zanoni-第22部分

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Arabians　holds　that　at　that　instant　God　is　deciding　the　hour

either　of　your　death；　or　of　some　one　dear　to　you。　　The　African

savage；　whose　imagination　is　darkened　by　the　hideous　rites　of　his

gloomy　idolatry；　believes　that　the　Evil　Spirit　is　pulling　you

towards　him　by　the　hair：　　so　do　the　Grotesque　and　the　Terrible

mingle　with　each　other。〃



〃It　is　evidently　a　mere　physical　accident；a　derangement　of　the

stomach；　a　chill　of　the　blood；〃　said　a　young　Neapolitan；　with

whom　Glyndon　had　formed　a　slight　acquaintance。



〃Then　why　is　it　always　coupled　in　all　nations　with　some

superstitious　presentiment　or　terror；some　connection　between

the　material　frame　and　the　supposed　world　without　us？　　For　my

part；　I　think〃



〃Ay；　what　do　you　think；　sir？〃　asked　Glyndon；　curiously。



〃I　think；〃　continued　the　stranger；　〃that　it　is　the　repugnance　and

horror　with　which　our　more　human　elements　recoil　from　something；

indeed；　invisible；　but　antipathetic　to　our　own　nature；　and　from　a

knowledge　of　which　we　are　happily　secured　by　the　imperfection　of

our　senses。〃



〃You　are　a　believer　in　spirits；　then？〃　said　Mervale；　with　an

incredulous　smile。



〃Nay；　it　was　not　precisely　of　spirits　that　I　spoke；　but　there　may

be　forms　of　matter　as　invisible　and　impalpable　to　us　as　the

animalculae　in　the　air　we　breathe；in　the　water　that　plays　in

yonder　basin。　　Such　beings　may　have　passions　and　powers　like　our

ownas　the　animalculae　to　which　I　have　compared　them。　　The

monster　that　lives　and　dies　in　a　drop　of　watercarnivorous；

insatiable；　subsisting　on　the　creatures　minuter　than　himselfis

not　less　deadly　in　his　wrath；　less　ferocious　in　his　nature；　than

the　tiger　of　the　desert。　There　may　be　things　around　us　that　would

be　dangerous　and　hostile　to　men；　if　Providence　had　not　placed　a

wall　between　them　and　us；　merely　by　different　modifications　of

matter。〃



〃And　think　you　that　wall　never　can　be　removed？〃　asked　young

Glyndon；　abruptly。　　〃Are　the　traditions　of　sorcerer　and　wizard；

universal　and　immemorial　as　they　are；　merely　fables？〃



〃Perhaps　yes；perhaps　no；〃　answered　the　stranger；　indifferently。

〃But　who；　in　an　age　in　which　the　reason　has　chosen　its　proper

bounds；　would　be　mad　enough　to　break　the　partition　that　divides

him　from　the　boa　and　the　lion；to　repine　at　and　rebel　against

the　law　which　confines　the　shark　to　the　great　deep？　　Enough　of

these　idle　speculations。〃



Here　the　stranger　rose；　summoned　the　attendant；　paid　for　his

sherbet；　and；　bowing　slightly　to　the　company；　soon　disappeared

among　the　trees。



〃Who　is　that　gentleman？〃　asked　Glyndon；　eagerly。



The　rest　looked　at　each　other；　without　replying；　for　some

moments。



〃I　never　saw　him　before；〃　said　Mervale；　at　last。



〃Nor　I。〃



〃Nor　I。〃



〃I　know　him　well；〃　said　the　Neapolitan；　who　was；　indeed；　the

Count　Cetoxa。　　〃If　you　remember；　it　was　as　my　companion　that　he

joined　you。　　He　visited　Naples　about　two　years　ago；　and　has

recently　returned；　he　is　very　rich；indeed；　enormously　so。　　A

most　agreeable　person。　　I　am　sorry　to　hear　him　talk　so　strangely

to…night；　it　serves　to　encourage　the　various　foolish　reports　that

are　circulated　concerning　him。〃



〃And　surely；〃　said　another　Neapolitan；　〃the　circumstance　that

occurred　but　the　other　day；　so　well　known　to　yourself；　Cetoxa；

justifies　the　reports　you　pretend　to　deprecate。〃



〃Myself　and　my　countryman；〃　said　Glyndon；　〃mix　so　little　in

Neapolitan　society；　that　we　lose　much　that　appears　well　worthy　of

