zanoni-第76部分

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attracts　towards　thee　those　beings　whose　life　is　that　light。

Beware　of　Fear。　　Fear　is　the　deadliest　enemy　to　Knowledge。〃　　Here

the　ciphers　changed　their　character；　and　became　incomprehensible。

But　had　he　not　read　enough？　　Did　not　the　last　sentence　suffice？

〃Beware　of　Fear！〃　　It　was　as　if　Mejnour　had　purposely　left　the

page　open；as　if　the　trial　was；　in　truth；　the　reverse　of　the　one

pretended；　as　if　the　mystic　had　designed　to　make　experiment　of

his　COURAGE　while　affecting　but　that　of　his　FORBEARANCE。　　Not

Boldness；　but　Fear；　was　the　deadliest　enemy　to　Knowledge。　　He

moved　to　the　shelves　on　which　the　crystal　vases　were　placed；　with

an　untrembling　hand　he　took　from　one　of　them　the　stopper；　and　a

delicious　odor　suddenly　diffused　itself　through　the　room。　　The

air　sparkled　as　if　with　a　diamond…dust。　　A　sense　of　unearthly

delight；of　an　existence　that　seemed　all　spirit；　flashed　through

his　whole　frame；　and　a　faint；　low；　but　exquisite　music　crept；

thrilling；　through　the　chamber。　　At　this　moment　he　heard　a　voice

in　the　corridor　calling　on　his　name；　and　presently　there　was　a

knock　at　the　door　without。　　〃Are　you　there；　signor？〃　said　the

clear　tones　of　Maestro　Paolo。　　Glyndon　hastily　reclosed　and

replaced　the　vial；　and　bidding　Paolo　await　him　in　his　own

apartment；　tarried　till　he　heard　the　intruder's　steps　depart；　he

then　reluctantly　quitted　the　room。　　As　he　locked　the　door；　he

still　heard　the　dying　strain　of　that　fairy　music；　and　with　a

light　step　and　a　joyous　heart　he　repaired　to　Paolo；　inly

resolving　to　visit　again　the　chamber　at　an　hour　when　his

experiment　would　be　safe　from　interruption。



As　he　crossed　his　threshold；　Paolo　started　back；　and　exclaimed；

〃Why；　Excellency！　　I　scarcely　recognise　you！　　Amusement；　I　see；

is　a　great　beautifier　to　the　young。　　Yesterday　you　looked　so　pale

and　haggard；　but　Fillide's　merry　eyes　have　done　more　for　you　than

the　Philosopher's　Stone　（saints　forgive　me　for　naming　it）　ever

did　for　the　wizards。〃　　And　Glyndon；　glancing　at　the　old　Venetian

mirror　as　Paolo　spoke；　was　scarcely　less　startled　than　Paolo

himself　at　the　change　in　his　own　mien　and　bearing。　　His　form；

before　bent　with　thought；　seemed　to　him　taller　by　half　the　head；

so　lithesome　and　erect　rose　his　slender　stature；　his　eyes　glowed；

his　cheeks　bloomed　with　health　and　the　innate　and　pervading

pleasure。　　If　the　mere　fragrance　of　the　elixir　was　thus　potent；

well　might　the　alchemists　have　ascribed　life　and　youth　to　the

draught！



〃You　must　forgive　me；　Excellency；　for　disturbing　you；〃　said

Paolo；　producing　a　letter　from　his　pouch；　〃but　our　Patron　has

just　written　to　me　to　say　that　he　will　be　here　to…morrow；　and

desired　me　to　lose　not　a　moment　in　giving　to　yourself　this

billet；　which　he　enclosed。〃



〃Who　brought　the　letter？〃



〃A　horseman；　who　did　not　wait　for　any　reply。〃



Glyndon　opened　the　letter；　and　read　as　follows：



〃I　return　a　week　sooner　than　I　had　intended；　and　you　will　expect

me　to…morrow。　　You　will　then　enter　on　the　ordeal　you　desire；　but

remember　that；　in　doing　so；　you　must　reduce　Being　as　far　as

possible　into　Mind。　　The　senses　must　be　mortified　and　subdued；

not　the　whisper　of　one　passion　heard。　　Thou　mayst　be　master　of

the　Cabala　and　the　Chemistry；　but　thou　must　be　master　also　over

the　Flesh　and　the　Blood；over　Love　and　Vanity；　Ambition　and

Hate。　　I　will　trust　to　find　thee　so。　　Fast　and　meditate　till　we

meet！〃



Glyndon　crumpled　the　letter　in　his　hand　with　a　smile　of　disdain。

