The emperor Isaac Angelus made a treaty with Saladin, and tried to purchase the Holy Sepulchre with gold. Richard Lion-heart scorned such alliance, and sought to recover it by battle. Thus do weak minds make treaties with the passions they cannot overcome, and try to purchase happiness at the expense of principle. But the resolute will of a strong man scorns such means; and struggles nobly with his foe4, to achieve great deeds. Therefore, whosoever thou art that sufferest, try not to dissipate thy sorrow by the breath of the world, nor drown its voice in thoughtless merriment. It is a treacherous5 peace that is purchased by indulgence. Rather take this sorrow to thy heart, and make it a part of thee, and it shall nourish thee till thou art strong again.
The shadows of the mind are like those of the body. In the morning of life they all lie behind us; at noon, we trample6 them under foot; and in the evening they stretch long, broad, and deepening before us. Are not, then, the sorrows of childhood as dark as those of age? Are not the morning shadows of life as deep and broad as those of its evening? Yes; but morning shadows soon fade away, while those of evening reach forward into the night and mingle8 with the coming darkness. Man is begotten9 in delight and born in pain; and in these are the rapture10 and labor11 of his life fore-shadowed from the beginning. But thelife of man upon this fair earth is made up for the most part of little pains and little pleasures. The great wonder-flowers bloom but once in a lifetime.
A week had already elapsed since the events recorded in the last chapter. Paul Flemming went his way, a melancholy12 man, "drinking the sweet wormwood of his sorrow." He did not rail at Providence13 and call it fate, but suffered and was silent. It is a beautiful trait in the lover's character, that he thinks no evil of the object loved. What he suffered was no swift storm of feeling, that passes away with a noise, and leaves the heart clearer; but a dark phantom14 had risen up in the clear night, and, like that of Adamastor, hid the stars; and if it ever vanished away for a season, still the deep sound of the moaning main would be heard afar, through many a dark and lonely hour. And thus he journeyed on, wrapped in desponding gloom, and mainly heedless of all things around him. His mind was distempered. That one face was always before him; that one voice forever saying;
"You are not the Magician."
Painful, indeed, it is to be misunderstood and undervalued by those we love. But this, too, in our life, must we learn to bear without a murmur15; for it is a tale often repeated.
There are persons in this world to whom all local associations are naught16. The genius of the place speaks not to them. Even on battle-fields, where the voice of this genius is wont17 to be loudest, they hear only the sound of their own voices; they meet there only their own dull and pedantic18 thoughts, as the old grammarian Brunetto Latini met on the plain of Roncesvalles a poor student riding on a bay mule19. This was not always the case with Paul Flemming, but it had become so now. He felt no interest in the scenery around him. He hardly looked at it. Even the difficult mountain-passes, where, from his rocky eyrie the eagle-eyed Tyrolese peasant had watched his foe, and the roaring, turbid20 torrent21 underneath22, which had swallowed up the bloody23 corse, that fell from the rocks like a crushed worm, awakened24 no lively emotion in his breast. All around him seemed dreamy and vague; all within dim, as in a sun's eclipse. As the moon, whether visible or invisible, has power over the tides of the ocean, so the face of that lady, whether present or absent, had power over the tides of his soul; both by day and night, both waking and sleeping. In every pale face and dark eye he saw a resemblance to her; and what the day denied him in reality, the night gave him in dreams.
