zanoni-第52部分

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

two　thingsthe　Being　and　the　Shadowthat　impressed　the　beholder

with　the　difference　between　them；the　Man　and　the　Superhuman。

It　was　but　for　a　momentnay；　for　the　tenth　part　of　a　moment

that　this　sight　was　permitted　to　the　wanderer。　　A　second　eddy　of

sulphureous　vapours　from　the　volcano；　yet　more　rapidly；　yet　more

densely　than　its　predecessor；　rolled　over　the　mountain；　and

either　the　nature　of　the　exhalation；　or　the　excess　of　his　own

dread；　was　such；　that　Glyndon；　after　one　wild　gasp　for　breath；

fell　senseless　on　the　earth。





CHAPTER　3。XI。



Was　hab'ich；

Wenn　ich　nicht　Alles　habe？sprach　der　Jungling。

〃Das　Verschleierte　Bild　zu　Sais。〃



（〃What　have　I；　if　I　possess　not　All？〃　said　the　youth。）



Mervale　and　the　Italians　arrived　in　safety　at　the　spot　where　they

had　left　the　mules；　and　not　till　they　had　recovered　their　own

alarm　and　breath　did　they　think　of　Glyndon。　　But　then；　as　the

minutes　passed；　and　he　appeared　not；　Mervale；　whose　heart　was　as

good　at　least　as　human　hearts　are　in　general；　grew　seriously

alarmed。　　He　insisted　on　returning　to　search　for　his　friend；　and

by　dint　of　prodigal　promises　prevailed　at　last　on　the　guide　to

accompany　him。　　The　lower　part　of　the　mountain　lay　calm　and　white

in　the　starlight；　and　the　guide's　practised　eye　could　discern　all

objects　on　the　surface　at　a　considerable　distance。　　They　had　not；

however；　gone　very　far；　before　they　perceived　two　forms　slowly

approaching　them。



As　they　came　near；　Mervale　recognised　the　form　of　his　friend。

〃Thank　Heaven；　he　is　safe！〃　he　cried；　turning　to　the　guide。



〃Holy　angels　befriend　us！〃　said　the　Italian；　trembling；〃behold

the　very　being　that　crossed　me　last　Friday　night。　　It　is　he；　but

his　face　is　human　now！〃



〃Signor　Inglese；〃　said　the　voice　of　Zanoni；　as　Glyndonpale；

wan；　and　silentreturned　passively　the　joyous　greeting　of

Mervale；〃Signor　Inglese；　I　told　your　friend　that　we　should　meet

to…night。　　You　see　you　have　NOT　foiled　my　prediction。〃



〃But　how？but　where？〃　stammered　Mervale；　in　great　confusion　and

surprise。



〃I　found　your　friend　stretched　on　the　ground；　overpowered　by　the

mephitic　exhalation　of　the　crater。　　I　bore　him　to　a　purer

atmosphere；　and　as　I　know　the　mountain　well；　I　have　conducted　him

safely　to　you。　　This　is　all　our　history。　　You　see；　sir；　that　were

it　not　for　that　prophecy　which　you　desired　to　frustrate；　your

friend　would　ere　this　time　have　been　a　corpse；　one　minute　more；

and　the　vapour　had　done　its　work。　　Adieu；　goodnight；　and　pleasant

dreams。〃



〃But；　my　preserver；　you　will　not　leave　us？〃　said　Glyndon；

anxiously；　and　speaking　for　the　first　time。　　〃Will　you　not　return

with　us？〃



Zanoni　paused；　and　drew　Glyndon　aside。　　〃Young　man；〃　said　he；

gravely；　〃it　is　necessary　that　we　should　again　meet　to…night。　　It

is　necessary　that　you　should；　ere　the　first　hour　of　morning；

decide　on　your　own　fate。　　I　know　that　you　have　insulted　her　whom

you　profess　to　love。　　It　is　not　too　late　to　repent。　　Consult　not

your　friend：　　he　is　sensible　and　wise；　but　not　now　is　his　wisdom

needed。　　There　are　times　in　life　when；　from　the　imagination；　and

not　the　reason；　should　wisdom　come；this；　for　you；　is　one　of

them。　　I　ask　not　your　answer　now。　　Collect　your　thoughts；

recover　your　jaded　and　scattered　spirits。　　It　wants　two　hours　of

midnight。　　Before　midnight　I　will　be　with　you。〃



〃Incomprehensible　being！〃　replied　the　Englishman；　〃I　would　leave

