zanoni-第47章

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precisely　in　proportion　to　its　fear。　　Does　thy　courage　falter？〃



〃Nay；　thy　words　but　kindle　it。〃



〃Follow　me；　then；　and　submit　to　the　initiatory　labours。〃



With　that；　Mejnour　led　him　into　the　interior　chamber；　and

proceeded　to　explain　to　him　certain　chemical　operations　which；

though　extremely　simple　in　themselves；　Glyndon　soon　perceived

were　capable　of　very　extraordinary　results。



〃In　the　remoter　times；〃　said　Mejnour；　smiling；　〃our　brotherhood

were　often　compelled　to　recur　to　delusions　to　protect　realities；

and；　as　dexterous　mechanicians　or　expert　chemists；　they　obtained

the　name　of　sorcerers。　　Observe　how　easy　to　construct　is　the

Spectre　Lion　that　attended　the　renowned　Leonardo　da　Vinci！〃



And　Glyndon　beheld　with　delighted　surprise　the　simple　means　by

which　the　wildest　cheats　of　the　imagination　can　be　formed。　　The

magical　landscapes　in　which　Baptista　Porta　rejoiced；　the　apparent

change　of　the　seasons　with　which　Albertus　Magnus　startled　the

Earl　of　Holland；　nay；　even　those　more　dread　delusions　of　the

Ghost　and　Image　with　which　the　necromancers　of　Heraclea　woke　the

conscience　of　the　conqueror　of　Plataea　（Pausanias；see

Plutarch。）；all　these；　as　the　showman　enchants　some　trembling

children　on　a　Christmas　Eve　with　his　lantern　and　phantasmagoria；

Mejnour　exhibited　to　his　pupil。



。。。



〃And　now　laugh　forever　at　magic！　when　these；　the　very　tricks；　the

very　sports　and　frivolities　of　science；　were　the　very　acts　which

men　viewed　with　abhorrence；　and　inquisitors　and　kings　rewarded

with　the　rack　and　the　stake。〃



〃But　the　alchemist's　transmutation　of　metals〃



〃Nature　herself　is　a　laboratory　in　which　metals；　and　all

elements；　are　forever　at　change。　　Easy　to　make　gold；easier；

more　commodious；　and　cheaper　still；　to　make　the　pearl；　the

diamond；　and　the　ruby。　　Oh；　yes；　wise　men　found　sorcery　in　this

too；　but　they　found　no　sorcery　in　the　discovery　that　by　the

simplest　combination　of　things　of　every…day　use　they　could　raise

a　devil　that　would　sweep　away　thousands　of　their　kind　by　the

breath　of　consuming　fire。　　Discover　what　will　destroy　life；　and

you　are　a　great　man！what　will　prolong　it；　and　you　are　an

imposter！　　Discover　some　invention　in　machinery　that　will　make

the　rich　more　rich　and　the　poor　more　poor；　and　they　will　build

you　a　statue！　　Discover　some　mystery　in　art　that　will　equalise

physical　disparities；　and　they　will　pull　down　their　own　houses　to

stone　you！　　Ha；　ha；　my　pupil！　such　is　the　world　Zanoni　still

cares　for！you　and　I　will　leave　this　world　to　itself。　　And　now

that　you　have　seen　some　few　of　the　effects　of　science；　begin　to

learn　its　grammar。〃



Mejnour　then　set　before　his　pupil　certain　tasks；　in　which　the

rest　of　the　night　wore　itself　away。





CHAPTER　4。V。



Great　travell　hath　the　gentle　Calidore

And　toyle　endured。。。

There　on　a　day；

He　chaunst　to　spy　a　sort　of　shepheard　groomes；

Playing　on　pipes　and　caroling　apace。

。。。He；　there　besyde

Saw　a　faire　damzell。

Spenser；　〃Faerie　Queene；〃　cant。　ix。



For　a　considerable　period　the　pupil　of　Mejnour　was　now　absorbed

in　labour　dependent　on　the　most　vigilant　attention；　on　the　most

minute　and　subtle　calculation。　　Results　astonishing　and　various

rewarded　his　toils　and　stimulated　his　interest。　　Nor　were　these

studies　limited　to　chemical　discovery；in　which　it　is　permitted

me　to　say　that　the　greatest　marvels　upon　the　organisation　of

physical　life　seemed　wrought　by　experiments　of　the　vivifying

influence　of　heat。　　Mejnour　professed　to　find　a　link　between　all

intellectual　beings　in　the　existence　of　a　certain　all…pervading

