that　guards　the　Threshold　has　entangled　me　in　its　web。　　Canst
  thou　credit　me；　when　I　tell　thee　that　I　have　accepted　its　gifts；
  and　endure　the　forfeit？　　Ages　must　pass　ere　the　brighter　beings
  can　again　obey　the　spirit　that　has　bowed　to　the　ghastly　one！
  And
  。。。
  In　this　hope；　then；　Mejnour；　I　triumph　still；　I　yet　have　supreme
  power　over　this　young　life。　　Insensibly　and　inaudibly　my　soul
  speaks　to　its　own；　and　prepares　it　even　now。　　Thou　knowest　that
  for　the　pure　and　unsullied　infant　spirit；　the　ordeal　has　no
  terror　and　no　peril。　　Thus　unceasingly　I　nourish　it　with　no
  unholy　light；　and　ere　it　yet　be　conscious　of　the　gift；　it　will
  gain　the　privileges　it　has　been　mine　to　attain：　　the　child；　by
  slow　and　scarce…seen　degrees；　will　communicate　its　own　attributes
  to　the　mother；　and　content　to　see　Youth　forever　radiant　on　the
  brows　of　the　two　that　now　suffice　to　fill　up　my　whole　infinity　of
  thought；　shall　I　regret　the　airier　kingdom　that　vanishes　hourly
  from　my　grasp？　　But　thou；　whose　vision　is　still　clear　and　serene；
  look　into　the　far　deeps　shut　from　my　gaze；　and　counsel　me；　or
  forewarn！　　I　know　that　the　gifts　of　the　Being　whose　race　is　so
  hostile　to　our　own　are；　to　the　ccommon　seeker；　fatal　and
  perfidious　as　itself。　　And　hence；　when；　at　the　outskirts　of
  knowledge；　which　in　earlier　ages　men　called　Magic；　they
  encountered　the　things　of　the　hostile　tribes；　they　believed　the
  apparitions　to　be　fiends；　and；　by　fancied　compacts；　imagined　they
  had　signed　away　their　souls；　as　if　man　could　give　for　an　eternity
  that　over　which　he　has　control　but　while　he　lives！　　Dark；　and
  shrouded　forever　from　human　sight；　dwell　the　demon　rebels；　in
  their　impenetrable　realm；　in　them　is　no　breath　of　the　Divine　One。
  In　every　human　creature　the　Divine　One　breathes；　and　He　alone　can
  judge　His　own　hereafter；　and　allot　its　new　career　and　home。
  Could　man　sell　himself　to　the　fiend；　man　could　prejudge　himself；
  and　arrogate　the　disposal　of　eternity！　　But　these　creatures；
  modifications　as　they　are　of　matter；　and　some　with　more　than　the
  malignanty　of　man；　may　well　seem；　to　fear　and　unreasoning
  superstition；　the　representatives　of　fiends。　　And　from　the
  darkest　and　mightiest　of　them　I　have　accepted　a　boon；the　secret
  that　startled　Death　from　those　so　dear　to　me。　　Can　I　not　trust
  that　enough　of　power　yet　remains　to　me　to　baffle　or　to　daunt　the
  Phantom；　if　it　seek　to　pervert　the　gift？　　Answer　me；　Mejnour；　for
  in　the　darkness　that　veils　me；　I　see　only　the　pure　eyes　of　the
  new…born；　I　hear　only　the　low　beating　of　my　heart。　　Answer　me；
  thou　whose　wisdom　is　without　love！
  Mejnour　to　Zanoni。
  Rome。
  Fallen　One！I　see　before　thee　Evil　and　Death　and　Woe！　　Thou　to
  have　relinquished　Adon…Ai　for　the　nameless　Terror；the　heavenly
  stars　for　those　fearful　eyes！　　Thou；　at　the　last　to　be　the　victim
  of　the　Larva　of　the　dreary　Threshold；　that；　in　thy　first
  novitiate；　fled；　withered　and　shrivelled；　from　thy　kingly　brow！
