zanoni-第57章

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his　station；　his　pursuits；　his　happy　marriage；　and　his　eight

pictures　in　their　handsome　frames。　　Formerly　the　sober　Mervale

had　commanded　an　influence　over　his　friend：　　HIS　had　been　the

sarcasm；　Glyndon's　the　irresolute　shame　at　his　own　peculiarities。

Now　this　position　was　reversed。　　There　was　a　fierce　earnestness

in　Glyndon's　altered　temper　which　awed　and　silenced　the　quiet

commonplace　of　his　friend's　character。　　He　seemed　to　take　a

malignant　delight　in　persuading　himself　that　the　sober　life　of

the　world　was　contemptible　and　base。



〃Ah！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃how　right　you　were　to　tell　me　to　marry

respectably；　to　have　a　solid　position；　to　live　in　decorous　fear

of　the　world　and　one's　wife；　and　to　command　the　envy　of　the　poor；

the　good　opinion　of　the　rich。　　You　have　practised　what　you

preach。　　Delicious　existence！　　The　merchant's　desk　and　the

curtain　lecture！　　Ha！　ha！　　Shall　we　have　another　night　of　it？〃



Mervale；　embarrassed　and　irritated；　turned　the　conversation　upon

Glyndon's　affairs。　　He　was　surprised　at　the　knowledge　of　the

world　which　the　artist　seemed　to　have　suddenly　acquired；

surprised　still　more　at　the　acuteness　and　energy　with　which　he

spoke　of　the　speculations　most　in　vogue　at　the　market。　　Yes；

Glyndon　was　certainly　in　earnest：　　he　desired　to　be　rich　and

respectable；and　to　make　at　least　ten　per　cent　for　his　money！



After　spending　some　days　with　the　merchant；　during　which　time　he

contrived　to　disorganise　all　the　mechanism　of　the　house；　to　turn

night　into　day；　harmony　into　discord；　to　drive　poor　Mrs。　Mervale

half…distracted；　and　to　convince　her　husband　that　he　was　horribly

hen…pecked；　the　ill…omened　visitor　left　them　as　suddenly　as　he

had　arrived。　　He　took　a　house　of　his　own；　he　sought　the　society

of　persons　of　substance；　he　devoted　himself　to　the　money…market；

he　seemed　to　have　become　a　man　of　business；　his　schemes　were　bold

and　colossal；　his　calculations　rapid　and　profound。　　He　startled

Mervale　by　his　energy；　and　dazzled　him　by　his　success。　　Mervale

began　to　envy　him；to　be　discontented　with　his　own　regular　and

slow　gains。　　When　Glyndon　bought　or　sold　in　the　funds；　wealth

rolled　upon　him　like　the　tide　of　a　sea；　what　years　of　toil　could

not　have　done　for　him　in　art；　a　few　months；　by　a　succession　of

lucky　chances；　did　for　him　in　speculation。　　Suddenly；　however；　he

relaxed　his　exertions；　new　objects　of　ambition　seemed　to　attract

him。　　If　he　heard　a　drum　in　the　streets；　what　glory　like　the

soldier's？　　If　a　new　poem　were　published；　what　renown　like　the

poet's？　　He　began　works　in　literature；　which　promised　great

excellence；　to　throw　them　aside　in　disgust。　　All　at　once　he

abandoned　the　decorous　and　formal　society　he　had　courted；　he

joined　himself；　with　young　and　riotous　associates；　he　plunged

into　the　wildest　excesses　of　the　great　city；　where　Gold　reigns

alike　over　Toil　and　Pleasure。　　Through　all　he　carried　with　him　a

certain　power　and　heat　of　soul。　　In　all　society　he　aspired　to

command；in　all　pursuits　to　excel。　　Yet　whatever　the　passion　of

the　moment；　the　reaction　was　terrible　in　its　gloom。　　He　sank；　at

times；　into　the　most　profound　and　the　darkest　reveries。　　His

fever　was　that　of　a　mind　that　would　escape　memory；his　repose；

that　of　a　mind　which　the　memory　seizes　again；　and　devours　as　a

prey。　　Mervale　now　saw　little　of　him；　they　shunned　each　other。

Glyndon　had　no　confidant；　and　no　friend。





CHAPTER　5。IV。



Ich　fuhle　Dich　mir　nahe；

Die　Einsamkeit　belebt；

Wie　uber　seinen　Welten

Der　Unsichtbare　schwebt。

Uhland。



（I　feel　thee　near　to　me；

The　loneliness　takes　life；

