zanoni-第61部分

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〃'And　how？'



〃'He　has　at　this　moment；　in　his　house；　the　most　enchanting　singer

in　Naples；the　celebrated　Viola　Pisani。　　She　is　here；　it　is

true；　not　by　her　own　choice；　he　carried　her　hither　by　force；　but

he　will　pretend　that　she　adores　him。　　Let　us　insist　on　his

producing　this　secret　treasure；　and　when　she　enters；　the　Duc　de

R　can　have　no　doubt　that　his　flatteries　and　attentions　will

charm　the　lady；　and　provoke　all　the　jealous　fears　of　our　host。

It　would　be　a　fair　revenge　upon　his　imperious　self…conceit。'



〃This　suggestion　delighted　me。　　I　hastened　to　the　prince。　　At

that　instant　the　musicians　had　just　commenced；　I　waved　my　hand；

ordered　the　music　to　stop；　and；　addressing　the　prince；　who　was

standing　in　the　centre　of　one　of　the　gayest　groups；　complained　of

his　want　of　hospitality　in　affording　to　us　such　poor　proficients

in　the　art；　while　he　reserved　for　his　own　solace　the　lute　and

voice　of　the　first　performer　in　Naples。　　I　demanded；

half…laughingly；　half…seriously；　that　he　should　produce　the

Pisani。　　My　demand　was　received　with　shouts　of　applause　by　the

rest。　　We　drowned　the　replies　of　our　host　with　uproar；　and　would

hear　no　denial。　　'Gentlemen；'　at　last　said　the　prince；　when　he

could　obtain　an　audience；　'even　were　I　to　assent　to　your

proposal；　I　could　not　induce　the　signora　to　present　herself

before　an　assemblage　as　riotous　as　they　are　noble。　　You　have　too

much　chivalry　to　use　compulsion　with　her；　though　the　Duc　de　R

forgets　himself　sufficiently　to　administer　it　to　me。'



〃I　was　stung　by　this　taunt；　however　well　deserved。　　'Prince；'

said　I；　'I　have　for　the　indelicacy　of　compulsion　so　illustrious

an　example　that　I　cannot　hesitate　to　pursue　the　path　honoured　by

your　own　footsteps。　　All　Naples　knows　that　the　Pisani　despises　at

once　your　gold　and　your　love；　that　force　alone　could　have　brought

her　under　your　roof；　and　that　you　refuse　to　produce　her；　because

you　fear　her　complaints；　and　know　enough　of　the　chivalry　your

vanity　sneers　at　to　feel　assured　that　the　gentlemen　of　France　are

not　more　disposed　to　worship　beauty　than　to　defend　it　from

wrong。'



〃'You　speak　well；　sir；'　said　Zanoni；　gravely。　　'The　prince　dares

not　produce　his　prize！'