"This is a strange, fantastic world," said Berkley, after a very long silence, during which the two travellers had been sitting each in his corner of the travelling carriage, wrapped in his own reflections. "A very strange, fantastic world; where each one pursues his own golden bubble, and laughs at his neighbour for doing the same. I have been thinking how a moral Linnæus would classify our race. I think he would divide it, not as Lord Byron did, into two great classes, the bores and those who are bored, but into three, namely; Happy Men, Lucky Dogs, and Miserable25 Wretches26. This is more true and philosophical27, though perhaps not quite so comprehensive. He is the Happy Man, who, blessed with modest ease, a wife and children,--sits enthroned in the hearts of his family, and knows no other ambition, than that of making those around him happy. But the Lucky Dog is he, who, free from all domestic cares, saunters up and down his room, in morning gown and slippers28; drums on the window of a rainy day; and, as he stirs his evening fire, snaps his fingers at the world, and says, 'I have no wife nor children, good or bad, to provide for.' I had a friend, who is now no more. He was taken away in the bloom of life, by a very rapid--widow. He was by birth and by profession a beau,--born with a quizzing-glass and a cane29. Cock of the walk, he flapped his wings, and crowed among the feathered tribe. But alas30! a fair, white partlet has torn his crest31 out, and he shall crow no more. You will generally find him of a morning, smelling round a beef-cart, with domestic felicity written in every line of his countenance32; and sometimes meet him in a cross-street at noon, hurrying homeward, with a beef-steak on a wooden skewer33, or a fresh fish, with a piece of tarred twine34 run through its gills. In the evening he rocks the cradle, and gets up in the night when the child cries. Like a Goth, of the Dark Ages, he consults his wife on all mighty35 matters, and looks upon her as a being of more than human goodness and wisdom. In short, the ladies all say he is a very domestic man, and makes a good husband; which, under the rose, is only a more polite way of saying he is hen-pecked. He is a Happy Man. I have another dear friend, who is a sexagenary bachelor. He has one of those well-oiled dispositions36, which turn upon the hinges of the world without creaking. The hey-day of life is over with him; but his old age is sunny and chirping37; and a merry heart still nestles in his tottering38 frame, like a swallow that builds in a tumble-down chimney. He is a professed39 Squire40 of Dames41. The rustle42 of a silk gown is music to his ears, and his imagination is continuallylantern-led by some will-with-a-wisp in the shape of a lady's stomacher. In his devotion to the fair sex,--the muslin, as he calls it,--he is the gentle flower of chivalry43. It is amusing to see how quick he strikes into the scent44 of a lady's handkerchief. When once fairly in pursuit, there is no such thing as throwing him out. His heart looks out at his eye; and his inward delight tingles45 down to the tail of his coat. He loves to bask46 in the sunshine of a smile; when he can breathe the sweet atmosphere of kid gloves and cambric handkerchiefs, his soul is in its element; and his supreme47 delight is to pass the morning, to use his own quaint48 language, 'in making dodging49 calls, and wiggling round among the ladies!' He is a lucky dog!"
"And as a specimen50 of the class of Miserable Wretches, I suppose you will take me," said Flemming, making an effort to enter into his friend's humor. "Certainly I am wretched enough. You may make me the stuffed bear,--the specimen of this class."
"By no means," replied Berkley; "you are not reduced so low. He only is utterly51 wretched, who is the slave of his own passions, or those of others. This, I trust, will never be your condition. Why so wan52 and pale, fond lover? Do you remember Sir John Suckling's Song?
'Why so wan and pale, fond lover;
Pr'ythee why so pale?
Will, if looking well can't move her,
Looking ill prevail?
Pr'ythee why so pale?
'Why so dull and mute, young sinner;
Pr'ythee why so mute?
Will, if speaking well can't win her,
Saying nothing do 't?
Pr'ythee why so mute?
'Quit, quit, for shame! this cannot move,
This cannot take her!
If of herself she do not love,
Nothing will make her!
The devil take her!'
How do you like that?"
"To you I say quit, quit for shame;" replied Flemming. "Why quote the songs of that witty53 and licentious54 age? Have you no better consolation55 to offer me? How many, many times must I tell you, that I bear the lady no ill-will. I do not blame her for not loving me. I desire her happiness, even at the sacrifice of my own."
"That is generous in you, and deserves a better fate. But you are so figurative in all you say, that a stranger would think you had no real feeling,--and only fancied yourself in love."
"Expression of feeling is different with different minds. It is not always simple. Some minds, when excited, naturally speak in figures and similitudes. They do not on that account feel less deeply. This is obvious in our commonest modes of speech. It depends upon the individual."
"Kyrie Eleëson!"
"Well, abuse my figures of speech as much as you please. What I insist upon is, that you shall not abuse the lady. When did you ever hear me breathe a whisper against her?"
"Oho! Now you speak like Launce to his dog!"
Their conversation, which had begun so merrily, was here suddenly interrupted by a rattling56 peal57 of thunder, that announced a near-approaching storm. It was late in the afternoon, and the whole heaven black with low, trailing clouds. Still blacker the storm came sailing up majestically58 from the southwest, with almost unbroken volleys of distant thunder. The wind seemed to be storming a cloud redoubt; and marched onward59 with dust, and the green banners of the trees flapping in the air, and heavy cannonading, and occasionally an explosion, like the blowing up of a powder-wagon. Mingled60 with this was the sound of thunder-bells from a village not far off. They were all ringing dolefully to ward7 off the thunderbolt. At the entrance of the village stood a large wooden crucifix; around which was a crowd of priests and peasants, kneeling in the wet grass, by the roadside, with their hands and eyes lifted toheaven, and praying for rain. Their prayer was soon answered.
The travellers drove on with the driving wind and rain. They had come from Landeck, and hoped to reach Innsbruck before midnight. Night closed in, and Flemming fell asleep with the loud storm overhead, and at his feet the roaring Inn, a mountain torrent leaping onward as wild and restless, as when it first sprang from its cradle in the solitudes61 of Engaddin; meet emblem62 of himself, thus rushing through the night. His slumber63 was long, but broken; and at length he awoke in terror; for he heard a voice pronounce in his ear distinctly these words;
"They have brought the dead body."
