〃Do　this　at　least；〃　said　Mervale；　reasonably　enough；〃wait　till
  the　time　expires；　it　is　but　another　day。　　Baffle　Zanoni。　　He
  tells　thee　that　he　will　meet　thee　before　midnight　to…morrow；　and
  defies　thee　to　avoid　him。　　Pooh！　let　us　quit　Naples　for　some
  neighbouring　place；　where；　unless　he　be　indeed　the　Devil；　he
  cannot　possibly　find　us。　　Show　him　that　you　will　not　be　led
  blindfold　even　into　an　act　that　you　meditate　yourself。　　Defer　to
  write　to　her；　or　to　see　her；　till　after　to…morrow。　　This　is　all　I
  ask。　　Then　visit　her；　and　decide　for　yourself。〃
  Glyndon　was　staggered。　　He　could　not　combat　the　reasonings　of　his
  friend；　he　was　not　convinced；　but　he　hesitated；　and　at　that
  moment　Nicot　passed　them。　　He　turned　round；　and　stopped；　as　he
  saw　Glyndon。
  〃Well；　and　do　you　think　still　of　the　Pisani？〃
  〃Yes；　and　you〃
  〃Have　seen　and　conversed　with　her。　　She　shall　be　Madame　Nicot
  before　this　day　week！　　I　am　going　to　the　cafe；　in　the　Toledo；　and
  hark　ye；　when　next　you　meet　your　friend　Signor　Zanoni；　tell　him
  that　he　has　twice　crossed　my　path。　　Jean　Nicot；　though　a　painter；
  is　a　plain；　honest　man；　and　always　pays　his　debts。〃
  〃It　is　a　good　doctrine　in　money　matters；〃　said　Mervale；　〃as　to
  revenge；　it　is　not　so　moral；　and　certainly　not　so　wise。　　But　is
  it　in　your　love　that　Zanoni　has　crossed　your　path？　　How　that；　if
  your　suit　prosper　so　well？〃
  〃Ask　Viola　Pisani　that　question。　　Bah！　Glyndon；　she　is　a　prude
  only　to　thee。　　But　I　have　no　prejudices。　　Once　more；　farewell。〃
  〃Rouse　thyself；　man！〃　said　Mervale；　slapping　Glyndon　on　the
  shoulder。　　〃What　think　you　of　your　fair　one　now？〃
  〃This　man　must　lie。〃
  〃Will　you　write　to　her　at　once？〃
  〃No；　if　she　be　really　playing　a　game；　I　could　renounce　her
  without　a　sigh。　　I　will　watch　her　closely；　and；　at　all　events；
  Zanoni　shall　not　be　the　master　of　my　fate。　　Let　us；　as　you
  advise；　leave　Naples　at　daybreak　to…morrow。〃
  CHAPTER　3。X。
  O　chiunque　tu　sia；　che　fuor　d'ogni　uso
  Pieghi　Natura　ad　opre　altere　e　strane；
  E；　spiando　i　segreti；　entri　al　piu　chiuso
  Spazi'　a　tua　voglia　delle　menti　umane
  Deh；　Dimmi！
  〃Gerus。　Lib。；〃　Cant。　x。　xviii。
  （O　thou；　whoever　thou　art；　who　through　every　use　bendest　Nature
  to　works　foreign　and　strange；　and　by　spying　into　her　secrets；
  enterest　at　thy　will　into　the　closest　recesses　of　the　human
  mind；O　speak！　　O　tell　me！）
  Early　the　next　morning　the　young　Englishmen　mounted　their　horses；
  and　took　the　road　towards　Baiae。　　Glyndon　left　word　at　his　hotel；
  that　if　Signor　Zanoni　sought　him；　it　was　in　the　neighbourhood　of
  that　once　celebrated　watering…place　of　the　ancients　that　he
  should　be　found。
  They　passed　by　Viola's　house；　but　Glyndon　resisted　the　temptation
  of　pausing　there；　and　after　threading　the　grotto　of　Posilipo；
  they　wound　by　a　circuitous　route　back　into　the　suburbs　of　the
  city；　and　took　the　opposite　road；　which　conducts　to　Portici　and
  Pompeii。　　It　was　late　at　noon　when　they　arrived　at　the　former　of
