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resting on its surface。 The sun gilt a thousand spires and
domes； and gleamed on the white palaces of a fallen chivalry。
Here fatigued and panting； he paused an instant； and a cooler air
from the river fanned his brow。 〃Awhile； at least； I am safe
here；〃 he murmured； and as he spoke； some thirty paces behind
him； he beheld the spy。 He stood rooted to the spot； wearied
and spent as he was； escape seemed no longer possible；the river
on one side （no bridge at hand）； and the long row of mansions
closing up the other。 As he halted； he heard laughter and
obscene songs from a house a little in his rear； between himself
and the spy。 It was a cafe fearfully known in that quarter。
Hither often resorted the black troop of Henriot；the minions
and huissiers of Robespierre。 The spy； then； had hunted the
victim within the jaws of the hounds。 The man slowly advanced；
and； pausing before the open window of the cafe； put his head
through the aperture； as to address and summon forth its armed
inmates。
At that very instant； and while the spy's head was thus turned
from him； standing in the half…open gateway of the house
immediately before him； he perceived the stranger who had warned；
the figure； scarcely distinguishable through the mantle that
wrapped it； motioned to him to enter。 He sprang noiselessly
through the friendly opening： the door closed； breathlessly he
followed the stranger up a flight of broad stairs and through a
suite of empty rooms； until； having gained a small cabinet； his
conductor doffed the large hat and the long mantle that had
hitherto concealed his shape and features； and Glyndon beheld
Zanoni！
CHAPTER 7。IX。
Think not my magic wonders wrought by aid
Of Stygian angels summoned up from hell；
Scorned and accursed be those who have essayed
Her gloomy Dives and Afrites to compel。
But by perception of the secret powers
Of mineral springs in Nature's inmost cell；
Of herbs in curtain of her greenest bowers；
And of the moving stars o'er mountain tops and towers。
Wiffen's 〃Translation of Tasso；〃 cant。 xiv。 xliii。
〃You are safe here； young Englishman！〃 said Zanoni； motioning
Glyndon to a seat。 〃Fortunate for you that I come on your track
at last！〃
〃Far happier had it been if we had never met！ Yet even in these
last hours of my fate； I rejoice to look once more on the face of
that ominous and mysterious being to whom I can ascribe all the
sufferings I have known。 Here； then； thou shalt not palter with
or elude me。 Here； before we part； thou shalt unravel to me the
dark enigma； if not of thy life； of my own！〃
〃Hast thou suffered？ Poor neophyte！〃 said Zanoni； pityingly。
〃Yes； I see it on thy brow。 But wherefore wouldst thou blame me？
Did I not warn thee against the whispers of thy spirit； did I not
warn thee to forbear？ Did I not tell thee that the ordeal was
one of awful hazard and tremendous fears；nay； did I not offer
to resign to thee the heart that was mighty enough； while mine；
Glyndon； to content me？ Was it not thine own daring and resolute
choice to brave the initiation！ Of thine own free will didst
thou make Mejnour thy master； and his lore thy study！〃
〃But whence came the irresistible desires of that wild and unholy
knowledge？ I knew them not till thine evil eye fell upon me； and
I was drawn into the magic atmosphere of thy being！〃
〃Thou errest！the desires were in thee； and； whether in one
direction or the other； would have forced their way！ Man！ thou
askest me the enigma of thy fate and my own！ Look round all
being； is there not mystery everywhere？ Can thine eye trace the
ripening of the grain beneath the earth？ In the moral and the
physical world alike； lie dark portents； far more wondrous than
the powers thou wouldst ascribe to me！〃
〃Dost thou disown those powers； dost thou confess thyself an
imposter？or wilt thou dare to tell me that thou art indeed sold
to the Evil one；a magician whose familiar has haunted me night
and day？〃
〃It matters not what I am；〃 returned Zanoni； 〃it matters only
whether I can aid thee to exorcise thy dismal phantom； and return
once more to the wholesome air of this common life。 Something；
however； will I tell thee； not to vindicate myself； but the
Heaven and the Nature that thy doubts malign。〃
Zanoni paused a moment； and resumed with a slight smile；
〃In thy younger days thou hast doubtless read with delight the
great Christian poet； whose muse； like the morning it celebrated；
came to earth； 'crowned with flowers culled in Paradise。'
（'L'aurea testa
Di rose colte in Paradiso infiora。'
Tasso； 〃Ger。 Lib。〃 iv。 l。）
〃No spirit was more imbued with the knightly superstitions of the
time； and surely the Poet of Jerusalem hath sufficiently； to
satisfy even the Inquisitor he consulted； execrated all the
practitioners of the unlawful spells invoked；
'Per isforzar Cocito o Flegetonte。'
（To constrain Cocytus or Phlegethon。）
But in his sorrows and his wrongs； in the prison of his madhouse；
know you not that Tasso himself found his solace； his escape； in
the recognition of a holy and spiritual Theurgia；of a magic
that could summon the Angel； or the Good Genius； not the Fiend？
And do you not remember how he； deeply versed as he was for his
age； in the mysteries of the nobler Platonism； which hints at the
secrets of all the starry brotherhoods； from the Chaldean to the
later Rosicrucian； discriminates in his lovely verse； between the
black art of Ismeno and the glorious lore of the Enchanter who
counsels and guides upon their errand the champions of the Holy
Land？ HIS； not the charms wrought by the aid of the Stygian
Rebels （See this remarkable passage； which does indeed not
unfaithfully represent the doctrine of the Pythagorean and the
Platonist； in Tasso； cant。 xiv。 stanzas xli。 to xlvii。 （〃Ger。
Lib。〃） They are beautifully translated by Wiffen。）； but the
perception of the secret powers of the fountain and the herb；
the Arcana of the unknown nature and the various motions of the
stars。 His； the holy haunts of Lebanon and Carmel；beneath his
feet he saw the clouds； the snows； the hues of Iris； the
generations of the rains and dews。 Did the Christian Hermit who
converted that Enchanter （no fabulous being； but the type of all
spirit that would aspire through Nature up to God） command him to
lay aside these sublime studies； 'Le solite arte e l' uso mio'？
No！ but to cherish and direct them to worthy ends。 And in this
grand conception of the poet lies the secret of the true
Theurgia； which startles your ignorance in a more learned day
with puerile apprehensions； and the nightmares of a sick man's
dreams。〃
Again Zanoni paused； and again resumed：
〃In ages far remote；of a civilisation far different from that
which now merges the individual in the state；there existed men
of ardent minds； and an intense desire of knowledge。 In the
mighty and solemn kingdoms in which they dwelt；