Tu vegga o per violenzia o per inganno
Patire o disonore o mortal danno.
“Orlando Furioso,” Cant1. xlii. i.
(Thou art about, either through violence or artifice2, to suffer either dishonour3 or mortal loss.)
It was a small cabinet; the walls were covered with pictures, one of which was worth more than the whole lineage of the owner of the palace. Oh, yes! Zanoni was right. The painter IS a magician; the gold he at least wrings4 from his crucible5 is no delusion6. A Venetian noble might be a fribble, or an assassin,— a scoundrel, or a dolt7; worthless, or worse than worthless, yet he might have sat to Titian, and his portrait may be inestimable,— a few inches of painted canvas a thousand times more valuable than a man with his veins8 and muscles, brain, will, heart, and intellect!
In this cabinet sat a man of about three-and-forty,— dark-eyed, sallow, with short, prominent features, a massive conformation of jaw9, and thick, sensual, but resolute10 lips; this man was the Prince di —. His form, above the middle height, and rather inclined to corpulence, was clad in a loose dressing-robe of rich brocade. On a table before him lay an old-fashioned sword and hat, a mask, dice11 and dice-box, a portfolio12, and an inkstand of silver curiously13 carved.
“Well, Mascari,” said the prince, looking up towards his parasite14, who stood by the embrasure of the deep-set barricadoed window,—“well! the Cardinal15 sleeps with his fathers. I require comfort for the loss of so excellent a relation; and where a more dulcet16 voice than Viola Pisani’s?”
“Is your Excellency serious? So soon after the death of his Eminence17?”
“It will be the less talked of, and I the less suspected. Hast thou ascertained18 the name of the insolent19 who baffled us that night, and advised the Cardinal the next day?”
“Not yet.”
“Sapient Mascari! I will inform thee. It was the strange Unknown.”
“The Signor Zanoni! Are you sure, my prince?”
“Mascari, yes. There is a tone in that man’s voice that I never can mistake; so clear, and so commanding, when I hear it I almost fancy there is such a thing as conscience. However, we must rid ourselves of an impertinent. Mascari, Signor Zanoni hath not yet honoured our poor house with his presence. He is a distinguished20 stranger,— we must give a banquet in his honour.”
“Ah, and the Cyprus wine! The cypress21 is a proper emblem22 of the grave.”
“But this anon. I am superstitious23; there are strange stories of Zanoni’s power and foresight24; remember the death of Ughelli. No matter, though the Fiend were his ally, he should not rob me of my prize; no, nor my revenge.”
“Your Excellency is infatuated; the actress has bewitched you.”
“Mascari,” said the prince, with a haughty25 smile, “through these veins rolls the blood of the old Visconti — of those who boasted that no woman ever escaped their lust26, and no man their resentment27. The crown of my fathers has shrunk into a gewgaw and a toy,— their ambition and their spirit are undecayed! My honour is now enlisted28 in this pursuit,— Viola must be mine!”
“Another ambuscade?” said Mascari, inquiringly.
“Nay, why not enter the house itself?— the situation is lonely, and the door is not made of iron.”
“But what if, on her return home, she tell the tale of our violence? A house forced,— a virgin29 stolen! Reflect; though the feudal30 privileges are not destroyed, even a Visconti is not now above the law.”
“Is he not, Mascari? Fool! in what age of the world, even if the Madmen of France succeed in their chimeras31, will the iron of law not bend itself, like an osier twig32, to the strong hand of power and gold? But look not so pale, Mascari; I have foreplanned all things. The day that she leaves this palace, she will leave it for France, with Monsieur Jean Nicot.”
Before Mascari could reply, the gentleman of the chamber33 announced the Signor Zanoni.
The prince involuntarily laid his hand upon the sword placed on the table, then with a smile at his own impulse, rose, and met his visitor at the threshold, with all the profuse34 and respectful courtesy of Italian simulation.
“This is an honour highly prized,” said the prince. “I have long desired to clasp the hand of one so distinguished.”
“And I give it in the spirit with which you seek it,” replied Zanoni.
The Neapolitan bowed over the hand he pressed; but as he touched it a shiver came over him, and his heart stood still. Zanoni bent35 on him his dark, smiling eyes, and then seated himself with a familiar air.
“Thus it is signed and sealed; I mean our friendship, noble prince. And now I will tell you the object of my visit. I find, Excellency, that, unconsciously perhaps, we are rivals. Can we not accommodate out pretensions36!”
