zanoni-第11部分

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mother；see　them　returned；　see　the　well…known　room；　venimus　ad

larem　nostrum　（We　come　to　our　own　house。）；　see　old　Gionetta

bustling　at　the　supper；　and　hear　Pisani；　as　he　rouses　the

barbiton　from　its　case；　communicating　all　that　has　happened　to

the　intelligent　Familiar；　hark　to　the　mother's　merry；　low；

English　laugh。　　Why；　Viola；　strange　child；　sittest　thou　apart；

thy　face　leaning　on　thy　fair　hands；　thine　eyes　fixed　on　space？

Up；　rouse　thee！　　Every　dimple　on　the　cheek　of　home　must　smile

to…night。　　（〃Ridete　quidquid　est　domi　cachinnorum。〃　　Catull。　〃ad

Sirm。　Penin。〃）



And　a　happy　reunion　it　was　round　that　humble　table：　　a　feast

Lucullus　might　have　envied　in　his　Hall　of　Apollo；　in　the　dried

grapes；　and　the　dainty　sardines；　and　the　luxurious　polenta；　and

the　old　lacrima　a　present　from　the　good　Cardinal。　　The　barbiton；

placed　on　a　chaira　tall；　high…backed　chairbeside　the

musician；　seemed　to　take　a　part　in　the　festive　meal。　　Its　honest

varnished　face　glowed　in　the　light　of　the　lamp；　and　there　was　an

impish；　sly　demureness　in　its　very　silence；　as　its　master；

between　every　mouthful；　turned　to　talk　to　it　of　something　he　had

forgotten　to　relate　before。　　The　good　wife　looked　on

affectionately；　and　could　not　eat　for　joy；　but　suddenly　she　rose；

and　placed　on　the　artist's　temples　a　laurel　wreath；　which　she　had

woven　beforehand　in　fond　anticipation；　and　Viola；　on　the　other

side　her　brother；　the　barbiton；　rearranged　the　chaplet；　and；

smoothing　back　her　father's　hair；　whispered；　〃Caro　Padre；　you

will　not　let　HIM　scold　me　again！〃



Then　poor　Pisani；　rather　distracted　between　the　two；　and　excited

both　by　the　lacrima　and　his　triumph；　turned　to　the　younger　child

with　so　naive　and　grotesque　a　pride；　〃I　don't　know　which　to　thank

the　most。　　You　give　me　so　much　joy；　child；I　am　so　proud　of　thee

and　myself。　　But　he　and　I；　poor　fellow；　have　been　so　often

unhappy　together！〃



Viola's　sleep　was　broken；that　was　natural。　　The　intoxication　of

vanity　and　triumph；　the　happiness　in　the　happiness　she　had

caused；　all　this　was　better　than　sleep。　　But　still　from　all　this；

again　and　again　her　thoughts　flew　to　those　haunting　eyes；　to　that

smile　with　which　forever　the　memory　of　the　triumph；　of　the

happiness；　was　to　be　united。　　Her　feelings；　like　her　own

character；　were　strange　and　peculiar。　　They　were　not　those　of　a

girl　whose　heart；　for　the　first　time　reached　through　the　eye；

sighs　its　natural　and　native　language　of　first　love。　　It　was　not

so　much　admiration；　though　the　face　that　reflected　itself　on

every　wave　of　her　restless　fancies　was　of　the　rarest　order　of

majesty　and　beauty；　nor　a　pleased　and　enamoured　recollection　that

the　sight　of　this　stranger　had　bequeathed：　　it　was　a　human

sentiment　of　gratitude　and　delight；　mixed　with　something　more

mysterious；　of　fear　and　awe。　　Certainly　she　had　seen　before　those

features；　but　when　and　how？　　Only　when　her　thoughts　had　sought　to

shape　out　her　future；　and　when；　in　spite　of　all　the　attempts　to

vision　forth　a　fate　of　flowers　and　sunshine；　a　dark　and　chill

foreboding　made　her　recoil　back　into　her　deepest　self。　　It　was　a

something　found　that　had　long　been　sought　for　by　a　thousand

restless　yearnings　and　vague　desires；　less　of　the　heart　than

mind；　not　as　when　youth　discovers　the　one　to　be　beloved；　but

rather　as　when　the　student；　long　wandering　after　the　clew　to　some

truth　in　science；　sees　it　glimmer　dimly　before　him；　to　beckon；　to

