zanoni-第70部分

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charlatanic　science　differ　in　this　from　the　true　and

indisputable；that　the　last　communicates　to　the　world　the

process　by　which　it　attains　its　discoveries；　the　first　boasts　of

marvellous　results；　and　refuses　to　explain　the　causes？〃



〃Well　said；　O　Logician　of　the　Schools；　but　think　again。　　Suppose

we　were　to　impart　all　our　knowledge　to　all　mankind

indiscriminately；alike　to　the　vicious　and　the　virtuous；should

we　be　benefactors　or　scourges？　　Imagine　the　tyrant；　the

sensualist；　the　evil　and　corrupted　being　possessed　of　these

tremendous　powers；　would　he　not　be　a　demon　let　loose　on　earth？

Grant　that　the　same　privilege　be　accorded　also　to　the　good；　and

in　what　state　would　be　society？　　Engaged　in　a　Titan　war；the

good　forever　on　the　defensive；　the　bad　forever　in　assault。　　In

the　present　condition　of　the　earth；　evil　is　a　more　active

principle　than　good；　and　the　evil　would　prevail。　　It　is　for　these

reasons　that　we　are　not　only　solemnly　bound　to　administer　our

lore　only　to　those　who　will　not　misuse　and　pervert　it；　but　that

we　place　our　ordeal　in　tests　that　purify　the　passions　and　elevate

the　desires。　　And　Nature　in　this　controls　and　assists　us：　　for　it

places　awful　guardians　and　insurmountable　barriers　between　the

ambition　of　vice　and　the　heaven　of　the　loftier　science。〃



Such　made　a　small　part　of　the　numerous　conversations　Mejnour　held

with　his　pupil；conversations　that；　while　they　appeared　to

address　themselves　to　the　reason；　inflamed　yet　more　the　fancy。

It　was　the　very　disclaiming　of　all　powers　which　Nature；　properly

investigated；　did　not　suffice　to　create；　that　gave　an　air　of

probability　to　those　which　Mejnour　asserted　Nature　might　bestow。



Thus　days　and　weeks　rolled　on；　and　the　mind　of　Glyndon；　gradually

fitted　to　this　sequestered　and　musing　life；　forgot　at　last　the

vanities　and　chimeras　of　the　world　without。



One　evening　he　had　lingered　alone　and　late　upon　the　ramparts；

watching　the　stars　as；　one　by　one；　they　broke　upon　the　twilight。

Never　had　he　felt　so　sensibly　the　mighty　power　of　the　heavens　and

the　earth　upon　man；　how　much　the　springs　of　our　intellectual

being　are　moved　and　acted　upon　by　the　solemn　influences　of

Nature。　　As　a　patient　on　whom；　slowly　and　by　degrees；　the

agencies　of　mesmerism　are　brought　to　bear；　he　acknowledged　to　his

heart　the　growing　force　of　that　vast　and　universal　magnetism

which　is　the　life　of　creation；　and　binds　the　atom　to　the　whole。

A　strange　and　ineffable　consciousness　of　power；　of　the　SOMETHING

GREAT　within　the　perishable　clay；　appealed　to　feelings　at　once

dim　and　glorious；like　the　faint　recognitions　of　a　holier　and

former　being。　　An　impulse；　that　he　could　not　resist；　led　him　to

seek　the　mystic。　　He　would　demand；　that　hour；　his　initiation　into

the　worlds　beyond　our　world；he　was　prepared　to　breathe　a

diviner　air。　　He　entered　the　castle；　and　strode　the　shadowy　and

starlit　gallery　which　conducted　to　Mejnour's　apartment。





CHAPTER　4。III。



Man　is　the　eye　of　things。Euryph；　〃de　Vit。　Hum。〃



。。。There　is；　therefore；　a　certain　ecstatical　or　transporting

power；　which；　if　at　any　time　it　shall　be　excited　or　stirred　up　by

an　ardent　desire　and　most　strong　imagination；　is　able　to　conduct

the　spirit　of　the　more　outward　even　to　some　absent　and

far…distant　object。Von　Helmont。



The　rooms　that　Mejnour　occupied　consisted　of　two　chambers

communicating　with　each　other；　and　a　third　in　which　he　slept。

All　these　rooms　were　placed　in　the　huge　square　tower　that　beetled

