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exchanged； a tear has been kissed away； restores us again to the
hours of the first divine illusion。 But in a home where nothing
speaks of the first nuptials； where there is no eloquence of
association； no holy burial…places of emotions； whose ghosts are
angels！yes； who that has gone through the sad history of
affection will tell us that the heart changes not with the scene！
Blow fair； ye favouring winds； cheerily swell； ye sails； away
from the land where death has come to snatch the sceptre of Love！
The shores glide by； new coasts succeed to the green hills and
orange…groves of the Bridal Isle。 From afar now gleam in the
moonlight the columns； yet extant； of a temple which the Athenian
dedicated to wisdom； and； standing on the bark that bounded on in
the freshening gale； the votary who had survived the goddess
murmured to himself；
〃Has the wisdom of ages brought me no happier hours than those
common to the shepherd and the herdsman； with no world beyond
their village； no aspiration beyond the kiss and the smile of
home？〃
And the moon； resting alike over the ruins of the temple of the
departed creed； over the hut of the living peasant； over the
immemorial mountain…top； and the perishable herbage that clothed
its sides； seemed to smile back its answer of calm disdain to the
being who； perchance； might have seen the temple built； and who；
in his inscrutable existence； might behold the mountain shattered
from its base。
BOOK V。
THE EFFECTS OF THE ELIXIR。
CHAPTER 5。I。
Frommet's den Schleier aufzuheben；
Wo das nahe Schreckness droht？
Nur das Irrthum ist das Leben
Und das Wissen ist der Tod；
Schiller； Kassandro。
Delusion is the life we live
And knowledge death； oh wherefore； then；
To sight the coming evils give
And lift the veil of Fate to Man？
Zwei Seelen wohnen； ach！ in meiner Brust。
（Two souls dwell； alas！ in my breast。）
。。。
Was stehst du so； und blickst erstaunt hinaus？
（Why standest thou so； and lookest out astonished？）
〃Faust。〃
It will be remembered that we left Master Paolo by the bedside of
Glyndon； and as； waking from that profound slumber； the
recollections of the past night came horribly back to his mind；
the Englishman uttered a cry； and covered his face with his
hands。
〃Good morrow； Excellency！〃 said Paolo； gayly。 〃Corpo di Bacco；
you have slept soundly！〃
The sound of this man's voice； so lusty； ringing； and healthful；
served to scatter before it the phantasma that yet haunted
Glyndon's memory。
He rose erect in his bed。 〃And where did you find me？ Why are
you here？〃
〃Where did I find you！〃 repeated Paolo； in surprise；〃in your
bed； to be sure。 Why am I here！because the Padrone bade me
await your waking； and attend your commands。〃
〃The Padrone； Mejnour！is he arrived？〃
〃Arrived and departed； signor。 He has left this letter for you。〃
〃Give it me； and wait without till I am dressed。〃
〃At your service。 I have bespoke an excellent breakfast： you
must be hungry。 I am a very tolerable cook； a monk's son ought
to be！ You will be startled at my genius in the dressing of
fish。 My singing； I trust； will not disturb you。 I always sing
while I prepare a salad； it harmonises the ingredients。〃 And
slinging his carbine over his shoulder； Paolo sauntered from the
room； and closed the door。
Glyndon was already deep in the contents of the following
letter：
〃When I first received thee as my pupil； I promised Zanoni； if
convinced by thy first trials that thou couldst but swell； not
the number of our order； but the list of the victims who have
aspired to it in vain； I would not rear thee to thine own
wretchedness and doom；I would dismiss thee back to the world。
I fulfil my promise。 Thine ordeal has been the easiest that
neophyte ever knew。 I asked for nothing but abstinence from the
sensual； and a brief experiment of thy patience and thy faith。
Go back to thine own world； thou hast no nature to aspire to
ours！
〃It was I who prepared Paolo to receive thee at the revel。 It
was I who instigated the old beggar to ask thee for alms。 It was
I who left open the book that thou couldst not read without
violating my command。 Well； thou hast seen what awaits thee at
the threshold of knowledge。 Thou hast confronted the first foe
that menaces him whom the senses yet grasp and inthrall。 Dost
thou wonder that I close upon thee the gates forever？ Dost thou
not comprehend； at last； that it needs a soul tempered and
purified and raised； not by external spells； but by its own
sublimity and valour； to pass the threshold and disdain the foe？
Wretch！ all my silence avails nothing for the rash； for the
sensual；for him who desires our secrets but to pollute them to
gross enjoyments and selfish vice。 How have the imposters and
sorcerers of the earlier times perished by their very attempt to
penetrate the mysteries that should purify； and not deprave！
They have boasted of the Philosopher's Stone； and died in rags；
of the immortal elixir； and sunk to their grave； grey before
their time。 Legends tell you that the fiend rent them into
fragments。 Yes； the fiend of their own unholy desires and
criminal designs！ What they coveted； thou covetest； and if thou
hadst the wings of a seraph thou couldst soar not from the slough
of thy mortality。 Thy desire for knowledge； but petulant
presumption； thy thirst for happiness； but the diseased longing
for the unclean and muddied waters of corporeal pleasure； thy
very love； which usually elevates even the mean； a passion that
calculates treason amidst the first glow of lust。 THOU one of
us； thou a brother of the August Order； thou an Aspirant to the
Stars that shine in the Shemaia of the Chaldean lore！ The eagle
can raise but the eaglet to the sun。 I abandon thee to thy
twilight！
〃But； alas for thee； disobedient and profane！ thou hast inhaled
the elixir； thou hast attracted to thy presence a ghastly and
remorseless foe。 Thou thyself must exorcise the phantom thou
hast raised。 Thou must return to the world； but not without
punishment and strong effort canst thou regain the calm and the
joy of the life thou hast left behind。 This； for thy comfort；
will I tell thee： he who has drawn into his frame even so little
of the volatile and vital energy of the aerial juices as thyself；
has awakened faculties that cannot sleep；faculties that may
yet； with patient humility； with sound faith； and the courage
that is not of the body like thine； but of the resolute and
virtuous mind； attain； if not to the knowledge that reigns above；
to high achievement in the career of men。 Thou wilt find the
restless influence in all that thou wouldst undertake。 Thy
heart； amidst vulgar joys will aspire to something holier； thy
ambition； amidst coarse excitement； to something beyond thy
reach。 But deem not that this of itself will suffice for glory。