zanoni-第98部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



usurped　her　faculties；　tossed　to　and　fro　on　her　couch；　restless

and　perturbed。　　The　stillness　became　intolerable；　yet　more

intolerable　the　sound　that　alone　broke　it；　the　voice　of　the

clock；　knelling　moment　after　moment　to　its　grave。　　The　moments；

at　last；　seemed　themselves　to　find　voice；to　gain　shape。　　She

thought　she　beheld　them　springing；　wan　and　fairy…like；　from　the

womb　of　darkness；　and　ere　they　fell　again；　extinguished；　into

that　womb；　their　grave；　their　low　small　voices　murmured；　〃Woman；

we　report　to　eternity　all　that　is　done　in　time！　　What　shall　we

report　of　thee；　O　guardian　of　a　new…born　soul？〃　　She　became

sensible　that　her　fancies　had　brought　a　sort　of　partial　delirium；

that　she　was　in　a　state　between　sleep　and　waking；　when　suddenly

one　thought　became　more　predominant　than　the　rest。　　The　chamber

which；　in　that　and　every　house　they　had　inhabited；　even　that　in

the　Greek　isles；　Zanoni　had　set　apart　to　a　solitude　on　which　none

might　intrude；　the　threshold　of　which　even　Viola's　step　was

forbid　to　cross；　and　never；　hitherto；　in　that　sweet　repose　of

confidence　which　belongs　to　contented　love；　had　she　even　felt　the

curious　desire　to　disobey；now；　that　chamber　drew　her　towards

it。　　Perhaps　THERE　might　be　found　a　somewhat　to　solve　the　riddle；

to　dispel　or　confirm　the　doubt：　　that　thought　grew　and　deepened

in　its　intenseness；　it　fastened　on　her　as　with　a　palpable　and

irresistible　grasp；　it　seemed　to　raise　her　limbs　without　her

will。



And　now；　through　the　chamber；　along　the　galleries　thou　glidest；　O

lovely　shape！　sleep…walking；　yet　awake。　　The　moon　shines　on　thee

as　thou　glidest　by；　casement　after　casement；　white…robed　and

wandering　spirit！thine　arms　crossed　upon　thy　bosom；　thine　eyes

fixed　and　open；　with　a　calm　unfearing　awe。　　Mother；　it　is　thy

child　that　leads　thee　on！　　The　fairy　moments　go　before　thee；　thou

hearest　still　the　clock…knell　tolling　them　to　their　graves

behind。　　On；　gliding　on；　thou　hast　gained　the　door；　no　lock　bars

thee；　no　magic　spell　drives　thee　back。　　Daughter　of　the　dust；

thou　standest　alone　with　night　in　the　chamber　where；　pale　and

numberless；　the　hosts　of　space　have　gathered　round　the　seer！





CHAPTER　6。VII。



Des　Erdenlebens

Schweres　Traumbild　sinkt；　und　sinkt；　und　sinkt。

〃Das　Ideal　und　das　Lebens。〃



（The　Dream　Shape　of　the　heavy　earthly　life　sinks；　and　sinks；　and

sinks。）



She　stood　within　the　chamber；　and　gazed　around　her；　no　signs　by

which　an　inquisitor　of　old　could　have　detected　the　scholar　of　the

Black　Art　were　visible。　　No　crucibles　and　caldrons；　no　brass…

bound　volumes　and　ciphered　girdles；　no　skulls　and　cross…bones。

Quietly　streamed　the　broad　moonlight　through　the　desolate　chamber

with　its　bare；　white　walls。　　A　few　bunches　of　withered　herbs；　a

few　antique　vessels　of　bronze；　placed　carelessly　on　a　wooden

form；　were　all　which　that　curious　gaze　could　identify　with　the

pursuits　of　the　absent　owner。　　The　magic；　if　it　existed；　dwelt　in

the　artificer；　and　the　materials；　to　other　hands；　were　but　herbs

and　bronze。　　So　is　it　ever　with　thy　works　and　wonders；　O　Genius；

Seeker　of　the　Stars！　　Words　themselves　are　the　common　property

of　all　men；　yet；　from　words　themselves；　Thou　Architect　of

Immortalities；　pilest　up　temples　that　shall　outlive　the　Pyramids；

and　the　very　leaf　of　the　Papyrus　becomes　a　Shinar；　stately　with

towers；　round　which　the　Deluge　of　Ages；　shall　roar　in　vain！



But　in　that　solitude　has　the　Presence　that　there　had　invoked　its