and　invisible　fluid　resembling　electricity；　yet　distinct　from　the

known　operations　of　that　mysterious　agencya　fluid　that

connected　thought　to　thought　with　the　rapidity　and　precision　of

the　modern　telegraph；　and　the　influence　of　this　fluid；　according

to　Mejnour；　extended　to　the　remotest　past；that　is　to　say；

whenever　and　wheresoever　man　had　thought。　　Thus；　if　the　doctrine

were　true；　all　human　knowledge　became　attainable　through　a　medium

established　between　the　brain　of　the　individual　inquirer　and　all

the　farthest　and　obscurest　regions　in　the　universe　of　ideas。

Glyndon　was　surprised　to　find　Mejnour　attached　to　the　abstruse

mysteries　which　the　Pythagoreans　ascribed　to　the　occult　science

of　NUMBERS。　　In　this　last；　new　lights　glimmered　dimly　on　his

eyes；　and　he　began　to　perceive　that　even　the　power　to　predict；　or

rather　to　calculate；　results；　might　by　（Here　there　is　an

erasure　in　the　MS。）



。。。



But　he　observed　that　the　last　brief　process　by　which；　in　each　of

these　experiments；　the　wonder　was　achieved；　Mejnour　reserved　for

himself；　and　refused　to　communicate　the　secret。　　The　answer　he

obtained　to　his　remonstrances　on　this　head　was　more　stern　than

satisfactory：



〃Dost　thou　think；〃　said　Mejnour；　〃that　I　would　give　to　the　mere

pupil；　whose　qualities　are　not　yet　tried；　powers　that　might

change　the　face　of　the　social　world？　　The　last　secrets　are

intrusted　only　to　him　of　whose　virtue　the　Master　is　convinced。

Patience！　　It　is　labour　itself　that　is　the　great　purifier　of　the

mind；　and　by　degrees　the　secrets　will　grow　upon　thyself　as　thy

mind　becomes　riper　to　receive　them。〃



At　last　Mejnour　professed　himself　satisfied　with　the　progress

made　by　his　pupil。　　〃The　hour　now　arrives；〃　he　said；　〃when　thou

mayst　pass　the　great　but　airy　barrier；when　thou　mayst　gradually

confront　the　terrible　Dweller　of　the　Threshold。　　Continue　thy

labourscontinue　to　surpass　thine　impatience　for　results　until

thou　canst　fathom　the　causes。　　I　leave　thee　for　one　month；　if　at

the　end　of　that　period；　when　I　return；　the　tasks　set　thee　are

completed；　and　thy　mind　prepared　by　contemplation　and　austere

thought　for　the　ordeal；　I　promise　thee　the　ordeal　shall　commence。

One　caution　alone　I　give　thee：　　regard　it　as　a　peremptory

command；　enter　not　this　chamber！〃　　（They　were　then　standing　in

the　room　where　their　experiments　had　been　chiefly　made；　and　in

which　Glyndon；　on　the　night　he　had　sought　the　solitude　of　the

mystic；　had　nearly　fallen　a　victim　to　his　intrusion。）



〃Enter　not　this　chamber　till　my　return；　or；　above　all；　if　by　any

search　for　materials　necessary　to　thy　toils　thou　shouldst　venture

hither；　forbear　to　light　the　naphtha　in　those　vessels；　and　to

open　the　vases　on　yonder　shelves。　　I　leave　the　key　of　the　room　in

thy　keeping；　in　order　to　try　thy　abstinence　and　self…control。

Young　man；　this　very　temptation　is　a　part　of　thy　trial。〃



With　that；　Mejnour　placed　the　key　in　his　hands；　and　at　sunset　he

left　the　castle。



For　several　days　Glyndon　continued　immersed　in　employments　which

strained　to　the　utmost　all　the　faculties　of　his　intellect。　　Even

the　most　partial　success　depended　so　entirely　on　the　abstraction

of　the　mind；　and　the　minuteness　of　its　calculations；　that　there

was　scarcely　room　for　any　other　thought　than　those　absorbed　in

the　occupation。　　And　doubtless　this　perpetual　strain　of　the

faculties　was　the　object　of　Mejnour　in　works　that　did　not　seem

exactly　pertinent　to　the　purposes　in　view。　　As　the　study　of　the

elementary　mathematics；　for　example；　is　not　so　profitable　in　the

solving　of　problems；　useless　in　our　after…callings；　as　it　is

serviceable　in　training　the　intellect　to　the　comprehension　and

analysis　of　general　truths。



