zanoni-第81章

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Value　each　head　of　your　eighty　at　a　thousand　francs；　and　the

jewel　is　more　worth　than　all！　　The　jailer　paused；　and　the　diamond

laughed　in　his　dazzled　eyes。　　O　thou　Cerberus；　thou　hast　mastered

all　else　that　seems　human　in　that　fell　employ！　　Thou　hast　no

pity；　no　love；　and　no　remorse。　　But　Avarice　survives　the　rest；

and　the　foul　heart's　master…serpent　swallows　up　the　tribe。　　Ha！

ha！　crafty　stranger；　thou　hast　conquered！　　They　tread　the　gloomy

corridor；　they　arrive　at　the　door　where　the　jailer　has　placed　the

fatal　mark；　now　to　be　erased；　for　the　prisoner　within　is　to　be

reprieved　a　day。　　The　key　grates　in　the　lock；　the　door　yawns；

the　stranger　takes　the　lamp　and　enters。





CHAPTER　7。XVII。　　The　Seventeenth　and　Last。



Cosi　vince　Goffredo！

〃Ger。　Lib。〃　cant。　xx。…xliv。



（Thus　conquered　Godfrey。）



And　Viola　was　in　prayer。　　She　heard　not　the　opening　of　the　door；

she　saw　not　the　dark　shadow　that　fell　along　the　floor。　　HIS

power；　HIS　arts　were　gone；　but　the　mystery　and　the　spell　known　to

HER　simple　heart　did　not　desert　her　in　the　hours　of　trial　and

despair。　　When　Science　falls　as　a　firework　from　the　sky　it　would

invade；　when　Genius　withers　as　a　flower　in　the　breath　of　the　icy

charnel；the　hope　of　a　child…like　soul　wraps　the　air　in　light；

and　the　innocence　of　unquestioning　Belief　covers　the　grave　with

blossoms。



In　the　farthest　corner　of　the　cell　she　knelt；　and　the　infant；　as

if　to　imitate　what　it　could　not　comprehend；　bent　its　little

limbs；　and　bowed　its　smiling　face；　and　knelt　with　her　also；　by

her　side。



He　stood　and　gazed　upon　them　as　the　light　of　the　lamp　fell　calmly

on　their　forms。　　It　fell　over　those　clouds　of　golden　hair；

dishevelled；　parted；　thrown　back　from　the　rapt；　candid　brow；　the

dark　eyes　raised　on　high；　where；　through　the　human　tears；　a　light

as　from　above　was　mirrored；　the　hands　clasped；　the　lips　apart；

the　form　all　animate　and　holy　with　the　sad　serenity　of　innocence

and　the　touching　humility　of　woman。　　And　he　heard　her　voice；

though　it　scarcely　left　her　lips：　　the　low　voice　that　the　heart

speaks；loud　enough　for　God　to　hear！



〃And　if　never　more　to　see　him；　O　Father！　　Canst　Thou　not　make　the

love　that　will　not　die；　minister；　even　beyond　the　grave；　to　his

earthly　fate？　　Canst　Thou　not　yet　permit　it；　as　a　living　spirit；

to　hover　over　him；a　spirit　fairer　than　all　his　science　can

conjure？　　Oh；　whatever　lot　be　ordained　to　either；　granteven

though　a　thousand　ages　may　roll　between　usgrant；　when　at　last

purified　and　regenerate；　and　fitted　for　the　transport　of　such

reuniongrant　that　we　may　meet　once　more！　　And　for　his　child；

it　kneels　to　Thee　from　the　dungeon　floor！　　To…morrow；　and　whose

breast　shall　cradle　it；　whose　hand　shall　feed；　whose　lips　shall

pray　for　its　weal　below　and　its　soul　hereafter！〃　　She　paused；

her　voice　choked　with　sobs。



〃Thou　Viola！thou；　thyself。　　He　whom　thou　hast　deserted　is　here

to　preserve　the　mother　to　the　child！〃



She　started！those　accents；　tremulous　as　her　own！　　She　started

to　her　feet！he　was　there；in　all　the　pride　of　his　unwaning

youth　and　superhuman　beauty；　there；　in　the　house　of　dread；　and　in

the　hour　of　travail；　there；　image　and　personation　of　the　love

that　can　pierce　the　Valley　of　the　Shadow；　and　can　glide；　the

unscathed　wanderer　from　the　heaven；　through　the　roaring　abyss　of

hell！



With　a　cry　never；　perhaps；　heard　before　in　that　gloomy　vault；a

cry　of　delight　and　rapture；　she　sprang　forward；　and　fell　at　his

feet。



He　bent　down　to　raise　her；　but　she　slid　from　his　arms。　　He　called

her　by　the　familiar　epithets　of　the　old　endearment；　and　she　only

