one　of　that　mighty　few　over　whom　Zanoni　has　no　superiority　in
  power　and　wisdom？〃
  〃In　me；〃　answered　the　stranger；　〃you　see　one　from　whom　Zanoni
  himself　learned　some　of　his　loftiest　secrets。　　On　these　shores；
  on　this　spot；　have　I　stood　in　ages　that　your　chroniclers　but
  feebly　reach。　　The　Phoenician；　the　Greek；　the　Oscan；　the　Roman；
  the　Lombard；　I　have　seen　them　all！leaves　gay　and　glittering　on
  the　trunk　of　the　universal　life；　scattered　in　due　season　and
  again　renewed；　till；　indeed；　the　same　race　that　gave　its　glory　to
  the　ancient　world　bestowed　a　second　youth　upon　the　new。　　For　the
  pure　Greeks；　the　Hellenes；　whose　origin　has　bewildered　your
  dreaming　scholars；　were　of　the　same　great　family　as　the　Norman
  tribe；　born　to　be　the　lords　of　the　universe；　and　in　no　land　on
  earth　destined　to　become　the　hewers　of　wood。　　Even　the　dim
  traditions　of　the　learned；　which　bring　the　sons　of　Hellas　from
  the　vast　and　undetermined　territories　of　Northern　Thrace；　to　be
  the　victors　of　the　pastoral　Pelasgi；　and　the　founders　of　the　line
  of　demi…gods；　which　assign　to　a　population　bronzed　beneath　the
  suns　of　the　West；　the　blue…eyed　Minerva　and　the　yellow…haired
  Achilles　（physical　characteristics　of　the　North）；　which
  introduce；　amongst　a　pastoral　people；　warlike　aristocracies　and
  limited　monarchies；　the　feudalism　of　the　classic　time；even
  these　might　serve　you　to　trace　back　the　primeval　settlements　of
  the　Hellenes　to　the　same　region　whence；　in　later　times；　the
  Norman　warriors　broke　on　the　dull　and　savage　hordes　of　the　Celt；
  and　became　the　Greeks　of　the　Christian　world。　　But　this　interests
  you　not；　and　you　are　wise　in　your　indifference。　　Not　in　the
  knowledge　of　things　without；　but　in　the　perfection　of　the　soul
  within；　lies　the　empire　of　man　aspiring　to　be　more　than　man。〃
  〃And　what　books　contain　that　science；　from　what　laboratory　is　it
  wrought？〃
  〃Nature　supplies　the　materials；　they　are　around　you　in　your　daily
  walks。　　In　the　herbs　that　the　beast　devours　and　the　chemist
  disdains　to　cull；　in　the　elements　from　which　matter　in　its
  meanest　and　its　mightiest　shapes　is　deduced；　in　the　wide　bosom　of
  the　air；　in　the　black　abysses　of　the　earth；　everywhere　are　given
  to　mortals　the　resources　and　libraries　of　immortal　lore。　　But　as
  the　simplest　problems　in　the　simplest　of　all　studies　are　obscure
  to　one　who　braces　not　his　mind　to　their　comprehension；　as　the
  rower　in　yonder　vessel　cannot　tell　you　why　two　circles　can　touch
  each　other　only　in　one　point；so　though　all　earth　were　carved
  over　and　inscribed　with　the　letters　of　diviner　knowledge；　the
  characters　would　be　valueless　to　him　who　does　not　pause　to
  inquire　the　language　and　meditate　the　truth。　　Young　man；　if　thy
  imagination　is　vivid；　if　thy　heart　is　daring；　if　thy　curiosity　is
  insatiate；　I　will　accept　thee　as　my　　pupil。　　But　the　first
  lessons　are　stern　and　dread。〃
  〃If　thou　hast　mastered　them；　why　not　I？〃　answered　Glyndon；
  boldly。　　〃I　have　felt　from　my　boyhood　that　strange　mysteries　were
