zanoni-第59部分

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〃Ah！　thou　wilt　have　nothing　to　fear　from　the　pestilence　now；〃

said　Viola；　between　tears　and　smiles；　〃and　when　thou　wouldst　talk

to　me　again　as　thou　didst　last　night；　the　saint　shall　rebuke

thee。〃



Well；　Zanoni；　can　there　ever　indeed　be　commune　of　thought　and

spirit；　except　with　equals？



Yes；　the　plague　broke　out；the　island　home　must　be　abandoned。

Mighty　Seer；　THOU　HAST　NO　POWER　TO　SAVE　THOSE　WHOM　THOU　LOVEST！

Farewell；　thou　bridal　roof！sweet　resting…place　from　care；

farewell！　　Climates　as　soft　may　greet　ye；　O　lovers；skies　as

serene；　and　waters　as　blue　and　calm；　but　THAT　TIME；can　it　ever

more　return？　　Who　shall　say　that　the　heart　does　not　change　with

the　scene；the　place　where　we　first　dwelt　with　the　beloved　one？

Every　spot　THERE　has　so　many　memories　which　the　place　only　can

recall。　　The　past　that　haunts　it　seems　to　command　such　constancy

in　the　future。　　If　a　thought　less　kind；　less　trustful；　enter

within　us；　the　sight　of　a　tree　under　which　a　vow　has　been

exchanged；　a　tear　has　been　kissed　away；　restores　us　again　to　the

hours　of　the　first　divine　illusion。　　But　in　a　home　where　nothing

speaks　of　the　first　nuptials；　where　there　is　no　eloquence　of

association；　no　holy　burial…places　of　emotions；　whose　ghosts　are

angels！yes；　who　that　has　gone　through　the　sad　history　of

affection　will　tell　us　that　the　heart　changes　not　with　the　scene！

Blow　fair；　ye　favouring　winds；　cheerily　swell；　ye　sails；　away

from　the　land　where　death　has　come　to　snatch　the　sceptre　of　Love！

The　shores　glide　by；　new　coasts　succeed　to　the　green　hills　and

orange…groves　of　the　Bridal　Isle。　　From　afar　now　gleam　in　the

moonlight　the　columns；　yet　extant；　of　a　temple　which　the　Athenian

dedicated　to　wisdom；　and；　standing　on　the　bark　that　bounded　on　in

the　freshening　gale；　the　votary　who　had　survived　the　goddess

murmured　to　himself；



〃Has　the　wisdom　of　ages　brought　me　no　happier　hours　than　those

common　to　the　shepherd　and　the　herdsman；　with　no　world　beyond

their　village；　no　aspiration　beyond　the　kiss　and　the　smile　of

home？〃



And　the　moon；　resting　alike　over　the　ruins　of　the　temple　of　the

departed　creed；　over　the　hut　of　the　living　peasant；　over　the

immemorial　mountain…top；　and　the　perishable　herbage　that　clothed

its　sides；　seemed　to　smile　back　its　answer　of　calm　disdain　to　the

being　who；　perchance；　might　have　seen　the　temple　built；　and　who；

in　his　inscrutable　existence；　might　behold　the　mountain　shattered

from　its　base。





BOOK　V。



THE　EFFECTS　OF　THE　ELIXIR。





CHAPTER　5。I。



Frommet's　den　Schleier　aufzuheben；

Wo　das　nahe　Schreckness　droht？

Nur　das　Irrthum　ist　das　Leben

Und　das　Wissen　ist　der　Tod；



Schiller；　Kassandro。



Delusion　is　the　life　we　live

And　knowledge　death；　oh　wherefore；　then；

To　sight　the　coming　evils　give

And　lift　the　veil　of　Fate　to　Man？



Zwei　Seelen　wohnen；　ach！　in　meiner　Brust。



（Two　souls　dwell；　alas！　in　my　breast。）



。。。



Was　stehst　du　so；　und　blickst　erstaunt　hinaus？



（Why　standest　thou　so；　and　lookest　out　astonished？）



〃Faust。〃



It　will　be　remembered　that　we　left　Master　Paolo　by　the　bedside　of

Glyndon；　and　as；　waking　from　that　profound　slumber；　the

recollections　of　the　past　night　came　horribly　back　to　his　mind；

the　Englishman　uttered　a　cry；　and　covered　his　face　with　his