They were driving by a churchyard at the entrance of a town; and among the tombs a dim lamp was burning before an image of the Virgin64. It had a most unearthly appearance. Flemming almost feared to see the congregation of the dead go into the church and sing their midnight mass. He spoke65 to Berkley; but received no answer; he was in a deep sleep.
"Then it was only a dream," said he to himself; "yet how distinct the voice was! O, if we had spiritual organs, to see and hear things now invisible and inaudible to us, we should behold66 the whole air filled with the departing souls of that vast multitude which every moment dies,--should behold them streaming up like thin vapors67 heaven-ward, and hear the startling blast of the archangel's trump68 sounding incessant69 through the universe and proclaiming the awful judgment70 day. Truly the soul departs not alone on its last journey, but spirits of its kind attend it, when not ministering angels; and they go in families to the unknown land! Neither in life nor in death are we alone."
He slept again at intervals71; and at length, though long after midnight, reached Innsbruck between sleeping and waking; his mind filled with dim recollections of the unspeakably dismal72 night-journey;--the climbing of hills, and plunging73 into dark ravines;--the momentary74 rattling of the wheels over paved streets of towns, and the succeeding hollow rolling and tramping on the wetearth;--the blackness of the night;--the thunder and lightning and rain; the roar of waters, leaping through deep chasms75 by the road-side, and the wind through the mountain-passes, sounding loud and long, like the irrepressible laughter of the gods.
The travellers on the morrow lingered not long in Innsbruck. They did not fail, however, to visit the tomb of Maximilian in the Franciscan Church of the Holy Cross, and gaze with some admiration76 upon the twenty-eight gigantic bronze statues of Godfrey of Bouillon, and King Arthur and Ernest the Iron-man, and Frederick of the Empty Pockets, kings and heroes, and others, which stand leaning on their swords between the columns of the church, as if guarding the tomb of the dead. These statues reminded Flemming of the bronze giants, which strike the hours on the belfry of San Basso, in Venice, and of the flail-armed monsters, that guarded the gateway77 of Angulaffer's castle in Oberon. After gazing awhile at these motionless sentinels, they went forth78, and strolled throughthe public gardens, with the jagged mountains right over their heads, and all around them tall, melancholy pines, like Tyrolese peasants, with shaggy hair; and at their feet the mad torrent of the Inn, sweeping79 with turbid waves through the midst of the town. In the afternoon they drove on towards Salzburg through the magnificent mountain-passes of Waidering and Unken.
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1
sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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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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4
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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trample
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| vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯 | |
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7
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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mingle
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| vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往 | |
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9
begotten
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| v.为…之生父( beget的过去分词 )；产生，引起 | |
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rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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12
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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13
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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phantom
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| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
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15
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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16
naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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17
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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18
pedantic
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| adj.卖弄学问的；迂腐的 | |
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mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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turbid
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| adj.混浊的，泥水的，浓的 | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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22
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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23
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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24
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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25
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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26
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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27
philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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28
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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29
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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30
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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31
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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32
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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33
skewer
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| n.（烤肉用的）串肉杆；v.用杆串好 | |
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34
twine
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| v.搓，织，编饰；（使）缠绕 | |
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35
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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36
dispositions
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| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
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37
chirping
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| 鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的现在分词 ) | |
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38
tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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39
professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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41
dames
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| n.（在英国）夫人（一种封号），夫人（爵士妻子的称号）( dame的名词复数 )；女人 | |
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42
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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43
chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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44
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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45
tingles
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| n.刺痛感( tingle的名词复数 )v.有刺痛感( tingle的第三人称单数 ) | |
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46
bask
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| vt.取暖，晒太阳，沐浴于 | |
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47
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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48
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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49
dodging
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| n.避开，闪过，音调改变v.闪躲( dodge的现在分词 )；回避 | |
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50
specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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51
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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52
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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53
witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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54
licentious
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| adj.放纵的，淫乱的 | |
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55
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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56
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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57
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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58
majestically
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| 雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地 | |
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59
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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60
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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61
solitudes
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| n.独居( solitude的名词复数 )；孤独；荒僻的地方；人迹罕至的地方 | |
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62
emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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63
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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64
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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65
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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66
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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67
vapors
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| n.水汽，水蒸气，无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 )；自夸者；幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁（症）v.自夸，（使）蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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68
trump
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| n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭 | |
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69
incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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70
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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71
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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72
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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73
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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74
momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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75
chasms
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| 裂缝( chasm的名词复数 )； 裂口； 分歧； 差别 | |
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76
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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gateway
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| n.大门口，出入口，途径，方法 | |
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78
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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79
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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