zanoni-第74部分

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！



wouldst　save？　　Can　we　nottill　we　have　left　Francemake　Fillide

believe　that　Viola　is　one　in　whom　THOU　only　art　interested；　and

whom；　for　thy　sake　only；　I　permit　to　share　in　our　escape？〃



〃Ha；　well　thought　of！certainly！〃



〃I　will　then　appear　to　yield　to　Fillide's　wishes；　and　resign　the

project；　which　she　so　resents；　of　saving　the　innocent　object　of

her　frantic　jealousy。　　You；　meanwhile；　shall　yourself　entreat

Fillide　to　intercede　with　me　to　extend　the　means　of　escape　to〃



〃To　a　lady　（she　knows　I　have　no　sister）　who　has　aided　me　in　my

distress。　　Yes；　I　will　manage　all；　never　fear。　　One　word　more；

what　has　become　of　that　Zanoni？〃



〃Talk　not　of　him；I　know　not。〃



〃Does　he　love　this　girl　still？〃



〃It　would　seem　so。　　She　is　his　wife；　the　mother　of　his　infant；


who　is　with　her。〃



〃Wife！mother！　　He　loves　her。　　Aha！　　And　why〃



〃No　questions　now。　　I　will　go　and　prepare　Viola　for　the　flight；

you；　meanwhile；　return　to　Fillide。〃



〃But　the　address　of　the　Neapolitan？　　It　is　necessary　I　should

know；　lest　Fillide　inquire。〃



〃Rue　M　T；　No。　27。　　Adieu。〃



Glyndon　seized　his　hat　and　hastened　from　the　house。



Nicot；　left　alone；　seemed　for　a　few　moments　buried　in　thought。

〃Oho；〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃can　I　not　turn　all　this　to　my

account？　　Can　I　not　avenge　myself　on　thee；　Zanoni；　as　I　have　so

often　sworn；through　thy　wife　and　child？　　Can　I　not　possess

myself　of　thy　gold；　thy　passports；　and　thy　Fillide；　hot

Englishman；　who　wouldst　humble　me　with　thy　loathed　benefits；　and

who　hast　chucked　me　thine　alms　as　to　a　beggar？　　And　Fillide；　I

love　her：　　and　thy　gold；　I　love　THAT　more！　　Puppets；　I　move　your

strings！〃



He　passed　slowly　into　the　chamber　where　Fillide　yet　sat；　with

gloomy　thought　on　her　brow　and　tears　standing　in　her　dark　eyes。

She　looked　up　eagerly　as　the　door　opened；　and　turned　from　the

rugged　face　of　Nicot　with　an　impatient　movement　of

disappointment。



〃Glyndon；〃　said　the　painter；　drawing　a　chair　to　Fillide's；　〃has

left　me　to　enliven　your　solitude；　fair　Italian。　　He　is　not

jealous　of　the　ugly　Nicot！ha；　ha！yet　Nicot　loved　thee　well

once；　when　his　fortunes　were　more　fair。　　But　enough　of　such　past

follies。〃



〃Your　friend；　then；　has　left　the　house。　　Whither？　　Ah；　you　look

away；　you　falter；you　cannot　meet　my　eyes！　　Speak！　　I　implore；　I

command　thee；　speak！〃



〃Enfant！　　And　what　dost　thou　fear？〃



〃FEAR！yes；　alas；　I　fear！〃　said　the　Italian；　and　her　whole　frame

seemed　to　shrink　into　itself　as　she　fell　once　more　back　into　her

seat。



Then；　after　a　pause；　she　tossed　the　long　hair　from　her　eyes；　and；

starting　up　abruptly；　paced　the　room　with　disordered　strides。　　At

length　she　stopped　opposite　to　Nicot；　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm；

