zanoni-第75章

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〃Bless　thee　for　this；〃　exclaimed　Zanoni；　passionately；　〃and　thou

shalt　be　blessed！　　What！　couldst　thou　not　perceive　that　at　the

entrance　to　all　the　grander　worlds　dwell　the　race　that　intimidate

and　awe？　　Who　in　thy　daily　world　ever　left　the　old　regions　of

Custom　and　Prescription；　and　felt　not　the　first　seizure　of　the

shapeless　and　nameless　Fear？　　Everywhere　around　thee　where　men

aspire　and　labour；　though　they　see　it　not；in　the　closet　of　the

sage；　in　the　council　of　the　demagogue；　in　the　camp　of　the

warrior；everywhere　cowers　and　darkens　the　Unutterable　Horror。

But　there；　where　thou　hast　ventured；　alone　is　the　Phantom

VISIBLE；　and　never　will　it　cease　to　haunt；　till　thou　canst　pass

to　the　Infinite；　as　the　seraph；　or　return　to　the　Familiar；　as　a

child！　　But　answer　me　this：　　when；　seeking　to　adhere　to　some　calm

resolve　of　virtue；　the　Phantom　hath　stalked　suddenly　to　thy　side；

when　its　voice　hath　whispered　thee　despair；　when　its　ghastly　eyes

would　scare　thee　back　to　those　scenes　of　earthly　craft　or　riotous

excitement　from　which；　as　it　leaves　thee　to　worse　foes　to　the

soul；　its　presence　is　ever　absent；hast　thou　never　bravely

resisted　the　spectre　and　thine　own　horror；　hast　thou　never　said；

'Come　what　may；　to　Virtue　I　will　cling？'〃



〃Alas！〃　answered　Glyndon；　〃only　of　late　have　I　dared　to　do　so。〃



〃And　thou　hast　felt　then　that　the　Phantom　grew　more　dim　and　its

power　more　faint？〃



〃It　is　true。〃



〃Rejoice；　then！thou　hast　overcome　the　true　terror　and　mystery

of　the　ordeal。　　Resolve　is　the　first　success。　　Rejoice；　for　the

exorcism　is　sure！　　Thou　art　not　of　those　who；　denying　a　life　to

come；　are　the　victims　of　the　Inexorable　Horror。　　Oh；　when　shall

men　learn；　at　last；　that　if　the　Great　Religion　inculcates　so

rigidly　the　necessity　of　FAITH；　it　is　not　alone　that　FAITH　leads

to　the　world　to　be；　but　that　without　faith　there　is　no　excellence

in　this；faith　in　something　wiser；　happier；　diviner；　than　we　see

on　earth！the　artist　calls　it　the　Ideal；the　priest；　Faith。

The　Ideal　and　Faith　are　one　and　the　same。　　Return；　O　wanderer；

return！　　Feel　what　beauty　and　holiness　dwell　in　the　Customary　and

the　Old。　　Back　to　thy　gateway　glide；　thou　Horror！　and　calm；　on

the　childlike　heart；　smile　again；　O　azure　Heaven；　with　thy　night

and　thy　morning　star　but　as　one；　though　under　its　double　name　of

Memory　and　Hope！〃



As　he　thus　spoke；　Zanoni　laid　his　hand　gently　on　the　burning

temples　of　his　excited　and　wondering　listener；　and　presently　a

sort　of　trance　came　over　him：　　he　imagined　that　he　was　returned

to　the　home　of　his　infancy；　that　he　was　in　the　small　chamber

where；　over　his　early　slumbers；　his　mother　had　watched　and

prayed。　　There　it　was；visible；　palpable；　solitary；　unaltered。

In　the　recess；　the　homely　bed；　on　the　walls；　the　shelves　filled

with　holy　books；　the　very　easel　on　which　he　had　first　sought　to

call　the　ideal　to　the　canvas；　dust…covered；　broken；　in　the

corner。　　Below　the　window　lay　the　old　churchyard：　　he　saw　it

green　in　the　distance；　the　sun　glancing　through　the　yew…trees；　he

saw　the　tomb　where　father　and　mother　lay　united；　and　the　spire

pointing　up　to　heaven；　the　symbol　of　the　hopes　of　those　who

consigned　the　ashes　to　the　dust；　in　his　ear　rang　the　bells；

pealing；　as　on　a　Sabbath　day。　　Far　fled　all　the　visions　of

anxiety　and　awe　that　had　haunted　and　convulsed；　youth；　boyhood；

childhood　came　back　to　him　with　innocent　desires　and　hopes；　he

thought　he　fell　upon　his　knees　to　pray。　　He　woke；he　woke　in

delicious　tears；　he　felt　that　the　Phantom　was　fled　forever。　　He

looked　round；Zanoni　was　gone。　　On　the　table　lay　these　lines；