What！　more　drudgery；more　abstinence！　　Youth　without　love　and

pleasure！　　Ha；　ha！　baffled　Mejnour；　thy　pupil　shall　gain　thy

secrets　without　thine　aid！



〃And　Fillide！　　I　passed　her　cottage　in　my　way；she　blushed　and

sighed　when　I　jested　her　about　you；　Excellency！〃



〃Well；　Paolo！　　I　thank　thee　for　so　charming　an　introduction。

Thine　must　be　a　rare　life。〃



〃Ah；　Excellency；　while　we　are　young；　nothing　like　adventure；

except　love；　wine；　and　laughter！〃



〃Very　true。　　Farewell；　Maestro　Paolo；　we　will　talk　more　with　each

other　in　a　few　days。〃



All　that　morning　Glyndon　was　almost　overpowered　with　the　new

sentiment　of　happiness　that　had　entered　into　him。　　He　roamed　into

the　woods；　and　he　felt　a　pleasure　that　resembled　his　earlier　life

of　an　artist；　but　a　pleasure　yet　more　subtle　and　vivid；　in　the

various　colours　of　the　autumn　foliage。　　Certainly　Nature　seemed

to　be　brought　closer　to　him；　he　comprehended　better　all　that

Mejnour　had　often　preached　to　him　of　the　mystery　of　sympathies

and　attractions。　　He　was　about　to　enter　into　the　same　law　as

those　mute　children　of　the　forests。　　He　was　to　know　THE　RENEWAL

OF　LIFE；　the　seasons　that　chilled　to　winter　should　yet　bring

again　the　bloom　and　the　mirth　of　spring。　　Man's　common　existence

is　as　one　year　to　the　vegetable　world：　　he　has　his　spring；　his

summer；　his　autumn；　and　winter；but　only　ONCE。　　But　the　giant

oaks　round　him　go　through　a　revolving　series　of　verdure　and

youth；　and　the　green　of　the　centenarian　is　as　vivid　in　the　beams

of　　May　as　that　of　the　sapling　by　its　side。　　〃Mine　shall　be　your

spring；　but　not　your　winter！〃　exclaimed　the　aspirant。



Wrapped　in　these　sanguine　and　joyous　reveries；　Glyndon；　quitting

the　woods；　found　himself　amidst　cultivated　fields　and　vineyards

to　which　his　footstep　had　not　before　wandered；　and　there　stood；

by　the　skirts　of　a　green　lane　that　reminded　him　of　verdant

England；　a　modest　house；half　cottage；　half　farm。　　The　door　was

open；　and　he　saw　a　girl　at　work　with　her　distaff。　　She　looked　up；

uttered　a　slight　cry；　and；　tripping　gayly　into　the　lane　to　his

side；　he　recognised　the　dark…eyed　Fillide。



〃Hist！〃　she　said；　archly　putting　her　finger　to　her　lip；　〃do　not

speak　loud；my　mother　is　asleep　within；　and　I　knew　you　would

come　to　see　me。　　It　is　kind！〃



Glyndon；　with　a　little　embarrassment；　accepted　the　compliment　to

his　kindness；　which　he　did　not　exactly　deserve。　　〃You　have

thought；　then；　of　me；　fair　Fillide？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　the　girl；　colouring；　but　with　that　frank；　bold

ingenuousness；　which　characterises　the　females　of　Italy；

especially　of　the　lower　class；　and　in　the　southern　provinces；

〃oh；　yes！　　I　have　thought　of　little　else。　　Paolo　said　he　knew　you

would　visit　me。〃



〃And　what　relation　is　Paolo　to　you？〃



〃None；　but　a　good　friend　to　us　all。　　My　brother　is　one　of　his

band。〃



〃One　of　his　band！a　robber？〃



〃We　of　the　mountains　do　not　call　a　mountaineer　'a　robber；'

signor。〃



〃I　ask　pardon。　　Do　you　not　tremble　sometimes　for　your　brother's

life？　　The　law〃



〃Law　never　ventures　into　these　defiles。　　Tremble　for　him！　　No。

My　father　and　grandsire　were　of　the　same　calling。　　I　often　wish　I

were　a　man！〃



〃By　these　lips；　I　am　enchanted　that　your　wish　cannot　be

realised。〃



〃Fie；　signor！　　And　do　you　really　love　me？〃



〃With　my　whole　heart！〃



〃And　I　thee！〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　candour　that　seemed　innocent；

as　she　suffered　him　to　clasp　her　hand。



〃But；〃　she　added；　〃thou　wilt　soon　leave　us；　and　I〃　　She　sto