zanoni-第38部分

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than　either　poverty　or　the　palsy　befell　the　old　musician。　　His

grandchild；　his　little　Beatrice；　fell　ill；　suddenly　and

dangerously　ill；　of　one　of　those　rapid　fevers　common　to　the

South；　and　Viola　was　summoned　from　her　strange　and　fearful

reveries　of　love　or　fancy；　to　the　sick…bed　of　the　young　sufferer。



The　child　was　exceedingly　fond　of　Viola；　and　the　old　people

thought　that　her　mere　presence　would　bring　healing；　but　when

Viola　arrived；　Beatrice　was　insensible。　　Fortunately　there　was　no

performance　that　evening　at　San　Carlo；　and　she　resolved　to　stay

the　night　and　partake　its　fearful　cares　and　dangerous　vigil。



But　during　the　night　the　child　grew　worse；　the　physician　（the

leechcraft　has　never　been　very　skilful　at　Naples）　shook　his

powdered　head；　kept　his　aromatics　at　his　nostrils；　administered

his　palliatives；　and　departed。　　Old　Bernardi　seated　himself　by

the　bedside　in　stern　silence；　here　was　the　last　tie　that　bound

him　to　life。　　Well；　let　the　anchor　break　and　the　battered　ship　go

down！　　It　was　an　iron　resolve；　more　fearful　than　sorrow。　　An　old

man；　with　one　foot　in　the　grave；　watching　by　the　couch　of　a　dying

child；　is　one　of　the　most　awful　spectacles　in　human　calamities。

The　wife　was　more　active；　more　bustling；　more　hopeful；　and　more

tearful。　　Viola　took　heed　of　all　three。　　But　towards　dawn；

Beatrice's　state　became　so　obviously　alarming；　that　Viola　herself

began　to　despair。　　At　this　time　she　saw　the　old　woman　suddenly

rise　from　before　the　image　of　the　saint　at　which　she　had　been

kneeling；　wrap　herself　in　her　cloak　and　hood；　and　quietly　quit

the　chamber。　　Viola　stole　after　her。



〃It　is　cold　for　thee；　good　mother；　to　brave　the　air；　let　me　go

for　the　physician？〃



〃Child；　I　am　not　going　to　him。　　I　have　heard　of　one　in　the　city

who　has　been　tender　to　the　poor；　and　who；　they　say；　has　cured　the

sick　when　physicians　failed。　　I　will　go　and　say　to　him；　'Signor；

we　are　beggars　in　all　else；　but　yesterday　we　were　rich　in　love。

We　are　at　the　close　of　life；　but　we　lived　in　our　grandchild's

childhood。　　Give　us　back　our　wealth；give　us　back　our　youth。

Let　us　die　blessing　God　that　the　thing　we　love　survives　us。'〃



She　was　gone。　　Why　did　thy　heart　beat；　Viola？　　The　infant's　sharp

cry　of　pain　called　her　back　to　the　couch；　and　there　still　sat　the

old　man；　unconscious　of　his　wife's　movements；　not　stirring；　his

eyes　glazing　fast　as　they　watched　the　agonies　of　that　slight

frame。　　By　degrees　the　wail　of　pain　died　into　a　low　moan；the

convulsions　grew　feebler；　but　more　frequent；　the　glow　of　fever

faded　into　the　blue；　pale　tinge　that　settles　into　the　last

bloodless　marble。



The　daylight　came　broader　and　clearer　through　the　casement；　steps

were　heard　on　the　stairs；the　old　woman　entered　hastily；　she

rushed　to　the　bed；　cast　a　glance　on　the　patient；　〃She　lives　yet；

signor；　she　lives！〃



Viola　raised　her　eyes；the　child's　head　was　pillowed　on　her

bosom；and　she　beheld　Zanoni。　　He　smiled　on　her　with　a　tender

and　soft　approval；　and　took　the　infant　from　her　arms。　　Yet　even

then；　as　she　saw　him　bending　silently　over　that　pale　face；　a

superstitious　fear　mingled　with　her　hopes。　　〃Was　it　by　lawfulby

holy　art　that〃　her　self…questioning　ceased　abruptly；　for　his

dark　eye　turned　to　her　as　if　he　read　her　soul；　and　his　aspect

accused　her　conscience　for　its　suspicion；　for　it　spoke　reproach

not　unmingled　with　disdain。



〃Be　comforted；〃　he　said；　gently　turning　to　the　old　man；　〃the

