zanoni-第115部分

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resting　on　its　surface。　　The　sun　gilt　a　thousand　spires　and

domes；　and　gleamed　on　the　white　palaces　of　a　fallen　chivalry。

Here　fatigued　and　panting；　he　paused　an　instant；　and　a　cooler　air

from　the　river　fanned　his　brow。　　〃Awhile；　at　least；　I　am　safe

here；〃　he　murmured；　and　as　he　spoke；　some　thirty　paces　behind

him；　he　beheld　the　spy。　　He　stood　rooted　to　the　spot；　wearied

and　spent　as　he　was；　escape　seemed　no　longer　possible；the　river

on　one　　side　（no　bridge　at　hand）；　and　the　long　row　of　mansions

closing　up　the　other。　　As　he　halted；　he　heard　laughter　and

obscene　songs　from　a　house　a　little　in　his　rear；　between　himself

and　the　spy。　　It　was　a　cafe　fearfully　known　in　that　quarter。

Hither　often　resorted　the　black　troop　of　Henriot；the　minions

and　huissiers　of　Robespierre。　　The　spy；　then；　had　hunted　the

victim　within　the　jaws　of　the　hounds。　　The　man　slowly　advanced；

and；　pausing　before　the　open　window　of　the　cafe；　put　his　head

through　the　aperture；　as　to　address　and　summon　forth　its　armed

inmates。



At　that　very　instant；　and　while　the　spy's　head　was　thus　turned

from　him；　standing　in　the　half…open　gateway　of　the　house

immediately　before　him；　he　perceived　the　stranger　who　had　warned；

the　figure；　scarcely　distinguishable　through　the　mantle　that

wrapped　it；　motioned　to　him　to　enter。　　He　sprang　noiselessly

through　the　friendly　opening：　　the　door　closed；　breathlessly　he

followed　the　stranger　up　a　flight　of　broad　stairs　and　through　a

suite　of　empty　rooms；　until；　having　gained　a　small　cabinet；　his

conductor　doffed　the　large　hat　and　the　long　mantle　that　had

hitherto　concealed　his　shape　and　features；　and　Glyndon　beheld

Zanoni！





CHAPTER　7。IX。



Think　not　my　magic　wonders　wrought　by　aid

Of　Stygian　angels　summoned　up　from　hell；

Scorned　and　accursed　be　those　who　have　essayed

Her　gloomy　Dives　and　Afrites　to　compel。

But　by　perception　of　the　secret　powers

Of　mineral　springs　in　Nature's　inmost　cell；

Of　herbs　in　curtain　of　her　greenest　bowers；

And　of　the　moving　stars　o'er　mountain　tops　and　towers。

Wiffen's　〃Translation　of　Tasso；〃　cant。　xiv。　xliii。



〃You　are　safe　here；　young　Englishman！〃　said　Zanoni；　motioning

Glyndon　to　a　seat。　　〃Fortunate　for　you　that　I　come　on　your　track

at　last！〃



〃Far　happier　had　it　been　if　we　had　never　met！　　Yet　even　in　these

last　hours　of　my　fate；　I　rejoice　to　look　once　more　on　the　face　of

that　ominous　and　mysterious　being　to　whom　I　can　ascribe　all　the

sufferings　I　have　known。　　Here；　then；　thou　shalt　not　palter　with

or　elude　me。　　Here；　before　we　part；　thou　shalt　unravel　to　me　the

dark　enigma；　if　not　of　thy　life；　of　my　own！〃



〃Hast　thou　suffered？　　Poor　neophyte！〃　said　Zanoni；　pityingly。

〃Yes；　I　see　it　on　thy　brow。　　But　wherefore　wouldst　thou　blame　me？

Did　I　not　warn　thee　against　the　whispers　of　thy　spirit；　did　I　not

warn　thee　to　forbear？　　Did　I　not　tell　thee　that　the　ordeal　was

one　of　awful　hazard　and　tremendous　fears；nay；　did　I　not　offer

to　resign　to　thee　the　heart　that　was　mighty　enough；　while　mine；

Glyndon；　to　content　me？　　Was　it　not　thine　own　daring　and　resolute

choice　to　brave　the　initiation！　　Of　thine　own　free　will　didst

thou　make　Mejnour　thy　master；　and　his　lore　thy　study！〃



〃But　whence　came　the　irresistible　desires　of　that　wild　and　unholy

knowledge？　　I　knew　them　not　till　thine　evil　eye　fell　upon　me；　and

I　was　drawn　into　the　magic　atmosphere　of　thy　being！〃



〃Thou　errest！the　desires　were　in　thee；　and；　whether　in　one