hands。



〃Good　morrow；　Excellency！〃　said　Paolo；　gayly。　　〃Corpo　di　Bacco；

you　have　slept　soundly！〃



The　sound　of　this　man's　voice；　so　lusty；　ringing；　and　healthful；

served　to　scatter　before　it　the　phantasma　that　yet　haunted

Glyndon's　memory。



He　rose　erect　in　his　bed。　　〃And　where　did　you　find　me？　　Why　are

you　here？〃



〃Where　did　I　find　you！〃　repeated　Paolo；　in　surprise；〃in　your

bed；　to　be　sure。　　Why　am　I　here！because　the　Padrone　bade　me

await　your　waking；　and　attend　your　commands。〃



〃The　Padrone；　Mejnour！is　he　arrived？〃



〃Arrived　and　departed；　signor。　　He　has　left　this　letter　for　you。〃



〃Give　it　me；　and　wait　without　till　I　am　dressed。〃



〃At　your　service。　　I　have　bespoke　an　excellent　breakfast：　　you

must　be　hungry。　　I　am　a　very　tolerable　cook；　a　monk's　son　ought

to　be！　　You　will　be　startled　at　my　genius　in　the　dressing　of

fish。　　My　singing；　I　trust；　will　not　disturb　you。　　I　always　sing

while　I　prepare　a　salad；　it　harmonises　the　ingredients。〃　　And

slinging　his　carbine　over　his　shoulder；　Paolo　sauntered　from　the

room；　and　closed　the　door。



Glyndon　was　already　deep　in　the　contents　of　the　following

letter：



〃When　I　first　received　thee　as　my　pupil；　I　promised　Zanoni；　if

convinced　by　thy　first　trials　that　thou　couldst　but　swell；　not

the　number　of　our　order；　but　the　list　of　the　victims　who　have

aspired　to　it　in　vain；　I　would　not　rear　thee　to　thine　own

wretchedness　and　doom；I　would　dismiss　thee　back　to　the　world。

I　fulfil　my　promise。　　Thine　ordeal　has　been　the　easiest　that

neophyte　ever　knew。　　I　asked　for　nothing　but　abstinence　from　the

sensual；　and　a　brief　experiment　of　thy　patience　and　thy　faith。

Go　back　to　thine　own　world；　thou　hast　no　nature　to　aspire　to

ours！



〃It　was　I　who　prepared　Paolo　to　receive　thee　at　the　revel。　　It

was　I　who　instigated　the　old　beggar　to　ask　thee　for　alms。　　It　was

I　who　left　open　the　book　that　thou　couldst　not　read　without

violating　my　command。　　Well；　thou　hast　seen　what　awaits　thee　at

the　threshold　of　knowledge。　　Thou　hast　confronted　the　first　foe

that　menaces　him　whom　the　senses　yet　grasp　and　inthrall。　　Dost

thou　wonder　that　I　close　upon　thee　the　gates　forever？　　Dost　thou

not　comprehend；　at　last；　that　it　needs　a　soul　tempered　and

purified　and　raised；　not　by　external　spells；　but　by　its　own

sublimity　and　valour；　to　pass　the　threshold　and　disdain　the　foe？

Wretch！　all　my　silence　avails　nothing　for　the　rash；　for　the

sensual；for　him　who　desires　our　secrets　but　to　pollute　them　to

gross　enjoyments　and　selfish　vice。　　How　have　the　imposters　and

sorcerers　of　the　earlier　times　perished　by　their　very　attempt　to

penetrate　the　mysteries　that　should　purify；　and　not　deprave！

They　have　boasted　of　the　Philosopher's　Stone；　and　died　in　rags；

of　the　immortal　elixir；　and　sunk　to　their　grave；　grey　before

their　time。　　Legends　tell　you　that　the　fiend　rent　them　into

fragments。　　Yes；　the　fiend　of　their　own　unholy　desires　and

criminal　designs！　　What　they　coveted；　thou　covetest；　and　if　thou

hadst　the　wings　of　a　seraph　thou　couldst　soar　not　from　the　slough

of　thy　mortality。　　Thy　desire　for　knowledge；　but　petulant

presumption；　thy　thirst　for　happiness；　but　the　diseased　longing

for　the　unclean　and　muddied　waters　of　corporeal　pleasure；　thy

very　love；　which　usually　elevates　even　the　mean；　a　passion　that

