zanoni-第51部分

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〃What！　hideous？〃



〃No；　so　beautiful；　but　so　terrible。　　It　had　nothing　human　in　its

aspect。〃



〃And　what　said　the　salamander？〃



〃Nothing！　　It　did　not　even　seem　to　perceive　me；　though　I　was　near

as　I　am　to　you；　but　its　eyes　seemed　to　emerge　prying　into　the

air。　　It　passed　by　me　quickly；　and；　walking　across　a　stream　of

burning　lava；　soon　vanished　on　the　other　side　of　the　mountain。　　I

was　curious　and　foolhardy；　and　resolved　to　see　if　I　could　bear

the　atmosphere　which　this　visitor　had　left；　but　though　I　did　not

advance　within　thirty　yards　of　the　spot　at　which　he　had　first

appeared；　I　was　driven　back　by　a　vapour　that　wellnigh　stifled　me。

Cospetto！　　I　have　spat　blood　ever　since。〃



〃Now　will　I　lay　a　wager　that　you　fancy　this　fire…king　must　be

Zanoni；〃　whispered　Mervale；　laughing。



The　little　party　had　now　arrived　nearly　at　the　summit　of　the

mountain；　and　unspeakably　grand　was　the　spectacle　on　which　they

gazed。　　From　the　crater　arose　a　vapour；　intensely　dark；　that

overspread　the　whole　background　of　the　heavens；　in　the　centre

whereof　rose　a　flame　that　assumed　a　form　singularly　beautiful。

It　might　have　been　compared　to　a　crest　of　gigantic　feathers；　the

diadem　of　the　mountain；　high…arched；　and　drooping　downward；　with

the　hues　delicately　shaded　off；　and　the　whole　shifting　and

tremulous　as　the　plumage　on　a　warrior's　helmet。



The　glare　of　the　flame　spread；　luminous　and　crimson；　over　the

dark　and　rugged　ground　on　which　they　stood；　and　drew　an

innumerable　variety　of　shadows　from　crag　and　hollow。　　An

oppressive　and　sulphureous　exhalation　served　to　increase　the

gloomy　and　sublime　terror　of　the　place。　　But　on　turning　from　the

mountain；　and　towards　the　distant　and　unseen　ocean；　the　contrast

was　wonderfully　great；　the　heavens　serene　and　blue；　the　stars

still　and　calm　as　the　eyes　of　Divine　Love。　　It　was　as　if　the

realms　of　the　opposing　principles　of　Evil　and　of　Good　were

brought　in　one　view　before　the　gaze　of　man！　　Glyndononce　more

the　enthusiast；　the　artistwas　enchained　and　entranced　by

emotions　vague　and　undefinable；　half　of　delight　and　half　of　pain。

Leaning　on　the　shoulder　of　his　friend；　he　gazed　around　him；　and

heard　with　deepening　awe　the　rumbling　of　the　earth　below；　the

wheels　and　voices　of　the　Ministry　of　Nature　in　her　darkest　and

most　inscrutable　recess。　　Suddenly；　as　a　bomb　from　a　shell；　a

huge　stone　was　flung　hundreds　of　yards　up　from　the　jaws　of　the

crater；　and　falling　with　a　mighty　crash　upon　the　rock　below；

split　into　ten　thousand　fragments；　which　bounded　down　the　sides

of　the　mountain；　sparkling　and　groaning　as　they　went。　　One　of

these；　the　largest　fragment；　struck　the　narrow　space　of　soil

between　the　Englishmen　and　the　guide；　not　three　feet　from　the

spot　where　the　former　stood。　　Mervale　uttered　an　exclamation　of

terror；　and　Glyndon　held　his　breath；　and　shuddered。



〃Diavolo！〃　cried　the　guide。　　〃Descend；　Excellencies；descend！　we

have　not　a　moment　to　lose；　follow　me　close！〃



So　saying；　the　guide　and　the　peasant　fled　with　as　much　swiftness

as　they　were　able　to　bring　to　bear。　　Mervale；　ever　more　prompt

and　ready　than　his　friend；　imitated　their　example；　and　Glyndon；

more　confused　than　alarmed；　followed　close。　　But　they　had　not

gone　many　yards；　before；　with　a　rushing　and　sudden　blast；　came

from　the　crater　an　enormous　volume　of　vapour。　　It　pursued；it

overtook；　it　overspread　them。　　It　swept　the　light　from　the

heavens。　　All　was　abrupt　and　utter　darkness；　and　through　the

