第 72 节
作者: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