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comes not to thy call。 Only where no cloud of the passion and
the flesh veils the eye of the Serene Intelligence can the Sons
of the Starbeam glide to man。 But _I_ can aid thee！hark！〃 And
Zanoni heard distinctly in his heart； even at that distance from
the chamber； the voice of Viola calling in delirium on her
beloved one。
〃Oh； Viola； I can save thee not！〃 exclaimed the seer；
passionately； 〃my love for thee has made me powerless！〃
〃Not powerless； I can gift thee with the art to save her；I can
place healing in thy hand！〃
〃For both？child and mother；for both？〃
〃Both！〃
A convulsion shook the limbs of the seer；a mighty struggle
shook him as a child： the Humanity and the Hour conquered the
repugnant spirit。
〃I yield！ Mother and childsave both！〃
。。。
In the dark chamber lay Viola； in the sharpest agonies of
travail； life seemed rending itself away in the groans and cries
that spoke of pain in the midst of frenzy； and still； in groan
and cry； she called on Zanoni； her beloved。 The physician looked
to the clock； on it beat： the Heart of Time；regularly and
slowly；Heart that never sympathised with Life； and never
flagged for Death！ 〃The cries are fainter；〃 said the leech； 〃in
ten minutes more all will be past。〃
Fool！ the minutes laugh at thee； Nature； even now； like a blue
sky through a shattered temple； is smiling through the tortured
frame。 The breathing grows more calm and hushed； the voice of
delirium is dumb；a sweet dream has come to Viola。 Is it a
dream； or is it the soul that sees？ She thinks suddenly that she
is with Zanoni； that her burning head is pillowed on his bosom；
she thinks； as he gazes on her； that his eyes dispel the tortures
that prey upon her；the touch of his hand cools the fever on her
brow； she hears his voice in murmurs；it is a music from which
the fiends fly。 Where is the mountain that seemed to press upon
her temples？ Like a vapour； it rolls away。 In the frosts of the
winter night； she sees the sun laughing in luxurious heaven；she
hears the whisper of green leaves； the beautiful world； valley
and stream and woodland； lie before； and with a common voice
speak to her； 〃We are not yet past for thee！〃 Fool of drugs and
formula； look to thy dial…plate！the hand has moved on； the
minutes are with Eternity； the soul thy sentence would have
dismissed； still dwells on the shores of Time。 She sleeps： the
fever abates； the convulsions are gone； the living rose blooms
upon her cheek； the crisis is past！ Husband； thy wife lives；
lover； thy universe is no solitude！ Heart of Time； beat on！ A
while； a little while；joy！ joy！ joy！father； embrace thy
child！
CHAPTER 6。II。
Tristis Erinnys
Praetulit infaustas sanguinolenta faces。
Ovid。
（Erinnys； doleful and bloody； extends the unblessed torches。）
And they placed the child in the father's arms！ As silently he
bent over it； tearstears； how human！fell from his eyes like
rain！ And the little one smiled through the tears that bathed
its cheeks！ Ah； with what happy tears we welcome the stranger
into our sorrowing world！ With what agonising tears we dismiss
the stranger back to the angels！ Unselfish joy； but how selfish
is the sorrow！
And now through the silent chamber a faint sweet voice is heard；
the young mother's voice。
〃I am here： I am by thy side！〃 murmured Zanoni。
The mother smiled； and clasped his hand； and asked no more； she
was contented。
。。。
Viola recovered with a rapidity that startled the physician； and
the young stranger thrived as if it already loved the world to
which it had descended。 From that hour Zanoni seemed to live in
the infant's life； and in that life the souls of mother and
father met as in a new bond。 Nothing more beautiful than this
infant had eye ever dwelt upon。 It was strange to the nurses
that it came not wailing to the light； but smiled to the light as
a thing familiar to it before。 It never uttered one cry of
childish pain。 In its very repose it seemed to be listening to
some happy voice within its heart： it seemed itself so happy。 In
its eyes you would have thought intellect already kindled； though
it had not yet found a language。 Already it seemed to recognise
its parents； already it stretched forth its arms when Zanoni bent
over the bed； in which it breathed and bloomed；the budding
flower！ And from that bed he was rarely absent： gazing upon it
with his serene； delighted eyes； his soul seemed to feed its own。
At night and in utter darkness he was still there； and Viola
often heard him murmuring over it as she lay in a half…sleep。
But the murmur was in a language strange to her； and sometimes
when she heard she feared； and vague； undefined superstitions
came back to her；the superstitions of earlier youth。 A mother
fears everything； even the gods； for her new…born。 The mortals
shrieked aloud when of old they saw the great Demeter seeking to
make their child immortal。
But Zanoni； wrapped in the sublime designs that animated the
human love to which he was now awakened； forgot all； even all he
had forfeited or incurred； in the love that blinded him。
But the dark； formless thing； though he nor invoked nor saw it；
crept； often； round and round him； and often sat by the infant's
couch； with its hateful eyes。
CHAPTER 6。III。
Fuscis tellurem amplectitur alis。
Virgil。
（Embraces the Earth with gloomy wings。）
Letter from Zanoni to Mejnour。
Mejnour； Humanity； with all its sorrows and its joys； is mine
once more。 Day by day； I am forging my own fetters。 I live in
other lives than my own； and in them I have lost more than half
my empire。 Not lifting them aloft； they drag me by the strong
bands of the affections to their own earth。 Exiled from the
beings only visible to the most abstract sense； the grim Enemy
that guards the Threshold has entangled me in its web。 Canst
thou credit me； when I tell thee that I have accepted its gifts；
and endure the forfeit？ Ages must pass ere the brighter beings
can again obey the spirit that has bowed to the ghastly one！
And
。。。
In this hope； then； Mejnour； I triumph still； I yet have supreme
power over this young life。 Insensibly and inaudibly my soul
speaks to its own； and prepares it even now。 Thou knowest that
for the pure and unsullied infant spirit； the ordeal has no
terror and no peril。 Thus unceasingly I nourish it with no
unholy light； and ere it yet be conscious of the gift； it will
gain the privileges it has been mine to attain： the child； by
slow and scarce…seen degrees； will communicate its own attributes
to the mother； and content to see Youth forever radiant on the
brows of the two that now suffice to fill up my whole infinity of
thought； shall I regret the airier kingdom that vanishes hourly
from my grasp？ But thou； whose vision is still clear and serene；
look into the far deeps shut from my gaze； and