第 72 节
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这就是结局 更新:2021-02-20 15:59 字数:9321
appeal for succour; for protection; and suddenly; as the clock
struck; fell with a shriek to the ground; cold and lifeless。
With difficulty; and not until after the most earnest prayers;
did she answer the agonised questions of Glyndon; at last she
owned that at that hour; and that hour alone; wherever she was
placed; however occupied; she distinctly beheld the apparition of
an old hag; who; after thrice knocking at the door; entered the
room; and hobbling up to her with a countenance distorted by
hideous rage and menace; laid its icy fingers on her forehead:
from that moment she declared that sense forsook her; and when
she woke again; it was only to wait; in suspense that froze up
her blood; the repetition of the ghastly visitation。
The physician who had been summoned before Glyndon's return; and
whose letter had recalled him to London; was a commonplace
practitioner; ignorant of the case; and honestly anxious that one
more experienced should be employed。 Clarence called in one of
the most eminent of the faculty; and to him he recited the
optical delusion of his sister。 The physician listened
attentively; and seemed sanguine in his hopes of cure。 He came
to the house two hours before the one so dreaded by the patient。
He had quietly arranged that the clocks should be put forward
half an hour; unknown to Adela; and even to her brother。 He was
a man of the most extraordinary powers of conversation; of
surpassing wit; of all the faculties that interest and amuse。 He
first administered to the patient a harmless potion; which he
pledged himself would dispel the delusion。 His confident tone
woke her own hopes; he continued to excite her attention; to
rouse her lethargy; he jested; he laughed away the time。 The
hour struck。 〃Joy; my brother!〃 she exclaimed; throwing herself
in his arms; 〃the time is past!〃 And then; like one released
from a spell; she suddenly assumed more than her ancient
cheerfulness。 〃Ah; Clarence!〃 she whispered; 〃forgive me for my
former desertion;forgive me that I feared YOU。 I shall live!
I shall live! in my turn to banish the spectre that haunts my
brother!〃 And Clarence smiled and wiped the tears from his
burning eyes。 The physician renewed his stories; his jests。 In
the midst of a stream of rich humour that seemed to carry away
both brother and sister; Glyndon suddenly saw over Adela's face
the same fearful change; the same anxious look; the same
restless; straining eye; he had beheld the night before。 He
rose;he approached her。 Adela started up。 〃looklooklook!〃
she exclaimed。 〃She comes! Save me;save me!〃 and she fell at
his feet in strong convulsions as the clock; falsely and in vain
put forward; struck the half…hour。
The physician lifted her in his arms。 〃My worst fears are
confirmed;〃 he said gravely; 〃the disease is epilepsy。〃 (The
most celebrated practitioner in Dublin related to the editor a
story of optical delusion precisely similar in its circumstances
and its physical cause to the one here narrated。)
The next night; at the same hour; Adela Glyndon died。
CHAPTER 5。VI。
La loi; dont le regne vous epouvante; a son glaive leve sur vous:
elle vous frappera tous: le genre humain a besoin de cet
exemple。Couthon。
(The law; whose reign terrifies you; has its sword raised against
you; it will strike you all: humanity has need of this example。)
〃Oh; joy; joy!thou art come again! This is thy handthese thy
lips。 Say that thou didst not desert me from the love of
another; say it again;say it ever!and I will pardon thee all
the rest!〃
〃So thou hast mourned for me?〃
〃Mourned!and thou wert cruel enough to leave me gold; there it
is;there; untouched!〃
〃Poor child of Nature! how; then; in this strange town of
Marseilles; hast thou found bread and shelter?〃
〃Honestly; soul of my soul! honestly; but yet by the face thou
didst once think so fair; thinkest thou THAT now?〃
〃Yes; Fillide; more fair than ever。 But what meanest thou?〃
〃There is a painter herea great man; one of their great men at
Paris; I know not what they call them; but he rules over all
here;life and death; and he has paid me largely but to sit for
my portrait。 It is for a picture to be given to the Nation; for
he paints only for glory。 Think of thy Fillide's renown!〃 And
the girl's wild eyes sparkled; her vanity was roused。 〃And he
would have married me if I would!divorced his wife to marry me!
But I waited for thee; ungrateful!〃
A knock at the door was heard;a man entered。
〃Nicot!〃
〃Ah; Glyndon!hum!welcome! What! thou art twice my rival!
