zanoni-第49章

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me　to…morrow。　　You　will　then　enter　on　the　ordeal　you　desire；　but

remember　that；　in　doing　so；　you　must　reduce　Being　as　far　as

possible　into　Mind。　　The　senses　must　be　mortified　and　subdued；

not　the　whisper　of　one　passion　heard。　　Thou　mayst　be　master　of

the　Cabala　and　the　Chemistry；　but　thou　must　be　master　also　over

the　Flesh　and　the　Blood；over　Love　and　Vanity；　Ambition　and

Hate。　　I　will　trust　to　find　thee　so。　　Fast　and　meditate　till　we

meet！〃



Glyndon　crumpled　the　letter　in　his　hand　with　a　smile　of　disdain。

What！　more　drudgery；more　abstinence！　　Youth　without　love　and

pleasure！　　Ha；　ha！　baffled　Mejnour；　thy　pupil　shall　gain　thy

secrets　without　thine　aid！



〃And　Fillide！　　I　passed　her　cottage　in　my　way；she　blushed　and

sighed　when　I　jested　her　about　you；　Excellency！〃



〃Well；　Paolo！　　I　thank　thee　for　so　charming　an　introduction。

Thine　must　be　a　rare　life。〃



〃Ah；　Excellency；　while　we　are　young；　nothing　like　adventure；

except　love；　wine；　and　laughter！〃



〃Very　true。　　Farewell；　Maestro　Paolo；　we　will　talk　more　with　each

other　in　a　few　days。〃



All　that　morning　Glyndon　was　almost　overpowered　with　the　new

sentiment　of　happiness　that　had　entered　into　him。　　He　roamed　into

the　woods；　and　he　felt　a　pleasure　that　resembled　his　earlier　life

of　an　artist；　but　a　pleasure　yet　more　subtle　and　vivid；　in　the

various　colours　of　the　autumn　foliage。　　Certainly　Nature　seemed

to　be　brought　closer　to　him；　he　comprehended　better　all　that

Mejnour　had　often　preached　to　him　of　the　mystery　of　sympathies

and　attractions。　　He　was　about　to　enter　into　the　same　law　as

those　mute　children　of　the　forests。　　He　was　to　know　THE　RENEWAL

OF　LIFE；　the　seasons　that　chilled　to　winter　should　yet　bring

again　the　bloom　and　the　mirth　of　spring。　　Man's　common　existence

is　as　one　year　to　the　vegetable　world：　　he　has　his　spring；　his

summer；　his　autumn；　and　winter；but　only　ONCE。　　But　the　giant

oaks　round　him　go　through　a　revolving　series　of　verdure　and

youth；　and　the　green　of　the　centenarian　is　as　vivid　in　the　beams

of　　May　as　that　of　the　sapling　by　its　side。　　〃Mine　shall　be　your

spring；　but　not　your　winter！〃　exclaimed　the　aspirant。



Wrapped　in　these　sanguine　and　joyous　reveries；　Glyndon；　quitting

the　woods；　found　himself　amidst　cultivated　fields　and　vineyards

to　which　his　footstep　had　not　before　wandered；　and　there　stood；

by　the　skirts　of　a　green　lane　that　reminded　him　of　verdant

England；　a　modest　house；half　cottage；　half　farm。　　The　door　was

open；　and　he　saw　a　girl　at　work　with　her　distaff。　　She　looked　up；

uttered　a　slight　cry；　and；　tripping　gayly　into　the　lane　to　his

side；　he　recognised　the　dark…eyed　Fillide。



〃Hist！〃　she　said；　archly　putting　her　finger　to　her　lip；　〃do　not

speak　loud；my　mother　is　asleep　within；　and　I　knew　you　would

come　to　see　me。　　It　is　kind！〃



Glyndon；　with　a　little　embarrassment；　accepted　the　compliment　to

his　kindness；　which　he　did　not　exactly　deserve。　　〃You　have

thought；　then；　of　me；　fair　Fillide？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　the　girl；　colouring；　but　with　that　frank；　bold

ingenuousness；　which　characterises　the　females　of　Italy；

especially　of　the　lower　class；　and　in　the　southern　provinces；

〃oh；　yes！　　I　have　thought　of　little　else。　　Paolo　said　he　knew　you

would　visit　me。〃



〃And　what　relation　is　Paolo　to　you？〃



〃None；　but　a　good　friend　to　us　all。　　My　brother　is　one　of　his

band。〃



〃One　of　his　band！a　robber？〃



〃We　of　the　mountains　do　not　call　a　mountaineer　'a　robber；'

