第 58 节
作者:
这就是结局 更新:2021-02-20 15:58 字数:9322
the occupation。 And doubtless this perpetual strain of the
faculties was the object of Mejnour in works that did not seem
exactly pertinent to the purposes in view。 As the study of the
elementary mathematics; for example; is not so profitable in the
solving of problems; useless in our after…callings; as it is
serviceable in training the intellect to the comprehension and
analysis of general truths。
But in less than half the time which Mejnour had stated for the
duration of his absence; all that the mystic had appointed to his
toils was completed by the pupil; and then his mind; thus
relieved from the drudgery and mechanism of employment; once more
sought occupation in dim conjecture and restless fancies。 His
inquisitive and rash nature grew excited by the prohibition of
Mejnour; and he found himself gazing too often; with perturbed
and daring curiosity; upon the key of the forbidden chamber。 He
began to feel indignant at a trial of constancy which he deemed
frivolous and puerile。 What nursery tales of Bluebeard and his
closet were revived to daunt and terrify him! How could the mere
walls of a chamber; in which he had so often securely pursued his
labours; start into living danger? If haunted; it could be but
by those delusions which Mejnour had taught him to despise;a
shadowy lion;a chemical phantasm! Tush! he lost half his awe
of Mejnour; when he thought that by such tricks the sage could
practise upon the very intellect he had awakened and instructed!
Still he resisted the impulses of his curiosity and his pride;
and; to escape from their dictation; he took long rambles on the
hills; or amidst the valleys that surrounded the castle;seeking
by bodily fatigue to subdue the unreposing mind。 One day
suddenly emerging from a dark ravine; he came upon one of those
Italian scenes of rural festivity and mirth in which the classic
age appears to revive。 It was a festival; partly agricultural;
partly religious; held yearly by the peasants of that district。
Assembled at the outskirts of a village; animated crowds; just
returned from a procession to a neighbouring chapel; were now
forming themselves into groups: the old to taste the vintage;
the young to dance;all to be gay and happy。 This sudden
picture of easy joy and careless ignorance; contrasting so
forcibly with the intense studies and that parching desire for
wisdom which had so long made up his own life; and burned at his
own heart; sensibly affected Glyndon。 As he stood aloof and
gazing on them; the young man felt once more that he was young。
The memory of all he had been content to sacrifice spoke to him
like the sharp voice of remorse。 The flitting forms of the women
in their picturesque attire; their happy laughter ringing through
the cool; still air of the autumn noon; brought back to the
heart; or rather perhaps to the senses; the images of his past
time; the 〃golden shepherd hours;〃 when to live was but to enjoy。
He approached nearer and nearer to the scene; and suddenly a
noisy group swept round him; and Maestro Paolo; tapping him
familiarly on the shoulder; exclaimed in a hearty voice;
〃Welcome; Excellency!we are rejoiced to see you amongst us。〃
Glyndon was about to reply to this salutation; when his eyes
rested upon the face of a young girl leaning on Paolo's arm; of a
beauty so attractive that his colour rose and his heart beat as
he encountered her gaze。 Her eyes sparkled with a roguish and
petulant mirth; her parted lips showed teeth like pearls; as if
impatient at the pause of her companion from the revel of the
rest; her little foot beat the ground to a measure that she
half…hummed; half…chanted。 Paolo laughed as he saw the effect
the girl had produced upon the young foreigner。
〃Will you not dance; Excellency? Come; lay aside your greatness;
and be merry; like us poor devils。 See how our pretty Fillide is
longing for a partner。 Take compassion on her。〃
Fillide pouted at this speech; and; disengaging her arm from
Paolo's; turned away; but threw over her shoulder a glance half
inviting; half defying。 Glyndon; almost involuntarily; advanced
to her; and addressed her。
Oh; yes; he addresses her! She looks down; and smiles。 Paolo
leaves them to themselves; sauntering off with a devil…me…carish
air。 Fillide speaks now; and looks up at the scholar's face with
arch invitation。 He shakes his head; Fillide laughs; and her
laugh is silvery。 She points to a gay mountaineer; who is
tripping up to her merrily。 Why does Glyndon feel jealous? Why;
when she speaks again; does he shake his head no more? He offers
his hand; Fillide blushes; and takes it with a demure coquetry。
What! is it so; indeed! They whirl into the noisy circle of the
revellers。 Ha! ha! is not this better than distilling herbs; and
breaking thy brains on Pythagorean numbers? How lightly Fillide
bounds along! How her lithesome waist supples itself to thy
circling arm! Tara…ra…tara; ta…tara; rara…ra! What the devil is
in the measure that it makes the blood course like quicksilver
through the veins? Was there ever a pair of eyes like Fillide's?