calculates　treason　amidst　the　first　glow　of　lust。　　THOU　one　of

us；　thou　a　brother　of　the　August　Order；　thou　an　Aspirant　to　the

Stars　that　shine　in　the　Shemaia　of　the　Chaldean　lore！　　The　eagle

can　raise　but　the　eaglet　to　the　sun。　　I　abandon　thee　to　thy

twilight！



〃But；　alas　for　thee；　disobedient　and　profane！　thou　hast　inhaled

the　elixir；　thou　hast　attracted　to　thy　presence　a　ghastly　and

remorseless　foe。　　Thou　thyself　must　exorcise　the　phantom　thou

hast　raised。　　Thou　must　return　to　the　world；　but　not　without

punishment　and　strong　effort　canst　thou　regain　the　calm　and　the

joy　of　the　life　thou　hast　left　behind。　　This；　for　thy　comfort；

will　I　tell　thee：　　he　who　has　drawn　into　his　frame　even　so　little

of　the　volatile　and　vital　energy　of　the　aerial　juices　as　thyself；

has　awakened　faculties　that　cannot　sleep；faculties　that　may

yet；　with　patient　humility；　with　sound　faith；　and　the　courage

that　is　not　of　the　body　like　thine；　but　of　the　resolute　and

virtuous　mind；　attain；　if　not　to　the　knowledge　that　reigns　above；

to　high　achievement　in　the　career　of　men。　　Thou　wilt　find　the

restless　influence　in　all　that　thou　wouldst　undertake。　　Thy

heart；　amidst　vulgar　joys　will　aspire　to　something　holier；　thy

ambition；　amidst　coarse　excitement；　to　something　beyond　thy

reach。　　But　deem　not　that　this　of　itself　will　suffice　for　glory。

Equally　may　the　craving　lead　thee　to　shame　and　guilt。　　It　is　but

an　imperfect　and　new…born　energy　which　will　not　suffer　thee　to

repose。　　As　thou　directest　it；　must　thou　believe　it　to　be　the

emanation　of　thine　evil　genius　or　thy　good。



〃But　woe　to　thee！　insect　meshed　in　the　web　in　which　thou　hast

entangled　limbs　and　wings！　　Thou　hast　not　only　inhaled　the

elixir；　thou　hast　conjured　the　spectre；　of　all　the　tribes　of　the

space；　no　foe　is　so　malignant　to　man；and　thou　hast　lifted　the

veil　from　thy　gaze。　　I　cannot　restore　to　thee　the　happy　dimness

of　thy　vision。　　Know；　at　least；　that　all　of　usthe　highest　and

the　wisestwho　have；　in　sober　truth；　passed　beyond　the

threshold；　have　had；　as　our　first　fearful　task；　to　master　and

subdue　its　grisly　and　appalling　guardian。　　Know　that　thou　CANST

deliver　thyself　from　those　livid　eyes；know　that；　while　they

haunt；　they　cannot　harm；　if　thou　resistest　the　thoughts　to　which

they　tempt；　and　the　horror　they　engender。　　DREAD　THEM　MOST　WHEN

THOU　BEHOLDEST　THEM　NOT。　　And　thus；　son　of　the　worm；　we　part！

All　that　I　can　tell　thee　to　encourage；　yet　to　warn　and　to　guide；

I　have　told　thee　in　these　lines。　　Not　from　me；　from　thyself　has

come　the　gloomy　trial　from　which　I　yet　trust　thou　wilt　emerge

into　peace。　　Type　of　the　knowledge　that　I　serve；　I　withhold　no

lesson　from　the　pure　aspirant；　I　am　a　dark　enigma　to　the　general

seeker。　　As　man's　only　indestructible　possession　is　his　memory；

so　it　is　not　in　mine　art　to　crumble　into　matter　the　immaterial

thoughts　that　have　sprung　up　within　thy　breast。　　The　tyro　might

shatter　this　castle　to　the　dust；　and　topple　down　the　mountain　to

the　plain。　　The　master　has　no　power　to　say；　'Exist　no　more；'　to

one　THOUGHT　that　his　knowledge　has　inspired。　　Thou　mayst　change

the　thoughts　into　new　forms；　thou　mayst　rarefy　and　sublimate　it

into　a　finer　spirit；but　thou　canst　not　annihilate　that　which

has　no　home　but　in　the　memory；　no　substance　but　the　idea。　　EVERY

THOUGHT　IS