But　in　less　than　half　the　time　which　Mejnour　had　stated　for　the

duration　of　his　absence；　all　that　the　mystic　had　appointed　to　his

toils　was　completed　by　the　pupil；　and　then　his　mind；　thus

relieved　from　the　drudgery　and　mechanism　of　employment；　once　more

sought　occupation　in　dim　conjecture　and　restless　fancies。　　His

inquisitive　and　rash　nature　grew　excited　by　the　prohibition　of

Mejnour；　and　he　found　himself　gazing　too　often；　with　perturbed

and　daring　curiosity；　upon　the　key　of　the　forbidden　chamber。　　He

began　to　feel　indignant　at　a　trial　of　constancy　which　he　deemed

frivolous　and　puerile。　　What　nursery　tales　of　Bluebeard　and　his

closet　were　revived　to　daunt　and　terrify　him！　　How　could　the　mere

walls　of　a　chamber；　in　which　he　had　so　often　securely　pursued　his

labours；　start　into　living　danger？　　If　haunted；　it　could　be　but

by　those　delusions　which　Mejnour　had　taught　him　to　despise；a

shadowy　lion；a　chemical　phantasm！　　Tush！　he　lost　half　his　awe

of　Mejnour；　when　he　thought　that　by　such　tricks　the　sage　could

practise　upon　the　very　intellect　he　had　awakened　and　instructed！

　Still　he　resisted　the　impulses　of　his　curiosity　and　his　pride；

and；　to　escape　from　their　dictation；　he　took　long　rambles　on　the

hills；　or　amidst　the　valleys　that　surrounded　the　castle；seeking

by　bodily　fatigue　to　subdue　the　unreposing　mind。　　One　day

suddenly　emerging　from　a　dark　ravine；　he　came　upon　one　of　those

Italian　scenes　of　rural　festivity　and　mirth　in　which　the　classic

age　appears　to　revive。　　It　was　a　festival；　partly　agricultural；

partly　religious；　held　yearly　by　the　peasants　of　that　district。

Assembled　at　the　outskirts　of　a　village；　animated　crowds；　just

returned　from　a　procession　to　a　neighbouring　chapel；　were　now

forming　themselves　into　groups：　　the　old　to　taste　the　vintage；

the　young　to　dance；all　to　be　gay　and　happy。　　This　sudden

picture　of　easy　joy　and　careless　ignorance；　contrasting　so

forcibly　with　the　intense　studies　and　that　parching　desire　for

wisdom　which　had　so　long　made　up　his　own　life；　and　burned　at　his

own　heart；　sensibly　affected　Glyndon。　　As　he　stood　aloof　and

gazing　on　them；　the　young　man　felt　once　more　that　he　was　young。

The　memory　of　all　he　had　been　content　to　sacrifice　spoke　to　him

like　the　sharp　voice　of　remorse。　　The　flitting　forms　of　the　women

in　their　picturesque　attire；　their　happy　laughter　ringing　through

the　cool；　still　air　of　the　autumn　noon；　brought　back　to　the

heart；　or　rather　perhaps　to　the　senses；　the　images　of　his　past

time；　the　〃golden　shepherd　hours；〃　when　to　live　was　but　to　enjoy。



He　approached　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　scene；　and　suddenly　a

noisy　group　swept　round　him；　and　Maestro　Paolo；　tapping　him

familiarly　on　the　shoulder；　exclaimed　in　a　hearty　voice；

〃Welcome；　Excellency！we　are　rejoiced　to　see　you　amongst　us。〃

Glyndon　was　about　to　reply　to　this　salutation；　when　his　eyes

rested　upon　the　face　of　a　young　girl　leaning　on　Paolo's　arm；　of　a

beauty　so　attractive　that　his　colour　rose　and　his　heart　beat　as

he　encountered　her　gaze。　　Her　eyes　sparkled　with　a　roguish　and

petulant　mirth；　her　parted　lips　showed　teeth　like　pearls；　as　if

impatient　at　the　pause　of　her　companion　from　the　revel　of　the

rest；　her　little　foot　beat　the　ground　to　a　measure　that　she

half…hummed；　half…chanted。　　Paolo　laughed　as　he　saw　the　effect

the　girl　had　produced　upon　the　young　foreigner。



〃Will　you　not　dance；　Excellency？　　Come；　lay　aside　your　greatness；

and　be　merry；　like　us　poor　devils。　　See　how　our　pretty　Fillide　is

longing　for　a　partner。　　Take　compassion　on　her。〃



Fillide　pouted　at　this　speech；　and；　disengaging　her　arm　from

Paolo's；　turned　away