  reserved　for　my　career；　and　from　the　proudest　ends　of　ordinary
  ambition　I　have　carried　my　gaze　into　the　cloud　and　darkness　that
  stretch　beyond。　　The　instant　I　beheld　Zanoni；　I　felt　as　if　I　had
  discovered　the　guide　and　the　tutor　for　which　my　youth　had　idly
  languished　and　vainly　burned。〃
  〃And　to　me　his　duty　is　transferred；〃　replied　the　stranger。
  〃Yonder　lies；　anchored　in　the　bay；　the　vessel　in　which　Zanoni
  seeks　a　fairer　home；　a　little　while　and　the　breeze　will　rise；　the
  sail　will　swell；　and　the　stranger　will　have　passed；　like　a　wind；
  away。　　Still；　like　the　wind；　he　leaves　in　thy　heart　the　seeds
  that　may　bear　the　blossom　and　the　fruit。　　Zanoni　hath　performed
  his　task；he　is　wanted　no　more；　the　perfecter　of　his　work　is　at
  thy　side。　　He　comes！　　I　hear　the　dash　of　the　oar。　　You　will　have
  your　choice　submitted　to　you。　　According　as　you　decide　we　shall
  meet　again。〃　　With　these　words　the　stranger　moved　slowly　away；
  and　disappeared　beneath　the　shadow　of　the　cliffs。　　A　boat　glided
  rapidly　across　the　waters：　　it　touched　land；　a　man　leaped　on
  shore；　and　Glyndon　recognised　Zanoni。
  〃I　give　thee；　Glyndon；I　give　thee　no　more　the　option　of　happy
  love　and　serene　enjoyment。　　That　hour　is　past；　and　fate　has
  linked　the　hand　that　might　have　been　thine　own　to　mine。　　But　I
  have　ample　gifts　to　bestow　upon　thee；　if　thou　wilt　abandon　the
  hope　that　gnaws　thy　heart；　and　the　realisation　of　which　even　_I_
  have　not　the　power　to　foresee。　　Be　thine　ambition　human；　and　I
  can　gratify　it　to　the　full。　　Men　desire　four　things　in　life；
  love；　wealth；　fame；　power。　　The　first　I　cannot　give　thee；　the
  rest　are　at　my　disposal。　　Select　which　of　them　thou　wilt；　and　let
  us　part　in　peace。〃
  〃Such　are　not　the　gifts　I　covet。　　I　choose　knowledge；　that
  knowledge　must　be　thine　own。　　For　this；　and　for　this　alone；　I
  surrendered　the　love　of　Viola；　this；　and　this　alone；　must　be　my
  recompense。〃
  〃I　cannot　gain　say　thee；　though　I　can　warn。　　The　desire　to　learn
  does　not　always　contain　the　faculty　to　acquire。　　I　can　give　thee；
  it　is　true；　the　teacher；the　rest　must　depend　on　thee。　　Be　wise
  in　time；　and　take　that　which　I　can　assure　to　thee。〃
  〃Answer　me　but　these　questions；　and　according　to　your　answer　I
  will　decide。　　Is　it　in　the　power　of　man　to　attain　intercourse
  with　the　beings　of　other　worlds？　　Is　it　in　the　power　of　man　to
  influence　the　elements；　and　to　insure　life　against　the　sword　and
  against　disease？〃
  〃All　this　may　be　possible；〃　answered　Zanoni；　evasively；　〃to　the
  few；　but　for　one　who　attains　such　secrets；　millions　may　perish　in
  the　attempt。〃
  〃One　question　more。　　Thou〃
  〃Beware！　　Of　myself；　as　I　have　said　before；　I　render　no　account。〃
  〃Well；　then；　the　stranger　I　have　met　this　night；are　his　boasts
  to　be　believed？　　Is　he　in　truth　one　of　the　chosen　seers　whom　you
  allow　to　have　mastered　the　mysteries　I　yearn　to　fathom？〃
  〃Rash　man；〃　said　Zanoni；　in　a　tone　of　compassion；　〃thy　crisis　is