lively　interest。　　May　I　enquire　what　are　the　reports；　and　what　is

the　circumstance　you　refer　to？〃



〃As　to　the　reports；　gentlemen；〃　said　Cetoxa；　courteously；

addressing　himself　to　the　two　Englishmen；　〃it　may　suffice　to

observe；　that　they　attribute　to　the　Signor　Zanoni　certain

qualities　which　everybody　desires　for　himself；　but　damns　any　one

else　for　possessing。　　The　incident　Signor　Belgioso　alludes　to；

illustrates　these　qualities；　and　is；　I　must　own；　somewhat

startling。　　You　probably　play；　gentlemen？〃　　（Here　Cetoxa　paused；

and　as　both　Englishmen　had　occasionally　staked　a　few　scudi　at

the　public　gaming…tables；　they　bowed　assent　to　the　conjecture。）

Cetoxa　continued。　　〃Well；　then；　not　many　days　since；　and　on　the

very　day　that　Zanoni　returned　to　Naples；　it　so　happened　that　I

had　been　playing　pretty　high；　and　had　lost　considerably。　　I　rose

from　the　table；　resolved　no　longer　to　tempt　fortune；　when　I

suddenly　perceived　Zanoni；　whose　acquaintance　I　had　before　made

（and　who；　I　may　say；　was　under　some　slight　obligation　to　me）；

standing　by；　a　spectator。　　Ere　I　could　express　my　gratification

at　this　unexpected　recognition；　he　laid　his　hand　on　my　arm。　　'You

have　lost　much；'　said　he；　'more　than　you　can　afford。　　For　my

part；　I　dislike　play；　yet　I　wish　to　have　some　interest　in　what　is

going　on。　　Will　you　play　this　sum　for　me？　the　risk　is　mine；the

half　profits　yours。'　　I　was　startled；　as　you　may　suppose；　at　such

an　address；　but　Zanoni　had　an　air　and　tone　with　him　it　was

impossible　to　resist；　besides；　I　was　burning　to　recover　my

losses；　and　should　not　have　risen　had　I　had　any　money　left　about

me。　　I　told　him　I　would　accept　his　offer；　provided　we　shared　the

risk　as　well　as　profits。　'As　you　will；'　said　he；　smiling；　'we

need　have　no　scruple；　for　you　will　be　sure　to　win。'　　I　sat　down；

Zanoni　stood　behind　me；　my　luck　rose；I　invariably　won。　　In

fact；　I　rose　from　the　table　a　rich　man。〃



〃There　can　be　no　foul　play　at　the　public　tables；　especially　when

foul　play　would　make　against　the　bank？〃　　This　question　was　put　by

Glyndon。



〃Certainly　not；〃　replied　the　count。　　〃But　our　good　fortune　was；

indeed；　marvellous；so　extraordinary　that　a　Sicilian　（the

Sicilians　are　all　ill…bred；　bad…tempered　fellows）　grew　angry　and

insolent。　　'Sir；'　said　he；　turning　to　my　new　friend；　'you　have　no

business　to　stand　so　near　to　the　table。　　I　do　not　understand

this；　you　have　not　acted　fairly。'　　Zanoni　replied；　with　great

composure；　that　he　had　done　nothing　against　the　rules；that　he

was　very　sorry　that　one　man　could　not　win　without　another　man

losing；　and　that　he　could　not　act　unfairly；　even　if　disposed　to

do　so。　　The　Sicilian　took　the　stranger's　mildness　for

apprehension；　and　blustered　more　loudly。　　In　fact；　he　rose　from

the　table；　and　confronted　Zanoni　in　a　manner　that；　to　say　the

least　of　it；　was　provoking　to　any　gentleman　who　has　some

quickness　of　temper；　or　some　skill　with　the　small…sword。〃



〃And；〃　interrupted　Belgioso；　〃the　most　singular　part　of　the　whole

to　me　was；　that　this　Zanoni；　who　stood　opposite　to　where　I　sat；

and　whose　face　I　distinctly　saw；　made　no　remark；　showed　no

resentment。　　He　fixed　his　eyes　steadfastly　on　the　Sicilian；　never

shall　I　forget　that　look！　it　is　impossible　to　describe　it；it

froze　the　blood　in　my　veins。　　The　Sicilian　staggered　back　as　if

struck。　　I　saw　him　tremble；　he　sank　on　the　bench。　　And　then〃



〃Yes；　then；〃　said　Cetoxa；　〃to　my　infinite　surprise；　our

gentleman；　thus　disarmed　by　a　look　from　Zanoni；　turned　his　whole