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zanoni-第55部分

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CHAPTER 4。III。



Man is the eye of things。Euryph; 〃de Vit。 Hum。〃



。。。There is; therefore; a certain ecstatical or transporting

power; which; if at any time it shall be excited or stirred up by

an ardent desire and most strong imagination; is able to conduct

the spirit of the more outward even to some absent and

far…distant object。Von Helmont。



The rooms that Mejnour occupied consisted of two chambers

communicating with each other; and a third in which he slept。

All these rooms were placed in the huge square tower that beetled

over the dark and bush…grown precipice。  The first chamber which

Glyndon entered was empty。  With a noiseless step he passed on;

and opened the door that admitted into the inner one。  He drew

back at the threshold; overpowered by a strong fragrance which

filled the chamber:  a kind of mist thickened the air rather than

obscured it; for this vapour was not dark; but resembled a snow…

cloud moving slowly; and in heavy undulations; wave upon wave

regularly over the space。  A mortal cold struck to the

Englishman's heart; and his blood froze。  He stood rooted to the

spot; and as his eyes strained involuntarily through the vapour;

he fancied (for he could not be sure that it was not the trick of

his imagination) that he saw dim; spectre…like; but gigantic

forms floating through the mist; or was it not rather the mist

itself that formed its vapours fantastically into those moving;

impalpable; and bodiless apparitions?  A great painter of

antiquity is said; in a picture of Hades; to have represented the

monsters that glide through the ghostly River of the Dead; so

artfully; that the eye perceived at once that the river itself

was but a spectre; and the bloodless things that tenanted it had

no life; their forms blending with the dead waters till; as the

eye continued to gaze; it ceased to discern them from the

preternatural element they were supposed to inhabit。  Such were

the moving outlines that coiled and floated through the mist; but

before Glyndon had even drawn breath in this atmospherefor his

life itself seemed arrested or changed into a kind of horrid

trancehe felt his hand seized; and he was led from that room

into the outer one。  He heard the door close;his blood rushed

again through his veins; and he saw Mejnour by his side。  Strong

convulsions then suddenly seized his whole frame;he fell to the

ground insensible。  When he recovered; he found himself in the

open air in a rude balcony of stone that jutted from the chamber;

the stars shining serenely over the dark abyss below; and resting

calmly upon the face of the mystic; who stood beside him with

folded arms。



〃Young man;〃 said Mejnour; 〃judge by what you have just felt; how

dangerous it is to seek knowledge until prepared to receive it。

Another moment in the air of that chamber and you had been a

corpse。〃



〃Then of what nature was the knowledge that you; once mortal like

myself; could safely have sought in that icy atmosphere; which it

was death for me to breathe?  Mejnour;〃 continued Glyndon; and

his wild desire; sharpened by the very danger he had passed; once

more animated and nerved him; 〃I am prepared at least for the

first steps。  I come to you as of old the pupil to the

Hierophant; and demand the initiation。〃



Mejnour passed his hand over the young man's heart;it beat

loud; regularly; and boldly。  He looked at him with something

almost like admiration in his passionless and frigid features;

and muttered; half to himself; 〃Surely; in so much courage the

true disciple is found at last。〃  Then; speaking aloud; he added;

〃Be it so; man's first initiation is in TRANCE。  In dreams

commences all human knowledge; in dreams hovers over measureless

space the first faint bridge between spirit and spirit;this

world and the worlds beyond!  Look steadfastly on yonder star!〃



Glyndon obeyed; and Mejnour retired into the chamber; from which

there then slowly emerged a vapour; somewhat paler and of fainter

odour than that which had nearly produced so fatal an effect on

his frame。  This; on the contrary; as it coiled around him; and

then melted in thin spires into the air; breathed a refreshing

and healthful fragrance。  He still kept his eyes on the star; and

the star seemed gradually to fix and command his gaze。  A sort of

languor next seized his frame; but without; as he thought;

