八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > zanoni >

第42部分

zanoni-第42部分

小说: zanoni 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




such an hour。  You will forgive my momentary absence。〃



〃Nay; signor;〃 answered the prince; courteously; but with a

sinister smile on his countenance; 〃would it not be better for

your friend to join us?  An Englishman is welcome everywhere; and

even were he a Dutchman; your friendship would invest his

presence with attraction。  Pray his attendance; we would not

spare you even for a moment。〃



Zanoni bowed; the page was despatched with all flattering

messages to Glyndon;a seat next to Zanoni was placed for him;

and the young Englishman entered。



〃You are most welcome; sir。  I trust your business to our

illustrious guest is of good omen and pleasant import。  If you

bring evil news; defer it; I pray you。〃



Glyndon's brow was sullen; and he was about to startle the guests

by his reply; when Zanoni; touching his arm significantly;

whispered in English; 〃I know why you have sought me。  Be silent;

and witness what ensues。〃



〃You know then that Viola; whom you boasted you had the power to

save from danger〃



〃Is in this house!yes。  I know also that Murder sits at the

right hand of our host。  But his fate is now separated from hers

forever; and the mirror which glasses it to my eye is clear

through the streams of blood。  Be still; and learn the fate that

awaits the wicked!



〃My lord;〃 said Zanoni; speaking aloud; 〃the Signor Glyndon has

indeed brought me tidings not wholly unexpected。  I am compelled

to leave Naples;an additional motive to make the most of the

present hour。〃



〃And what; if I may venture to ask; may be the cause that brings

such affliction on the fair dames of Naples?〃



〃It is the approaching death of one who honoured me with most

loyal friendship;〃 replied Zanoni; gravely。  〃Let us not speak of

it; grief cannot put back the dial。  As we supply by new flowers

those that fade in our vases; so it is the secret of worldly

wisdom to replace by fresh friendships those that fade from our

path。〃



〃True philosophy!〃 exclaimed the prince。  〃'Not to admire;' was

the Roman's maxim; 'Never to mourn;' is mine。  There is nothing

in life to grieve for; save; indeed; Signor Zanoni; when some

young beauty; on whom we have set our hearts; slips from our

grasp。  In such a moment we have need of all our wisdom; not to

succumb to despair; and shake hands with death。  What say you;

signor?  You smile!  Such never could be your lot。  Pledge me in

a sentiment; 'Long life to the fortunate lover;a quick release

to the baffled suitor'?〃



〃I pledge you;〃 said Zanoni; and; as the fatal wine was poured

into his glass; he repeated; fixing his eyes on the prince; 〃I

pledge you even in this wine!〃



He lifted the glass to his lips。  The prince seemed ghastly pale;

while the gaze of his guest bent upon him; with an intent and

stern brightness; beneath which the conscience…stricken host

cowered and quailed。  Not till he had drained his draft; and

replaced the glass upon the board; did Zanoni turn his eyes from

the prince; and he then said; 〃Your wine has been kept too long;

it has lost its virtues。  It might disagree with many; but do not

fear: it will not harm me; prince; Signor Mascari; you are a

judge of the grape; will you favour us with your opinion?〃



〃Nay;〃 answered Mascari; with well…affected composure; 〃I like

not the wines of Cyprus; they are heating。  Perhaps Signor

Glyndon may not have the same distaste?  The English are said to

love their potations warm and pungent。〃



〃Do you wish my friend also to taste the wine; prince?〃 said

Zanoni。  〃Recollect; all cannot drink it with the same impunity

as myself。〃



〃No;〃 said the prince; hastily; 〃if you do not recommend the

wine; Heaven forbid that we should constrain our guests!  My lord

duke;〃 turning to one of the Frenchmen; 〃yours is the true soil

of Bacchus。  What think you of this cask from Burgundy?  Has it

borne the journey?〃



〃Ah;〃 said Zanoni; 〃let us change both the wine and the theme。〃



With that; Zanoni grew yet more animated and brilliant。  Never

did wit more sparkling; airy; exhilarating; flash from the lips

of reveller。  His spirits fascinated all presenteven the prince

himself; even Glyndonwith a strange and wild contagion。  The

former; indeed; whom the words and gaze of Zanoni; when he

drained the poison; had filled with fearful misgivings; now

hailed in the brilliant eloquence of his wit a certain sign of

the operation of the bane。  The wine circulated fast; but none

seemed conscious of its effects。  One by one the rest of the

party fell into a charmed and spellbound silence; as Zanoni

continued to pour forth sally upon sally; tale upon tale。  They

hung on his words; they almost held their breath to listen。  Yet;

how bitter was his mirth; how full of contempt for the triflers

present; and for the trifles which made their life!



