zanoni-第20章

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sufficient　to　render　any　influence　obtained　over　his　mind；

subservient　to　schemes；　whether　of　avarice　or　ambition。　　Yet；

ever　and　anon；　with　the　suspicion　of　worldly　knowledge；　he　strove

to　persuade　himself　that　Zanoni　had　at　least　some　sinister　object

in　inducing　him　to　what　his　English　pride　and　manner　of　thought

considered　a　derogatory　marriage　with　the　poor　actress。　　Might

not　Viola　and　the　Mystic　be　in　league　with　each　other？　　Might　not

all　this　jargon　of　prophecy　and　menace　be　but　artifices　to　dupe

him？



He　felt　an　unjust　resentment　towards　Viola　at　having　secured　such

an　ally。　　But　with　that　resentment　was　mingled　a　natural

jealousy。　　Zanoni　threatened　him　with　rivalry。　　Zanoni；　who；

whatever　his　character　or　his　arts；　possessed　at　least　all　the

external　attributes　that　dazzle　and　command。　　Impatient　of　his

own　doubts；　he　plunged　into　the　society　of　such　acquaintances　as

he　had　made　at　Napleschiefly　artists；　like　himself；　men　of

letters；　and　the　rich　commercialists；　who　were　already　vying　with

the　splendour；　though　debarred　from　the　privileges；　of　the

nobles。　　From　these　he　heard　much　of　Zanoni；　already　with　them；

as　with　the　idler　classes；　an　object　of　curiosity　and

speculation。



He　had　noticed；　as　a　thing　remarkable；　that　Zanoni　had　conversed

with　him　in　English；　and　with　a　command　of　the　language　so

complete　that　he　might　have　passed　for　a　native。　　On　the　other

hand；　in　Italian；　Zanoni　was　equally　at　ease。　　Glyndon　found　that

it　was　the　same　in　languages　less　usually　learned　by　foreigners。

A　painter　from　Sweden；　who　had　conversed　with　him；　was　positive

that　he　was　a　Swede；　and　a　merchant　from　Constantinople；　who　had

sold　some　of　his　goods　to　Zanoni；　professed　his　conviction　that

none　but　a　Turk；　or　at　least　a　native　of　the　East；　could　have　so

thoroughly　mastered　the　soft　Oriental　intonations。　　Yet　in　all

these　languages；　when　they　came　to　compare　their　several

recollections；　there　was　a　slight；　scarce　perceptible

distinction；　not　in　pronunciation；　nor　even　accent；　but　in　the

key　and　chime；　as　it　were；　of　the　voice；　between　himself　and　a

native。　　This　faculty　was　one　which　Glyndon　called　to　mind；　that

sect；　whose　tenets　and　powers　have　never　been　more　than　most

partially　explored；　the　Rosicrucians；　especially　arrogated。　　He

remembered　to　have　heard　in　Germany　of　the　work　of　John　Bringeret

（Printed　in　1615。）；　asserting　that　all　the　languages　of　the　earth

were　known　to　the　genuine　Brotherhood　of　the　Rosy　Cross。　　Did

Zanoni　belong　to　this　mystical　Fraternity；　who；　in　an　earlier

age；　boasted　of　secrets　of　which　the　Philosopher's　Stone　was　but

the　least；　who　considered　themselves　the　heirs　of　all　that　the

Chaldeans；　the　Magi；　the　Gymnosophists；　and　the　Platonists　had

taught；　and　who　differed　from　all　the　darker　Sons　of　Magic　in　the

virtue　of　their　lives；　the　purity　of　their　doctrines；　and　their

insisting；　as　the　foundation　of　all　wisdom；　on　the　subjugation　of

the　senses；　and　the　intensity　of　Religious　Faith？a　glorious

sect；　if　they　lied　not！　　And；　in　truth；　if　Zanoni　had　powers

beyond　the　race　of　worldly　sages；　they　seemed　not　unworthily

exercised。　　The　little　known　of　his　life　was　in　his　favour。　　Some

acts；　not　of　indiscriminate；　but　judicious　generosity　and

beneficence；　were　recorded；　in　repeating　which；　still；　however；

the　narrators　shook　their　heads；　and　expressed　surprise　how　a

stranger　should　have　possessed　so　minute　a　knowledge　of　the　quiet

and　obscure　distresses　he　had　relieved。　　Two　or　three　sick

persons；　when　abandoned　by　their　physicians；　he　had　visited；　and

