zanoni-第12部分

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the　daughter　that　interested　me。　　Perhaps　you　would　rather　I

should　have　admired　the　singer？〃



〃No；　oh；　no！〃



〃Well；　I　believe　you。　　And　now；　since　we　have　thus　met；　I　will

pause　to　counsel　you。　　When　next　you　go　to　the　theatre；　you　will

have　at　your　feet　all　the　young　gallants　of　Naples。　　Poor　infant！

the　flame　that　dazzles　the　eye　can　scorch　the　wing。　　Remember

that　the　only　homage　that　does　not　sully　must　be　that　which　these

gallants　will　not　give　thee。　　And　whatever　thy　dreams　of　the

future；and　I　see；　while　I　speak　to　thee；　how　wandering　they

are；　and　wild；may　only　those　be　fulfilled　which　centre　round

the　hearth　of　home。〃



He　paused；　as　Viola's　breast　heaved　beneath　its　robe。　　And　with　a

burst　of　natural　and　innocent　emotions；　scarcely　comprehending；

though　an　Italian；　the　grave　nature　of　his　advice；　she

exclaimed；



〃Ah；　Excellency；　you　cannot　know　how　dear　to　me　that　home　is

already。　　And　my　father；there　would　be　no　home；　signor；　without

him！〃



A　deep　and　melancholy　shade　settled　over　the　face　of　the

cavalier。　　He　looked　up　at　the　quiet　house　buried　amidst　the

vine…leaves；　and　turned　again　to　the　vivid；　animated　face　of　the

young　actress。



〃It　is　well；〃　said　he。　　〃A　simple　heart　may　be　its　own　best

guide；　and　so；　go　on；　and　prosper。　　Adieu；　fair　singer。〃



〃Adieu；　Excellency；　but；〃　and　something　she　could　not　resistan

anxious；　sickening　feeling　of　fear　and　hope；impelled　her　to　the

question；　〃I　shall　see　you　again；　shall　I　not；　at　San　Carlo？〃



〃Not；　at　least；　for　some　time。　　I　leave　Naples　to…day。〃



〃Indeed！〃　and　Viola's　heart　sank　within　her；　the　poetry　of　the

stage　was　gone。



〃And；〃　said　the　cavalier；　turning　back；　and　gently　laying　his

hand　on　hers；〃and；　perhaps；　before　we　meet；　you　may　have

suffered：　　known　the　first　sharp　griefs　of　human　life；known　how

little　what　fame　can　gain；　repays　what　the　heart　can　lose；　but　be

brave　and　yield　not；not　even　to　what　may　seem　the　piety　of

sorrow。　　Observe　yon　tree　in　your　neighbour's　garden。　　Look　how

it　grows　up；　crooked　and　distorted。　　Some　wind　scattered　the　germ

from　which　it　sprang；　in　the　clefts　of　the　rock；　choked　up　and

walled　round　by　crags　and　buildings；　by　Nature　and　man；　its　life

has　been　one　struggle　for　the　light；light　which　makes　to　that

life　the　necessity　and　the　principle：　　you　see　how　it　has　writhed

and　twisted；　how；　meeting　the　barrier　in　one　spot；　it　has

laboured　and　worked；　stem　and　branches；　towards　the　clear　skies

at　last。　　What　has　preserved　it　through　each　disfavour　of　birth

and　circumstances；why　are　its　leaves　as　green　and　fair　as　those

of　the　vine　behind　you；　which；　with　all　its　arms；　can　embrace　the

open　sunshine？　　My　child；　because　of　the　very　instinct　that

impelled　the　struggle；because　the　labour　for　the　light　won　to

the　light　at　length。　　So　with　a　gallant　heart；　through　every

adverse　accident　of　sorrow　and　of　fate　to　turn　to　the　sun；　to

strive　for　the　heaven；　this　it　is　that　gives　knowledge　to　the

strong　and　happiness　to　the　weak。　　Ere　we　meet　again；　you　will

turn　sad　and　heavy　eyes　to　those　quiet　boughs；　and　when　you　hear

the　birds　sing　from　them；　and　see　the　sunshine　come　aslant　from

crag　and　housetop　to　be　the　playfellow　of　their　leaves；　learn　the

lesson　that　Nature　teaches　you；　and　strive　through　darkness　to

the　light！〃



As　he　spoke　he　moved　on　slowly；　and　left　Viola　wondering；　silent；

saddened　with　his　dim　prophecy　of　coming　evil；　and　yet；　through