Night came on; the room grew dim; and the feast had lasted

several hours longer than was the customary duration of similar

entertainments at that day。  Still the guests stirred not; and

still Zanoni continued; with glittering eye and mocking lip; to

lavish his stores of intellect and anecdote; when suddenly the

moon rose; and shed its rays over the flowers and fountains in

the court without; leaving the room itself half in shadow; and

half tinged by a quiet and ghostly light。



It was then that Zanoni rose。  〃Well; gentlemen;〃 said he; 〃we

have not yet wearied our host; I hope; and his garden offers a

new temptation to protract our stay。  Have you no musicians among

your train; prince; that might regale our ears while we inhale

the fragrance of your orange…trees?〃



〃An excellent thought!〃 said the prince。  〃Mascari; see to the

music。〃



The party rose simultaneously to adjourn to the garden; and then;

for the first time; the effect of the wine they had drunk seemed

to make itself felt。



With flushed cheeks and unsteady steps they came into the open

air; which tended yet more to stimulate that glowing fever of the

grape。  As if to make up for the silence with which the guests

had hitherto listened to Zanoni; every tongue was now loosened;

every man talked; no man listened。  There was something wild and

fearful in the contrast between the calm beauty of the night and

scene; and the hubbub and clamour of these disorderly roysters。

One of the Frenchmen; in especial; the young Duc de R; a

nobleman of the highest rank; and of all the quick; vivacious;

and irascible temperament of his countrymen; was particularly

noisy and excited。  And as circumstances; the remembrance of

which is still preserved among certain circles of Naples;

rendered it afterwards necessary that the duc should himself give

evidence of what occurred; I will here translate the short

account he drew up; and which was kindly submitted to me some few

years ago by my accomplished and lively friend; Il Cavaliere di

B。



〃I never remember;〃 writes the duc; 〃to have felt my spirits so

excited as on that evening; we were like so many boys released

from school; jostling each other as we reeled or ran down the

flight of seven or eight stairs that led from the colonnade into

the garden;some laughing; some whooping; some scolding; some

babbling。  The wine had brought out; as it were; each man's

inmost character。  Some were loud and quarrelsome; others

sentimental and whining; some; whom we had hitherto thought dull;

most mirthful; some; whom we had ever regarded as discreet and

taciturn; most garrulous and uproarious。  I remember that in the

midst of our clamorous gayety; my eye fell upon the cavalier

Signor Zanoni; whose conversation had so enchanted us all; and I

felt a certain chill come over me to perceive that he wore the

same calm and unsympathising smile upon his countenance which had

characterised it in his singular and curious stories of the court

of Louis XIV。  I felt; indeed; half…inclined to seek a quarrel

with one whose composure was almost an insult to our disorder。

Nor was such an effect of this irritating and mocking

tranquillity confined to myself alone。  Several of the party have

told me since; that on looking at Zanoni they felt their blood

yet more heated; and gayety change to resentment。  There seemed

in his icy smile a very charm to wound vanity and provoke rage。

It was at this moment that the prince came up to me; and; passing

his arm into mine; led me a little apart from the rest。  He had

certainly indulged in the same excess as ourselves; but it did

not produce the same effect of noisy excitement。  There was; on

the contrary; a certain cold arrogance and supercilious scorn in

his bearing and language; which; even while affecting so much

caressing courtesy towards me; roused my self…love against him。

He seemed as if Zanoni had infected him; and in imitating the

manner of his guest; he surpassed the original。  He rallied me on

some court gossip; which had honoured my name by associating it

with a certain beautiful and distinguished Sicilian lady; and

affected to treat with contempt that which; had it been true; I

should have regarded as a boast。  He spoke; indeed; as if he

himself had gathered all the flowers of Naples; and left us

foreigners only the gleanings he had scorned。  At this my natural

and national gallantry was piqued; and I retorted by some

sarcasms that I should certainly have spared had my blood been

cooler。  He laughed heartily; and left me in a strange fit of

resentment and anger。  Perhaps (I must own the truth) the wine

had produced in me a wild disposition to take offence and provoke

quarrel。  As the prince left me; I turned; and saw Zanoni at my

side。



〃'The prince is a braggart;' said he; with the same smile that

displeased me before。  'He would monopolize all fortune and all

love。  Let us take our revenge。'



〃'And how?'



〃'He has at this moment; in his house; the most enchanting singer

in Naples;the celebrated Vio

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 1

你可能喜欢的