drew　him　towards　an　escritoire；　which　she　unlocked；　and；　opening

a　well；　pointed　to　the　gold　that　lay　within；　and　said；　〃Thou　art

poor；thou　lovest　money；　take　what　thou　wilt；　but　undeceive　me。

Who　is　this　woman　whom　thy　friend　visits；and　does　he　love　her？〃



Nicot's　eyes　sparkled；　and　his　hands　opened　and　clenched；　and

clenched　and　opened；　as　he　gazed　upon　the　coins。　　But　reluctantly

resisting　the　impulse；　he　said；　with　an　affected　bitterness；

〃Thinkest　thou　to　bribe　me？if　so；　it　cannot　be　with　gold。　　But

what　if　he　does　love　a　rival；　what　if　he　betrays　thee；　what　if；

wearied　by　thy　jealousies；　he　designs　in　his　flight　to　leave　thee

behind；would　such　knowledge　make　thee　happier？〃



〃Yes！〃　exclaimed　the　Italian；　fiercely；　〃yes；　for　it　would　be

happiness　to　hate　and　to　be　avenged！　　Oh；　thou　knowest　not　how

sweet　is　hatred　to　those　who　have　really　loved！〃



〃But　wilt　thou　swear；　if　I　reveal　to　thee　the　secret；　that　thou

wilt　not　betray　me；that　thou　wilt　not　fall；　as　women　do；　into

weak　tears　and　fond　reproaches；　when　thy　betrayer　returns？〃



〃Tears；　reproaches！　　Revenge　hides　itself　in　smiles！〃



〃Thou　art　a　brave　creature！〃　said　Nicot；　almost　admiringly。　　〃One

condition　more：　　thy　lover　designs　to　fly　with　his　new　love；　to

leave　thee　to　thy　fate；　if　I　prove　this　to　thee；　and　if　I　give

thee　revenge　against　thy　rival；　wilt　thou　fly　with　me？　　I　love

thee！I　will　wed　thee！〃



Fillide's　eyes　flashed　fire；　she　looked　at　him　with　unutterable

disdain；　and　was　silent。



Nicot　felt　he　had　gone　too　far；　and　with　that　knowledge　of　the

evil　part　of　our　nature　which　his　own　heart　and　association　with

crime　had　taught　him；　he　resolved　to　trust　the　rest　to　the

passions　of　the　Italian；　when　raised　to　the　height　to　which　he

was　prepared　to　lead　them。



〃Pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃my　love　made　me　too　presumptuous；　and　yet