the　life　you　have　preserved　in　your　own　hands；　but　what　I　have

seen　this　night　has　swept　even　Viola　from　my　thoughts。　　A　fiercer

desire　than　that　of　love　burns　in　my　veins；the　desire　not　to

resemble　but　to　surpass　my　kind；　the　desire　to　penetrate　and　to

share　the　secret　of　your　own　existencethe　desire　of　a

preternatural　knowledge　and　unearthly　power。　　I　make　my　choice。

In　my　ancestor's　name；　I　adjure　and　remind　thee　of　thy　pledge。

Instruct　me；　school　me；　make　me　thine；　and　I　surrender　to　thee

at　once；　and　without　a　murmur；　the　woman　whom；　till　I　saw　thee；　I

would　have　defied　a　world　to　obtain。〃



〃I　bid　thee　consider　well：　　on　the　one　hand；　Viola；　a　tranquil

home；　a　happy　and　serene　life；　on　the　other　hand；　all　is

darkness；darkness；　that　even　these　eyes　cannot　penetrate。〃



〃But　thou　hast　told　me；　that　if　I　wed　Viola；　I　must　be　contented

with　the　common　existence；if　I　refuse；　it　is　to　aspire　to　thy

knowledge　and　thy　power。〃



〃Vain　man；　knowledge　and　power　are　not　happiness。〃



〃But　they　are　better　than　happiness。　　Say！if　I　marry　Viola；

wilt　thou　be　my　master；my　guide？　　Say　this；　and　I　am　resolved。



〃It　were　impossible。〃



〃Then　I　renounce　her？　　I　renounce　love。　　I　renounce　happiness。

Welcome　solitude；welcome　despair；　if　they　are　the　entrances　to

thy　dark　and　sublime　secret。〃



〃I　will　not　take　thy　answer　now。　　Before　the　last　hour　of　night

thou　shalt　give　it　in　one　word；ay　or　no！　　Farewell　till　then。〃



Zanoni　waved　his　hand；　and；　descending　rapidly；　was　seen　no　more。



Glyndon　rejoined　his　impatient　and　wondering　friend；　but　Mervale；

gazing　on　his　face；　saw　that　a　great　change　had　passed　there。

The　flexile　and　dubious　expression　of　youth　was　forever　gone。

The　features　were　locked；　rigid；　and　stern；　and　so　faded　was　the

natural　bloom；　that　an　hour　seemed　to　have　done　the　work　of

years。





CHAPTER　3。XII。



Was　ist's

Das　hinter　diesem　Schleier　sich　verbirgt？

〃Das　Verschleierte　Bild　zu　Sais。〃



（What　is　it　that　conceals　itself　behind　this　veil？）



On　returning　from　Vesuvius　or　Pompeii；　you　enter　Naples　through

its　most　animated；　its　most　Neapolitan　quarter；through　that

quarter　in　which　modern　life　most　closely　resembles　the　ancient；

and　in　which；　when；　on　a　fair…day；　the　thoroughfare　swarms　alike

with　Indolence　and　Trade；　you　are　impressed　at　once　with　the

recollection　of　that　restless；　lively　race　from　which　the

population　of　Naples　derives　its　origin；　so　that　in　one　day　you

may　see　at　Pompeii　the　habitations　of　a　remote　age；　and　on　the

Mole；　at　Naples；　you　may　imagine　you　behold　the　very　beings　with

whom　those　habitations　had　been　peopled。



But　now；　as　the　Englishmen　rode　slowly　through　the　deserted

streets；　lighted　but　by　the　lamps　of　heaven；　all　the　gayety　of

day　was　hushed　and　breathless。　　Here　and　there；　stretched　under　a

portico　or　a　dingy　booth；　were　sleeping　groups　of　houseless

Lazzaroni；a　tribe　now　merging　its　indolent　individuality　amidst

an　energetic　and　active　population。



The　Englishman　rode　on　in　silence；　for　Glyndon　neither　appeared

to　heed　nor　hear　the　questions　and　comments　of　Mervale；　and

Mervale　himself　was　almost　as　weary　as　the　jaded　animal　he

bestrode。



Suddenly　the　silence　of　earth　and　ocean　was　broken　by　the　sound

of　a　distant　clock　that　proclaimed　the　quarter　preceding　the　last

hour　of　night。　　Glyndon　started　from　his　reverie；　and　looked

anxiously　round。　　As　the　final　stroke　died；　the　noise　of　hoofs

rung　on　the　broad　stones　of　t