  past；　and　thy　choice　made！　　I　can　only　bid　thee　be　bold　and
  prosper；　yes；　I　resign　thee　to　a　master　who　HAS　the　power　and　the
  will　to　open　to　thee　the　gates　of　an　awful　world。　　Thy　weal　or
  woe　are　as　nought　in　the　eyes　of　his　relentless　wisdom。　　I　would
  bid　him　spare　thee；　but　he　will　heed　me　not。　　Mejnour；　receive
  thy　pupil！〃　　Glyndon　turned；　and　his　heart　beat　when　he　perceived
  that　the　stranger；　whose　footsteps　he　had　not　heard　upon　the
  pebbles；　whose　approach　he　had　not　beheld　in　the　moonlight；　was
  once　more　by　his　side。
  〃Farewell；〃　resumed　Zanoni；　〃thy　trial　commences。　　When　next　we
  meet；　thou　wilt　be　the　victim　or　the　victor。〃
  Glyndon's　eyes　followed　the　receding　form　of　the　mysterious
  stranger。　　He　saw　him　enter　the　boat；　and　he　then　for　the　first
  time　noticed　that　besides　the　rowers　there　was　a　female；　who
  stood　up　as　Zanoni　gained　the　boat。　　Even　at　the　distance　he
  recognised　the　once…adored　form　of　Viola。　　She　waved　her　hand　to
  him；　and　across　the　still　and　shining　air　came　her　voice；
  mournfully　and　sweetly；　in　her　mother's　tongue；　〃Farewell；
  Clarence；I　forgive　thee！farewell；　farewell！〃
  He　strove　to　answer；　but　the　voice　touched　a　chord　at　his　heart；
  and　the　words　failed　him。　　Viola　was　then　lost　forever；　gone　with
  this　dread　stranger；　darkness　was　round　her　lot！　　And　he　himself
  had　decided　her　fate　and　his　own！　　The　boat　bounded　on；　the　soft
  waves　flashed　and　sparkled　beneath　the　oars；　and　it　was　along　one
  sapphire　track　of　moonlight　that　the　frail　vessel　bore　away　the
  lovers。　　Farther　and　farther　from　his　gaze　sped　the　boat；　till　at
  last　the　speck；　scarcely　visible；　touched　the　side　of　the　ship
  that　lay　lifeless　in　the　glorious　bay。　　At　that　instant；　as　if　by
  magic；　up　sprang；　with　a　glad　murmur；　the　playful　and　freshening
  wind：　　and　Glyndon　turned　to　Mejnour　and　broke　the　silence。
  〃Tell　meif　thou　canst　read　the　futuretell　me　that　HER　lot
  will　be　fair；　and　that　HER　choice　at　least　is　wise？〃
  〃My　pupil！〃　answered　Mejnour；　in　a　voice　the　calmness　of　which
  well　accorded　with　the　chilling　words；　〃thy　first　task　must　be　to
  withdraw　all　thought；　feeling；　sympathy　from　others。　　The
  elementary　stage　of　knowledge　is　to　make　self；　and　self　alone；
  thy　study　and　thy　world。　　Thou　hast　decided　thine　own　career；
  thou　hast　renounced　love；　thou　hast　rejected　wealth；　fame；　and
  the　vulgar　pomps　of　power。　　What；　then；　are　all　mankind　to　thee？
  To　perfect　thy　faculties；　and　concentrate　thy　emotions；　is
  henceforth　thy　only　aim！〃
  〃And　will　happiness　be　the　end？〃
  〃If　happiness　exist；〃　answered　Mejnour；　〃it　must　be　centred　in　a
  SELF　to　which　all　passion　is　unknown。　　But　happiness　is　the　last
  state　of　being；　and　as　yet　thou　art　on　the　threshold　of　the
  first。〃
  As　Mejnour　spoke；　the　distant　vessel　spread　its　sails　to　the
  wind；　and　moved　slowly　along　the　deep。　　Glyndon　sighed；　and　the
  pupil　and　the　master　retraced　their　steps　towards　the　city。
  BOOK　IV。
  THE　DWELLER　OF　THE　THRESHOLD。
  Bey　hinter　ihm　was　will！　Ic