“Ah!” said the prince, carelessly, “you, then, were the cavalier who robbed me of the reward of my chase. All stratagems37 fair in love, as in war. Reconcile our pretensions! Well, here is the dice-box; let us throw for her. He who casts the lowest shall resign his claim.”
“Is this a decision by which you will promise to be bound?”
“Yes, on my faith.”
“And for him who breaks his word so plighted38, what shall be the forfeit39?”
“The sword lies next to the dice-box, Signor Zanoni. Let him who stands not by his honour fall by the sword.”
“And you invoke40 that sentence if either of us fail his word? Be it so; let Signor Mascari cast for us.”
“Well said!— Mascari, the dice!”
The prince threw himself back in his chair; and, world-hardened as he was, could not suppress the glow of triumph and satisfaction that spread itself over his features. Mascari took up the three dice, and rattled41 them noisily in the box. Zanoni, leaning his cheek on his hand, and bending over the table, fixed42 his eyes steadfastly43 on the parasite; Mascari in vain struggled to extricate44 from that searching gaze; he grew pale, and trembled, he put down the box.
“I give the first throw to your Excellency. Signor Mascari, be pleased to terminate our suspense45.”
Again Mascari took up the box; again his hand shook so that the dice rattled within. He threw; the numbers were sixteen.
“It is a high throw,” said Zanoni, calmly; “nevertheless, Signor Mascari, I do not despond.”
Mascari gathered up the dice, shook the box, and rolled the contents once more on the table: the number was the highest that can be thrown,— eighteen.
The prince darted46 a glance of fire at his minion47, who stood with gaping48 mouth, staring at the dice, and trembling from head to foot.
“I have won, you see,” said Zanoni; “may we be friends still?”
“Signor,” said the prince, obviously struggling with anger and confusion, “the victory is yours. But pardon me, you have spoken lightly of this young girl,— will anything tempt49 you to yield your claim?”
“Ah, do not think so ill of my gallantry; and,” resumed Zanoni, with a stern meaning in his voice, “forget not the forfeit your own lips have named.”
The prince knit his brow, but constrained50 the haughty answer that was his first impulse.
“Enough!” he said, forcing a smile; “I yield. Let me prove that I do not yield ungraciously; will you favour me with your presence at a little feast I propose to give in honour,” he added, with a sardonic51 mockery, “of the elevation52 of my kinsman53, the late Cardinal, of pious54 memory, to the true seat of St. Peter?”
“It is, indeed, a happiness to hear one command of yours I can obey.”
Zanoni then turned the conversation, talked lightly and gayly, and soon afterwards departed.
“Villain!” then exclaimed the prince, grasping Mascari by the collar, “you betrayed me!”
“I assure your Excellency that the dice were properly arranged; he should have thrown twelve; but he is the Devil, and that’s the end of it.”
“There is no time to be lost,” said the prince, quitting his hold of his parasite, who quietly resettled his cravat55.
“My blood is up,— I will win this girl, if I die for it! What noise is that?”
“It is but the sword of your illustrious ancestor that has fallen from the table.”
收听单词发音 |
1
cant
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| n.斜穿，黑话，猛扔 | |
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artifice
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| n.妙计，高明的手段；狡诈，诡计 | |
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dishonour
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| n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩 | |
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wrings
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| 绞( wring的第三人称单数 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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crucible
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| n.坩锅，严酷的考验 | |
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delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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dolt
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| n.傻瓜 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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portfolio
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| n.公事包；文件夹；大臣及部长职位 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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parasite
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| n.寄生虫；寄生菌；食客 | |
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cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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dulcet
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| adj.悦耳的 | |
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eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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cypress
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| n.柏树 | |
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emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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foresight
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| n.先见之明，深谋远虑 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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enlisted
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| adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持） | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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feudal
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| adj.封建的，封地的，领地的 | |
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chimeras
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| n.（由几种动物的各部分构成的）假想的怪兽( chimera的名词复数 )；不可能实现的想法；幻想；妄想 | |
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twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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profuse
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| adj.很多的，大量的，极其丰富的 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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stratagems
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| n.诡计，计谋( stratagem的名词复数 )；花招 | |
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plighted
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| vt.保证，约定（plight的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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forfeit
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| vt.丧失；n.罚金，罚款，没收物 | |
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invoke
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| v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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steadfastly
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| adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝 | |
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extricate
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| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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minion
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| n.宠仆；宠爱之人 | |
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gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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sardonic
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| adj.嘲笑的，冷笑的，讥讽的 | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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cravat
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| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
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