zanoni-第39部分

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Zanoni！　　There　was　a　new　motive　to　the　preservation　of　honour。

The　door　opened；　and　the　prince　entered　in　the　gorgeous　and　gaudy

custume　still　worn　at　that　time　in　Naples。



〃Fair　and　cruel　one；〃　said　he；　advancing　with　a　half…sneer　upon

his　lip；　〃thou　wilt　not　too　harshly　blame　the　violence　of　love。〃

He　attempted　to　take　her　hand　as　he　spoke。



〃Nay；〃　said　he；　as　she　recoiled；　〃reflect　that　thou　art　now　in

the　power　of　one　that　never　faltered　in　the　pursuit　of　an　object

less　dear　to　him　than　thou　art。　　Thy　lover；　presumptuous　though

he　be；　is　not　by　to　save　thee。　　Mine　thou　art；　but　instead　of　thy

master；　suffer　me　to　be　thy　slave。〃



〃Prince；〃　said　Viola；　with　a　stern　gravity；　〃your　boast　is　in

vain。　　Your　power！　　I　am　NOT　in　your　power。　　Life　and　death　are

in　my　own　hands。　　I　will　not　defy；　but　I　do　not　fear　you。　　I

feeland　in　some　feelings；〃　added　Viola；　with　a　solemnity　almost

thrilling；　〃there　is　all　the　strength；　and　all　the　divinity　of

knowledgeI　feel　that　I　am　safe　even　here；　but　youyou；　Prince

di　；　have　brought　danger　to　your　home　and　hearth！〃



The　Neapolitan　seemed　startled　by　an　earnestness　and　boldness　he

was　but　little　prepared　for。　　He　was　not；　however；　a　man　easily

intimidated　or　deterred　from　any　purpose　he　had　formed；　and；

approaching　Viola；　he　was　about　to　reply　with　much　warmth；　real

or　affected；　when　a　knock　was　heard　at　the　door　of　the　chamber。

The　sound　was　repeated；　and　the　prince；　chafed　at　the

interruption；　opened　the　door　and　demanded　impatiently　who　had

ventured　to　disobey　his　orders；　and　invade　his　leisure。　　Mascari

presented　himself；　pale　and　agitated：　　〃My　lord；〃　said　he；　in　a

whisper；　〃pardon　me；　but　a　stranger　is　below；　who　insists　on

seeing　you；　and；　from　some　words　he　let　fall；　I　judged　it

advisable　even　to　infringe　your　commands。〃



〃A　stranger！and　at　this　hour！　　What　business　can　he　pretend？

Why　was　he　even　admitted？〃



〃He　asserts　that　your　life　is　in　imminent　danger。　　The　source

whence　it　proceeds　he　will　relate　to　your　Excellency　alone。〃



The　prince　frowned；　but　his　colour　changed。　　He　mused　a　moment；

and　then；　re…entering　the　chamber　and　advancing　towards　Viola；　he

said；



〃Believe　me；　fair　creature；　I　have　no　wish　to　take　advantage　of

my　power。　　I　would　fain　trust　alone　to　the　gentler　authorities　of

affection。　　Hold　yourself　queen　within　these　walls　more

absolutely　than　you　have　ever　enacted　that　part　on　the　stage。

To…night；　farewell！　　May　your　sleep　be　calm；　and　your　dreams

propitious　to　my　hopes。〃



With　these　words　he　retired；　and　in　a　few　moments　Viola　was

surrounded　by　officious　attendants；　whom　she　at　length；　with　some

difficulty；　dismissed；　and；　refusing　to　retire　to　rest；　she　spent

the　night　in　examining　the　chamber；　which　she　found　was　secured；

and　in　thoughts　of　Zanoni；　in　whose　power　she　felt　an　almost

preternatural　confidence。



Meanwhile　the　prince　descended　the　stairs　and　sought　the　room

into　which　the　stranger　had　been　shown。



He　found　the　visitor　wrapped　from　head　to　foot　in　a　long　robe；

half…gown；　half…mantle；　such　as　was　sometimes　worn　by

ecclesiastics。　　The　face　of　this　stranger　was　remarkable。　　So

sunburnt　and　swarthy　were　his　hues；　that　he　must；　apparently；

have　derived　his　origin　amongst　the　races　of　the　farthest　East。