As　over　its　world

The　Invisible　hovers。）



From　this　state　of　restlessness　and　agitation　rather　than

continuous　action；　Glyndon　was　aroused　by　a　visitor　who　seemed　to

exercise　the　most　salutary　influence　over　him。　　His　sister；　an

orphan　with　himself；　had　resided　in　the　country　with　her　aunt。

In　the　early　years　of　hope　and　home　he　had　loved　this　girl；　much

younger　than　himself；　with　all　a　brother's　tenderness。　　On　his

return　to　England；　he　had　seemed　to　forget　her　existence。　　She

recalled　herself　to　him　on　her　aunt's　death　by　a　touching　and

melancholy　letter：　　she　had　now　no　home　but　his；no　dependence

save　on　his　affection；　he　wept　when　he　read　it；　and　was　impatient

till　Adela　arrived。



This　girl；　then　about　eighteen；　concerned　beneath　a　gentle　and

calm　exterior　much　of　the　romance　or　enthusiasm　that　had；　at　her

own　age；　characterised　her　brother。　　But　her　enthusiasm　was　of　a

far　purer　order；　and　was　restrained　within　proper　bounds；　partly

by　the　sweetness　of　a　very　feminine　nature；　and　partly　by　a

strict　and　methodical　education。　　She　differed　from　him

especially　in　a　timidity　of　character　which　exceeded　that　usual

at　her　age；　but　which　the　habit　of　self…command　concealed　no　less

carefully　than　that　timidity　itself　concealed　the　romance　I　have

ascribed　to　her。



Adela　was　not　handsome：　　she　had　the　complexion　and　the　form　of

delicate　health；　and　too　fine　an　organisation　of　the　nerves

rendered　her　susceptible　to　every　impression　that　could　influence

the　health　of　the　frame　through　the　sympathy　of　the　mind。　　But　as

she　never　complained；　and　as　the　singular　serenity　of　her　manners

seemed　to　betoken　an　equanimity　of　temperament　which；　with　the

vulgar；　might　have　passed　for　indifference；　her　sufferings　had　so

long　been　borne　unnoticed　that　it　ceased　to　be　an　effort　to

disguise　them。　　Though；　as　I　have　said；　not　handsome；　her

countenance　was　interesting　and　pleasing；　and　there　was　that

caressing　kindness；　that　winning　charm　about　her　smile；　her

manners；　her　anxiety　to　please；　to　comfort；　and　to　soothe　which

went　at　once　to　the　heart；　and　made　her　lovely；because　so

loving。



Such　was　the　sister　whom　Glyndon　had　so　long　neglected；　and　whom

he　now　so　cordially　welcomed。　　Adela　had　passed　many　years　a

victim　to　the　caprices；　and　a　nurse　to　the　maladies；　of　a　selfish

and　exacting　relation。　　The　delicate　and　generous　and　respectful

affection　of　her　brother　was　no　less　new　to　her　than　delightful。

He　took　pleasure　in　the　happiness　he　created；　he　gradually　weaned

himself　from　other　society；　he　felt　the　charm　of　home。　　It　is　not

surprising；　then；　that　this　young　creature；　free　and　virgin　from

every　more　ardent　attachment；　concentrated　all　her　grateful　love

on　this　cherished　and　protecting　relative。　　Her　study　by　day；　her

dream　by　night；　was　to　repay　him　for　his　affection。　　She　was

proud　of　his　talents；　devoted　to　his　welfare；　the　smallest　trifle

that　could　interest　him　swelled　in　her　eyes　to　the　gravest

affairs　of　life。　　In　short；　all　the　long…hoarded　enthusiasm；

which　was　her　perilous　and　only　heritage；　she　invested　in　this

one　object　of　her　holy　tenderness；　her　pure　ambition。



But　in　proportion　as　Glyndon　shunned　those　excitements　by　which

he　had　so　long　sought　to　occupy　his　time　or　distract　his

thoughts；　the　gloom　of　his　calmer　hours　became　deeper　and　more

continuous。　　He　ever　and　especially　dreaded　to　be　alone；　he　could

not　bear　his　new　companion　to　be　absent　from　his　eyes：　　he　rode

with　her；　walked　with　her；　and　it　was　with　visible　reluctance；

which　almost　partook　of　horror；　that　he　retired　to　rest　at　an

hour　when　even　revel　grows　fatigued。　　This　gloom　was　not　that

