zanoni-第34章

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population　of　Naples　derives　its　origin；　so　that　in　one　day　you

may　see　at　Pompeii　the　habitations　of　a　remote　age；　and　on　the

Mole；　at　Naples；　you　may　imagine　you　behold　the　very　beings　with

whom　those　habitations　had　been　peopled。



But　now；　as　the　Englishmen　rode　slowly　through　the　deserted

streets；　lighted　but　by　the　lamps　of　heaven；　all　the　gayety　of

day　was　hushed　and　breathless。　　Here　and　there；　stretched　under　a

portico　or　a　dingy　booth；　were　sleeping　groups　of　houseless

Lazzaroni；a　tribe　now　merging　its　indolent　individuality　amidst

an　energetic　and　active　population。



The　Englishman　rode　on　in　silence；　for　Glyndon　neither　appeared

to　heed　nor　hear　the　questions　and　comments　of　Mervale；　and

Mervale　himself　was　almost　as　weary　as　the　jaded　animal　he

bestrode。



Suddenly　the　silence　of　earth　and　ocean　was　broken　by　the　sound

of　a　distant　clock　that　proclaimed　the　quarter　preceding　the　last

hour　of　night。　　Glyndon　started　from　his　reverie；　and　looked

anxiously　round。　　As　the　final　stroke　died；　the　noise　of　hoofs

rung　on　the　broad　stones　of　the　pavement；　and　from　a　narrow

street　to　the　right　emerged　the　form　of　a　solitary　horseman。　　He

neared　the　Englishmen；　and　Glyndon　recognised　the　features　and

mien　of　Zanoni。



〃What！　do　we　meet　again；　signor？〃　said　Mervale；　in　a　vexed　but

drowsy　tone。



〃Your　friend　and　I　have　business　together；〃　replied　Zanoni；　as　he

wheeled　his　steed　to　the　side　of　Glyndon。　　〃But　it　will　be　soon

transacted。　　Perhaps　you；　sir；　will　ride　on　to　your　hotel。〃



〃Alone！〃



〃There　is　no　danger！〃　returned　Zanoni；　with　a　slight　expression

of　disdain　in　his　voice。



〃None　to　me；　but　to　Glyndon？〃



〃Danger　from　me！　　Ah；　perhaps　you　are　right。〃



〃Go　on；　my　dear　Mervale；〃　said　Glyndon；　〃I　will　join　you　before

you　reach　the　hotel。〃



Mervale　nodded；　whistled；　and　pushed　his　horse　into　a　kind　of

amble。



〃Now　your　answer；quick？〃



〃I　have　decided。　　The　love　of　Viola　has　vanished　from　my　heart。

The　pursuit　is　over。〃



〃You　have　decided？〃



〃I　have；　and　now　my　reward。〃



〃Thy　reward！　　Well；　ere　this　hour　to…morrow　it　shall　await　thee。〃



Zanoni　gave　the　rein　to　his　horse；　it　sprang　forward　with　a

bound：　　the　sparks　flew　from　its　hoofs；　and　horse　and　rider

disappeared　amidst　the　shadows　of　the　street　whence　they　had

emerged。



Mervale　was　surprised　to　see　his　friend　by　his　side；　a　minute

after　they　had　parted。



〃What　has　passed　between　you　and　Zanoni？〃



〃Mervale；　do　not　ask　me　to…night！　　I　am　in　a　dream。〃



〃I　do　not　wonder　at　it；　for　even　I　am　in　a　sleep。　　Let　us　push

on。〃



In　the　retirement　of　his　chamber；　Glyndon　sought　to　recollect　his

thoughts。　　He　sat　down　on　the　foot　of　his　bed；　and　pressed　his

hands　tightly　to　his　throbbing　temples。　　The　events　of　the　last

few　hours；　the　apparition　of　the　gigantic　and　shadowy　Companion

of　the　Mystic；　amidst　the　fires　and　clouds　of　Vesuvius；　the

strange　encounter　with　Zanoni　himself；　on　a　spot　in　which　he

could　never；　by　ordinary　reasoning；　have　calculated　on　finding

Glyndon；　filled　his　mind　with　emotions；　in　which　terror　and　awe

the　least　prevailed。　　A　fire；　the　train　of　which　had　been　long

laid；　was　lighted　at　his　heart；the　asbestos…fire　that；　once

lit；　is　never　to　be　quenched。　　All　his　early　aspirationshis

young　ambition；　his　longings　for　the　laurelwere　merged　in　one

passionate　yearning　to　surpass　the　bounds　of　the　common　knowledge

of　man；　and　reach　that　solemn　spot；　between　two　worlds；　on　which

the　mysterious　stranger　appeared　to　have　fixed　his　home。



Far　from　recalling　with　renewed　affright　the　remembrance　of　the

