zanoni-第92部分

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over　her　frame；　by　the　start　of　terror；　by　the　look　that　did　not

dare　to　turn　behind。　　Bitterly　he　repented　his　confession；

bitterly　he　felt　that　between　his　sufferings　and　human　sympathy

there　could　be　no　gentle　and　holy　commune；　vainly　he　sought　to

retract；to　undo　what　he　had　done；　to　declare　all　was　but　the

chimera　of　an　overheated　brain！



And　brave　and　generous　was　this　denial　of　himself；　for；　often　and

often；　as　he　thus　spoke；　he　saw　the　Thing　of　Dread　gliding　to　her

side；　and　glaring　at　him　as　he　disowned　its　being。　　But　what

chilled　him；　if　possible；　yet　more　than　her　wasting　form　and

trembling　nerves；　was　the　change　in　her　love　for　him；　a　natural

terror　had　replaced　it。　　She　turned　paler　if　he　approached；she

shuddered　if　he　took　her　hand。　　Divided　from　the　rest　of　earth；

the　gulf　of　the　foul　remembrance　yawned　now　between　his　sister

and　himself。　　He　could　endure　no　more　the　presence　of　the　one

whose　life　HIS　life　had　embittered。　　He　made　some　excuses　for

departure；　and　writhed　to　see　that　they　were　greeted　eagerly。

The　first　gleam　of　joy　he　had　detected　since　that　fatal　night；　on

Adela's　face；　he　beheld　when　he　murmured　〃Farewell。〃　　He

travelled　for　some　weeks　through　the　wildest　parts　of　Scotland；

scenery　which　MAKES　the　artist；　was　loveless　to　his　haggard　eyes。

A　letter　recalled　him　to　London　on　the　wings　of　new　agony　and

fear；　he　arrived　to　find　his　sister　in　a　condition　both　of　mind

and　health　which　exceeded　his　worst　apprehensions。



Her　vacant　look；　her　lifeless　posture；　appalled　him；　it　was　as

one　who　gazed　on　the　Medusa's　head；　and　felt；　without　a　struggle；

the　human　being　gradually　harden　to　the　statue。　　It　was　not

frenzy；　it　was　not　idiocy；it　was　an　abstraction；　an　apathy；　a

sleep　in　waking。　　Only　as　the　night　advanced　towards　the　eleventh

hourthe　hour　in　which　Glyndon　had　concluded　his　taleshe　grew

visibly　uneasy；　anxious；　and　perturbed。　　Then　her　lips　muttered；

her　hands　writhed；　she　looked　round　with　a　look　of　unspeakable

appeal　for　succour；　for　protection；　and　suddenly；　as　the　clock

struck；　fell　with　a　shriek　to　the　ground；　cold　and　lifeless。

With　difficulty；　and　not　until　after　the　most　earnest　prayers；

did　she　answer　the　agonised　questions　of　Glyndon；　at　last　she

owned　that　at　that　hour；　and　that　hour　alone；　wherever　she　was

placed；　however　occupied；　she　distinctly　beheld　the　apparition　of

an　old　hag；　who；　after　thrice　knocking　at　the　door；　entered　the

room；　and　hobbling　up　to　her　with　a　countenance　distorted　by

hideous　rage　and　menace；　laid　its　icy　fingers　on　her　forehead：

from　that　moment　she　declared　that　sense　forsook　her；　and　when

she　woke　again；　it　was　only　to　wait；　in　suspense　that　froze　up

her　blood；　the　repetition　of　the　ghastly　visitation。



The　physician　who　had　been　summoned　before　Glyndon's　return；　and

whose　letter　had　recalled　him　to　London；　was　a　commonplace

practitioner；　ignorant　of　the　case；　and　honestly　anxious　that　one

more　experienced　should　be　employed。　　Clarence　called　in　one　of

the　most　eminent　of　the　faculty；　and　to　him　he　recited　the

optical　delusion　of　his　sister。　　The　physician　listened

attentively；　and　seemed　sanguine　in　his　hopes　of　cure。　　He　came

to　the　house　two　hours　before　the　one　so　dreaded　by　the　patient。

He　had　quietly　arranged　that　the　clocks　should　be　put　forward

half　an　hour；　unknown　to　Adela；　and　even　to　her　brother。　　He　was

a　man　of　the　most　extraordinary　powers　of　conversation；　of