signor。〃



〃I　ask　pardon。　　Do　you　not　tremble　sometimes　for　your　brother's

life？　　The　law〃



〃Law　never　ventures　into　these　defiles。　　Tremble　for　him！　　No。

My　father　and　grandsire　were　of　the　same　calling。　　I　often　wish　I

were　a　man！〃



〃By　these　lips；　I　am　enchanted　that　your　wish　cannot　be

realised。〃



〃Fie；　signor！　　And　do　you　really　love　me？〃



〃With　my　whole　heart！〃



〃And　I　thee！〃　said　the　girl；　with　a　candour　that　seemed　innocent；

as　she　suffered　him　to　clasp　her　hand。



〃But；〃　she　added；　〃thou　wilt　soon　leave　us；　and　I〃　　She　stopped

short；　and　the　tears　stood　in　her　eyes。



There　was　something　dangerous　in　this；　it　must　be　confessed。

Certainly　Fillide　had　not　the　seraphic　loveliness　of　Viola；　but

hers　was　a　beauty　that　equally　at　least　touched　the　senses。

Perhaps　Glyndon　had　never　really　loved　Viola；　perhaps　the

feelings　with　which　she　had　inspired　him　were　not　of　that　ardent

character　which　deserves　the　name　of　love。　　However　that　be；　he

thought；　as　he　gazed　on　those　dark　eyes；　that　he　had　never　loved

before。



〃And　couldst　thou　not　leave　thy　mountains？〃　he　whispered；　as　he

drew　yet　nearer　to　her。



〃Dost　thou　ask　me？〃　she　said；　retreating；　and　looking　him

steadfastly　in　the　face。　　〃Dost　thou　know　what　we　daughters　of

the　mountains　are？　　You　gay；　smooth　cavaliers　of　cities　seldom

mean　what　you　speak。　　With　you；　love　is　amusement；　with　us；　it　is

life。　　Leave　these　mountains！　　Well！　　I　should　not　leave　my

nature。〃



〃Keep　thy　nature　ever；it　is　a　sweet　one。〃



〃Yes；　sweet　while　thou　art　true；　stern；　if　thou　art　faithless。

Shall　I　tell　thee　what　Iwhat　the　girls　of　this　country　are？

Daughters　of　men　whom　you　call　robbers；　we　aspire　to　be　the

companions　of　our　lovers　or　our　husbands。　　We　love　ardently；　we

own　it　boldly。　　We　stand　by　your　side　in　danger；　we　serve　you　as

slaves　in　safety：　　we　never　change；　and　we　resent　change。　　You

may　reproach；　strike　us；　trample　us　as　a　dog；we　bear　all

without　a　murmur；　betray　us；　and　no　tiger　is　more　relentless。　　Be

true；　and　our　hearts　reward　you；　be　false；　and　our　hands　revenge！

Dost　thou　love　me　now？〃



During　this　speech　the　Italian's　countenance　had　most　eloquently

aided　her　words；by　turns　soft；　frank；　fierce；and　at　the　last

question　she　inclined　her　head　humbly；　and　stood；　as　in　fear　of

his　reply；　before　him。　　The　stern；　brave；　wild　spirit；　in　which

what　seemed　unfeminine　was　yet；　if　I　may　so　say；　still　womanly；

did　not　recoil；　it　rather　captivated　Glyndon。　　He　answered

readily；　briefly；　and　freely；　〃Fillide；yes！〃



Oh；　〃yes！〃　forsooth；　Clarence　Glyndon！　　Every　light　nature

answers　〃yes〃　lightly　to　such　a　question　from　lips　so　rosy！　　Have

a　care；have　a　care！　　Why　the　deuce；　Mejnour；　do　you　leave　your

pupil　of　four…and…twenty　to　the　mercy　of　these　wild　cats…a…

mountain！　　Preach　fast；　and　abstinence；　and　sublime　renunciation

of　the　cheats　of　the　senses！　　Very　well　in　you；　sir；　Heaven　knows

how　many　ages　old；　but　at　four…and…twenty；　your　Hierophant　would

have　kept　you　out　of　Fillide's　way；　or　you　would　have　had　small

taste　for　the　Cabala。



And　so　they　stood；　and　talked；　and　vowed；　and　whispered；　till　the

girl's　mother　made　some　noise　within　the　house；　and　Fillide

bounded　back　to　the　distaff；　her　finger　once　more　on　her　lip。



〃There　is　more　magic　in　Fillide　than　in　Mejnour；〃　said　Glyndon　to

himself；　walking　gayly　home；　〃yet　on　second　thoughts；　I　know　not

if　I　quite　so　well　like　a　character　so　ready　for　revenge。　　But　he

who　has　the　real　secret　can　baffle　even　the　vengeance　of　a　woman；

and　disarm　all　danger！〃



Sirrah！　dost　thou　even　already　meditate　the　possibility　of

treason？　　Oh；　well　said　Zanoni；　〃to　pour　pure　water　into　the