  When；　at　the　primary　grades　of　initiation；　the　pupil　I　took　from
  thee　on　the　shores　of　the　changed　Parthenope；　fell　senseless　and
  cowering　before　that　Phantom…Darkness；　I　knew　that　his　spirit　was
  not　formed　to　front　the　worlds　beyond；　for　FEAR　is　the　attraction
  of　man　to　earthiest　earth；　and　while　he　fears；　he　cannot　soar。
  But　THOU；　seest　thou　not　that　to　love　is　but　to　fear；　seest　thou
  not　that　the　power　of　which　thou　boastest　over　the　malignant　one
  is　already　gone？　　It　awes；　it　masters　thee；　it　will　mock　thee　and
  betray。　　Lose　not　a　moment；　come　to　me。　　If　there　can　yet　be
  sufficient　sympathy　between　us；　through　MY　eyes　shalt　thou　see；
  and　perhaps　guard　against　the　perils　that；　shapeless　yet；　and
  looming　through　the　shadow；　marshal　themselves　around　thee　and
  those　whom　thy　very　love　has　doomed。　　Come　from　all　the　ties　of
  thy　fond　humanity；　they　will　but　obscure　thy　vision！　　Come　forth
  from　thy　fears　and　hopes；　thy　desires　and　passions。　　Come；　as
  alone　Mind　can　be　the　monarch　and　the　seer；　shining　through　the
  home　it　tenants；a　pure；　impressionless；　sublime　intelligence！
  Chapter　6。IV。
  Plus　que　vous　ne　pensez　ce　moment　est　terrible。
  La　Harpe；　〃Le　Comte　de　Warwick；〃　Act　3；　sc。　5。
  （The　moment　is　more　terrible　than　you　think。）
  For　the　first　time　since　their　union；　Zanoni　and　Viola　were
  separated；Zanoni　went　to　Rome　on　important　business。　　〃It　was；〃
  he　said；　〃but　for　a　few　days；〃　and　he　went　so　suddenly　that　there
  was　little　time　either　for　surprise　or　sorrow。　　But　first　parting
  is　always　more　melancholy　than　it　need　be：　　it　seems　an
  interruption　to　the　existence　which　Love　shares　with　Love；　it
  makes　the　heart　feel　what　a　void　life　will　be　when　the　last
  parting　shall　succeed；　as　succeed　it　must；　the　first。　　But　Viola
  had　a　new　companion；　she　was　enjoying　that　most　delicious　novelty
  which　ever　renews　the　youth　and　dazzles　the　eyes　of　woman。　　As
  the　mistressthe　wifeshe　leans　on　another；　from　another　are
  reflected　her　happiness；　her　being；as　an　orb　that　takes　light
  from　its　sun。　　But　now；　in　turn；　as　the　mother；　she　is　raised
  from　dependence　into　power；　it　is　another　that　leans　on　her；a
  star　has　sprung　into　space；　to　which　she　herself　has　become　the
  sun！
  A　few　days；but　they　will　be　sweet　through　the　sorrow！　　A　few
  days；every　hour　of　which　seems　an　era　to　the　infant；　over　whom
  bend　watchful　the　eyes　and　the　heart。　　From　its　waking　to　its
  sleep；　from　its　sleep　to　its　waking；　is　a　revolution　in　Time。
  Every　gesture　to　be　noted；every　smile　to　seem　a　new　progress
  into　the　world　it　has　come　to　bless！　　Zanoni　has　gone；the　last
  dash　of　the　oar　is　lost；　the　last　speck　of　the　gondola　has
  vanished　from　the　ocean…streets　of　Venice！　　Her　infant　is
  sleeping　in　the　cradle　at　the　mother's　feet；　and　she　thinks
  through　her　tears　what　tales　of　the　fairy…land；　that　spreads　far
  and　wide；　with　a　thousand　wonders；　in　that　narrow　bed；　she　shall
  have　to　tell　the　father！　　Smile　on；　weep　on；　young　mother！