〃The　prince　remained　speechless　for　a　few　moments；　as　if　with

indignation。　　At　last　he　broke　out　into　expressions　the　most

injurious　and　insulting　against　Signor　Zanoni　and　myself。　　Zanoni

replied　not；　I　was　more　hot　and　hasty。　　The　guests　appeared　to

delight　in　our　dispute。　　None；　except　Mascari；　whom　we　pushed

aside　and　disdained　to　hear；　strove　to　conciliate；　some　took　one

side；　some　another。　　The　issue　may　be　well　foreseen。　　Swords　were

called　for　and　procured。　　Two　were　offered　me　by　one　of　the

party。　　I　was　about　to　choose　one；　when　Zanoni　placed　in　my　hand

the　other；　which；　from　its　hilt；　appeared　of　antiquated

workmanship。　　At　the　same　moment；　looking　towards　the　prince；　he

said；　smilingly；　'The　duc　takes　your　grandsire's　sword。　　Prince；

you　are　too　brave　a　man　for　superstition；　you　have　forgot　the

forfeit！'　　Our　host　seemed　to　me　to　recoil　and　turn　pale　at　those

words；　nevertheless；　he　returned　Zanoni's　smile　with　a　look　of

defiance。　　The　next　moment　all　was　broil　and　disorder。　　There

might　be　some　six　or　eight　persons　engaged　in　a　strange　and

confused　kind　of　melee；　but　the　prince　and　myself　only　sought

each　other。　　The　noise　around　us；　the　confusion　of　the　guests；

the　cries　of　the　musicians；　the　clash　of　our　own　swords；　only

served　to　stimulate　our　unhappy　fury。　　We　feared　to　be

interrupted　by　the　attendants；　and　fought　like　madmen；　without

skill　or　method。　　I　thrust　and　parried　mechanically；　blind　and

frantic；　as　if　a　demon　had　entered　into　me；　till　I　saw　the　prince

stretched　at　my　feet；　bathed　in　his　blood；　and　Zanoni　bending

over　him；　and　whispering　in　his　ear。　　That　sight　cooled　us　all。

The　strife　ceased；　we　gathered；　in　shame；　remorse；　and　horror；

round　our　ill…fated　host；　but　it　was　too　late；his　eyes　rolled

fearfully　in　his　head。　　I　have　seen　many　men　die；　but　never　one

who　wore　such　horror　on　his　countenance。　　At　last　all　was　over！

Zanoni　rose　from　the　corpse；　and；　taking；　with　great　composure；

the　sword　from　my　hand；　said　calmly；　'Ye　are　witnesses；

gentlemen；　that　the　prince　brought　his　fate　upon　himself。　　The

last　of　that　illustrious　house　has　perished　in　a　brawl。'



〃I　saw　no　more　of　Zanoni。　　I　hastened　to　our　envoy　to　narrate　the

event；　and　abide　the　issue。　　I　am　grateful　to　the　Neapolitan

government；　and　to　the　illustrious　heir　of　the　unfortunate

nobleman；　for　the　lenient　and　generous；　yet　just；　interpretation

put　upon　a　misfortune　the　memory　of　which　will　afflict　me　to　the

last　hour　of　my　life。



（Signed）　〃Louis　Victor；　Duc　de　R。〃



In　the　above　memorial；　the　reader　will　find　the　most　exact　and

minute　account　yet　given　of　an　event　which　created　the　most

lively　sensation　at　Naples　in　that　day。



Glyndon　had　taken　no　part　in　the　affray；　neither　had　he

participated　largely　in　the　excesses　of　the　revel。　　For　his

exemption　from　both　he　was　perhaps　indebted　to　the　whispered

exhortations　of　Zanoni。　　When　the　last　rose　from　the　corpse；　and

withdrew　from　that　scene　of　confusion；　Glyndon　remarked　that　in

passing　the　crowd　he　touched　Mascari　on　the　shoulder；　and　said

something　which　the　Englishman　did　not　overhear。　　Glyndon

followed　Zanoni　into　the　banquet…room；　which；　save　where　the

moonlight　slept　on　the　marble　floor；　was　wrapped　in　the　sad　and

gloomy　shadows　of　the　advancing　night。



〃How　could　you　foretell　this　fearful　event？　　He　fell　not　by　your

arm！〃　said　Glyndon；　in　a　tremulous　and　hollow　tone。



〃The　general　who　calculates　on　the　victory　does　not　fight　in

person；〃　answered　Zanoni；　〃let　the　past　sleep　with　the　dead。

Meet　me　at　midnight　by　the　sea…shore；　half　a　mile　to　the　left　of

your　hotel。　　You　will　know　the　spot　by　a　rude　pillarthe　only

one　nearto　which　a　broken　chain　is　attached。　　There　and　then；

if　thou　wouldst　learn　our　lore；　thou　shalt　find　the　master。　　Go；

I　have　business　here　yet。　　Remember；　Viola　is　still　in　the　house

of　the　dead　man！〃



Here　Mascari　approached；　and　Zanoni；　turning　to　the　Italian；　and

waving　his　hand　to　Glyndon；　drew　the　former　aside。　　Glyndon

slowly　departed。



〃Mascari；〃　said　Zanoni；　〃your　patron　is　no　more；　your　services

will　be　valueless　to　his　heir；a　sober　man　whom　poverty　has

preserved　from　vice。　　For　yourself；　thank　me　that　I　do　not　give

you　up　to　the　executioner；　recollect　the　wine　of　Cyprus。　　Well；

never　tremble；　man；　it　could　not　act　on　me；　though　it　might　react

on　others；　in　that　it　is　a　common　type　of　crime。　　I　forgive　you；

and　if　the　wine　should　kill　me；　I　promise　you　that　my　ghost　shall

not　haunt　so　worshipful　a　penitent。　　Enough　of　this；　conduct　me

to　the　chamber　of　Viola　Pisani。　　You　have　no　further　need　of　her。

The　death　of　the　jailer　opens　the　cell　of　the　captive。　　Be　quick；

I　would　be　gone。〃



Mascari　muttered　some　inaudible　words；　bowed　low；　and　led　the　way