apparition　that　had　so　appalled　him；　the　recollection　only　served

to　kindle　and　concentrate　his　curiosity　into　a　burning　focus。　　He

had　said　aright；LOVE　HAD　VANISHED　FROM　HIS　HEART；　there　was　no

longer　a　serene　space　amidst　its　disordered　elements　for　human

affection　to　move　and　breathe。　　The　enthusiast　was　rapt　from　this

earth；　and　he　would　have　surrendered　all　that　mortal　beauty　ever

promised；　that　mortal　hope　ever　whispered；　for　one　hour　with

Zanoni　beyond　the　portals　of　the　visible　world。



He　rose；　oppressed　and　fevered　with　the　new　thoughts　that　raged

within　him；　and　threw　open　his　casement　for　air。　　The　ocean　lay

suffused　in　the　starry　light；　and　the　stillness　of　the　heavens

never　more　eloquently　preached　the　morality　of　repose　to　the

madness　of　earthly　passions。　　But　such　was　Glyndon's　mood　that

their　very　hush　only　served　to　deepen　the　wild　desires　that

preyed　upon　his　soul；　and　the　solemn　stars；　that　are　mysteries　in

themselves；　seemed；　by　a　kindred　sympathy；　to　agitate　the　wings

of　the　spirit　no　longer　contented　with　its　cage。　　As　he　gazed；　a

star　shot　from　its　brethren；　and　vanished　from　the　depth　of

space！





CHAPTER　3。XIII。



O；　be　gone！

By　Heaven；　I　love　thee　better　than　myself；

For　I　came　hither　armed　against　myself。

〃Romeo　and　Juliet。〃



The　young　actress　and　Gionetta　had　returned　from　the　theatre；　and

Viola　fatigued　and　exhausted；　had　thrown　herself　on　a　sofa；　while

Gionetta　busied　herself　with　the　long　tresses　which；　released

from　the　fillet　that　bound　them；　half…concealed　the　form　of　the

actress；　like　a　veil　of　threads　of　gold。　　As　she　smoothed　the

luxuriant　locks；　the　old　nurse　ran　gossiping　on　about　the　little

events　of　the　night；　the　scandal　and　politics　of　the　scenes　and

the　tireroom。　　Gionetta　was　a　worthy　soul。　　Almanzor；　in　Dryden's

tragedy　of　〃Almahide；〃　did　not　change　sides　with　more　gallant

indifference　than　the　exemplary　nurse。　　She　was　at　last　grieved

and　scandalised　that　Viola　had　not　selected　one　chosen　cavalier。

But　the　choice　she　left　wholly　to　her　fair　charge。　　Zegri　or

Abencerrage；　Glyndon　or　Zanoni；　it　had　been　the　same　to　her；

except　that　the　rumours　she　had　collected　respecting　the　latter；

combined　with　his　own　recommendations　of　his　rival；　had　given　her

preference　to　the　Englishman。　　She　interpreted　ill　the　impatient

and　heavy　sigh　with　which　Viola　greeted　her　praises　of　Glyndon；

and　her　wonder　that　he　had　of　late　so　neglected　his　attentions

behind　the　scenes；　and　she　exhausted　all　her　powers　of　panegyric

upon　the　supposed　object　of　the　sigh。　　〃And　then；　too；〃　she　said；

〃if　nothing　else　were　to　be　said　against　the　other　signor；　it　is

enough　that　he　is　about　to　leave　Naples。〃



〃Leave　Naples！Zanoni？〃



〃Yes；　darling！　　In　passing　by　the　Mole　to…day；　there　was　a　crowd

round　some　outlandish…looking　sailors。　　His　ship　arrived　this

morning；　and　anchors　in　the　bay。　　The　sailors　say　that　they　are

to　be　prepared　to　sail　with　the　first　wind；　they　were　taking　in

fresh　stores。　　They〃



〃Leave　me；　Gionetta！　　Leave　me！〃



The　time　had　already　passed　when　the　girl　could　confide　in

Gionetta。　　Her　thoughts　had　advanced　to　that　point　when　the　heart

recoils　from　all　confidence；　and　feels　that　it　cannot　be

comprehended。　　Alone　now；　in　the　principal　apartment　of　the

house；　she　paced　its　narrow　boundaries　with　tremulous　and

agitated　steps：　　she　recalled　the　frightful　suit　of　Nicot；the

injurious　taunt　of　Glyndon；　and　she　sickened　at　the　remembrance

of　the　hollow　applauses　which；　bestowed　on　the　actress；　not　the

woman；　only　subjected　her　to　contumely　and　insult。　　In　that　room

