massimilla doni-第9章

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music　an　effect　yet　more　magical　than　that　of　the　/cadenza/。〃

〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Capraja。

〃The　unison　of　two　voices；　or　of　a　voice　and　a　violin；the　instrument
which　has　tones　most　nearly　resembling　those　of　the　human　voice；〃
replied　Cataneo。　〃This　perfect　concord　bears　us　on　to　the　very　heart
of　life；　on　the　tide　of　elements　which　can　resuscitate　rapture　and
carry　man　up　to　the　centre　of　the　luminous　sphere　where　his　mind　can
command　the　whole　universe。　You　still　need　a　/thema/；　Capraja；　but　the
pure　element　is　enough　for　me。　You　need　that　the　current　should　flow
through　the　myriad　canals　of　the　machine　to　fall　in　dazzling　cascades；
while　I　am　content　with　the　pure　tranquil　pool。　My　eye　gazes　across　a
lake　without　a　ripple。　I　can　embrace　the　infinite。〃

〃Speak　no　more；　Cataneo；〃　said　Capraja；　haughtily。　〃What！　Do　you　fail
to　see　the　fairy；　who；　in　her　swift　rush　through　the　sparkling
atmosphere；　collects　and　binds　with　the　golden　thread　of　harmony；　the
gems　of　melody　she　smilingly　sheds　on　us？　Have　you　ever　felt　the　touch
of　her　wand；　as　she　says　to　Curiosity；　'Awake！'　The　divinity　rises　up
radiant　from　the　depths　of　the　brain；　she　flies　to　her　store　of
wonders　and　fingers　them　lightly　as　an　organist　touches　the　keys。
Suddenly；　up　starts　Memory；　bringing　us　the　roses　of　the　past；
divinely　preserved　and　still　fresh。　The　mistress　of　our　youth　revives；
and　strokes　the　young　man's　hair。　Our　heart；　too　full；　overflows；　we
see　the　flowery　banks　of　the　torrent　of　love。　Every　burning　bush　we
ever　knew　blazes　afresh；　and　repeats　the　heavenly　words　we　once　heard
and　understood。　The　voice　rolls　on；　it　embraces　in　its　rapid　turns
those　fugitive　horizons；　and　they　shrink　away；　they　vanish；　eclipsed
by　newer　and　deeper　joysthose　of　an　unrevealed　future；　to　which　the
fairy　points　as　she　returns　to　the　blue　heaven。〃

〃And　you；〃　retorted　Cataneo；　〃have　you　never　seen　the　direct　ray　of　a
star　opening　the　vistas　above；　have　you　never　mounted　on　that　beam
which　guides　you　to　the　sky；　to　the　heart　of　the　first　causes　which
move　the　worlds？〃

To　their　hearers；　the　Duke　and　Capraja　were　playing　a　game　of　which
the　premises　were　unknown。

〃Genovese's　voice　thrills　through　every　fibre；〃　said　Capraja。

〃And　la　Tinti's　fires　the　blood；〃　replied　the　Duke。

〃What　a　paraphrase　of　happy　love　is　that　/cavatina/！〃　Capraja　went　on。
〃Ah！　Rossini　was　young　when　he　wrote　that　interpretation　of
effervescent　ecstasy。　My　heart　filled　with　renewed　blood；　a　thousand
cravings　tingled　in　my　veins。　Never　have　sounds　more　angelic　delivered
me　more　completely　from　my　earthly　bonds！　Never　did　the　fairy　wave
more　beautiful　arms；　smile　more　invitingly；　lift　her　tunic　more
cunningly　to　display　an　ankle；　raising　the　curtain　that　hides　my　other
life！〃

〃To…morrow；　my　old　friend；〃　replied　Cataneo；　〃you　shall　ride　on　the
back　of　a　dazzling；　white　swan；　who　will　show　you　the　loveliest　land
there　is；　you　shall　see　the　spring…time　as　children　see　it。　Your　heart
shall　open　to　the　radiance　of　a　new　sun；　you　shall　sleep　on　crimson
silk；　under　the　gaze　of　a　Madonna；　you　shall　feel　like　a　happy　lover
gently　kissed　by　a　nymph　whose　bare　feet　you　still　may　see；　but　who　is
about　to　vanish。　That　swan　will　be　the　voice　of　Genovese；　if　he　can
unite　it　to　its　Leda；　the　voice　of　Clarina。　To…morrow　night　we　are　to
hear　/Mose/；　the　grandest　opera　produced　by　Italy's　greatest　genius。〃