gloom　was　heard　the　shout　of　the　guide；　already　distant；　and　lost

in　an　instant　amidst　the　sound　of　the　rushing　gust　and　the　groans

of　the　earth　beneath。　　Glyndon　paused。　　He　was　separated　from　his

friend；　from　the　guide。　　He　was　alone；with　the　Darkness　and　the

Terror。　　The　vapour　rolled　sullenly　away；　the　form　of　the　plumed

fire　was　again　dimly　visible；　and　its　struggling　and　perturbed

reflection　again　shed　a　glow　over　the　horrors　of　the　path。

Glyndon　recovered　himself；　and　sped　onward。　　Below；　he　heard　the

voice　of　Mervale　calling　on　him；　though　he　no　longer　saw　his

form。　　The　sound　served　as　a　guide。　　Dizzy　and　breathless；　he

bounded　forward；　whenhark！a　sullen；　slow　rolling　sounded　in

his　ear！　　He　halted；and　turned　back　to　gaze。　　The　fire　had

overflowed　its　course；　it　had　opened　itself　a　channel　amidst　the

furrows　of　the　mountain。　　The　stream　pursued　him　fastfast；　and

the　hot　breath　of　the　chasing　and　preternatural　foe　came　closer

and　closer　upon　his　cheek！　　He　turned　aside；　he　climbed

desperately　with　hands　and　feet　upon　a　crag　that；　to　the　right；

broke　the　scathed　and　blasted　level　of　the　soil。　　The　stream

rolled　beside　and　beneath　him；　and　then　taking　a　sudden　wind

round　the　spot　on　which　he　stood；　interposed　its　liquid　fire；a

broad　and　impassable　barrier　between　his　resting…place　and

escape。　　There　he　stood；　cut　off　from　descent；　and　with　no

alternative　but　to　retrace　his　steps　towards　the　crater；　and

thence　seek；　without　guide　or　clew；　some　other　pathway。



For　a　moment　his　courage　left　him；　he　cried　in　despair；　and　in

that　overstrained　pitch　of　voice　which　is　never　heard　afar　off；

to　the　guide；　to　Mervale；　to　return　to　aid　him。



No　answer　came；　and　the　Englishman；　thus　abandoned　solely　to　his

own　resources；　felt　his　spirit　and　energy　rise　against　the

danger。　　He　turned　back；　and　ventured　as　far　towards　the　crater

as　the　noxious　exhalation　would　permit；　then；　gazing　below；

carefully　and　deliberately　he　chalked　out　for　himself　a　path　by

which　he　trusted　to　shun　the　direction　the　fire…stream　had　taken；

and　trod　firmly　and　quickly　over　the　crumbling　and　heated　strata。



He　had　proceeded　about　fifty　yards；　when　he　halted　abruptly；　an

unspeakable　and　unaccountable　horror；　not　hitherto　experienced

amidst　all　his　peril；　came　over　him。　　He　shook　in　every　limb；　his

muscles　refused　his　will；he　felt；　as　it　were；　palsied　and

death…stricken。　　The　horror；　I　say；　was　unaccountable；　for　the

path　seemed　clear　and　safe。　　The　fire；　above　and　behind；　burned

clear　and　far；　and　beyond；　the　stars　lent　him　their　cheering

guidance。　　No　obstacle　was　visible；no　danger　seemed　at　hand。

As　thus；　spell…bound；　and　panic…stricken；　he　stood　chained　to　the

soil；his　breast　heaving；　large　drops　rolling　down　his　brow；　and

his　eyes　starting　wildly　from　their　sockets；he　saw　before　him；

at　some　distance；　gradually　shaping　itself　more　and　more

distinctly　to　his　gaze；　a　colossal　shadow；　a　shadow　that　seemed

partially　borrowed　from　the　human　shape；　but　immeasurably　above

the　human　stature；　vague；　dark；　almost　formless；　and　differing；

he　could　not　tell　where　or　why；　not　only　from　the　proportions；

but　also　from　the　limbs　and　outline　of　man。



The　glare　of　the　volcano；　that　seemed　to　shrink　and　collapse　from

this　gigantic　and　appalling　apparition；　nevertheless　threw　its

light；　redly　and　steadily；　upon　another　shape　that　stood　beside；

quiet　and　motionless；　and　it　was；　perhaps；　the　contrast　of　these

two　thingsthe　Being　and　the　Shadowthat　impressed　the　b