  these　places。　　Here　they　halted　to　dine；　for　Mervale　had　heard
  much　of　the　excellence　of　the　macaroni　at　Portici；　and　Mervale
  was　a　bon　vivant。
  They　put　up　at　an　inn　of　very　humble　pretensions；　and　dined　under
  an　awning。　　Mervale　was　more　than　usually　gay；　he　pressed　the
  lacrima　upon　his　friend；　and　conversed　gayly。
  〃Well；　my　dear　friend；　we　have　foiled　Signor　Zanoni　in　one　of　his
  predictions　at　least。　　You　will　have　no　faith　in　him　hereafter。〃
  〃The　ides　are　come；　not　gone。〃
  〃Tush！　　If　he　be　the　soothsayer；　you　are　not　the　Caesar。　　It　is
  your　vanity　that　makes　you　credulous。　　Thank　Heaven；　I　do　not
  think　myself　of　such　importance　that　the　operations　of　Nature
  should　be　changed　in　order　to　frighten　me。〃
  〃But　why　should　the　operations　of　Nature　be　changed？　　There　may
  be　a　deeper　philosophy　than　we　dream　of；a　philosophy　that
  discovers　the　secrets　of　Nature；　but　does　not　alter；　by
  penetrating；　its　courses。〃
  〃Ah；　you　relapse　into　your　heretical　credulity；　you　seriously
  suppose　Zanoni　to　be　a　prophet；a　reader　of　the　future；　perhaps
  an　associate　of　genii　and　spirits！〃
  Here　the　landlord；　a　little；　fat；　oily　fellow；　came　up　with　a
  fresh　bottle　of　lacrima。　　He　hoped　their　Excellencies　were
  pleased。　　He　was　most　touchedtouched　to　the　heart；　that　they
  liked　the　macaroni。　　Were　their　Excellencies　going　to　Vesuvius？
  There　was　a　slight　eruption；　they　could　not　see　it　where　they
  were；　but　it　was　pretty；　and　would　be　prettier　still　after
  sunset。
  〃A　capital　idea！〃　cried　Mervale。　　〃What　say　you；　Glyndon？〃
  〃I　have　not　yet　seen　an　eruption；　I　should　like　it　much。〃
  〃But　is　there　no　danger？〃　asked　the　prudent　Mervale。
  〃Oh；　not　at　all；　the　mountain　is　very　civil　at　present。　　It　only
  plays　a　little；　just　to　amuse　their　Excellencies　the　English。〃
  〃Well；　order　the　horses；　and　bring　the　bill；　we　will　go　before　it
  is　dark。　　Clarence；　my　friend；nunc　est　bibendum；　but　take　care
  of　the　pede　libero；　which　will　scarce　do　for　walking　on　lava！〃
  The　bottle　was　finished；　the　bill　paid；　the　gentlemen　mounted；
  the　landlord　bowed；　and　they　bent　their　way；　in　the　cool　of　the
  delightful　evening；　towards　Resina。
  The　wine；　perhaps　the　excitement　of　his　thoughts；　animated
  Glyndon；　whose　unequal　spirits　were；　at　times；　high　and　brilliant
  as　those　of　a　schoolboy　released；　and　the　laughter　of　the
  Northern　tourists　sounded　oft　and　merrily　along　the　melancholy
  domains　of　buried　cities。
  Hesperus　had　lighted　his　lamp　amidst　the　rosy　skies　as　they
  arrived　at　Resina。　　Here　they　quitted　their　horses；　and　took
  mules　and　a　guide。　　As　the　sky　grew　darker　and　more　dark；　the
  mountain　fire　burned　with　an　intense　lustre。　　In　various　streaks
  and　streamlets；　the　fountain　of　flame　rolled　down　the　dark
  summit；　and　the　Englishmen　began　to　feel　increase　upon　them；　as
  they　ascended；　that　sensation　of　solemnity　and　awe　which　makes
  the　very　atmosphere　that　surrounds　the　Giant　of　the　Plains　of　the
  Antique　Hades。