Nothing of the cold stars there! Yet how they twinkle and laugh
at thee! And that rosy; pursed…up mouth that will answer so
sparingly to thy flatteries; as if words were a waste of time;
and kisses were their proper language。 Oh; pupil of Mejnour!
Oh; would…be Rosicrucian; Platonist; Magian; I know not what! I
am ashamed of thee! What; in the names of Averroes and Burri and
Agrippa and Hermes have become of thy austere contemplations?
Was it for this thou didst resign Viola? I don't think thou hast
the smallest recollection of the elixir or the Cabala。 Take
care! What are you about; sir? Why do you clasp that small hand
locked within your own? Why do youTara…rara tara…ra tara…rara…
ra; rarara; ta…ra; a…ra! Keep your eyes off those slender ankles
and that crimson bodice! Tara…rara…ra! There they go again!
And now they rest under the broad trees。 The revel has whirled
away from them。 They hearor do they not hearthe laughter at
the distance? They seeor if they have their eyes about them;
they SHOULD seecouple after couple gliding by; love…talking and
love…looking。 But I will lay a wager; as they sit under that
tree; and the round sun goes down behind the mountains; that they
see or hear very little except themselves。
〃Hollo; Signor Excellency! and how does your partner please you?
Come and join our feast; loiterers; one dances more merrily after
wine。〃
Down goes the round sun; up comes the autumn moon。 Tara; tara;
rarara; rarara; tarara…ra! Dancing again; is it a dance; or some
movement gayer; noisier; wilder still? How they glance and gleam
through the night shadows; those flitting forms! What
confusion!what order! Ha; that is the Tarantula dance; Maestro
Paolo foots it bravely! Diavolo; what fury! the Tarantula has
stung them all。 Dance or die; it is fury;the Corybantes; the
Maenads; theHo; ho! more wine! the Sabbat of the Witches at
Benevento is a joke to this! From cloud to cloud wanders the
moon;now shining; now lost。 Dimness while the maiden blushes;
light when the maiden smiles。
〃Fillide; thou art an enchantress!〃
〃Buona notte; Excellency; you will see me again!〃
〃Ah; young man;〃 said an old; decrepit; hollow…eyed octogenarian;
leaning on his staff; 〃make the best of your youth。 I; too; once
had a Fillide! I was handsomer than you then! Alas! if we could
be always young!〃
〃Always young!〃 Glyndon started; as he turned his gaze from the
fresh; fair; rosy face of the girl; and saw the eyes dropping
rheum; the yellow wrinkled skin; the tottering frame of the old
man。
〃Ha; ha!〃 said the decrepit creature; hobbling near to him; and
with a malicious laugh。 〃Yet I; too; was young once! Give me a
baioccho for a glass of aqua vitae!〃
Tara; rara; ra…rara; tara; rara…ra! There dances Youth! Wrap
thy rags round thee; and totter off; Old Age!
CHAPTER 4。VI。
Whilest Calidore does follow that faire mayd;
Unmindful of his vow and high beheast
Which by the Faerie Queene was on him layd。
Spenser; 〃Faerie Queene;〃 cant。 x。 s。 1。
It was that grey; indistinct; struggling interval between the
night and the dawn; when Clarence stood once more in his chamber。
The abstruse calculations lying on his table caught his eye; and
filled him with a sentiment of weariness and distaste。 But
〃Alas; if we could be always young! Oh; thou horrid spectre of
the old; rheum…eyed man! What apparition can the mystic chamber
shadow forth more ugly and more hateful than thou? Oh; yes; if
we could be always young! But not 'thinks the neophyte now'not
to labour forever at these crabbed figures and these cold
compounds of herbs and drugs。 No; but to enjoy; to love; to
revel! What should be the companion of youth but pleasure? And
the gift of eternal yout