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is a child as yet； you do not perceive the high nature the trials
of life will develop。 Pardon me； if I say that her soul； purer
and loftier than your own； will bear it upward； as a secret hymn
carries aloft the spirits of the world。 Your nature wants the
harmony； the music which； as the Pythagoreans wisely taught； at
once elevates and soothes。 I offer you that music in her love。〃
〃But am I sure that she does love me？〃
〃Artist； no； she loves you not at present； her affections are
full of another。 But if I could transfer to you； as the
loadstone transfers its attraction to the magnet； the love that
she has now for me；if I could cause her to see in you the ideal
of her dreams〃
〃Is such a gift in the power of man？〃
〃I offer it to you； if your love be lawful； if your faith in
virtue and yourself be deep and loyal； if not； think you that I
would disenchant her with truth to make her adore a falsehood？〃
〃But if；〃 persisted Glyndon；〃if she be all that you tell me；
and if she love you； how can you rob yourself of so priceless a
treasure？〃
〃Oh； shallow and mean heart of man！〃 exclaimed Zanoni； with
unaccustomed passion and vehemence； 〃dost thou conceive so little
of love as not to know that it sacrifices alllove itselffor
the happiness of the thing it loves？ Hear me！〃 And Zanoni's
face grew pale。 〃Hear me！ I press this upon you； because I love
her； and because I fear that with me her fate will be less fair
than with yourself。 Why；ask not； for I will not tell you。
Enough！ Time presses now for your answer； it cannot long be
delayed。 Before the night of the third day from this； all choice
will be forbid you！〃
〃But；〃 said Glyndon； still doubting and suspicious；〃but why
this haste？〃
〃Man； you are not worthy of her when you ask me。 All I can tell
you here； you should have known yourself。 This ravisher； this
man of will； this son of the old Visconti； unlike you；
steadfast； resolute； earnest even in his crimes；never
relinquishes an object。 But one passion controls his lust；it
is his avarice。 The day after his attempt on Viola； his uncle；
the Cardinal ； from whom he has large expectations of land and
gold； sent for him； and forbade him； on pain of forfeiting all
the possessions which his schemes already had parcelled out； to
pursue with dishonourable designs one whom the Cardinal had
heeded and loved from childhood。 This is the cause of his
present pause from his pursuit。 While we speak； the cause
expires。 Before the hand of the clock reaches the hour of noon；
the Cardinal will be no more。 At this very moment thy friend；
Jean Nicot； is with the Prince di 。〃
〃He！ wherefore？〃
〃To ask what dower shall go with Viola Pisani； the morning that
she leaves the palace of the prince。〃
〃And how do you know all this？〃
〃Fool！ I tell thee again； because a lover is a watcher by night
and day； because love never sleeps when danger menaces the
beloved one！〃
〃And you it was that informed the Cardinal ？〃
〃Yes； and what has been my task might as easily have been thine。
Speak；thine answer！〃
〃You shall have it on the third day from this。〃
〃Be it so。 Put off； poor waverer； thy happiness to the last
hour。 On the third day from this； I will ask thee thy resolve。〃
〃And where shall we meet？〃
〃Before midnight； where you may least expect me。 You cannot shun
me； though you may seek to do so！〃
〃Stay one moment！ You condemn me as doubtful； irresolute；
suspicious。 Have I no cause？ Can I yield without a struggle to
the strange fascination you exert upon my mind？ What interest
can you have in me； a stranger； that you should thus dictate to
me the gravest action in the life of man？ Do you suppose that
any one in his senses would not pause； and deliberate； and ask
himself； 'Why should this stranger care thus for me？'〃
〃And yet；〃 said Zanoni； 〃if I told thee that I could initiate
thee into the secrets of that magic which the philosophy of the
whole existing world treats as a chimera； or imposture； if I
promised to show thee how to command the beings of air and ocean；
how to accumulate wealth more easily than a child can gather
pebbles on the shore； to place in thy hands the essence of the
herbs which prolong life from age to age； the mystery of that
attraction by which to awe all danger and disarm all violence and
subdue man as the serpent charms the bird；if I told thee that
all these it was mine to possess and to communicate； thou wouldst
listen to me then； and obey me without a doubt！〃
〃It is true； and I can account for this only by the imperfect
associations of my childhood；by traditions in our house of〃
〃Your forefather； who； in the revival of science； sought the
secrets of Apollonius and Paracelsus。〃
〃What！〃 said Glyndon； amazed； 〃are you so well acquainted with
the annals of an obscure lineage？〃
〃To the man who aspires to know； no man who has been the meanest
student of knowledge should be unknown。 You ask me why I have
shown this interest in your fate？ There is one reason which I
have not yet told you。 There is a fraternity as to whose laws
and whose mysteries the most inquisitive schoolmen are in the
dark。 By those laws all are pledged to warn； to aid； and to
guide even the remotest descendants of men who have toiled；
though vainly； like your ancestor； in the mysteries of the Order。
We are bound to advise them to their welfare； nay； more；if they
command us to it； we must accept them as our pupils。 I am a
survivor of that most ancient and immemorial union。 This it was
that bound me to thee at the first； this； perhaps； attracted
thyself unconsciously； Son of our Brotherhood； to me。〃
〃If this be so； I command thee； in the name of the laws thou
obeyest； to receive me as thy pupil！〃
〃What do you ask？〃 said Zanoni； passionately。 〃Learn； first； the
conditions。 No neophyte must have； at his initiation； one
affection or desire that chains him to the world。 He must be
pure from the love of woman； free from avarice and ambition； free
from the dreams even of art； or the hope of earthly fame。 The
first sacrifice thou must make isViola herself。 And for what？
For an ordeal that the most daring courage only can encounter；
the most ethereal natures alone survive！ Thou art unfit for the
science that has made me and others what we are or have been； for
thy whole nature is one fear！〃
〃Fear！〃 cried Glyndon； colouring with resentment； and rising to
the full height of his stature。
〃Fear！ and the worst fear；fear of the world's opinion； fear of
the Nicots and the Mervales； fear of thine own impulses when most
generous； fear of thine own powers when thy genius is most bold；
fear that virtue is not eternal； fear that God does not live in
heaven to keep watch on earth； fear； the fear of little men； and
that fear is never known to the great。〃
With these words Zanoni abruptly left the artist； humbled；