zanoni-第83部分

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Spenser's　〃Faerie　Queene；〃　book　i。　canto　i。　st。　x。



Yes；　Viola；　thou　art　another　being　than　when；　by　the　threshold　of

thy　Italian　home；　thou　didst　follow　thy　dim　fancies　through　the

Land　of　Shadow；　or　when　thou　didst　vainly　seek　to　give　voice　to

an　ideal　beauty；　on　the　boards　where　illusion　counterfeits　earth

and　heaven　for　an　hour；　till　the　weary　sense；　awaking；　sees　but

the　tinsel　and　the　scene…shifter。　　Thy　spirit　reposes　in　its　own

happiness。　　Its　wanderings　have　found　a　goal。　　In　a　moment　there

often　dwells　the　sense　of　eternity；　for　when　profoundly　happy；　we

know　that　it　is　impossible　to　die。　　Whenever　the　soul　FEELS

ITSELF；　it　feels　everlasting　life。



The　initiation　is　deferred；thy　days　and　nights　are　left　to　no

other　visions　than　those　with　which　a　contented　heart　enchants　a

guileless　fancy。　　Glendoveers　and　Sylphs；　pardon　me　if　I　question

whether　those　visions　are　not　lovelier　than　yourselves。



They　stand　by　the　beach；　and　see　the　sun　sinking　into　the　sea。

How　long　now　have　they　dwelt　on　that　island？　　What　matters！it

may　be　months；　or　yearswhat　matters！　　Why　should　I；　or　they；

keep　account　of　that　happy　time？　　As　in　the　dream　of　a　moment

ages　may　seem　to　pass；　so　shall　we　measure　transport　or　woe；by

the　length　of　the　dream；　or　the　number　of　emotions　that　the　dream

involves？



The　sun　sinks　slowly　down；　the　air　is　arid　and　oppressive；　on　the

sea；　the　stately　vessel　lies　motionless；　on　the　shore；　no　leaf

trembles　on　the　trees。



Viola　drew　nearer　to　Zanoni。　　A　presentiment　she　could　not　define

made　her　heart　beat　more　quickly；　and；　looking　into　his　face；　she

was　struck　with　its　expression：　　it　was　anxious；　abstracted；

perturbed。　　〃This　stillness　awes　me；〃　she　whispered。



Zanoni　did　not　seem　to　hear　her。　　He　muttered　to　himself；　and　his

eyes　gazed　round　restlessly。　　She　knew　not　why；　but　that　gaze；

which　seemed　to　pierce　into　space；that　muttered　voice　in　some

foreign　languagerevived　dimly　her　earlier　superstitions。　　She

was　more　fearful　since　the　hour　when　she　knew　that　she　was　to　be

a　mother。　　Strange　crisis　in　the　life　of　woman；　and　in　her　love！

　Something　yet　unborn　begins　already　to　divide　her　heart　with

that　which　had　been　before　its　only　monarch。



〃Look　on　me；　Zanoni；〃　she　said；　pressing　his　hand。



He　turned：　　〃Thou　art　pale；　Viola；　thy　hand　trembles！〃



〃It　is　true。　　I　feel　as　if　some　enemy　were　creeping　near　us。〃



〃And　the　instinct　deceives　thee　not。　　An　enemy　is　indeed　at　hand。

I　see　it　through　the　heavy　air；　I　hear　it　through　the　silence：

the　Ghostly　One；the　Destroyer；　the　PESTILENCE！　　Ah；　seest　thou

how　the　leaves　swarm　with　insects；　only　by　an　effort　visible　to

the　eye。　　They　follow　the　breath　of　the　plague！〃　　As　he　spoke；　a

bird　fell　from　the　boughs　at　Viola's　feet；　it　fluttered；　it

writhed　an　instant；　and　was　dead。



〃Oh；　Viola！〃　cried　Zanoni；　passionately；　〃that　is　death。　　Dost

thou　not　fear　to　die？〃



〃To　leave　thee？　　Ah；　yes！〃



〃And　if　I　could　teach　thee　how　Death　may　be　defied；　if　I　could

arrest　for　thy　youth　the　course　of　time；　if　I　could〃



He　paused　abruptly；　for　Viola's　eyes　spoke　only　terror；　her　cheek

and　lips　were　pale。



〃Speak　not　thus；look　not　thus；〃　she　said；　recoiling　from　him。

〃You　dismay　me。　　Ah；　speak　not　thus；　or　I　should　tremble；no；

not　for　myself；　but　for　thy　child。〃



〃Thy　child！　　But　wouldst　thou　reject　for　thy　child　the　same

glorious　boon？〃



〃Zanoni！〃



〃Well！〃



