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I would be gone。〃
Mascari muttered some inaudible words； bowed low； and led the way
to the chamber in which Viola was confined。
CHAPTER 3。XVIII。
Merc： Tell me； therefore； what thou seekest after； and what thou
wilt have。 What dost thou desire to make？
Alch： The Philosopher's Stone。
Sandivogius。
It wanted several minutes of midnight； and Glyndon repaired to
the appointed spot。 The mysterious empire which Zanoni had
acquired over him； was still more solemnly confirmed by the
events of the last few hours； the sudden fate of the prince； so
deliberately foreshadowed； and yet so seemingly accidental；
brought out by causes the most commonplace； and yet associated
with words the most prophetic； impressed him with the deepest
sentiments of admiration and awe。 It was as if this dark and
wondrous being could convert the most ordinary events and the
meanest instruments into the agencies of his inscrutable will；
yet； if so； why have permitted the capture of Viola？ Why not
have prevented the crime rather than punish the criminal？ And
did Zanoni really feel love for Viola？ Love； and yet offer to
resign her to himself；to a rival whom his arts could not have
failed to baffle。 He no longer reverted to the belief that
Zanoni or Viola had sought to dupe him into marriage。 His fear
and reverence for the former now forbade the notion of so poor an
imposture。 Did he any longer love Viola himself？ No； when that
morning he had heard of her danger； he had； it is true； returned
to the sympathies and the fears of affection； but with the death
of the prince her image faded from his heart； and he felt no
jealous pang at the thought that she had been saved by Zanoni；
that at that moment she was perhaps beneath his roof。 Whoever
has； in the course of his life； indulged the absorbing passion of
the gamester； will remember how all other pursuits and objects
vanished from his mind； how solely he was wrapped in the one wild
delusion； with what a sceptre of magic power the despot…demon
ruled every feeling and every thought。 Far more intense than the
passion of the gamester was the frantic yet sublime desire that
mastered the breast of Glyndon。 He would be the rival of Zanoni；
not in human and perishable affections； but in preternatural and
eternal lore。 He would have laid down life with contentnay；
raptureas the price of learning those solemn secrets which
separated the stranger from mankind。 Enamoured of the goddess of
goddesses； he stretched forth his armsthe wild Ixionand
embraced a cloud！
The night was most lovely and serene； and the waves scarcely
rippled at his feet as the Englishman glided on by the cool and
starry beach。 At length he arrived at the spot； and there；
leaning against the broken pillar； he beheld a man wrapped in a
long mantle； and in an attitude of profound repose。 He
approached； and uttered the name of Zanoni。 The figure turned；
and he saw the face of a stranger： a face not stamped by the
glorious beauty of Zanoni； but equally majestic in its aspect；
and perhaps still more impressive from the mature age and the
passionless depth of thought that characterised the expanded
forehead； and deep…set but piercing eyes。
〃You seek Zanoni；〃 said the stranger； 〃he will be here anon； but；
perhaps； he whom you see before you is more connected with your
destiny； and more disposed to realise your dreams。〃
〃Hath the earth； then； another Zanoni？〃
〃If not；〃 replied the stranger； 〃why do you cherish the hope and
the wild faith to be yourself a Zanoni？ Think you that none
others have burned with the same godlike dream？ Who； indeed in
his first youth；youth when the soul is nearer to the heaven
from which it sprang； and its divine and primal longings are not
all effaced by the sordid passions and petty cares that are begot
in time；who is there in youth that has not nourished the belief
that the universe has secrets not known to the common herd； and
panted； as the hart for the water…springs； for the fountains that
lie hid and far away amidst the broad wilderness of trackless
science？ The music of the fountain is heard in the soul WITHIN；
till the steps； deceived and erring； rove away from its waters；
and the wanderer dies in the mighty desert。 Think you that none
who have cherished the hope have found the truth； or that the
yearning after the Ineffable Knowledge was given to us utterly in
vain？ No！ Every desire in human hearts is but a glimpse of
things that exist； alike distant and divine。 No！ in the world
there have been from age to age some brighter and happier spirits
who have attained to the air in which the beings above mankind
move and breathe。 Zanoni； great though he be； stands not alone。
He has had his predecessors； and long lines of successors may be
yet to come。〃
〃And will you tell me；〃 said Glyndon； 〃that in yourself I behold
one of that mighty few over whom Zanoni has no superiority in
power and wisdom？〃
〃In me；〃 answered the stranger； 〃you see one from whom Zanoni
himself learned some of his loftiest secrets。 On these shores；
on this spot； have I stood in ages that your chroniclers but
feebly reach。 The Phoenician； the Greek； the Oscan； the Roman；
the Lombard； I have seen them all！leaves gay and glittering on
the trunk of the universal life； scattered in due season and
again renewed； till； indeed； the same race that gave its glory to
the ancient world bestowed a second youth upon the new。 For the
pure Greeks； the Hellenes； whose origin has bewildered your
dreaming scholars； were of the same great family as the Norman
tribe； born to be the lords of the universe； and in no land on
earth destined to become the hewers of wood。 Even the dim
traditions of the learned； which bring the sons of Hellas from
the vast and undetermined territories of Northern Thrace； to be
the victors of the pastoral Pelasgi； and the founders of the line
of demi…gods； which assign to a population bronzed beneath the
suns of the West； the blue…eyed Minerva and the yellow…haired
Achilles （physical characteristics of the North）； which
introduce； amongst a pastoral people； warlike aristocracies and
limited monarchies； the feudalism of the classic time；even
these might serve you to trace back the primeval settlements of
the Hellenes to the same region whence； in later times； the
Norman warriors broke on the dull and savage hordes of the Celt；
and became the Greeks of the Christian world。 But this interests
you not； and you are wise in your indifference。 Not in the
knowledge of things without； but in the perfection of the soul
within； lies the empire of man aspiring to be more than man。〃
〃And what books contain that science； from what laboratory is it
wrought？〃
〃Nature supplies the materials； they are around you in your daily
walks。 In the herbs that the beast devours and the chemist
disdains to cull； in the elements from which matter in its
meanest a