His　forehead　was　lofty；　and　his　eyes　so　penetrating　yet　so　calm

in　their　gaze　that　the　prince　shrank　from　them　as　we　shrink　from

a　questioner　who　is　drawing　forth　the　guiltiest　secret　of　our

hearts。



〃What　would　you　with　me？〃　asked　the　prince；　motioning　his　visitor

to　a　seat。



〃Prince　of　；〃　said　the　stranger；　in　a　voice　deep　and　sweet；　but

foreign　in　its　accent；〃son　of　the　most　energetic　and　masculine

race　that　ever　applied　godlike　genius　to　the　service　of　Human

Will；　with　its　winding　wickedness　and　its　stubborn　grandeur；

descendant　of　the　great　Visconti　in　whose　chronicles　lies　the

history　of　Italy　in　her　palmy　day；　and　in　whose　rise　was　the

development　of　the　mightiest　intellect；　ripened　by　the　most

restless　ambition；I　come　to　gaze　upon　the　last　star　in　a

darkening　firmament。　　By　this　hour　to…morrow　space　shall　know　it

not。　　Man；　unless　thy　whole　nature　change；　thy　days　are

numbered！〃



〃What　means　this　jargon？〃　said　the　prince；　in　visible

astonishment　and　secret　awe。　　〃Comest　thou　to　menace　me　in　my　own

halls；　or　wouldst　thou　warn　me　of　a　danger？　　Art　thou　some

itinerant　mountebank；　or　some　unguessed…of　friend？　　Speak　out；

and　plainly。　　What　danger　threatens　me？〃



〃Zanoni　and　thy　ancestor's　sword；〃　replied　the　stranger。



〃Ha！　ha！〃　said　the　prince；　laughing　scournfully；　〃I

half…suspected　thee　from　the　first。　　Thou　art　then　the　accomplice

or　the　tool　of　that　most　dexterous；　but；　at　present；　defeated

charlatan？　　And　I　suppose　thou　wilt　tell　me　that　if　I　were　to

release　a　certain　captive　I　have　made；　the　danger　would　vanish；

and　the　hand　of　the　dial　would　be　put　back？〃



〃Judge　of　me　as　thou　wilt；　Prince　di　。　　I　confess　my　knowledge

of　Zanoni。　　Thou；　too；　wilt　know　his　power；　but　not　till　it

consume　thee。　　I　would　save；　therefore　I　warn　thee。　　Dost　thou

ask　me　why？　　I　will　tell　thee。　　Canst　thou　remember　to　have　heard

wild　tales　of　thy　grandsire；　of　his　desire　for　a　knowledge　that

passes　that　of　the　schools　and　cloisters；　of　a　strange　man　from

the　East　who　was　his　familiar　and　master　in　lore　against　which

the　Vatican　has；　from　age　to　age；　launched　its　mimic　thunder？

Dost　thou　call　to　mind　the　fortunes　of　thy　ancestor？how　he

succeeded　in　youth　to　little　but　a　name；　how；　after　a　career　wild

and　dissolute　as　thine；　he　disappeared　from　Milan；　a　pauper；　and

a　self…exile；　how；　after　years　spent；　none　knew　in　what　climes　or

in　what　pursuits；　he　again　revisited　the　city　where　his

progenitors　had　reigned；　how　with　him　came　the　wise　man　of　the

East；　the　mystic　Mejnour；　how　they　who　beheld　him；　beheld　with

amaze　and　fear　that　time　had　ploughed　no　furrow　on　his　brow；　that

youth　seemed　fixed；　as　by　a　spell；　upon　his　face　and　form？　　Dost

thou　not　know　that　from　that　hour　his　fortunes　rose？　　Kinsmen　the

most　remote　died；　estate　upon　estate　fell　into　the　hands　of　the

ruined　noble。　　He　became　the　guide　of　princes；　the　first　magnate

of　Italy。　　He　founded　anew　the　house　of　which　thou　art　the　last

lineal　upholder；　and　transferred　his　splendour　from　Milan　to　the

Sicilian　realms。　　Visions　of　high　ambition　were　then　present　with

him　nightly　and　daily。　　Had　he　lived；　Italy　would　have　known　a

new　dynasty；　and　the　Visconti　would　have　reigned　over　Magna…

Graecia。　　He　was　a　man　such　as　the　world　rarely　sees；　but　his