communicating itself to the mind; and as this crept over him; he

felt his temples sprinkled with some volatile and fiery essence。

At the same moment a slight tremor shook his limbs and thrilled

through his veins。  The languor increased; still he kept his gaze

upon the star; and now its luminous circumference seemed to

expand and dilate。  It became gradually softer and clearer in its

light; spreading wider and broader; it diffused all space;all

space seemed swallowed up in it。  And at last; in the midst of a

silver shining atmosphere; he felt as if something burst within

his brain;as if a strong chain were broken; and at that moment

a sense of heavenly liberty; of unutterable delight; of freedom

from the body; of birdlike lightness; seemed to float him into

the space itself。  〃Whom; now upon earth; dost thou wish to see?〃

whispered the voice of Mejnour。  〃Viola and Zanoni!〃 answered

Glyndon; in his heart; but he felt that his lips moved not。



Suddenly at that thought;through this space; in which nothing

save one mellow translucent light had been discernible;a swift

succession of shadowy landscapes seemed to roll:  trees;

mountains; cities; seas; glided along like the changes of a

phantasmagoria; and at last; settled and stationary; he saw a

cave by the gradual marge of an ocean shore;myrtles and

orange…trees clothing the gentle banks。  On a height; at a

distance; gleamed the white but shattered relics of some ruined

heathen edifice; and the moon; in calm splendour; shining over

all; literally bathed with its light two forms without the cave;

at whose feet the blue waters crept; and he thought that he even

heard them murmur。  He recognised both the figures。  Zanoni was

seated on a fragment of stone; Viola; half…reclining by his side;

was looking into his face; which was bent down to her; and in her

countenance was the expression of that perfect happiness which

belongs to perfect love。  〃Wouldst thou hear them speak?〃

whispered Mejnour; and again; without sound; Glyndon inly

answered; 〃Yes!〃  Their voices then came to his ear; but in tones

that seemed to him strange; so subdued were they; and sounding;

as it were; so far off; that they were as voices heard in the

visions of some holier men from a distant sphere。



〃And how is it;〃 said Viola; 〃that thou canst find pleasure in

listening to the ignorant?〃



〃Because the heart is never ignorant; because the mysteries of

the feelings are as full of wonder as those of the intellect。  If

at times thou canst not comprehend the language of my thoughts;

at times also I hear sweet enigmas in that of thy emotions。〃



〃Ah; say not so!〃 said Viola; winding her arm tenderly round his

neck; and under that heavenly light her face seemed lovelier for

its blushes。  〃For the enigmas are but love's common language;

and love should solve them。  Till I knew thee;till I lived with

thee; till I learned to watch for thy footstep when absent:  yet

even in absence to see thee everywhere!I dreamed not how strong

and all…pervading is the connection between nature and the human

soul!。。。



〃And yet;〃 she continued; 〃I am now assured of what I at first

believed;that the feelings which attracted me towards thee at

first were not those of love。  I know THAT; by comparing the

present with the past;it was a sentiment then wholly of the

mind or the spirit!  I could not hear thee now say; 'Viola; be

happy with another!'〃



〃And I could not now tell thee so!  Ah; Viola; never be weary of

assuring me that thou art happy!〃



〃Happy while thou art so。  Yet at times; Zanoni; thou art so

sad!〃



〃Because human life is so short; because we must part at last;

because yon moon shines on when the nightingale sings to it no

more!  A little while; and thine eyes will grow dim; and thy

beauty haggard; and these locks that I toy with now will be grey

and loveless。〃



〃And thou; cruel one!〃 said Viola; touchingly; 〃I shall never see

the signs of age in thee!  But shall we not grow old together;

and our eyes be accustomed to a change which the heart shall not

share!〃



Zanoni sighed。  He turned away; and seemed to commune with

himself。



Glyndon's attention grew yet more earnest。



〃But were it so;〃 muttered Zanoni; and then looking steadfastly

at Viola; he said; with a half…smile; 〃Hast thou no curiosity to

learn more of the lover thou once couldst believe the agent of

the Evil One?〃



〃None; all that one wishes to know of the beloved one; I know

THAT THOU LOVEST ME!〃



〃I have told thee that my life i
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