the　ink　yet　wet：



〃I　will　find　ways　and　means　for　thy　escape。　　At　nightfall；　as　the

clock　strikes　nine；　a　boat　shall　wait　thee　on　the　river　before

this　house；　the　boatman　will　guide　thee　to　a　retreat　where　thou

mayst　rest　in　safety　till　the　Reign　of　Terror；　which　nears　its

close；　be　past。　　Think　no　more　of　the　sensual　love　that　lured；

and　wellnigh　lost　thee。　　It　betrayed；　and　would　have　destroyed。

Thou　wilt　regain　thy　land　in　safety；long　years　yet　spared　to

thee　to　muse　over　the　past；　and　to　redeem　it。　　For　thy　future；　be

thy　dream　thy　guide；　and　thy　tears　thy　baptism。〃



The　Englishman　obeyed　the　injunctions　of　the　letter；　and　found

their　truth。





CHAPTER　7。X。



Quid　mirare　meas　tot　in　uno　corpore　formas？

Propert。



（Why　wonder　that　I　have　so　many　forms　in　a　single　body？）



Zanoni　to　Mejnour。



。。。



〃She　is　in　one　of　their　prisons；their　inexorable　prisons。　　It

is　Robespierre's　order；I　have　tracked　the　cause　to　Glyndon。

This；　then；　made　that　terrible　connection　between　their　fates

which　I　could　not　unravel；　but　which　（till　severed　as　it　now　is）

wrapped　Glyndon　himself　in　the　same　cloud　that　concealed　her。　　In

prison；in　prison！it　is　the　gate　of　the　grave！　　Her　trial；　and

the　inevitable　execution　that　follows　such　trial；　is　the　third

day　from　this。　　The　tyrant　has　fixed　all　his　schemes　of　slaughter

for　the　10th　of　Thermidor。　　While　the　deaths　of　the　unoffending

strike　awe　to　the　city；　his　satellites　are　to　massacre　his　foes。

There　is　but　one　hope　left；that　the　Power　which　now　dooms　the

doomer；　may　render　me　an　instrument　to　expedite　his　fall。　　But

two　days　left；two　days！　　In　all　my　wealth　of　time　I　see　but　two

days；　all　beyond；darkness；　solitude。　　I　may　save　her　yet。　　The

tyrant　shall　fall　the　day　before　that　which　he　has　set　apart　for

slaughter！　　For　the　first　time　I　mix　among　the　broils　and

stratagems　of　men；　and　my　mind　leaps　up　from　my　despair；　armed

and　eager　for　the　contest。〃



。。。



A　crowd　had　gathered　round　the　Rue　St。　Honore；　a　young　man　was

just　arrested　by　the　order　of　Robespierre。　　He　was　known　to　be　in

the　service　of　Tallien；　that　hostile　leader　in　the　Convention；

whom　the　tyrant　had　hitherto　trembled　to　attack。　　This　incident

had　therefore　produced　a　greater　excitement　than　a　circumstance

so　customary　as　an　arrest　in　the　Reign　of　Terror　might　be

supposed　to　create。　　Amongst　the　crowd　were　many　friends　of

Tallien；　many　foes　to　the　tyrant；　many　weary　of　beholding　the

tiger　dragging　victim　after　victim　to　its　den。　　Hoarse；

foreboding　murmurs　were　heard；　fierce　eyes　glared　upon　the

officers　as　they　seized　their　prisoner；　and　though　they　did　not

yet　dare　openly　to　resist；　those　in　the　rear　pressed　on　those

behind；　and　encumbered　the　path　of　the　captive　and　his　captors。

The　young　man　struggled　hard　for　escape；　and；　by　a　violent

effort；　at　last　wrenched　himself　from　the　grasp。　　The　crowd　made

way；　and　closed　round　to　protect　him；　as　he　dived　and　darted

through　their　ranks；　but　suddenly　the　trampling　of　horses　was

heard　at　hand；the　savage　Henriot　and　his　troop　were　bearing

down　upon　the　mob。　　The　crowd　gave　way　in　alarm；　and　the　prisoner

was　again　seized　by　one　of　the　partisans　of　the　Dictator。　　At

that　moment　a　voice　whispered　the　prisoner；　〃Thou　hast　a　letter

which；　if　found　on　thee；　ruins　thy　last　hope。　　Give　it　to　me！　　I

will　bear　it　to　Tallien。〃　　The　prisoner　turned　in　amaze；　read

something　that　encouraged　him　in　the　eyes　of　the　stranger　who

thus　accosted　him。　　The　troop　were　now　on　the　spot；　the　Jacobin

who　had　seized　the　prisoner　released　hold　of　him　for　a　moment　to

escape　the　hoofs　of　the　horses：　　in　that　moment　the　opportunity

