zanoni-第29部分

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own　light；　it　sees　the　truth　of　all　things　and　the　truth　centred

in　itself。〃）；　why　descendest　thou　from　thy　sphere；why　from　the

eternal；　starlike；　and　passionless　Serene；　shrinkest　thou　back　to

the　mists　of　the　dark　sarcophagus？　　How　long；　too　austerely

taught　that　companionship　with　the　things　that　die　brings　with　it

but　sorrow　in　its　sweetness；　hast　thou　dwelt　contented　with　thy

majestic　solitude？〃



As　he　thus　murmured；　one　of　the　earliest　birds　that　salute　the

dawn　broke　into　sudden　song　from　amidst　the　orange…trees　in　the

garden　below　his　casement；　and　as　suddenly；　song　answered　song；

the　mate；　awakened　at　the　note；　gave　back　its　happy　answer　to　the

bird。　　He　listened；　and　not　the　soul　he　had　questioned；　but　the

heart　replied。　　He　rose；　and　with　restless　strides　paced　the

narrow　floor。　　〃Away　from　this　world！〃　he　exclaimed　at　length；

with　an　impatient　tone。　　〃Can　no　time　loosen　its　fatal　ties？　　As

the　attraction　that　holds　the　earth　in　space；　is　the　attraction

that　fixes　the　soul　to　earth。　　Away　from　the　dark　grey　planet！

Break；　ye　fetters：　　arise；　ye　wings！〃



He　passed　through　the　silent　galleries；　and　up　the　lofty　stairs；

and　entered　the　secret　chamber。



。。。





CHAPTER　2。V。



I　and　my　fellows

Are　ministers　of　Fate。

〃The　Tempest。〃



The　next　day　Glyndon　bent　his　steps　towards　Zanoni's　palace。　　The

young　man's　imagination；　naturally　inflammable；　was　singularly

excited　by　the　little　he　had　seen　and　heard　of　this　strange

being；a　spell；　he　could　neither　master　nor　account　for；

attracted　him　towards　the　stranger。　　Zanoni's　power　seemed

mysterious　and　great；　his　motives　kindly　and　benevolent；　yet　his

manners　chilling　and　repellent。　　Why　at　one　moment　reject

Glyndon's　acquaintance；　at　another　save　him　from　danger？　　How　had

Zanoni　thus　acquired　the　knowledge　of　enemies　unknown　to　Glyndon

himself？　　His　interest　was　deeply　roused；　his　gratitude　appealed

to；　he　resolved　to　make　another　effort　to　conciliate　the

ungracious　herbalist。



The　signor　was　at　home；　and　Glyndon　was　admitted　into　a　lofty

saloon；　where　in　a　few　moments　Zanoni　joined　him。



〃I　am　come　to　thank　you　for　your　warning　last　night；〃　said　he；

〃and　to　entreat　you　to　complete　my　obligation　by　informing　me　of

the　quarter　to　which　I　may　look　for　enmity　and　peril。〃



〃You　are　a　gallant；〃　said　Zanoni；　with　a　smile；　and　in　the

English　language；　〃and　do　you　know　so　little　of　the　South　as　not

to　be　aware　that　gallants　have　always　rivals？〃



〃Are　you　serious？〃　said　Glyndon；　colouring。



〃Most　serious。　　You　love　Viola　Pisani；　you　have　for　rival　one　of

the　most　powerful　and　relentless　of　the　Neapolitan　princes。　　Your

danger　is　indeed　great。〃



〃But　pardon　me！how　came　it　known　to　you？〃



〃I　give　no　account　of　myself　to　mortal　man；〃　replied　Zanoni；

haughtily；　〃and　to　me　it　matters　nothing　whether　you　regard　or

scorn　my　warning。〃



〃Well；　if　I　may　not　question　you；　be　it　so；　but　at　least　advise

me　what　to　do。〃



〃Would　you　follow　my　advice？〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃Because　you　are　constitutionally　brave；　you　are　fond　of