conferred　with　alone。　　They　had　recovered：　　they　ascribed　to　him

their　recovery；　yet　they　could　not　tell　by　what　medicines　they

had　been　healed。　　They　could　only　depose　that　he　came；　conversed

with　them；　and　they　were　cured；　it　usually；　however；　happened

that　a　deep　sleep　had　preceded　the　recovery。



Another　circumstance　was　also　beginning　to　be　remarked；　and　spoke

yet　more　in　his　commendation。　　Those　with　whom　he　principally

associatedthe　gay；　the　dissipated；　the　thoughtless；　the　sinners

and　publicans　of　the　more　polished　worldall　appeared　rapidly；

yet　insensibly　to　themselves；　to　awaken　to　purer　thoughts　and

more　regulated　lives。　　Even　Cetoxa；　the　prince　of　gallants；

duellists；　and　gamesters；　was　no　longer　the　same　man　since　the

night　of　the　singular　events　which　he　had　related　to　Glyndon。

The　first　trace　of　his　reform　was　in　his　retirement　from　the

gaming…houses；　the　next　was　his　reconciliation　with　an　hereditary

enemy　of　his　house；　whom　it　had　been　his　constant　object　for　the

last　six　years　to　entangle　in　such　a　quarrel　as　might　call　forth

his　inimitable　manoeuvre　of　the　stoccata。　　Nor　when　Cetoxa　and

his　young　companions　were　heard　to　speak　of　Zanoni；　did　it　seem

that　this　change　had　been　brought　about　by　any　sober　lectures　or

admonitions。　　They　all　described　Zanoni　as　a　man　keenly　alive　to

enjoyment：　　of　manners　the　reverse　of　formal；not　precisely　gay；

but　equable；　serene；　and　cheerful；　ever　ready　to　listen　to　the

talk　of　others；　however　idle；　or　to　charm　all　ears　with　an

inexhaustible　fund　of　brilliant　anecdote　and　worldly　experience。

All　manners；　all　nations；　all　grades　of　men；　seemed　familiar　to

him。　　He　was　reserved　only　if　allusion　were　ever　ventured　to　his

birth　or　history。



The　more　general　opinion　of　his　origin　certainly　seemed　the　more

plausible。　　His　riches；　his　familiarity　with　the　languages　of　the

East；　his　residence　in　India；　a　certain　gravity　which　never

deserted　his　most　cheerful　and　familiar　hours；　the　lustrous

darkness　of　his　eyes　and　hair；　and　even　the　peculiarities　of　his

shape；　in　the　delicate　smallness　of　the　hands；　and　the　Arab…like

turn　of　the　stately　head；　appeared　to　fix　him　as　belonging　to　one

at　least　of　the　Oriental　races。　　And　a　dabbler　in　the　Eastern

tongues　even　sought　to　reduce　the　simple　name　of　Zanoni；　which　a

century　before　had　been　borne　by　an　inoffensive　naturalist　of

Bologna　（The　author　of　two　works　on　botany　and　rare　plants。）；　to

the　radicals　of　the　extinct　language。　　Zan　was　unquestionably　the

Chaldean　appellation　for　the　sun。　　Even　the　Greeks；　who　mutilated

every　Oriental　name；　had　retained　the　right　one　in　this　case；　as

the　Cretan　inscription　on　the　tomb　of　Zeus　（Ode　megas　keitai

Zan。〃Cyril　contra　Julian。〃　　（Here　lies　great　Jove。））

significantly　showed。　　As　to　the　rest；　the　Zan；　or　Zaun；　was；

with　the　Sidonians；　no　uncommon　prefix　to　On。　　Adonis　was　but

another　name　for　Zanonas；　whose　worship　in　Sidon　Hesychius

records。　　To　this　profound　and　unanswerable　derivation　Mervale

listened　with　great　attention；　and　observed　that　he　now　ventured

to　announce　an　erudite　discovery　he　himself　had　long　since　made；…

…namely；　that　the　numerous　family　of　Smiths　in　England　were

undoubtedly　the　ancient　priests　of　the　Phrygian　Apollo。　　〃For；〃

said　he；　〃was　not　Apollo's　surname；　in　Phrygia；　Smintheus？　　How

clear　all　the　ensuing　corruptions　of　the　august　name；Smintheus；

Smitheus；　Smithe；　Smith！　　And　even　now；　I　may　remark　that　the

more　ancient　branches　of　that　illustrious　family；　unconsciously

anxious　to　approximate　at　least　by　a　letter　nearer　to　the　true

title；　take　a　pious　pleasure　in　writing　their　names　Smith_e_！〃



The　philologist　was　much　struck　with　this　discovery；　and　begged