was　found；the　stranger　had　disappeared。



。。。



At　the　house　of　Tallien　the　principal　foes　of　the　tyrant　were

assembled。　　Common　danger　made　common　fellowship。　　All　factions

laid　aside　their　feuds　for　the　hour　to　unite　against　the

formidable　man　who　was　marching　over　all　factions　to　his　gory

throne。　　There　was　bold　Lecointre；　the　declared　enemy；　there；

creeping　Barrere；　who　would　reconcile　all　extremes；　the　hero　of

the　cowards；　Barras；　calm　and　collected；　Collet　d'Herbois；

breathing　wrath　and　vengeance；　and　seeing　not　that　the　crimes　of

Robespierre　alone　sheltered　his　own。



The　council　was　agitated　and　irresolute。　　The　awe　which　the

uniform　success　and　the　prodigious　energy　of　Robespierre　excited

still　held　the　greater　part　under　its　control。　　Tallien；　whom　the

tyrant　most　feared；　and　who　alone　could　give　head　and　substance

and　direction　to　so　many　contradictory　passions；　was　too　sullied

by　the　memory　of　his　own　cruelties　not　to　feel　embarrassed　by　his

position　as　the　champion　of　mercy。　　〃It　is　true；〃　he　said；　after

an　animating　harangue　from　Lecointre；　〃that　the　Usurper　menaces

us　all。　　But　he　is　still　so　beloved　by　his　mobs；still　so

supported　by　his　Jacobins：　　better　delay　open　hostilities　till

the　hour　is　more　ripe。　　To　attempt　and　not　succeed　is　to　give　us；

bound　hand　and　foot；　to　the　guillotine。　　Every　day　his　power　must

decline。　　Procrastination　is　our　best　ally〃　　While　yet

speaking；　and　while　yet　producing　the　effect　of　water　on　the

fire；　it　was　announced　that　a　stranger　demanded　to　see　him

instantly　on　business　that　brooked　no　delay。



〃I　am　not　at　leisure；〃　said　the　orator；　impatiently。　　The　servant

placed　a　note　on　the　table。　　Tallien　opened　it；　and　found　these

words　in　pencil；　〃From　the　prison　of　Teresa　de　Fontenai。〃　　He

turned　pale；　started　up；　and　hastened　to　the　anteroom；　where　he

beheld　a　face　entirely　strange　to　him。



〃Hope　of　France！〃　said　the　visitor　to　him；　and　the　very　sound　of

his　voice　went　straight　to　the　heart；〃your　servant　is　arrested

in　the　streets。　　I　have　saved　your　life；　and　that　of　your　wife

who　will　be。　　I　bring　to　you　this　letter　from　Teresa　de

Fontenai。〃



Tallien；　with　a　trembling　hand；　opened　the　letter；　and　read；



〃Am　I　forever　to　implore　you　in　vain？　　Again　and　again　I　say；

'Lose　not　an　hour　if　you　value　my　life　and　your　own。'　　My　trial

and　death　are　fixed　the　third　day　from　this；the　10th　Thermidor。

Strike　while　it　is　yet　time；strike　the　monster！you　have　two

days　yet。　　If　you　fail；if　you　procrastinate；see　me　for　the

last　time　as　I　pass　your　windows　to　the　guillotine！〃



〃Her　trial　will　give　proof　against　you；〃　said　the　stranger。　　〃Her

death　is　the　herald　of　your　own。　　Fear　not　the　populace；the

populace　would　have　rescued　your　servant。　　Fear　not　Robespierre；

he　gives　himself　to　your　hands。　　To…morrow　he　comes　to　the

Convention；to…morrow　you　must　cast　the　last　throw　for　his　head

or　your　own。〃



〃To…morrow　he　comes　to　the　Convention！　　And　who　are　you　that　know

so　well　what　is　concealed　from　me？〃



〃A　man　like　you；　who　would　save　the　woman　he　loves。〃



Before　Tallien　could　recover　his　surprise；　the　visitor　was　gone。



Back　went　the　Avenger　to　his　conclave　an　altered　man。　　〃I　have

heard　tidings；no　matter　what；〃　he　cried；〃that　have　changed　my

purpose。　　On　the　10th　we　are　destined　to　the　guillotine。　　I

revoke　my　counsel　for　delay。　　Robespierre　comes　to　the　Convention

to…morrow；　THERE　we　must　confront　and　crush　him。　　From　the

Mountain　shall　frown　against　him　the　grim　shade　of　Danton；from

the　Plain　shall　rise；　in　their　bloody　cerements；　the　spectres　of

Vergniaud　and　Condorcet。　　Frappo