danger　is　not　beyond　the　reach　of　human　skill；〃　and；　taking　from

his　bosom　a　small　crystal　vase；　he　mingled　a　few　drops　with

water。　　No　sooner　did　this　medicine　moisten　the　infant's　lips；

than　it　seemed　to　produce　an　astonishing　effect。　　The　colour

revived　rapidly　on　the　lips　and　cheeks；　in　a　few　moments　the

sufferer　slept　calmly；　and　with　the　regular　breathing　of　painless

sleep。　　And　then　the　old　man　rose；　rigidly；　as　a　corpse　might

rise；looked　down；　listened；　and　creeping　gently　away；　stole　to

the　corner　of　the　room；　and　wept；　and　thanked　Heaven！



Now；　old　Bernardi　had　been；　hitherto；　but　a　cold　believer；　sorrow

had　never　before　led　him　aloft　from　earth。　　Old　as　he　was；　he　had

never　before　thought　as　the　old　should　think　of　death；that

endangered　life　of　the　young　had　wakened　up　the　careless　soul　of

age。　　Zanoni　whispered　to　the　wife；　and　she　drew　the　old　man

quietly　from　the　room。



〃Dost　thou　fear　to　leave　me　an　hour　with　thy　charge；　Viola？

Thinkest　thou　still　that　this　knowledge　is　of　the　Fiend？〃



〃Ah；〃　said　Viola；　humbled　and　yet　rejoiced；　〃forgive　me；　forgive

me；　signor。　　Thou　biddest　the　young　live　and　the　old　pray。　　My

thoughts　never　shall　wrong　thee　more！〃



Before　the　sun　rose；　Beatrice　was　out　of　danger；　at　noon　Zanoni

escaped　from　the　blessings　of　the　aged　pair；　and　as　he　closed　the

door　of　the　house；　he　found　Viola　awaiting　him　without。



She　stood　before　him　timidly；　her　hands　crossed　meekly　on　her

bosom；　her　downcast　eyes　swimming　with　tears。



〃Do　not　let　me　be　the　only　one　you　leave　unhappy！〃



〃And　what　cure　can　the　herbs　and　anodynes　effect　for　thee？　　If

thou　canst　so　readily　believe　ill　of　those　who　have　aided　and　yet

would　serve　thee；　thy　disease　is　of　the　heart；　andnay；　weep

not！　nurse　of　the　sick；　and　comforter　of　the　sad；　I　should　rather

approve　than　chide　thee。　　Forgive　thee！　　Life；　that　ever　needs

forgiveness；　has；　for　its　first　duty；　to　forgive。〃



〃No；　do　not　forgive　me　yet。　　I　do　not　deserve　a　pardon；　for　even

now；　while　I　feel　how　ungrateful　I　was　to　believe；　suspect；　aught

injurious　and　false　to　my　preserver；　my　tears　flow　from

happiness；　not　remorse。　　Oh！〃　she　continued；　with　a　simple

fervour；　unconscious；　in　her　innocence　and　her　generous　emotions；

of　all　the　secrets　she　betrayed；〃thou　knowest　not　how　bitter　it

was　to　believe　thee　not　more　good；　more　pure；　more　sacred　than

all　the　world。　　And　when　I　saw　thee；the　wealthy；　the　noble；

coming　from　thy　palace　to　minister　to　the　sufferings　of　the

hovel；when　I　heard　those　blessings　of　the　poor　breathed　upon

thy　parting　footsteps；　I　felt　my　very　self　exalted；good　in　thy

goodness；　noble　at　least　in　those　thoughts　that　did　NOT　wrong

thee。〃



〃And　thinkest　thou；　Viola；　that　in　a　mere　act　of　science　there　is

so　much　virtue？　　The　commonest　leech　will　tend　the　sick　for　his

fee。　　Are　prayers　and　blessings　a　less　reward　than　gold？〃



〃And　mine；　then；　are　not　worthless？　　Thou　wilt　accept　of　mine？〃



〃Ah；　Viola！〃　exclaimed　Zanoni；　with　a　sudden　passion；　that

covered　her　face　with　blushes；　〃thou　only；　methinks；　on　all　the

earth；　hast　the　power　to　wound　or　delight　me！〃　　He　checked

himself；　and　his　face　became　grave　and　sad。　　〃And　this；〃　he

added；　in　an　altered　tone；　〃because；　if　thou　wouldst　heed　my

counsels；　methinks　I　could　guide　a　guileless　heart　to　a　happy

fate。〃



〃Thy　counsels！　　I　will　obey　them　all。　　Mould　me　to　what　thou

wilt。　　In　thine　absence；　I　am　as　a　child　that　fears　every　shadow

in　the　dark；　in　thy　presence；　my　soul　expands；　and　the　whole