  Already　the　fairest　leaf　in　the　wild　volume　is　closed　for　thee；
  and　the　invisible　finger　turns　the　page！
  。。。
  By　the　bridge　of　the　Rialto　stood　two　Venetiansardent
  Republicans　and　Democratslooking　to　the　Revolution　of　France　as
  the　earthquake　which　must　shatter　their　own　expiring　and　vicious
  constitution；　and　give　equality　of　ranks　and　rights　to　Venice。
  〃Yes；　Cottalto；〃　said　one；　〃my　correspondent　of　Paris　has
  promised　to　elude　all　obstacles；　and　baffle　all　danger。　　He　will
  arrange　with　us　the　hour　of　revolt；　when　the　legions　of　France
  shall　be　within　hearing　of　our　guns。　　One　day　in　this　week；　at
  this　hour；　he　is　to　meet　me　here。　　This　is　but　the　fourth　day。〃
  He　had　scarce　said　these　words　before　a　man；　wrapped　in　his
  roquelaire；　emerging　from　one　of　the　narrow　streets　to　the　left；
  halted　opposite　the　pair；　and　eying　them　for　a　few　moments　with
  an　earnest　scrutiny；　whispered；　〃Salut！〃
  〃Et　fraternite；〃　answered　the　speaker。
  〃You；　then；　are　the　brave　Dandolo　with　whom　the　Comite　deputed　me
  to　correspond？　　And　this　citizen〃
  〃Is　Cottalto；　whom　my　letters　have　so　often　mentioned。〃　　（I　know
  not　if　the　author　of　the　original　MSS。　designs；　under　these
  names；　to　introduce　the　real　Cottalto　and　the　true　Dandolo；　who；
  in　1797；　distinguished　themselves　by　their　sympathy　with　the
  French；　and　their　democratic　ardor。Ed。）
  〃Health　and　brotherhood　to　him！　　I　have　much　to　impart　to　you
  both。　　I　will　meet　you　at　night；　Dandolo。　　But　in　the　streets　we
  may　be　observed。〃
  〃And　I　dare　not　appoint　my　own　house；　tyranny　makes　spies　of　our
  very　walls。　　But　the　place　herein　designated　is　secure；〃　and　he
  slipped　an　address　into　the　hand　of　his　correspondent。
  〃To…night；　then；　at　nine！　　Meanwhile　I　have　other　business。〃　　The
  man　paused；　his　colour　changed；　and　it　was　with　an　eager　and
  passionate　voice　that　he　resumed；
  〃Your　last　letter　mentioned　this　wealthy　and　mysterious　visitor；
  this　Zanoni。　　He　is　still　at　Venice？〃
  〃I　heard　that　he　had　left　this　morning；　but　his　wife　is　still
  here。〃
  〃His　wife！that　is　well！〃
  〃What　know　you　of　him？　　Think　you　that　he　would　join　us？　　His
  wealth　would　be〃
  〃His　house；　his　address；quick！〃　interrupted　the　man。
  〃The　Palazzo　di　；　on　the　Grand　Canal。〃
  〃I　thank　you；at　nine　we　meet。〃
  The　man　hurried　on　through　the　street　from　which　he　had　emerged；
  and；　passing　by　the　house　in　which　he　had　taken　up　his　lodging
  （he　had　arrived　at　Venice　the　night　before）；　a　woman　who　stood　by
  the　door　caught　his　arm。
  〃Monsieur；〃　she　said　in　French；　〃I　have　been　watching　for　your
  return。　　Do　you　understand　me？　　I　will　brave　all；　risk　all；　to　go
  back　with　you　to　France；to　stand；　through　life　or　in　death；　by
  my　husband's　side！〃
  〃Citoyenne；　I　promised　your　husband　that；　if　such　your　choice；　I
  would　hazard　my　own　safety　to　aid　it。　　But　think　again！　　Your
  husband　is　one　of　the　faction　which　Robespierre's　eyes　have
  already　marked；　he　cannot　fly。　　All　France　is　become　a　prison　to
  the　'susp