answered　him　by　sobs。　　Wildly；　passionately；　she　kissed　his

hands；　the　hem　of　his　garment；　but　voice　was　gone。



〃Look　up；　look　up！I　am　here；I　am　here　to　save　thee！　　Wilt

thou　deny　to　me　thy　sweet　face？　　Truant；　wouldst　thou　fly　me

still？〃



〃Fly　thee！〃　she　said；　at　last；　and　in　a　broken　voice；　〃oh；　if　my

thoughts　wronged　thee；oh；　if　my　dream；　that　awful　dream；

deceived；kneel　down　with　me；　and　pray　for　our　child！〃　　Then

springing　to　her　feet　with　a　sudden　impulse；　she　caught　up　the

infant；　and；　placing　it　in　his　arms；　sobbed　forth；　with

deprecating　and　humble　tones；　〃Not　for　my　sake；not　for　mine；

did　I　abandon　thee；　but〃



〃Hush！〃　said　Zanoni；　〃I　know　all　the　thoughts　that　thy　confused

and　struggling　senses　can　scarcely　analyse　themselves。　　And　see

how；　with　a　look；　thy　child　answers　them！〃



And　in　truth　the　face　of　that　strange　infant　seemed　radiant　with

its　silent　and　unfathomable　joy。　　It　seemed　as　if　it　recognised

the　father；　it　clungit　forced　itself　to　his　breast；　and　there；

nestling；　turned　its　bright；　clear　eyes　upon　Viola；　and　smiled。



〃Pray　for　my　child！〃　said　Zanoni；　mournfully。　　〃The　thoughts　of

souls　that　would　aspire　as　mine　are　All　PRAYER！〃　　And；　seating

himself　by　her　side；　he　began　to　reveal　to　her　some　of　the　holier

secrets　of　his　lofty　being。　　He　spoke　of　the　sublime　and　intense

faith　from　which　alone　the　diviner　knowledge　can　arise；the

faith　which；　seeing　the　immortal　everywhere；　purifies　and　exalts

the　mortal　that　beholds；　the　glorious　ambition　that　dwells　not　in

the　cabals　and　crimes　of　earth；　but　amidst　those　solemn　wonders

that　speak　not　of　men；　but　of　God；　of　that　power　to　abstract　the

soul　from　the　clay　which　gives　to　the　eye　of　the　soul　its　subtle

vision；　and　to　the　soul's　wing　the　unlimited　realm；　of　that　pure；

severe；　and　daring　initiation　from　which　the　mind　emerges；　as

from　death；　into　clear　perceptions　of　its　kindred　with　the

Father…Principles　of　life　and　light；　so　that　in　its　own　sense　of

the　Beautiful　it　finds　its　joy；　in　the　serenity　of　its　will；　its

power；　in　its　sympathy　with　the　youthfulness　of　the　Infinite

Creation；　of　which　itself　is　an　essence　and　a　part；　the　secrets

that　embalm　the　very　clay　which　they　consecrate；　and　renew　the

strength　of　life　with　the　ambrosia　of　mysterious　and　celestial

sleep。　　And　while　he　spoke；　Viola　listened；　breathless。　　If　she

could　not　comprehend；　she　no　longer　dared　to　distrust。　　She　felt

that　in　that　enthusiasm；　self…deceiving　or　not；　no　fiend　could

lurk；　and　by　an　intuition；　rather　than　an　effort　of　the　reason；

she　saw　before　her；　like　a　starry　ocean；　the　depth　and　mysterious

beauty　of　the　soul　which　her　fears　had　wronged。　　Yet；　when　he

said　（concluding　his　strange　confessions）　that　to　this　life

WITHIN　life　and　ABOVE　life　he　had　dreamed　to　raise　her　own；　the

fear　of　humanity　crept　over　her；　and　he　read　in　her　silence　how

vain；　with　all　his　science；　would　the　dream　have　been。



But　now；　as　he　closed；　and；　leaning　on　his　breast；　she　felt　the

clasp　of　his　protecting　arms；when；　in　one　holy　kiss；　the　past

was　forgiven　and　the　present　lost；then　there　returned　to　her

the　sweet　and　warm　hopes　of　the　natural　life；　of　the　loving

woman。　　He　was　come　to　save　her！　　She　asked　not　how；she

believed　it　without　a　question。　　They　should　be　at　last　again

united。　　They　would　fly　far　from　those　scenes　of　violence　and

blood。　　Their　happy　Ionian　isle；　their　fearless　solitudes；　would

once　more　receive　them。　　She　laughed；　with　a　child's　joy；　as　this

picture　rose　up　amidst　the　gloom　of　the　dungeon。　　Her　mind；

faithful　to　its　sweet；　simple　instincts；　refused　to　receive　the