  It　was　night；　when；　leaving　the　mules；　they　ascended　on　foot；
  accompanied　by　their　guide；　and　a　peasant　who　bore　a　rude　torch。
  The　guide　was　a　conversable；　garrulous　fellow；　like　most　of　his
  country　and　his　calling；　and　Mervale；　who　possessed　a　sociable
  temper；　loved　to　amuse　or　to　instruct　himself　on　every　incidental
  occasion。
  〃Ah；　Excellency；〃　said　the　guide；　〃your　countrymen　have　a　strong
  passion　for　the　volcano。　　Long　life　to　them；　they　bring　us　plenty
  of　money！　　If　our　fortunes　depended　on　the　Neapolitans；　we　should
  starve。〃
  〃True；　they　have　no　curiosity；〃　said　Mervale。　　〃Do　you　remember；
  Glyndon；　the　contempt　with　which　that　old　count　said　to　us；　'You
  will　go　to　Vesuvius；　I　suppose？　　I　have　never　been；　why　should　I
  go？　　You　have　cold；　you　have　hunger；　you　have　fatigue；　you　have
  danger；　and　all　for　nothing　but　to　see　fire；　which　looks　just　as
  well　in　a　brazier　as　on　a　mountain。'　　Ha！　ha！　the　old　fellow　was
  right。〃
  〃But；　Excellency；〃　said　the　guide；　〃that　is　not　all：　　some
  cavaliers　think　to　ascend　the　mountain　without　our　help。　　I　am
  sure　they　deserve　to　tumble　into　the　crater。〃
  〃They　must　be　bold　fellows　to　go　alone；　you　don't　often　find
  such。〃
  〃Sometimes　among　the　French；　signor。　　But　the　other　nightI
  never　was　so　frightenedI　had　been　with　an　English　party；　and　a
  lady　had　left　a　pocket…book　on　the　mountain；　where　she　had　been
  sketching。　　She　offered　me　a　handsome　sum　to　return　for　it；　and
  bring　it　to　her　at　Naples。　　So　I　went　in　the　evening。　　I　found
  it；　sure　enough；　and　was　about　to　return；　when　I　saw　a　figure
  that　seemed　to　emerge　from　the　crater　itself。　　The　air　there　was
  so　pestiferous　that　I　could　not　have　conceived　a　human　creature
  could　breathe　it；　and　live。　　I　was　so　astounded　that　I　stood
  still　as　a　stone；　till　the　figure　came　over　the　hot　ashes；　and
  stood　before　me；　face　to　face。　　Santa　Maria；　what　a　head！〃
  〃What！　hideous？〃
  〃No；　so　beautiful；　but　so　terrible。　　It　had　nothing　human　in　its
  aspect。〃
  〃And　what　said　the　salamander？〃
  〃Nothing！　　It　did　not　even　seem　to　perceive　me；　though　I　was　near
  as　I　am　to　you；　but　its　eyes　seemed　to　emerge　prying　into　the
  air。　　It　passed　by　me　quickly；　and；　walking　across　a　stream　of
  burning　lava；　soon　vanished　on　the　other　side　of　the　mountain。　　I
  was　curious　and　foolhardy；　and　resolved　to　see　if　I　could　bear
  the　atmosphere　which　this　visitor　had　left；　but　though　I　did　not
  advance　within　thirty　yards　of　the　spot　at　which　he　had　first
  appeared；　I　was　driven　back　by　a　vapour　that　wellnigh　stifled　me。
  Cospetto！　　I　have　spat　blood　ever　since。〃
  〃Now　will　I　lay　a　wager　that　you　fancy　this　fire…king　must　be
  Zanoni；〃　whispered　Mervale；　laughing。
  The　little　party　had　now　arrived　nearly　at　the　summit　of　the
  mountain；　and　unspeakably　grand　was　the　spectacle　on　which　they
  gazed。　　From　the　crater　arose　a　vapour；　intensely　dark；　that
  overspread　the　whole　background　of　the　heavens；　in　the　centre
  whereo