be　mistaken　by　one　of　my　experience。〃



All　the　gentleman　present　then　declared　that　they　could

comprehend；　and　had　felt；　what　the　stranger　had　described。



〃According　to　one　of　our　national　superstitions；〃　said　Mervale；

the　Englishman　who　had　first　addressed　Glyndon；　〃the　moment　you

so　feel　your　blood　creep；　and　your　hair　stand　on　end；　some　one　is

walking　over　the　spot　which　shall　be　your　grave。〃



〃There　are　in　all　lands　different　superstitions　to　account　for　so

common　an　occurrence；〃　replied　the　stranger：　　〃one　sect　among　the

Arabians　holds　that　at　that　instant　God　is　deciding　the　hour

either　of　your　death；　or　of　some　one　dear　to　you。　　The　African

savage；　whose　imagination　is　darkened　by　the　hideous　rites　of　his

gloomy　idolatry；　believes　that　the　Evil　Spirit　is　pulling　you

towards　him　by　the　hair：　　so　do　the　Grotesque　and　the　Terrible

mingle　with　each　other。〃



〃It　is　evidently　a　mere　physical　accident；a　derangement　of　the

stomach；　a　chill　of　the　blood；〃　said　a　young　Neapolitan；　with

whom　Glyndon　had　formed　a　slight　acquaintance。



〃Then　why　is　it　always　coupled　in　all　nations　with　some

superstitious　presentiment　or　terror；some　connection　between

the　material　frame　and　the　supposed　world　without　us？　　For　my

part；　I　think〃



〃Ay；　what　do　you　think；　sir？〃　asked　Glyndon；　curiously。



〃I　think；〃　continued　the　stranger；　〃that　it　is　the　repugnance　and

horror　with　which　our　more　human　elements　recoil　from　something；

indeed；　invisible；　but　antipathetic　to　our　own　nature；　and　from　a

knowledge　of　which　we　are　happily　secured　by　the　imperfection　of

our　senses。〃



〃You　are　a　believer　in　spirits；　then？〃　said　Mervale；　with　an

incredulous　smile。



〃Nay；　it　was　not　precisely　of　spirits　that　I　spoke；　but　there　may

be　forms　of　matter　as　invisible　and　impalpable　to　us　as　the

animalculae　in　the　air　we　breathe；in　the　water　that　plays　in

yonder　basin。　　Such　beings　may　have　passions　and　powers　like　our

ownas　the　animalculae　to　which　I　have　compared　them。　　The

monster　that　lives　and　dies　in　a　drop　of　watercarnivorous；

insatiable；　subsisting　on　the　creatures　minuter　than　himselfis

not　less　deadly　in　his　wrath；　less　ferocious　in　his　nature；　than

the　tiger　of　the　desert。　There　may　be　things　around　us　that　would

be　dangerous　and　hostile　to　men；　if　Providence　had　not　placed　a

wall　between　them　and　us；　merely　by　different　modifications　of

matter。〃



〃And　think　you　that　wall　never　can　be　removed？〃　asked　young

Glyndon；　abruptly。　　〃Are　the　traditions　of　sorcerer　and　wizard；

universal　and　immemorial　as　they　are；　merely　fables？〃



〃Perhaps　yes；perhaps　no；〃　answered　the　stranger；　indifferently。

〃But　who；　in　an　age　in　which　the　reason　has　chosen　its　proper

bounds；　would　be　mad　enough　to　break　the　partition　that　divides

him　from　the　boa　and　the　lion；to　repine　at　and　rebel　against

the　law　which　confines　the　shark　to　the　great　deep？　　Enough　of

these　idle　speculations。〃



Here　the　stranger　rose；　summoned　the　attendant；　paid　for　his

sherbet；　and；　bowing　slightly　to　the　company；　soon　disappeared

among　the　trees。



〃Who　is　that　gentleman？〃　asked　Glyndon；　eagerly。



The　rest　looked　at　each　other；　without　replying；　for　some

moments。



〃I　never　saw　him　before；〃　said　Mervale；　at　last。



〃Nor　I。〃



〃Nor　I。〃



〃I　know　him　well；〃　said　the　Neapolitan；　who　was；　indeed；　the

Count　Cetoxa。　　〃If　you　remember；　it　was　as　my　companion　that　he

joined　you。　　He　visited　Naples　about　two　years　ago；　and　has

recently　returned；　he　is　very　rich；indeed；　enormously　so。　　A

most　agreeable　person。　　I　am　sorry　to　hear　him