ends；　too　earthly；　were　at　war　with　the　means　he　sought。　　Had　his

ambition　been　more　or　less；　he　had　been　worthy　of　a　realm

mightier　than　the　Caesars　swayed；　worthy　of　our　solemn　order；

worthy　of　the　fellowship　of　Mejnour；　whom　you　now　behold　before

you。〃



The　prince；　who　had　listened　with　deep　and　breathless　attention

to　the　words　of　his　singular　guest；　started　from　his　seat　at　his

last　words。　　〃Imposter！〃　he　cried；　〃can　you　dare　thus　to　play

with　my　credulity？　　Sixty　years　have　flown　since　my　grandsire

died；　were　he　living；　he　had　passed　his　hundred　and　twentieth

year；　and　you；　whose　old　age　is　erect　and　vigorous；　have　the

assurance　to　pretend　to　have　been　his　contemporary！　　But　you　have

imperfectly　learned　your　tale。　　You　know　not；　it　seems；　that　my

grandsire；　wise　and　illustrious　indeed；　in　all　save　his　faith　in

a　charlatan；　was　found　dead　in　his　bed；　in　the　very　hour　when　his

colossal　plans　were　ripe　for　execution；　and　that　Mejnour　was

guilty　of　his　murder。〃



〃Alas！〃　answered　the　stranger；　in　a　voice　of　great　sadness；　〃had

he　but　listened　to　Mejnour；had　he　but　delayed　the　last　and　most

perilous　ordeal　of　daring　wisdom　until　the　requisite　training　and

initiation　had　been　completed；your　ancestor　would　have　stood

with　me　upon　an　eminence　which　the　waters　of　Death　itself　wash

everlastingly；　but　cannot　overflow。　　Your　grandsire　resisted　my

fervent　prayers；　disobeyed　my　most　absolute　commands；　and　in　the

sublime　rashness　of　a　soul　that　panted　for　secrets；　which　he　who

desires　orbs　and　sceptres　never　can　obtain；　perished；　the　victim

of　his　own　frenzy。〃



〃He　was　poisoned；　and　Mejnour　fled。〃



〃Mejnour　fled　not；〃　answered　the　stranger；　proudly〃Mejnour

could　not　fly　from　danger；　for　to　him　danger　is　a　thing　long　left

behind。　　It　was　the　day　before　the　duke　took　the　fatal　draft

which　he　believed　was　to　confer　on　the　mortal　the　immortal　boon；

that；　finding　my　power　over　him　was　gone；　I　abandoned　him　to　his

doom。　　But　a　truce　with　this：　　I　loved　your　grandsire！　　I　would

save　the　last　of　his　race。　　Oppose　not　thyself　to　Zanoni。　　Yield

not　thy　soul　to　thine　evil　passions。　　Draw　back　from　the

precipice　while　there　is　yet　time。　　In　thy　front；　and　in　thine

eyes；　I　detect　some　of　that　diviner　glory　which　belonged　to　thy

race。　　Thou　hast　in　thee　some　germs　of　their　hereditary　genius；

but　they　are　choked　up　by　worse　than　thy　hereditary　vices。

Recollect　that　by　genius　thy　house　rose；　by　vice　it　ever　failed

to　perpetuate　its　power。　　In　the　laws　which　regulate　the

universe；　it　is　decreed　that　nothing　wicked　can　long　endure。　　Be

wise；　and　let　history　warn　thee。　　Thou　standest　on　the　verge　of

two　worlds；　the　past　and　the　future；　and　voices　from　either

shriek　omen　in　thy　ear。　　I　have　done。　　I　bid　thee　farewell！〃



〃Not　so；　thou　shalt　not　quit　these　walls。　　I　will　make　experiment

of　thy　boasted　power。　　What；　ho　there！ho！〃



The　prince　shouted；　the　room　was　filled　with　his　minions。



〃Seize　that　man！〃　he　cried；　pointing　to　the　spot　which　had　been

filled　by　the　form　of　Mejnour。　　To　his　inconceivable　amaze　and

horror；　the　spot　was　vacant。　　The　mysterious　stranger　had

vanished　like　a　dream；　but　a　thin　and　fragrant　mist　undulated；　in

pale　volumes；　round　the　walls　of　the　chamber。　　〃Look　to　my　lord；〃

cried　Mascari。　　The　prince　had　fallen　to　the　floor　insensible。

F