Mervale's　permission　to　note　it　down　as　an　illustration　suitable

to　a　work　he　was　about　to　publish　on　the　origin　of　languages；　to

be　called　〃Babel；〃　and　published　in　three　quartos　by

subscription。





CHAPTER　2。VII。



Learn　to　be　poor　in　spirit；　my　son；　if　you　would　penetrate　that

sacred　night　which　environs　truth。　　Learn　of　the　Sages　to　allow

to　the　Devils　no　power　in　Nature；　since　the　fatal　stone　has　shut

'em　up　in　the　depth　of　the　abyss。　　Learn　of　the　Philosophers

always　to　look　for　natural　causes　in　all　extraordinary　events；

and　when　such　natural　causes　are　wanting；　recur　to　God。The

Count　de　Gabalis。



All　these　additions　to　his　knowledge　of　Zanoni；　picked　up　in　the

various　lounging…places　and　resorts　that　he　frequented；　were

unsatisfactory　to　Glyndon。　　That　night　Viola　did　not　perform　at

the　theatre；　and　the　next　day；　still　disturbed　by　bewildered

fancies；　and　averse　to　the　sober　and　sarcastic　companionship　of

Mervale；　Glyndon　sauntered　musingly　into　the　public　gardens；　and

paused　under　the　very　tree　under　which　he　had　first　heard　the

voice　that　had　exercised　upon　his　mind　so　singular　an　influence。

The　gardens　were　deserted。　　He　threw　himself　on　one　of　the　seats

placed　beneath　the　shade；　and　again；　in　the　midst　of　his　reverie；

the　same　cold　shudder　came　over　him　which　Zanoni　had　so

distinctly　defined；　and　to　which　he　had　ascribed　so　extraordinary

a　cause。



He　roused　himself　with　a　sudden　effort；　and　started　to　see；

seated　next　him；　a　figure　hideous　enough　to　have　personated　one

of　the　malignant　beings　of　whom　Zanoni　had　spoken。　　It　was　a

small　man；　dressed　in　a　fashion　strikingly　at　variance　with　the

elaborate　costume　of　the　day：　　an　affectation　of　homeliness　and

poverty　approaching　to　squalor；　in　the　loose　trousers；　coarse　as

a　ship's　sail；　in　the　rough　jacket；　which　appeared　rent　wilfully

into　holes；　and　the　black；　ragged；　tangled　locks　that　streamed

from　their　confinement　under　a　woollen　cap；　accorded　but　ill　with

other　details　which　spoke　of　comparative　wealth。　　The　shirt；　open

at　the　throat；　was　fastened　by　a　brooch　of　gaudy　stones；　and　two

pendent　massive　gold　chains　announced　the　foppery　of　two　watches。



The　man's　figure；　if　not　absolutely　deformed；　was　yet

marvellously　ill…favoured；　his　shoulders　high　and　square；　his

chest　flattened；　as　if　crushed　in；　his　gloveless　hands　were

knotted　at　the　joints；　and；　large；　bony；　and　muscular；　dangled

from　lean；　emaciated　wrists；　as　if　not　belonging　to　them。　　His

features　had　the　painful　distortion　sometimes　seen　in　the

countenance　of　a　cripple；large；　exaggerated；　with　the　nose

nearly　touching　the　chin；　the　eyes　small；　but　glowing　with　a

cunning　fire　as　they　dwelt　on　Glyndon；　and　the　mouth　was　twisted

into　a　grin　that　displayed　rows　of　jagged；　black；　broken　teeth。

Yet　over　this　frightful　face　there　still　played　a　kind　of

disagreeable　intelligence；　an　expression　at　once　astute　and　bold；

and　as　Glyndon；　recovering　from　the　first　impression；　looked

again　at　his　neighbour；　he　blushed　at　his　own　dismay；　and

recognised　a　French　artist；　with　whom　he　had　formed　an

acquaintance；　and　who　was　possessed　of　no　inconsiderable　talents

in　his　calling。



Indeed；　it　was　to　be　remarked　that　this　creature；　whose　externals

were　so　deserted　by　the　Graces；　particularly　delighted　in　designs

aspiring　to　majesty　and　grandeur。　　Though　his　colouring　was　hard

and　shallow；　as　was　that　generally　of　the　French　school　at　the

time；　his　DRAWINGS　were　admirable　for　symmetry；　simple　elegance；

and　classic　vigour；　at　the　same　time　they　unquestionably　wanted

ideal　grace。　　He　was　fond　of　selecting　subjects　from　Rom