which　could　be　called　by　the　soft　name　of　melancholy；it　was　far

more　intense；　it　seemed　rather　like　despair。　　Often　after　a

silence　as　of　deathso　heavy；　abstracted；　motionless；　did　it

appearhe　would　start　abruptly；　and　cast　hurried　glances　around

him；his　limbs　trembling；　his　lips　livid；　his　brows　bathed　in

dew。　　Convinced　that　some　secret　sorrow　preyed　upon　his　mind；　and

would　consume　his　health；　it　was　the　dearest　as　the　most　natural

desire　of　Adela　to　become　his　confidant　and　consoler。　　She

observed；　with　the　quick　tact　of　the　delicate；　that　he　disliked

her　to　seem　affected　by；　or　even　sensible　of；　his　darker　moods。

She　schooled　herself　to　suppress　her　fears　and　her　feelings。　　She

would　not　ask　his　confidence；she　sought　to　steal　into　it。　　By

little　and　little　she　felt　that　she　was　succeeding。　　Too　wrapped

in　his　own　strange　existence　to　be　acutely　observant　of　the

character　of　others；　Glyndon　mistook　the　self…content　of　a

generous　and　humble　affection　for　constitutional　fortitude；　and

this　quality　pleased　and　soothed　him。　　It　is　fortitude　that　the

diseased　mind　requires　in　the　confidant　whom　it　selects　as　its

physician。　　And　how　irresistible　is　that　desire　to　communicate！

How　often　the　lonely　man　thought　to　himself；　〃My　heart　would　be

lightened　of　its　misery；　if　once　confessed！〃　　He　felt；　too；　that

in　the　very　youth；　the　inexperience；　the　poetical　temperament　of

Adela；　he　could　find　one　who　would　comprehend　and　bear　with　him

better　than　any　sterner　and　more　practical　nature。　　Mervale　would

have　looked　on　his　revelations　as　the　ravings　of　madness；　and

most　men；　at　best；　as　the　sicklied　chimeras；　the　optical

delusions；　of　disease。　　Thus　gradually　preparing　himself　for　that

relief　for　which　he　yearned；　the　moment　for　his　disclosure

arrived　thus：



One　evening；　as　they　sat　alone　together；　Adela；　who　inherited

some　portion　of　her　brother's　talent　in　art；　was　employed　in

drawing；　and　Glyndon；　rousing　himself　from　meditations　less

gloomy　than　usual；　rose；　and　affectionately　passing　his　arm　round

her　waist；　looked　over　her　as　she　sat。　　An　exclamation　of　dismay

broke　from　his　lips；he　snatched　the　drawing　from　her　hand：

〃What　are　you　about？what　portrait　is　this？〃



〃Dear　Clarence；　do　you　not　remember　the　original？it　is　a　copy

from　that　portrait　of　our　wise　ancestor　which　our　poor　mother

used　to　say　so　strongly　resembled　you。　　I　thought　it　would　please

you　if　I　copied　it　from　memory。〃



〃Accursed　was　the　likeness！〃　said　Glyndon；　gloomily。　　〃Guess　you

not　the　reason　why　I　have　shunned　to　return　to　the　home　of　my

fathers！because　I　dreaded　to　meet　that　portrait！because

becausebut　pardon　me；　I　alarm　you！〃



〃Ah；　no；no；　Clarence；　you　never　alarm　me　when　you　speak：　　only

when　you　are　silent！　　Oh；　if　you　thought　me　worthy　of　your　trust；

oh；　if　you　had　given　me　the　right　to　reason　with　you　in　the

sorrows　that　I　yearn　to　share！〃



Glyndon　made　no　answer；　but　paced　the　room　for　some　moments　with

disordered　strides。　　He　stopped　at　last；　and　gazed　at　her

earnestly。　　〃Yes；　you；　too；　are　his　descendant；　you　know　that

such　men　have　lived　and　suffered；　you　will　not　mock　me；　you

will　not　disbelieve！　　Listen！　hark！what　sound　is　that？〃



〃But　the　wind　on　the　house…top；　Clarence；but　the　wind。〃



〃Give　me　your　hand；　let　me　feel　its　living　clasp；　and　when　I　have

told　you；　never　revert　to　the　tale　again。　　Conceal　it　from　all：

swear　that　it　shall　die　with　us；the　last　of　our　predestined

race！〃



〃Never　will　I　betray　your　trust；　I　swear　it；never！〃　said　Adela；

firmly；　and　she　drew　closer　to　his　side。　　Then　Glyndon　commenced

his　story。　　That　which；　perhaps；　in　writing；　and　to　minds

prepared