over　the　dark　and　bush…grown　precipice。　　The　first　chamber　which

Glyndon　entered　was　empty。　　With　a　noiseless　step　he　passed　on；

and　opened　the　door　that　admitted　into　the　inner　one。　　He　drew

back　at　the　threshold；　overpowered　by　a　strong　fragrance　which

filled　the　chamber：　　a　kind　of　mist　thickened　the　air　rather　than

obscured　it；　for　this　vapour　was　not　dark；　but　resembled　a　snow…

cloud　moving　slowly；　and　in　heavy　undulations；　wave　upon　wave

regularly　over　the　space。　　A　mortal　cold　struck　to　the

Englishman's　heart；　and　his　blood　froze。　　He　stood　rooted　to　the

spot；　and　as　his　eyes　strained　involuntarily　through　the　vapour；

he　fancied　（for　he　could　not　be　sure　that　it　was　not　the　trick　of

his　imagination）　that　he　saw　dim；　spectre…like；　but　gigantic

forms　floating　through　the　mist；　or　was　it　not　rather　the　mist

itself　that　formed　its　vapours　fantastically　into　those　moving；

impalpable；　and　bodiless　apparitions？　　A　great　painter　of

antiquity　is　said；　in　a　picture　of　Hades；　to　have　represented　the

monsters　that　glide　through　the　ghostly　River　of　the　Dead；　so

artfully；　that　the　eye　perceived　at　once　that　the　river　itself

was　but　a　spectre；　and　the　bloodless　things　that　tenanted　it　had

no　life；　their　forms　blending　with　the　dead　waters　till；　as　the

eye　continued　to　gaze；　it　ceased　to　discern　them　from　the

preternatural　element　they　were　supposed　to　inhabit。　　Such　were

the　moving　outlines　that　coiled　and　floated　through　the　mist；　but

before　Glyndon　had　even　drawn　breath　in　this　atmospherefor　his

life　itself　seemed　arrested　or　changed　into　a　kind　of　horrid

trancehe　felt　his　hand　seized；　and　he　was　led　from　that　room

into　the　outer　one。　　He　heard　the　door　close；his　blood　rushed

again　through　his　veins；　and　he　saw　Mejnour　by　his　side。　　Strong

convulsions　then　suddenly　seized　his　whole　frame；he　fell　to　the

ground　insensible。　　When　he　recovered；　he　found　himself　in　the

open　air　in　a　rude　balcony　of　stone　that　jutted　from　the　chamber；

the　stars　shining　serenely　over　the　dark　abyss　below；　and　resting

calmly　upon　the　face　of　the　mystic；　who　stood　beside　him　with

folded　arms。



〃Young　man；〃　said　Mejnour；　〃judge　by　what　you　have　just　felt；　how

dangerous　it　is　to　seek　knowledge　until　prepared　to　receive　it。

Another　moment　in　the　air　of　that　chamber　and　you　had　been　a

corpse。〃



〃Then　of　what　nature　was　the　knowledge　that　you；　once　mortal　like

myself；　could　safely　have　sought　in　that　icy　atmosphere；　which　it

was　death　for　me　to　breathe？　　Mejnour；〃　continued　Glyndon；　and

his　wild　desire；　sharpened　by　the　very　danger　he　had　passed；　once

more　animated　and　nerved　him；　〃I　am　prepared　at　least　for　the

first　steps。　　I　come　to　you　as　of　old　the　pupil　to　the

Hierophant；　and　demand　the　initiation。〃



Mejnour　passed　his　hand　over　the　young　man's　heart；it　beat

loud；　regularly；　and　boldly。　　He　looked　at　him　with　something

almost　like　admiration　in　his　passionless　and　frigid　features；

and　muttered；　half　to　himself；　〃Surely；　in　so　much　courage　the

true　disciple　is　found　at　last。〃　　Then；　speaking　aloud；　he　added；

〃Be　it　so；　man's　first　initiation　is　in　TRANCE。　　In　dreams

commences　all　human　knowledge；　in　dreams　hovers　over　measureless

space　the　first　faint　bridge　between　spirit　and　spirit；this

world　and　the　worlds　beyond！　　Look　steadfastly　on　yonder　star！〃



Glyndon　obeyed；　and　Mejnour　retired　into　the　chamber；　from　which

there　then　slowly　emerged　a　vapour；　somewhat　paler　and　of　fainter

odour　than　that　which　had　nearly　produced　so　fatal　a