it　is　only　that　love；my　sympathy　for　thee；　beautiful　and

betrayed；　that　can　induce　me　to　wrong；　with　my　revelations；　one

whom　I　have　regarded　as　a　brother。　　I　can　depend　upon　thine　oath

to　conceal　all　from　Glyndon？〃



〃On　my　oath　and　my　wrongs　and　my　mountain　blood！〃



〃Enough！　get　thy　hat　and　mantle；　and　follow　me。〃



As　Fillide　left　the　room；　Nicot's　eyes　again　rested　on　the　gold；

it　was　much；much　more　than　he　had　dared　to　hope　for；　and　as　he

peered　into　the　well　and　opened　the　drawers；　he　perceived　a

packet　of　letters　in　the　well…known　hand　of　Camille　Desmoulins。

He　seizedhe　opened　the　packet；　his　looks　brightened　as　he

glanced　over　a　few　sentences。　　〃This　would　give　fifty　Glyndons　to

the　guillotine！〃　he　muttered；　and　thrust　the　packet　into　his

bosom。



O　artist！O　haunted　one！O　erring　genius！behold　the　two　worst

foes；the　False　Ideal　that　knows　no　God；　and　the　False　Love　that

burns　from　the　corruption　of　the　senses；　and　takes　no　lustre　from

the　soul！





CHAPTER　7。III。



Liebe　sonnt　das　Reich　der　Nacht。

〃Der　Triumph　der　Liebe。〃



（Love　illumes　the　realm　of　Night。）



Letter　from　Zanoni　to　Mejnour。



Paris。



Dost　thou　remember　in　the　old　time；　when　the　Beautiful　yet　dwelt

in　Greece；　how　we　two；　in　the　vast　Athenian　Theatre；　witnessed

the　birth　of　Words　as　undying　as　ourselves？　　Dost　thou　remember

the　thrill　of　terror　that　ran　through　that　mighty　audience；　when

the　wild　Cassandra　burst　from　her　awful　silence　to　shriek　to　her

relentless　god！　　How　ghastly；　at　the　entrance　of　the　House　of

Atreus；　about　to　become　her　tomb；　rang　out　her　exclamations　of

foreboding　woe：　　〃Dwelling　abhorred　of　heaven！human　shamble…

house　and　floor　blood…bespattered！〃　（Aesch。　〃Agam。〃　1098。）　　Dost

thou　remember　how；　amidst　the　breathless　awe　of　those　assembled

thousands；　I　drew　close　to　thee；　and　whispered；　〃Verily；　no

prophet　like　the　poet！　　This　scene　of　fabled　horror　comes　to　me

as　a　dream；　shadowing　forth　some　likeness　in　my　own　remoter

future！〃　　As　I　enter　this　slaughter…house　that　scene　returns　to

me；　and　I　hearken　to　the　voice　of　Cassandra　ringing　in　my　ears。

A　solemn　and　warning　dread　gathers　round　me；　as　if　I　too　were

come　to　find　a　grave；　and　〃the　Net　of　Hades〃　had　already

entangled　me　in　its　web！　　What　dark　treasure…houses　of

vicissitude　and　woe　are　our　memories　become！　　What　our　lives；　but

the　chronicles　of　unrelenting　death！　　It　seems　to　me　as　yesterday

when　I　stood　in　the　streets　of　this　city　of　the　Gaul；　as　they

shone　with　plumed　chivalry；　and　the　air　rustled　with　silken

braveries。　　Young　Louis；　the　monarch　and　the　lover；　was　victor　of

the　Tournament　at　the　Carousel；　and　all　France　felt　herself

splendid　in　the　splendour　of　her　gorgeous　chief！　　Now　there　is

neither　throne　nor　altar；　and　what　is　in　their　stead？　　I　see　it

yonderthe　GUILLOTINE！　　It　is　dismal　to　stand　amidst　the　ruins

of　mouldering　cities；　to　startle　the　serpent　and　the　lizard

amidst　the　wrecks　of　Persepolis　and　Thebes；　but　more　dismal　still

to　stand　as　Ithe　stranger　from　Empires　that　have　ceased　to　be

stand　now　amidst　the　yet　ghastlier　ruins　of　Law　and　Order；　the

shattering　of　mankind　themselves！　　Yet　here；　even　here；　Love；　the

Beautifier；　that　hath　led　my　steps；　can　walk　with　unshrinking

hope　through　the　wilderness　of　Death。　　Strange　is　the　passion

that　makes　a　world　in　itself；　that　individualises　the　One　amidst

the　Multitude；　that；　through　all　the　changes　of　my　solemn　life；

yet　survives；　though　ambition　and　hate　and　anger　are　dead；　the

one　solitary　angel；　hovering　over　a　universe　of　tombs　on　its　two

tremulous　and　human　wings；Hope　and　Fear！



How　is　it；　Mejnour；　that；　as　my　diviner　art　abandoned　me；as；　in

my　search　for　Viola；　I　was　aided　but　by　the　ordinary　instincts　of

the　merest　mortal；how　is　it　that　I　have　never　desponded；　that　I

have　felt　in　every　difficulty　the　prevailing　prescience　that　we

should　meet　at　last？　　So　cruelly　was　every　vestige　of　her　flight

concealed　from　me；so　suddenly；　so　secretly　had　she　fled；　that

all　the　spies；　all　the　authorities　of　Venice；　could　give　me　no

clew。　　All　Italy　I　searched　in　vain！　　Her　young　home　at　Naples！

how　still；　in　its　humble　chambers；　there　seemed　to　linger　the

fragrance　of　her　presence！　　All　the　sublimest　secrets　of　our　lore

failed　me；failed　to　bring　her　soul　visible　to　mine；　yet　morning

and　night；　thou　lone　and　childless　one；　morning　and　night；

detached　from　myself；　I　can　commune　with　my　child！　　There　in　that

most　blessed；　typical；　and　mysterious　of　all　relations；　Nature

herself　appears　to　supply　what　Science　would　refuse。　　Space

cannot　separate　the　father's　watchful　soul　from　the　cradle　of　his

first…born！　　I　know　not　of　its　resting…place　and　home；my

visions　picture　not　the　land；only　the　small　and　tender　life　to

which　all　space　is　as　yet　the　heritage！　　For　to　the　infant；

before　reason　dawns；before　man's　bad　passions　can　dim　the

essence　that　it　takes　from　the　element　it　hath　left；　there　is　no

peculiar　country；　no　native　city；　and　no　mortal　language。　　Its

soul　as　yet　is　the　denizen　of　all　airs　and　of　every　world；　and　in

space　its　soul　meets　with　mine；the　child　communes　with　the

father！　　Cruel　and　forsaking　one；thou　for　whom　I　left　the

wisdom　of　the　spheres；　thou　whose　fatal　dower　has　been　the

weakness　and　terrors　of　humanity；couldst　thou　think　that　young

soul　le