direction　or　the　other；　would　have　forced　their　way！　　Man！　thou

askest　me　the　enigma　of　thy　fate　and　my　own！　　Look　round　all

being；　is　there　not　mystery　everywhere？　　Can　thine　eye　trace　the

ripening　of　the　grain　beneath　the　earth？　　In　the　moral　and　the

physical　world　alike；　lie　dark　portents；　far　more　wondrous　than

the　powers　thou　wouldst　ascribe　to　me！〃



〃Dost　thou　disown　those　powers；　dost　thou　confess　thyself　an

imposter？or　wilt　thou　dare　to　tell　me　that　thou　art　indeed　sold

to　the　Evil　one；a　magician　whose　familiar　has　haunted　me　night

and　day？〃



〃It　matters　not　what　I　am；〃　returned　Zanoni；　〃it　matters　only

whether　I　can　aid　thee　to　exorcise　thy　dismal　phantom；　and　return

once　more　to　the　wholesome　air　of　this　common　life。　　Something；

however；　will　I　tell　thee；　not　to　vindicate　myself；　but　the

Heaven　and　the　Nature　that　thy　doubts　malign。〃



Zanoni　paused　a　moment；　and　resumed　with　a　slight　smile；



〃In　thy　younger　days　thou　hast　doubtless　read　with　delight　the

great　Christian　poet；　whose　muse；　like　the　morning　it　celebrated；

came　to　earth；　'crowned　with　flowers　culled　in　Paradise。'

（'L'aurea　testa

Di　rose　colte　in　Paradiso　infiora。'

Tasso；　〃Ger。　Lib。〃　iv。　l。）

〃No　spirit　was　more　imbued　with　the　knightly　superstitions　of　the

time；　and　surely　the　Poet　of　Jerusalem　hath　sufficiently；　to

satisfy　even　the　Inquisitor　he　consulted；　execrated　all　the

practitioners　of　the　unlawful　spells　invoked；



'Per　isforzar　Cocito　o　Flegetonte。'

（To　constrain　Cocytus　or　Phlegethon。）



But　in　his　sorrows　and　his　wrongs；　in　the　prison　of　his　madhouse；

know　you　not　that　Tasso　himself　found　his　solace；　his　escape；　in

the　recognition　of　a　holy　and　spiritual　Theurgia；of　a　magic

that　could　summon　the　Angel；　or　the　Good　Genius；　not　the　Fiend？

And　do　you　not　remember　how　he；　deeply　versed　as　he　was　for　his

age；　in　the　mysteries　of　the　nobler　Platonism；　which　hints　at　the

secrets　of　all　the　starry　brotherhoods；　from　the　Chaldean　to　the

later　Rosicrucian；　discriminates　in　his　lovely　verse；　between　the

black　art　of　Ismeno　and　the　glorious　lore　of　the　Enchanter　who

counsels　and　guides　upon　their　errand　the　champions　of　the　Holy

Land？　　HIS；　not　the　charms　wrought　by　the　aid　of　the　Stygian

Rebels　（See　this　remarkable　passage；　which　does　indeed　not

unfaithfully　represent　the　doctrine　of　the　Pythagorean　and　the

Platonist；　in　Tasso；　cant。　xiv。　stanzas　xli。　to　xlvii。　（〃Ger。

Lib。〃）　　They　are　beautifully　translated　by　Wiffen。）；　but　the

perception　of　the　secret　powers　of　the　fountain　and　the　herb；

the　Arcana　of　the　unknown　nature　and　the　various　motions　of　the

stars。　　His；　the　holy　haunts　of　Lebanon　and　Carmel；beneath　his

feet　he　saw　the　clouds；　the　snows；　the　hues　of　Iris；　the

generations　of　the　rains　and　dews。　　Did　the　Christian　Hermit　who

converted　that　Enchanter　（no　fabulous　being；　but　the　type　of　all

spirit　that　would　aspire　through　Nature　up　to　God）　command　him　to

lay　aside　these　sublime　studies；　'Le　solite　arte　e　l'　uso　mio'？

No！　but　to　cherish　and　direct　them　to　worthy　ends。　　And　in　this

grand　conception　of　the　poet　lies　the　secret　of　the　true

Theurgia；　which　startles　your　ignorance　in　a　more　learned　day

with　puerile　apprehensions；　and　the　nightmares　of　a　sick　man's

dreams。〃



Again　Zanoni　paused；　and　again　resumed：



〃In　ages　far　remote；of　a　civilisation　far　different　from　that

which　now　merges　the　individual　in　the　state；there　existed　men

of　ardent　minds；　and　an　intense　desire　of　knowledge。　　In　the

mighty　and　solemn　kingdoms　in　which　they　dwelt；