excitement　and　mystery；　you　like　to　be　the　hero　of　a　romance。

Were　I　to　advise　you　to　leave　Naples；　would　you　do　so　while

Naples　contains　a　foe　to　confront　or　a　mistress　to　pursue？〃



〃You　are　right；〃　said　the　young　Englishman；　with　energy。　　〃No！

and　you　cannot　reproach　me　for　such　a　resolution。〃



〃But　there　is　another　course　left　to　you：　　do　you　love　Viola

Pisani　truly　and　fervently？if　so；　marry　her；　and　take　a　bride

to　your　native　land。〃



〃Nay；〃　answered　Glyndon；　embarrassed；　〃Viola　is　not　of　my　rank。

Her　profession；　too；　isin　short；　I　am　enslaved　by　her　beauty；

but　I　cannot　wed　her。〃



Zanoni　frowned。



〃Your　love；　then；　is　but　selfish　lust；　and　I　advise　you　to　your

own　happiness　no　more。　　Young　man；　Destiny　is　less　inexorable

than　it　appears。　　The　resources　of　the　great　Ruler　of　the

Universe　are　not　so　scanty　and　so　stern　as　to　deny　to　men　the

divine　privilege　of　Free　Will；　all　of　us　can　carve　out　our　own

way；　and　God　can　make　our　very　contradictions　harmonise　with　His

solemn　ends。　　You　have　before　you　an　option。　　Honourable　and

generous　love　may　even　now　work　out　your　happiness；　and　effect

your　escape；　a　frantic　and　selfish　passion　will　but　lead　you　to

misery　and　doom。〃



〃Do　you　pretend；　then；　to　read　the　future？〃



〃I　have　said　all　that　it　pleases　me　to　utter。〃



〃While　you　assume　the　moralist　to　me；　Signor　Zanoni；〃　said

Glyndon；　with　a　smile；　〃are　you　yourself　so　indifferent　to　youth

and　beauty　as　to　act　the　stoic　to　its　allurements？〃



〃If　it　were　necessary　that　practice　square　with　precept；〃　said

Zanoni；　with　a　bitter　smile；　〃our　monitors　would　be　but　few。　　The

conduct　of　the　individual　can　affect　but　a　small　circle　beyond

himself；　the　permanent　good　or　evil　that　he　works　to　others　lies

rather　in　the　sentiments　he　can　diffuse。　　His　acts　are　limited

and　momentary；　his　sentiments　may　pervade　the　universe；　and

inspire　generations　till　the　day　of　doom。　　All　our　virtues；　all

our　laws；　are　drawn　from　books　and　maxims；　which　ARE　sentiments；

not　from　deeds。　　In　conduct；　Julian　had　the　virtues　of　a

Christian；　and　Constantine　the　vices　of　a　Pagan。　　The　sentiments

of　Julian　reconverted　thousands　to　Paganism；　those　of　Constantine

helped；　under　Heaven's　will；　to　bow　to　Christianity　the　nations

of　the　earth。　　In　conduct；　the　humblest　fisherman　on　yonder　sea；

who　believes　in　the　miracles　of　San　Gennaro；　may　be　a　better　man

than　Luther；　to　the　sentiments　of　Luther　the　mind　of　modern

Europe　is　indebted　for　the　noblest　revolution　it　has　known。　　Our

opinions；　young　Englishman；　are　the　angel　part　of　us；　our　acts；

the　earthly。〃



〃You　have　reflected　deeply　for　an　Italian；〃　said　Glyndon。



〃Who　told　you　that　I　was　an　Italian？〃



〃Are　you　not？　　And　yet；　when　I　hear　you　speak　my　own　language　as

a　native；　I〃



〃Tush！〃　interrupted　Zanoni；　impatiently　turning　away。　　Then；

after　a　pause；　he　resumed　in　a　mild　voice；　〃Glyndon；　do　you

renounce　Viola　Pisani？　　Will　you　take　some　days　to　consider　what

I　have　said？〃



〃Renounce　her；never！〃



〃Then　you　will　marry　her？〃



〃Impossible！〃



〃Be　it　so；　she　will　then　renounce　you。　　I　tell　you　that　you　have

rivals。〃



〃Yes；　the　Prince　di　；　but　I　do　not　fear　him。〃



〃You　have　another　whom　you　will　fear　more。〃



〃And　who　is　he？〃



〃Myself。〃



Glyndon　turned　pale；　and　started　from　his　seat。



〃You；　Signor　Zanoni！you；and　you　dare　to　tell　me　so？〃



〃Dare！　　Alas！　there　are　times　when　I　wish　that　I　could　fear。〃



These　arrogant　words　were　not　uttered　arrogantly；　but　in　a　tone

of　the　most　mournful　dejection。　　Glyndon　was　enraged；　confounded；

and　yet　awed。　　However；　he　had　a　brave　English　heart　within　his

breast；　and　he　recovered　himself　quickly。



〃Signor；〃　said　he；　calmly；　〃I　am　not　to　be　duped　by　these　solemn

phrases　and　these　mystical　assumptions。　　You　may　have　powers

which　I　cannot　comprehen