lofty　images　that　flitted　confusedly　by　it；　and　settled　back　to

its　human　visions；　yet　more　baseless；　of　the　earthly　happiness

and　the　tranquil　home。



〃Talk　not　now　to　me；　beloved；talk　not　more　now　to　me　of　the

past！　　Thou　art　here；thou　wilt　save　me；　we　shall　live　yet　the

common　happy　life；　that　life　with　thee　is　happiness　and　glory

enough　to　me。　　Traverse；　if　thou　wilt；　in　thy　pride　of　soul；　the

universe；　thy　heart　again　is　the　universe　to　mine。　　I　thought　but

now　that　I　was　prepared　to　die；　I　see　thee；　touch　thee；　and　again

I　know　how　beautiful　a　thing　is　life！　　See　through　the　grate　the

stars　are　fading　from　the　sky；　the　morrow　will　soon　be　here；The

MORROW　which　will　open　the　prison　doors！　　Thou　sayest　thou　canst

save　me；I　will　not　doubt　it　now。　　Oh；　let　us　dwell　no　more　in

cities！　　I　never　doubted　thee　in　our　lovely　isle；　no　dreams

haunted　me　there；　except　dreams　of　joy　and　beauty；　and　thine　eyes

made　yet　more　beautiful　and　joyous　the　world　in　waking。　　To…

morrow！why　do　you　not　smile？　　To…morrow；　love！　is　not　TO…MORROW

a　blessed　word！　　Cruel！　you　would　punish　me　still；　that　you　will

not　share　my　joy。　　Aha！　see　our　little　one；　how　it　laughs　to　my

eyes！　　I　will　talk　to　THAT。　　Child；　thy　father　is　come　back！〃



And　taking　the　infant　in　her　arms；　and　seating　herself　at　a

little　distance；　she　rocked　it　to　and　fro　on　her　bosom；　and

prattled　to　it；　and　kissed　it　between　every　word；　and　laughed　and

wept　by　fits；　as　ever　and　anon　she　cast　over　her　shoulder　her

playful；　mirthful　glance　upon　the　father　to　whom　those　fading

stars　smiled　sadly　their　last　farewell。　　How　beautiful　she　seemed

as　she　thus　sat；　unconscious　of　the　future！　　Still　half　a　child

herself；　her　child　laughing　to　her　laughter；two　soft　triflers

on　the　brink　of　the　grave！　　Over　her　throat；　as　she　bent；　fell；

like　a　golden　cloud；　her　redundant　hair；　it　covered　her　treasure

like　a　veil　of　light；　and　the　child's　little　hands　put　it　aside

from　time　to　time；　to　smile　through　the　parted　tresses；　and　then

to　cover　its　face　and　peep　and　smile　again。　　It　were　cruel　to

damp　that　joy；　more　cruel　still　to　share　it。



〃Viola；〃　said　Zanoni；　at　last；　〃dost　thou　remember　that；　seated

by　the　cave　on　the　moonlit　beach；　in　our　bridal　isle；　thou　once

didst　ask　me　for　this　amulet？the　charm　of　a　superstition　long

vanished　from　the　world；　with　the　creed　to　which　it　belonged。　　It

is　the　last　relic　of　my　native　land；　and　my　mother；　on　her

deathbed；　placed　it　round　my　neck。　　I　told　thee　then　I　would　give

it　thee　on　that　day　WHEN　THE　LAWS　OF　OUR　BEING　SHOULD　BECOME　THE

SAME。〃



〃I　remember　it　well。〃



〃To…morrow　it　shall　be　thine！〃



〃Ah；　that　dear　to…morrow！〃　　And；　gently　laying　down　her　child；

for　it　slept　now；she　threw　herself　on　his　breast；　and　pointed

to　the　dawn　that　began　greyly　to　creep　along　the　skies。



There；　in　those　horror…breathing　walls；　the　day…star　looked

through　the　dismal　bars　upon　those　three　beings；　in　whom　were

concentrated　whatever　is　most　tender　in　human　ties；　whatever　is

most　mysterious　in　the　combinations　of　the　human　mind；　the

sleeping　Innocence；　the　trustful　Affection；　that；　contented　with

a　touch；　a　breath；　can　foresee　no　sorrow；　the　weary　Science　that；

traversing　all　the　secrets　of　creation；　comes　at　last　to　Death

for　their　solution；　and　still　clings；　as　it　nears　the　threshold；

to　the　breast　of　Love。　　Thus；　within；　THE　WITHIN；a　dungeon；

without；　the　WITHOUT；stately　with　marts　and　halls；　with　palaces

and　temples；　Revenge　and　Terror；　at　their　dark　schemes　and

counter…schemes；　to　and　fro；　upon　the　tide　of　the　shifting

passions；　reeled　the　destinies　of　men　and　nations；　and　hard　at

hand　that　day…star；　waning　into　sp