〃The　sun　has　sunk　from　our　eyes；　but　to　rise　on　those　of　others。

To　disappear　from　this　world　is　to　live　in　the　world　afar。　　Oh；

lover；oh；　husband！〃　she　continued；　with　sudden　energy；　〃tell　me

that　thou　didst　but　jest；that　thou　didst　but　trifle　with　my

folly！　　There　is　less　terror　in　the　pestilence　than　in　thy

words。〃



Zanoni's　brow　darkened；　he　looked　at　her　in　silence　for　some

moments；　and　then　said；　almost　severely　；



〃What　hast　thou　known　of　me　to　distrust？〃



〃Oh；　pardon；　pardon！nothing！〃　cried　Viola；　throwing　herself　on

his　breast；　and　bursting　into　tears。　　〃I　will　not　believe　even

thine　own　words；　if　they　seem　to　wrong　thee！〃　　He　kissed　the

tears　from　her　eyes；　but　made　no　answer。



〃And　ah！〃　she　resumed；　with　an　enchanting　and　child…like　smile；

〃if　thou　wouldst　give　me　a　charm　against　the　pestilence！　see；　I

will　take　it　from　thee。〃　　And　she　laid　her　hand　on　a　small；

antique　amulet　that　he　wore　on　his　breast。



〃Thou　knowest　how　often　this　has　made　me　jealous　of　the　past；

surely　some　love…gift；　Zanoni？　　But　no；　thou　didst　not　love　the

giver　as　thou　dost　me。　　Shall　I　steal　thine　amulet？〃



〃Infant！〃　said　Zanoni；　tenderly；　〃she　who　placed　this　round　my

neck　deemed　it　indeed　a　charm；　for　she　had　superstitions　like

thyself；　but　to　me　it　is　more　than　the　wizard's　spell；it　is　the

relic　of　a　sweet　vanished　time　when　none　who　loved　me　could

distrust。〃



He　said　these　words　in　a　tone　of　such　melancholy　reproach　that　it

went　to　the　heart　of　Viola；　but　the　tone　changed　into　a　solemnity

which　chilled　back　the　gush　of　her　feelings　as　he　resumed：　　〃And

this；　Viola；　one　day；　perhaps；　I　will　transfer　from　my　breast　to

thine；　yes；　whenever　thou　shalt　comprehend　me　better；WHENEVER

THE　LAWS　OF　OUR　BEING　SHALL　BE　THE　SAME！〃



He　moved　on　gently。　　They　returned　slowly　home；　but　fear　still

was　in　the　heart　of　Viola；　though　she　strove　to　shake　it　off。

Italian　and　Catholic　she　was；　with　all　the　superstitions　of　land

and　sect。　　She　stole　to　her　chamber　and　prayed　before　a　little

relic　of　San　Gennaro；　which　the　priest　of　her　house　had　given　to

her　in　childhood；　and　which　had　accompanied　her　in　all　her

wanderings。　　She　had　never　deemed　it　possible　to　part　with　it

before。　　Now；　if　there　was　a　charm　against　the　pestilence；　did

she　fear　the　pestilence　for　herself？　　The　next　morning；　when　he

awoke；　Zanoni　found　the　relic　of　the　saint　suspended　with　his

mystic　amulet　round　his　neck。



〃Ah！　thou　wilt　have　nothing　to　fear　from　the　pestilence　now；〃

said　Viola；　between　tears　and　smiles；　〃and　when　thou　wouldst　talk

to　me　again　as　thou　didst　last　night；　the　saint　shall　rebuke

thee。〃



Well；　Zanoni；　can　there　ever　indeed　be　commune　of　thought　and

spirit；　except　with　equals？



Yes；　the　plague　broke　out；the　island　home　must　be　abandoned。

Mighty　Seer；　THOU　HAST　NO　POWER　TO　SAVE　THOSE　WHOM　THOU　LOVEST！

Farewell；　thou　bridal　roof！sweet　resting…place　from　care；

farewell！　　Climates　as　soft　may　greet　ye；　O　lovers；skies　as

serene；　and　waters　as　blue　and　calm；　but　THAT　TIME；can　it　ever

more　return？　　Who　shall　say　that　the　heart　does　not　change　with

the　scene；the　place　where　we　first　dwelt　with　the　beloved　one？

Every　spot　THERE　has　so　many　memories　which　the　place　only　can

recall。　　The　past　that　haunts　it　seems　to　command　such　constancy

in　the　future。　　If　a　thought　less　kind；　less　trustful；　enter

within　us；　the　sight　of　a　tree　under　which　a　vow　has　been

exchanged；　a　tear　has　been　kissed　away；　restores　us　again　to　the

hours　of　the　first　divine