recede；　to　allure；　and　to　wane　again。　　She　fell　at　last　into

unquiet　slumber；　vexed　by　deformed；　fleeting；　shapeless　phantoms；

and；　waking；　as　the　sun；　through　a　veil　of　hazy　cloud；　glinted

with　a　sickly　ray　across　the　casement；　she　heard　her　father

settled　back　betimes　to　his　one　pursuit；　and　calling　forth　from

his　Familiar　a　low　mournful　strain；　like　a　dirge　over　the　dead。



〃And　why；〃　she　asked；　when　she　descended　to　the　room　below；

〃why；　my　father；　was　your　inspiration　so　sad；　after　the　joy　of

last　night？〃



〃I　know　not；　child。　　I　meant　to　be　merry；　and　compose　an　air　in

honour　of　thee；　but　he　is　an　obstinate　fellow；　this；and　he

would　have　it　so。〃





CHAPTER　1。IV。



E　cosi　i　pigri　e　timidi　desiri

Sprona。

〃Gerusal。　Lib。；〃　cant。　iv。　lxxxviii。



（And　thus　the　slow　and　timid　passions　urged。）



It　was　the　custom　of　Pisani；　except　when　the　duties　of　his

profession　made　special　demand　on　his　time；　to　devote　a　certain

portion　of　the　mid…day　to　sleep；a　habit　not　so　much　a　luxury　as

a　necessity　to　a　man　who　slept　very　little　during　the　night。　　In

fact；　whether　to　compose　or　to　practice；　the　hours　of　noon　were

precisely　those　in　which　Pisani　could　not　have　been　active　if　he

would。　　His　genius　resembled　those　fountains　full　at　dawn　and

evening；　overflowing　at　night；　and　perfectly　dry　at　the　meridian。

　During　this　time；　consecrated　by　her　husband　to　repose；　the

signora　generally　stole　out　to　make　the　purchases　necessary　for

the　little　household；　or　to　enjoy　（as　what　woman　does　not？）　a

little　relaxation　in　gossip　with　some　of　her　own　sex。　　And　the

day　following　this　brilliant　triumph；　how　many　congratulations

would　she　have　to　receive！



At　these　times　it　was　Viola's　habit　to　seat　herself　without　the

door　of　the　house；　under　an　awning　which　sheltered　from　the　sun

without　obstructing　the　view；　and　there　now；　with　the　prompt…book

on　her　knee；　on　which　her　eye　roves　listlessly　from　time　to　time；

you　may　behold　her；　the　vine…leaves　clustering　from　their　arching

trellis　over　the　door　behind；　and　the　lazy　white…sailed　boats

skimming　along　the　sea　that　stretched　before。



As　she　thus　sat；　rather　in　reverie　than　thought；　a　man　coming

from　the　direction　of　Posilipo；　with　a　slow　step　and　downcast

eyes；　passed　close　by　the　house；　and　Viola；　looking　up　abruptly；

started　in　a　kind　of　terror　as　she　recognised　the　stranger。　　She

uttered　an　involuntary　exclamation；　and　the　cavalier　turning；

saw；　and　paused。



He　stood　a　moment　or　two　between　her　and　the　sunlit　ocean；

contemplating　in　a　silence　too　serious　and　gentle　for　the

boldness　of　gallantry；　the　blushing　face　and　the　young　slight

form　before　him；　at　length　he　spoke。



〃Are　you　happy；　my　child；〃　he　said；　in　almost　a　paternal　tone；

〃at　the　career　that　lies　before　you？　　From　sixteen　to　thirty；　the

music　in　the　breath　of　applause　is　sweeter　than　all　the　music

your　voice　can　utter！〃



〃I　know　not；〃　replied　Viola；　falteringly；　but　encouraged　by　the

liquid　softness　of　the　accents　that　addressed　her；〃I　know　not

whether　I　am　happy　now；　but　I　was　last　night。　　And　I　feel；　too；

Excellency；　that　I　have　you　to　thank；　though；　perhaps；　you　scarce

know　why！〃



〃You　deceive　yourself；〃　said　the　cavalier；　with　a　smile。　　〃I　am

aware　that　I　assisted　to　your　merited　success；　and　it　is　you　who

scarce　know　how。　　The　WHY　I　will　tell　you：　　because　I　saw　in　your

heart　a　nobler　ambition　than　that　of　the　woman's　vanity；　it　was

the　daughter　that　interested　me。　　Perhaps　you　would　rather　I

should　have　admired　the　singer？〃



〃