sadness；　charmed。　　Involuntarily　her　eyes　followed　him；

involuntarily　she　stretched　forth　her　arms；　as　if　by　a　gesture　to

call　him　back；　she　would　have　given　worlds　to　have　seen　him

turn；to　have　heard　once　more　his　low；　calm；　silvery　voice；　to

have　felt　again　the　light　touch　of　his　hand　on　hers。　　As

moonlight　that　softens　into　beauty　every　angle　on　which　it　falls；

seemed　his　presence；as　moonlight　vanishes；　and　things　assume

their　common　aspect　of　the　rugged　and　the　mean；　he　receded　from

her　eyes；　and　the　outward　scene　was　commonplace　once　more。



The　stranger　passed　on；　through　that　long　and　lovely　road　which

reaches　at　last　the　palaces　that　face　the　public　gardens；　and

conducts　to　the　more　populous　quarters　of　the　city。



A　group　of　young；　dissipated　courtiers；　loitering　by　the　gateway

of　a　house　which　was　open　for　the　favourite　pastime　of　the　day；

the　resort　of　the　wealthier　and　more　high…born　gamesters；made

way　for　him；　as　with　a　courteous　inclination　he　passed　them　by。



〃Per　fede；〃　said　one；　〃is　not　that　the　rich　Zanoni；　of　whom　the

town　talks？〃



〃Ay；　they　say　his　wealth　is　incalculable！〃



〃THEY　say；who　are　THEY？what　is　the　authority？　　He　has　not

been　many　days　at　Naples；　and　I　cannot　yet　find　any　one　who　knows

aught　of　his　birthplace；　his　parentage；　or；　what　is　more

important；　his　estates！〃



〃That　is　true；　but　he　arrived　in　a　goodly　vessel；　which　THEY　SAY

is　his　own。　　See；no；　you　cannot　see　it　here；　but　it　rides

yonder　in　the　bay。　　The　bankers　he　deals　with　speak　with　awe　of

the　sums　placed　in　their　hands。〃



〃Whence　came　he？〃



〃From　some　seaport　in　the　East。　　My　valet　learned　from　some　of

the　sailors　on　the　Mole　that　he　had　resided　many　years　in　the

interior　of　India。〃



〃Ah；　I　am　told　that　in　India　men　pick　up　gold　like　pebbles；　and

that　there　are　valleys　where　the　birds　build　their　nests　with

emeralds　to　attract　the　moths。　　Here　comes　our　prince　of

gamesters；　Cetoxa；　be　sure　that　he　already　must　have　made

acquaintance　with　so　wealthy　a　cavalier；　he　has　that　attraction

to　gold　which　the　magnet　has　to　steel。　　Well；　Cetoxa；　what　fresh

news　of　the　ducats　of　Signor　Zanoni？〃



〃Oh；〃　said　Cetoxa；　carelessly；　〃my　friend〃



〃Ha！　ha！　hear　him；　his　friend〃



〃Yes；　my　friend　Zanoni　is　going　to　Rome　for　a　short　time；　when　he

returns；　he　has　promised　me　to　fix　a　day　to　sup　with　me；　and　I

will　then　introduce　him　to　you；　and　to　the　best　society　of

Naples！　　Diavolo！　but　he　is　a　most　agreeable　and　witty

gentleman！〃



〃Pray　tell　us　how　you　came　so　suddenly　to　be　his　friend。〃



〃My　dear　Belgioso；　nothing　more　natural。　　He　desired　a　box　at　San

Carlo；　but　I　need　not　tell　you　that　the　expectation　of　a　new

opera　（ah；　how　superb　it　is；that　poor　devil；　Pisani；　who　would

have　thought　it？）　and　a　new　singer　（what　a　face；what　a　voice！

ah！）　had　engaged　every　corner　of　the　house。　　I　heard　of　Zanoni's

desire　to　honour　the　talent　of　Naples；　and；　with　my　usual

courtesy　to　distinguished　strangers；　I　sent　to　place　my　box　at

his　disposal。　　He　accepts　it；I　wait　on　him　between　the　acts；　he

is　most　charming；　he　invites　me　to　supper。　　Cospetto；　what　a

retinue！　　We　sit　late；I　tell　him　all　the　news　of　Naples；　we

grow　bosom　friends；　he　presses　on　me　this　diamond　before　we

part；is　a　trifle；　he　tells　me：　　the　jewellers　value　it　at　5000

pistoles！the　merriest　evening　I　have　passed　these　ten　years。〃



The　cavaliers　crowded　round　to　admire　the　diamond。



〃Signor　Count　Cetoxa；〃　said　one　grave…looking　sombre　man；　who　had

cro