the　recollection　of　her　father's　death；　the　withered　laurel　and

the　broken　chords；　rose　chillingly　before　her。　　Hers；　she　felt；

was　a　yet　gloomier　fate；the　chords　may　break　while　the　laurel

is　yet　green。　　The　lamp；　waning　in　its　socket；　burned　pale　and

dim；　and　her　eyes　instinctively　turned　from　the　darker　corner　of

the　room。　　Orphan；　by　the　hearth　of　thy　parent；　dost　thou　fear

the　presence　of　the　dead！



And　was　Zanoni　indeed　about　to　quit　Naples？　　Should　she　see　him

no　more？　　Oh；　fool；　to　think　that　there　was　grief　in　any　other

thought！　　The　past！that　was　gone！　　The　future！there　was　no

future　to　her；　Zanoni　absent！　　But　this　was　the　night　of　the

third　day　on　which　Zanoni　had　told　her　that；　come　what　might；　he

would　visit　her　again。　　It　was；　then；　if　she　might　believe　him；

some　appointed　crisis　in　her　fate；　and　how　should　she　tell　him　of

Glyndon's　hateful　words？　　The　pure　and　the　proud　mind　can　never

confide　its　wrongs　to　another；　only　its　triumphs　and　its

happiness。　　But　at　that　late　hour　would　Zanoni　visit　her；could

she　receive　him？　　Midnight　was　at　hand。　　Still　in　undefined

suspense；　in　intense　anxiety；　she　lingered　in　the　room。　　The

quarter　before　midnight　sounded；　dull　and　distant。　　All　was

still；　and　she　was　about　to　pass　to　her　sleeping…room；　when　she

heard　the　hoofs　of　a　horse　at　full　speed；　the　sound　ceased；　there

was　a　knock　at　the　door。　　Her　heart　beat　violently；　but　fear　gave

way　to　another　sentiment　when　she　heard　a　voice；　too　well　known；

calling　on　her　name。　　She　paused；　and　then；　with　the　fearlessness

of　innocence；　descended　and　unbarred　the　door。



Zanoni　entered　with　a　light　and　hasty　step。　　His　horseman's　cloak

fitted　tightly　to　his　noble　form；　and　his　broad　hat　threw　a

gloomy　shade　over　his　commanding　features。



The　girl　followed　him　into　the　room　she　had　just　left；　trembling

and　blushing　deeply；　and　stood　before　him　with　the　lamp　she　held

shining　upward　on　her　cheek　and　the　long　hair　that　fell　like　a

shower　of　light　over　the　half…clad　shoulders　and　heaving　bust。



〃Viola；〃　said　Zanoni；　in　a　voice　that　spoke　deep　emotion；　〃I　am

by　thy　side　once　more　to　save　thee。　　Not　a　moment　is　to　be　lost。

Thou　must　fly　with　me；　or　remain　the　victim　of　the　Prince　di　。

I　would　have　made　the　charge　I　now　undertake　another's；　thou

knowest　I　would；thou　knowest　it！but　he　is　not　worthy　of　thee；

the　cold　Englishman！　　I　throw　myself　at　thy　feet；　have　trust　in

me；　and　fly。〃



He　grasped　her　hand　passionately　as　he　dropped　on　his　knee；　and

looked　up　into　her　face　with　his　bright；　beseeching　eyes。



〃Fly　with　thee！〃　said　Viola；　scarce　believing　her　senses。



〃With　me。　　Name；　fame；　honour；all　will　be　sacrificed　if　thou

dost　not。〃



〃Thenthen；〃　said　the　wild　girl；　falteringly；　and　turning　aside

her　face；〃then　I　am　not　indifferent　to　thee；　thou　wouldst　not

give　me　to　another？〃



Zanoni　was　silent；　but　his　breast　heaved；　his　cheeks　flushed；　his

eyes　darted　dark　and　impassioned　fire。



〃Speak！〃　exclaimed　Viola；　in　jealous　suspicion　of　his　silence。



〃Indifferent　to　me！　　No；　but　I　dare　not　yet　say　that　I　love

thee。〃



〃Then　what　matters　my　fate？〃　said　Viola；　turning　pale；　and

shrinking　from　his　side；　〃leave　me；I　fear　no　danger。　　My　life；

and　therefore　my　honour；　is　in　mine　own　hands。〃



〃Be　not　so　mad；〃　said　Zanoni。　　〃Hark！　do　you　hear　the　neigh　of　my

steed？it　is　an　alarm　that　warns　us　of　the　approaching　peril。

Haste；　or　you　are　lost！〃



〃Why　dost　thou　care　for　me？〃　said　the　girl；　bitterly。　　〃Thou　hast

read　my　heart；　thou　knowest　that　thou　art　become　the　lord　of　my

destiny。　　But　to　be　bound　beneath　the　weight　of　a　cold

obligation；　to　be　th