All　present　left　the　conversation　to　the　Duke　and　Capraja；　not　wishing
to　be　the　victims　of　mystification。　Only　Vendramin　and　the　French
doctor　listened　to　them　for　a　few　minutes。　The　opium…smoker　understood
these　poetic　flights；　he　had　the　key　of　the　palace　where　those　two
sensuous　imaginations　were　wandering。　The　doctor；　too；　tried　to
understand；　and　he　understood；　for　he　was　one　of　the　Pleiades　of
genius　belonging　to　the　Paris　school　of　medicine；　from　which　a　true
physician　comes　out　as　much　a　metaphysician　as　an　accomplished
analyst。

〃Do　you　understand　them？〃　said　Emilio　to　Vendramin　as　they　left　the
cafe　at　two　in　the　morning。

〃Yes；　my　dear　boy；〃　said　Vendramin；　taking　Emilio　home　with　him。
〃Those　two　men　are　of　the　legion　of　unearthly　spirits　to　whom　it　is
given　here　below　to　escape　from　the　wrappings　of　the　flesh；　who　can
fly　on　the　shoulders　of　the　queen　of　witchcraft　up　to　the　blue
empyrean　where　the　sublime　marvels　are　wrought　of　the　intellectual
life；　they；　by　the　power　of　art；　can　soar　whither　your　immense　love
carries　you；　whither　opium　transports　me。　Then　none　can　understand
them　but　those　who　are　like　them。

〃I；　who　can　inspire　my　soul　by　such　base　means；　who　can　pack　a　hundred
years　of　life　into　a　single　night；　I　can　understand　those　lofty
spirits　when　they　talk　of　that　glorious　land；　deemed　a　realm　of
chimeras　by　some　who　think　themselves　wise；　but　the　realm　of　reality
to　us　whom　they　think　mad。　Well；　the　Duke　and　Capraja；　who　were
acquainted　at　Naples；where　Cataneo　was　born；are　mad　about　music。〃

〃But　what　is　that　strange　system　that　Capraja　was　eager　to　explain　to
the　Duke？　Did　you　understand？〃

〃Yes；〃　replied　Vendramin。　〃Capraja's　great　friend　is　a　musician　from
Cremona；　lodging　in　the　Capello　palace；　who　has　a　theory　that　sounds
meet　with　an　element　in　man；　analogous　to　that　which　produces　ideas。
According　to　him；　man　has　within　him　keys　acted　on　by　sound；　and
corresponding　to　his　nerve…centres；　where　ideas　and　sensations　take
their　rise。　Capraja；　who　regards　the　arts　as　an　assemblage　of　means　by
which　he　can　harmonize；　in　himself；　all　external　nature　with　another
mysterious　nature　that　he　calls　the　inner　life；　shares　all　ideas　of
this　instrument…maker；　who　at　this　moment　is　composing　an　opera。

〃Conceive　of　a　sublime　creation；　wherein　the　marvels　of　the　visible
universe　are　reproduced　with　immeasurable　grandeur；　lightness；
swiftness；　and　extension；　wherein　sensation　is　infinite；　and　whither
certain　privileged　natures；　possessed　of　divine　powers；　are　able　to
penetrate；　and　you　will　have　some　notion　of　the　ecstatic　joys　of　which
Cataneo　and　Capraja　were　speaking；　both　poets；　each　for　himself　alone。
Only；　in　matters　of　the　intellect；　as　soon　as　a　man　can　rise　above　the
sphere　where　plastic　art　is　produced　by　a　process　of　imitation；　and
enter　into　that　transcendental　sphere　of　abstractions　where　everything
is　understood　as　an　elementary　principle；　and　seen　in　the　omnipotence
of　results；　that　man　is　no　longer　intelligible　to　ordinary　minds。〃

〃You　have　thus　explained　my　love　for　Massimilla；〃　said　Emilio。　〃There
is　in　me；　my　friend；　a　force　which　awakes　under　the　fire　of　her　look；
at　her　lightest　touch；　and　wafts　me　to　a　world　of　light　where　effects
are　produced　of　which　I　dare　not　speak。　It　has　seemed　to　me　often　that
the　delicate　tissue　of　her　skin　has　stamped　flowers　on　mine　as　her
hand　lies　on　my　hand。　Her　words　play　on　those　inner　keys　in　me；　of
which　you　spoke。　Desire　excites　my　brain；　stirring　that　invisible
world；　instead　of　exciting　my　passive　flesh；　the　air　seems　red　and
sparkling；　unknown　perfumes　of　indescribable　strength　relax　my　sinews；
roses　wreathe　my　temples；　and　I　feel　as　though　my　blood　were　escaping
through　opened　arteries；　so　complete　is　my　inanition。〃

〃That　is　the　effect　on　me　of　smoking　opium；〃　replied　Vendramin。

〃Then　do　you　wish　to　die？〃　cried　Emilio；　in　alarm。

〃With　Venice！〃　said　Vendramin；　waving　his　hand　in　the　direction　of　San
Marco。　〃Can　you　see　a　single　pinnacle　or　spire　that　stands　straight？
Do　you　not　perceive　that　the　sea　is　claiming　its　prey？〃

