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