surpassing　wit；　of　all　the　faculties　that　interest　and　amuse。　　He

first　administered　to　the　patient　a　harmless　potion；　which　he

pledged　himself　would　dispel　the　delusion。　　His　confident　tone

woke　her　own　hopes；　he　continued　to　excite　her　attention；　to

rouse　her　lethargy；　he　jested；　he　laughed　away　the　time。　　The

hour　struck。　　〃Joy；　my　brother！〃　she　exclaimed；　throwing　herself

in　his　arms；　〃the　time　is　past！〃　　And　then；　like　one　released

from　a　spell；　she　suddenly　assumed　more　than　her　ancient

cheerfulness。　　〃Ah；　Clarence！〃　she　whispered；　〃forgive　me　for　my

former　desertion；forgive　me　that　I　feared　YOU。　　I　shall　live！

I　shall　live！　in　my　turn　to　banish　the　spectre　that　haunts　my

brother！〃　　And　Clarence　smiled　and　wiped　the　tears　from　his

burning　eyes。　　The　physician　renewed　his　stories；　his　jests。　　In

the　midst　of　a　stream　of　rich　humour　that　seemed　to　carry　away

both　brother　and　sister；　Glyndon　suddenly　saw　over　Adela's　face

the　same　fearful　change；　the　same　anxious　look；　the　same

restless；　straining　eye；　he　had　beheld　the　night　before。　　He

rose；he　approached　her。　　Adela　started　up。　　〃looklooklook！〃

she　exclaimed。　　〃She　comes！　　Save　me；save　me！〃　and　she　fell　at

his　feet　in　strong　convulsions　as　the　clock；　falsely　and　in　vain

put　forward；　struck　the　half…hour。



The　physician　lifted　her　in　his　arms。　　〃My　worst　fears　are

confirmed；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃the　disease　is　epilepsy。〃　　（The

most　celebrated　practitioner　in　Dublin　related　to　the　editor　a

story　of　optical　delusion　precisely　similar　in　its　circumstances

and　its　physical　cause　to　the　one　here　narrated。）



The　next　night；　at　the　same　hour；　Adela　Glyndon　died。





CHAPTER　5。VI。



La　loi；　dont　le　regne　vous　epouvante；　a　son　glaive　leve　sur　vous：

elle　vous　frappera　tous：　　le　genre　humain　a　besoin　de　cet

exemple。Couthon。



（The　law；　whose　reign　terrifies　you；　has　its　sword　raised　against

you；　it　will　strike　you　all：　　humanity　has　need　of　this　example。）



〃Oh；　joy；　joy！thou　art　come　again！　　This　is　thy　handthese　thy

lips。　　Say　that　thou　didst　not　desert　me　from　the　love　of

another；　say　it　again；say　it　ever！and　I　will　pardon　thee　all

the　rest！〃



〃So　thou　hast　mourned　for　me？〃



〃Mourned！and　thou　wert　cruel　enough　to　leave　me　gold；　there　it

is；there；　untouched！〃



〃Poor　child　of　Nature！　how；　then；　in　this　strange　town　of

Marseilles；　hast　thou　found　bread　and　shelter？〃



〃Honestly；　soul　of　my　soul！　honestly；　but　yet　by　the　face　thou

didst　once　think　so　fair；　thinkest　thou　THAT　now？〃



〃Yes；　Fillide；　more　fair　than　ever。　　But　what　meanest　thou？〃



〃There　is　a　painter　herea　great　man；　one　of　their　great　men　at

Paris；　I　know　not　what　they　call　them；　but　he　rules　over　all

here；life　and　death；　and　he　has　paid　me　largely　but　to　sit　for

my　portrait。　　It　is　for　a　picture　to　be　given　to　the　Nation；　for

he　paints　only　for　glory。　　Think　of　thy　Fillide's　renown！〃　　And

the　girl's　wild　eyes　sparkled；　her　vanity　was　roused。　　〃And　he

would　have　married　me　if　I　would！divorced　his　wife　to　marry　me！

But　I　waited　for　thee；　ungrateful！〃



A　knock　at　the　door　was　heard；a　man　entered。



〃Nicot！〃



〃Ah；　Glyndon！hum！welcome！　　What！　thou　art　twice　my　rival！

But　Jean　Nicot　bears　no　malice。　　Virtue　is　my　dream；my　country；

my　mistress。　　Serve　my　country；　citizen；　and　I　forgive　thee　the

preference　of　beauty。　　Ca　ira！　ca　ira！〃



But　as　the　painter　spoke；　it　hymned；　it　rolled　through　the

streets；the　fiery　song　of　the　Marseillaise！　　There　was　a　crowd；

a　multitude；　a　people　up；　abroad；　with　colou