The　Prince　bent　his　head；　he　dared　no　more　speak　to　his　friend　of
love。

To　know　what　a　free　country　means；　you　must　have　traveled　in　a
conquered　land。

When　they　reached　the　Palazzo　Vendramin；　they　saw　a　gondola　moored　at
the　water…gate。　The　Prince　put　his　arm　round　Vendramin　and　clasped　him
affectionately；　saying：

〃Good…night　to　you；　my　dear　fellow！〃

〃What！　a　woman？　for　me；　whose　only　love　is　Venice？〃　exclaimed　Marco。

At　this　instant　the　gondolier；　who　was　leaning　against　a　column；
recognizing　the　man　he　was　to　look　out　for；　murmured　in　Emilio's　ear：

〃The　Duchess；　monseigneur。〃

Emilio　sprang　into　the　gondola；　where　he　was　seized　in　a　pair　of　soft
armsan　embrace　of　ironand　dragged　down　on　to　the　cushions；　where
he　felt　the　heaving　bosom　of　an　ardent　woman。　And　then　he　was　no　more
Emilio；　but　Clarina's　lover；　for　his　ideas　and　feelings　were　so
bewildering　that　he　yielded　as　if　stupefied　by　her　first　kiss。

〃Forgive　this　trick；　my　beloved；〃　said　the　Sicilian。　〃I　shall　die　if
you　do　not　come　with　me。〃

And　the　gondola　flew　over　the　secret　water。



At　half…past　seven　on　the　following　evening；　the　spectators　were　again
in　their　places　in　the　theatre；　excepting　that　those　in　the　pit　always
took　their　chances　of　where　they　might　sit。　Old　Capraja　was　in
Cataneo's　box。

Before　the　overture　the　Duke　paid　a　call　on　the　Duchess；　he　made　a
point　of　standing　behind　her　and　leaving　the　front　seat　to　Emilio　next
the　Duchess。　He　made　a　few　trivial　remarks；　without　sarcasm　or
bitterness；　and　with　as　polite　a　manner　as　if　he　were　visiting　a
stranger。

But　in　spite　of　his　efforts　to　seem　amiable　and　natural；　the　Prince
could　not　control　his　expression；　which　was　deeply　anxious。　Bystanders
would　have　ascribed　such　a　change　in　his　usually　placid　features　to
jealousy。　The　Duchess　no　doubt　shared　Emilio's　feelings；　she　looked
gloomy　and　was　evidently　depressed。　The　Duke；　uncomfortable　enough
between　two　sulky　people；　took　advantage　of　the　French　doctor's
entrance　to　slip　away。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Cataneo　to　his　physician　before　dropping　the　curtain
over　the　entrance　to　the　box；　〃you　will　hear　to…night　a　grand　musical
poem；　not　easy　of　comprehension　at　a　first　hearing。　But　in　leaving　you
with　the　Duchess　I　know　that　you　can　have　no　more　competent
interpreter；　for　she　is　my　pupil。〃

The　doctor；　like　the　Duke；　was　struck　by　the　expression　stamped　on　the
faces　of　the　lovers；　a　look　of　pining　despair。

〃Then　does　an　Italian　opera　need　a　guide　to　it？〃　he　asked　Massimilla；
with　a　smile。

Recalled　by　this　question　to　her　duties　as　mistress　of　the　box；　the
Duchess　tried　to　chase　away　the　clouds　that　darkened　her　brow；　and
replied；　with　eager　haste；　to　open　a　conversation　in　which　she　might
vent　her　irritation：

〃This　is　not　so　much　an　opera；　monsieur；〃　said　she；　〃as　an　oratorioa
work　which　is　in　fact　not　unlike　a　most　magnificent　edifice；　and　I
shall　with　pleasure　be　your　guide。　Believe　me；　it　will　not　be　too　much
to　give　all　your　mind　to　our　great　Rossini；　for　you　need　to　be　at　once
a　poet　and　a　musician　to　appreciate　the　whole　bearing　of　such　a　work。

〃You　belong　to　a　race　whose　language　and　genius　are　too　practical　for
it　to　enter　into　music　without　an　effort；　but　France　is　too
intellectual　not　to　learn　to　love　it　and　cultivate　it；　and　to　succeed
in　that　as　in　everything　else。　Also；　it　must　be　acknowledged　that
music；　as　created　by　Lulli；　Rameau；　Haydn；　Mozart；　Beethoven；
Cimarosa；　Paisiello；　and　Rossini；　and　as　it　will　be　carried　on　by　the
great　geniuses　of　the　future；　is　a　new　art；　unknown　to　former
generations；　they　had　indeed　no　such　variety　of　instruments　on　which
the　flowers　of　melody　now　blossom　as　on　some　rich　soil。

〃So　novel　an　art　dem