wonders　left　no　enchantment　of　its　own？　　It　seemed　so；　for　as

Viola　stood　in　the　chamber；　she　became　sensible　that　some

mysterious　change　was　at　work　within　herself。　　Her　blood　coursed

rapidly；　and　with　a　sensation　of　delight；　through　her　veins；she

felt　as　if　chains　were　falling　from　her　limbs；　as　if　cloud　after

cloud　was　rolling　from　her　gaze。　　All　the　confused　thoughts　which

had　moved　through　her　trance　settled　and　centred　themselves　in

one　intense　desire　to　see　the　Absent　One；to　be　with　him。　　The

monads　that　make　up　space　and　air　seemed　charged　with　a　spiritual

attraction；to　become　a　medium　through　which　her　spirit　could

pass　from　its　clay；　and　confer　with　the　spirit　to　which　the

unutterable　desire　compelled　it。　　A　faintness　seized　her；　she

tottered　to　the　seat　on　which　the　vessels　and　herbs　were　placed；

and；　as　she　bent　down；　she　saw　in　one　of　the　vessels　a　small　vase

of　crystal。　　By　a　mechanical　and　involuntary　impulse；　her　hand

seized　the　vase；　she　opened　it；　and　the　volatile　essence　it

contained　sparkled　up；　and　spread　through　the　room　a　powerful　and

delicious　fragrance。　　She　inhaled　the　odour；　she　laved　her

temples　with　the　liquid；　and　suddenly　her　life　seemed　to　spring

up　from　the　previous　faintness；to　spring；　to　soar；　to　float；　to

dilate　upon　the　wings　of　a　bird。　　The　room　vanished　from　her

eyes。　　Away；　away；　over　lands　and　seas　and　space　on　the　rushing

desire　flies　the　disprisoned　mind！



Upon　a　stratum；　not　of　this　world；　stood　the　world…born　shapes　of

the　sons　of　Science；　upon　an　embryo　world；　upon　a　crude；　wan；

attenuated　mass　of　matter；　one　of　the　Nebulae；　which　the　suns　of

the　myriad　systems　throw　off　as　they　roll　round　the　Creator's

throne*；　to　become　themselves　new　worlds　of　symmetry　and　glory；

planets　and　suns　that　forever　and　forever　shall　in　their　turn

multiply　their　shining　race；　and　be　the　fathers　of　suns　and

planets　yet　to　come。



（*〃Astronomy　instructs　us　that；　in　the　original　condition　of　the

solar　system；　the　sun　was　the　nucleus　of　a　nebulosity　or　luminous

mass　which　revolved　on　its　axis；　and　extended　far　beyond　the

orbits　of　all　the　planets；the　planets　as　yet　having　no

existence。　　Its　temperature　gradually　diminished；　and；　becoming

contracted　by　cooling；　the　rotation　increased　in　rapidity；　and

zones　of　nebulosity　were　successively　thrown　off；　in　consequence

of　the　centrifugal　force　overpowering　the　central　attraction。

The　condensation　of　these　separate　masses　constituted　the　planets

and　satellites。　　But　this　view　of　the　conversion　of　gaseous

matter　into　planetary　bodies　is　not　limited　to　our　own　system；　it

extends　to　the　formation　of　the　innumerable　suns　and　worlds　which

are　distributed　throughout　the　universe。　　The　sublime　discoveries

of　modern　astronomers　have　shown　that　every　part　of　the　realms　of

space　abounds　in　large　expansions　of　attenuated　matter　termed

nebulae；　which　are　irregularly　reflective　of　light；　of　various

figures；　and　in　different　states　of　condensation；　from　that　of　a

diffused；　luminous　mass　to　suns　and　planets　like　our　own。〃From

Mantell's　eloquent　and　delightful　work；　entitled　〃The　Wonders　of

Geology；〃　volume　i。　page　22。）



There；　in　that　enormous　solitude　of　an　infant　world；　which

thousands　and　thousands　of　years　can　alone　ripen　into　form；　the

spirit　of　Viola　beheld　the　shape　of　Zanoni；　or　rather　the

likeness；　the　simulacrun；　the　LEMUR　of　his　shape；　not　its　human

and　corporeal　substance；as　if；　like　hers；　the　Intelligence　was

parted　from　the　Clay；and　as　the　sun；　while　it　r