muddy　well　does　but　disturb　the　mud。〃





CHAPTER　4。VII。



Cernis；　custodia　qualis

Vestibulo　sedeat？　facies　quae　limina　servet？

〃Aeneid；〃　lib。　vi。　574。



（See　you　what　porter　sits　within　the　vestibule？what　face

watches　at　the　threshold？）



And　it　is　profound　night。　　All　is　at　rest　within　the　old　castle；

all　is　breathless　under　the　melancholy　stars。　　Now　is　the　time。

Mejnour　with　his　austere　wisdom；Mejnour　the　enemy　to　love；

Mejnour；　whose　eye　will　read　thy　heart；　and　refuse　thee　the

promised　secrets　because　the　sunny　face　of　Fillide　disturbs　the

lifeless　shadow　that　he　calls　repose；Mejnour　comes　to…morrow！

Seize　the　night！　　Beware　of　fear！　　Never；　or　this　hour！　　So；

brave　youth；brave　despite　all　thy　errors；so；　with　a　steady

pulse；　thy　hand　unlocks　once　more　the　forbidden　door。



He　placed　his　lamp　on　the　table　beside　the　book；　which　still　lay

there　opened；　he　turned　over　the　leaves；　but　could　not　decipher

their　meaning　till　he　came　to　the　following　passage：



〃When；　then；　the　pupil　is　thus　initiated　and　prepared；　let　him

open　the　casement；　light　the　lamps；　and　bathe　his　temples　with

the　elixir。　　He　must　beware　how　he　presume　yet　to　quaff　the

volatile　and　fiery　spirit。　　To　taste　till　repeated　inhalations

have　accustomed　the　frame　gradually　to　the　ecstatic　liquid；　is　to

know　not　life；　but　death。〃



He　could　penetrate　no　farther　into　the　instructions；　the　cipher

again　changed。　　He　now　looked　steadily　and　earnestly　round　the

chamber。　　The　moonlight　came　quietly　through　the　lattice　as　his

hand　opened　it；　and　seemed；　as　it　rested　on　the　floor；　and　filled

the　walls；　like　the　presence　of　some　ghostly　and　mournful　Power。

He　ranged　the　mystic　lamps　（nine　in　number）　round　the　centre　of

the　room；　and　lighted　them　one　by　one。　　A　flame　of　silvery　and

azure　tints　sprung　up　from　each；　and　lighted　the　apartment　with　a

calm　and　yet　most　dazzling　splendour；　but　presently　this　light

grew　more　soft　and　dim；　as　a　thin；　grey　cloud；　like　a　mist；

gradually　spread　over　the　room；　and　an　icy　thrill　shot　through

the　heart　of　the　Englishman；　and　quickly　gathered　over　him　like

the　coldness　of　death。　　Instinctively　aware　of　his　danger；　he

tottered；　though　with　difficulty；　for　his　limbs　seemed　rigid　and

stone…like；　to　the　shelf　that　contained　the　crystal　vials；

hastily　he　inhaled　the　spirit；　and　laved　his　temples　with　the

sparkling　liquid。　　The　same　sensation　of　vigour　and　youth；　and

joy　and　airy　lightness；　that　he　had　felt　in　the　morning；

instantaneously　replaced　the　deadly　numbness　that　just　before　had

invaded　the　citadel　of　life。　　He　stood；　with　his　arms　folded　on

his　bosom　erect　and　dauntless；　to　watch　what　should　ensue。



The　vapour　had　now　assumed　almost　the　thickness　and　seeming

consistency　of　a　snow…cloud；　the　lamps　piercing　it　like　stars。

And　now　he　distinctly　saw　shapes；　somewhat　resembling　in　outline

those　of　the　human　form；　gliding　slowly　and　with　regular

evolutions　through　the　cloud。　　They　appeared　bloodless；　their

bodies　were　transparent；　and　contracted　or　expanded　like　the

folds　of　a　serpent。　　As　they　moved　in　majestic　order；　he　heard　a

low　soundthe　ghost；　as　it　were；　of　voicewhich　each　caught　and

echoed　from　the　other；　a　low　sound；　but　musical；　which　seemed　the

chant　of　some　unspeakably　tranquil　joy。　　None　of　these

apparitions　heeded　him。　　His　intense　longing　to　accost　them；　to

be　of　them；　to　make　one　of　this　movement　of　aerial　happiness；

for　such　it　seemed　to　him；made　him　stretch　forth　his　arms　and

seek　to　cry　aloud；　but　only　an　inarticulate　whisper　passed　his

lips；　and　the　movement　and　the　music　went　on　the　same　as　if　the

mortal　were　not　there。　　Slowly　they　glided　round　and　aloft；　till；

in　the　same　majestic　order；　one　after　one；　t