But Jean Nicot bears no malice。 Virtue is my dream;my country;
my mistress。 Serve my country; citizen; and I forgive thee the
preference of beauty。 Ca ira! ca ira!〃
But as the painter spoke; it hymned; it rolled through the
streets;the fiery song of the Marseillaise! There was a crowd;
a multitude; a people up; abroad; with colours and arms;
enthusiasm and song;with song; with enthusiasm; with colours
and arms! And who could guess that that martial movement was
one; not of war; but massacre;Frenchmen against Frenchmen? For
there are two parties in Marseilles;and ample work for Jourdan
Coupe…tete! But this; the Englishman; just arrived; a stranger
to all factions; did not as yet comprehend。 He comprehended
nothing but the song; the enthusiasm; the arms; and the colours
that lifted to the sun the glorious lie; 〃Le peuple Francais;
debout contre les tyrans!〃 (Up; Frenchmen; against tyrants!)
The dark brow of the wretched wanderer grew animated; he gazed
from the window on the throng that marched below; beneath their
waving Oriflamme。 They shouted as they beheld the patriot Nicot;
the friend of Liberty and relentless Hebert; by the stranger's
side; at the casement。
〃Ay; shout again!〃 cried the painter;〃shout for the brave
Englishman who abjures his Pitts and his Coburgs to be a citizen
of Liberty and France!〃
A thousand voices rent the air; and the hymn of the Marseillaise
rose in majesty again。
〃Well; and if it be among these high hopes and this brave people
that the phantom is to vanish; and the cure to come!〃 muttered
Glyndon; and he thought he felt again the elixir sparkling
through his veins。
〃Thou shalt be one of the Convention with Paine and Clootz;I
will manage it all for thee!〃 cried Nicot; slapping him on the
shoulder: 〃and Paris〃
〃Ah; if I could but see Paris!〃 cried Fillide; in her joyous
voice。 Joyous! the whole time; the town; the airsave where;
unheard; rose the cry of agony and the yell of murderwere joy!
Sleep unhaunting in thy grave; cold Adela。 Joy; joy! In the
Jubilee of Humanity all private griefs should cease! Behold;
wild mariner; the vast whirlpool draws thee to its stormy bosom!
There the individual is not。 All things are of the whole! Open
thy gates; fair Paris; for the stranger…citizen! Receive in your
ranks; O meek Republicans; the new champion of liberty; of
reason; of mankind! 〃Mejnour is right; it was in virtue; in
valour; in glorious struggle for the human race; that the spectre
was to shrink to her kindred darkness。〃
And Nicot's shrill voice praised him; and lean Robespierre
〃Flambeau; colonne; pierre angulaire de l'edifice de la
Republique!〃 (〃The light; column; and keystone of the
Republic。〃〃Lettre du Citoyen P; Papiers inedits trouves chez
Robespierre;〃 tom 11; page 127。)smiled ominously on him from
his bloodshot eyes; and Fillide clasped him with passionate arms
to her tender breast。 And at his up…rising and down…sitting; at
board and in bed; though he saw it not; the Nameless One guided
him with the demon eyes to the sea whose waves were gore。
BOOK VI。
SUPERSTITION DESERTING FAITH。
Why do I yield to that suggestion; Whose horrid image doth unfix
my hair。Shakespeare
CHAPTER 6。I。
Therefore the Genii were painted with a platter full of garlands
and flowers in one hand; and a whip in the other。Alexander
Ross; 〃Mystag。 Poet。〃
According to the order of the events related in this narrative;
the departure of Zanoni and Viola from the Greek isle; in which
two happy years appear to have been passed; must have been
somewhat later in date than the arrival of Glyndon at Marseilles。
It must have been in the course of the year 1791 when Viola fled
from Naples with her mysterious lover; and when Glyndon sought
Mejnour in the fatal castle。 It is now towards the close of
1793; when our story again returns to Zanoni。 The stars of
winter shone down on the lagunes of Venice。 The hum of the
Rialto was hushed;the last loiterers had deserted the Place of
St。 Mark's; and only at distant intervals might be heard the oars
of the rapid gondolas; bearing reveller or lover to his home。
But lights still flitted to and fro across the windows of one of
the Palladian palaces; whose shadow slept in