massimilla doni-第14部分

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alone　ever　united　form　and　idea。　You　want　to　be　the　Raphael　of　love；
but　chance　cannot　be　commanded。　Raphael　was　a　'fluke'　of　God's
creation；　for　He　foreordained　that　form　and　idea　should　be
antagonistic；　otherwise　nothing　could　live。　When　the　first　cause　is
more　potent　than　the　outcome；　nothing　comes　of　it。　We　must　live　either
on　earth　or　in　the　skies。　Remain　in　the　skies；　it　is　always　too　soon
to　come　down　to　earth。〃

〃I　will　take　the　Duchess　home；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃and　make　a　last
attemptafterwards？〃

〃Afterwards；〃　cried　Vendramin；　anxiously；　〃promise　to　call　for　me　at
Florian's。〃

〃I　will。〃

This　dialogue；　in　modern　Greek；　with　which　Vendramin　and　Emilio　were
familiar；　as　many　Venetians　are；　was　unintelligible　to　the　Duchess　and
to　the　Frenchman。　Although　he　was　quite　outside　the　little　circle　that
held　the　Duchess；　Emilio　and　Vendramin　togetherfor　these　three
understood　each　other　by　means　of　Italian　glances；　by　turns　arch　and
keen；　or　veiled　and　sidelongthe　physician　at　last　discerned　part　of
the　truth。　An　earnest　entreaty　from　the　Duchess　had　prompted
Vendramin's　suggestion　to　Emilio；　for　Massimilla　had　begun　to　suspect
the　misery　endured　by　her　lover　in　that　cold　empyrean　where　he　was
wandering；　though　she　had　no　suspicions　of　la　Tinti。

〃These　two　young　men　are　mad！〃　said　the　doctor。

〃As　to　the　Prince；〃　said　the　Duchess；　〃trust　me　to　cure　him。　As　to
Vendramin；　if　he　cannot　understand　this　sublime　music；　he　is　perhaps
incurable。〃

〃If　you　would　but　tell　me　the　cause　of　their　madness；　I　could　cure
them；〃　said　the　Frenchman。

〃And　since　when　have　great　physicians　ceased　to　read　men's　minds？〃
said　she；　jestingly。

The　ballet　was　long　since　ended；　the　second　act　of　/Mose/　was
beginning。　The　pit　was　perfectly　attentive。　A　rumor　had　got　abroad
that　Duke　Cataneo　had　lectured　Genovese；　representing　to　him　what
injury　he　was　doing　to　Clarina；　the　/diva/　of　the　day。　The　second　act
would　certainly　be　magnificent。

〃The　Egyptian　Prince　and　his　father　are　on　the　stage；〃　said　the
Duchess。　〃They　have　yielded　once　more；　though　insulting　the　Hebrews；
but　they　are　trembling　with　rage。　The　father　congratulates　himself　on
his　son's　approaching　marriage；　and　the　son　is　in　despair　at　this
fresh　obstacle；　though　it　only　increases　his　love；　to　which　everything
is　opposed。　Genovese　and　Carthagenova　are　singing　admirably。　As　you
see；　the　tenor　is　making　his　peace　with　the　house。　How　well　he　brings
out　the　beauty　of　the　music！　The　phrase　given　out　by　the　son　on　the
tonic；　and　repeated　by　the　father　on　the　dominant；　is　all　in　character
with　the　simple；　serious　scheme　which　prevails　throughout　the　score；
the　sobriety　of　it　makes　the　endless　variety　of　the　music　all　the　more
wonderful。　All　Egypt　is　there。

〃I　do　not　believe　that　there　is　in　modern　music　a　composition　more
perfectly　noble。　The　solemn　and　majestic　paternity　of　a　king　is　fully
expressed　in　that　magnificent　theme；　in　harmony　with　the　grand　style
that　stamps　the　opera　throughout。　The　idea　of　a　Pharaoh's　son　pouring
out　his　sorrows　on　his　father's　bosom　could　surely　not　be　more
admirably　represented　than　in　this　grand　imagery。　Do　you　not　feel　a
sense　of　the　splendor　we　are　wont　to　attribute　to　that　monarch　of
antiquity？〃

〃It　is　indeed　sublime　music；〃　said　the　Frenchman。

〃The　air　/Pace　mia　smarrita/；　which　the　Queen　will　now　sing；　is　one　of
those　/bravura/　songs　which　every　composer　is　compelled　to　introduce；
though　they　mar　the　general　scheme　of　the　work；　but　an　opera　would　as
often　as　not　never　see　the　light；　if　the　prima　donna's　vanity　were　not
duly　flattered。　Still；　this　musical　'sop'　is　so　fine　in　itself　that　it
is　performed　as　written；　on　every　stage；　it　is　so　brilliant　that　the
leading　lady　does　not　substitute　her　favorite　show　piece；　as　is　very
commonly　done　in　operas。

〃And　now　comes　the　most　striking　movement　in　the　score：　the　duet
between　Osiride　and　Elcia　in　the　subterranean　chamber　where　he　has
hidden　her　to　keep　her　from　the　departing　Israelites；　and　to　fly　with
her　himself　from　Egypt。　The　lovers　are　then　intruded　on　by　Aaron；　who
has　been　to　warn　Amalthea；　and　we　get　the　grandest　of　all　quartettes：
/Mi　manca　la　voce；　mi　sento　morire/。　This　is　one　of　those　masterpieces
that　will　survive　in　spite　of　time；　that　destroyer　of　fashion　in
music；　for　it　speaks　the　language　of　the　soul　which　can　never　change。
Mozart　holds　his　own　by　the　famous　/finale/　to　/Don　Giovanni/；
Marcello；　by　his　psalm；　/Coeli　enarrant　gloriam　Dei/；　Cimarosa；　by　the
air　/Pria　che　spunti/；　Beethoven　by　his　C　minor　symphony；　Pergolesi；
by　his　/Stabat　Mater/；　Rossini　will　live　by　/Mi　manca　la　voce/。　What
is　most　to　be　admired　in　Rossini　is　his　command　of　variety　to　form；　to
produce　the　effect　here　required；　he　has　had　recourse　to　the　old
structure　of　the　canon　in　unison；　to　bring　the　voices　in；　and　merge
them　in　the　same　melody。　As　the　form　of　these　sublime　melodies　was
new；　he　set　them　in　an　old　frame；　and　to　give　it　the　more　relief　he
has　silenced　the　orchestra；　accompanying　the　voices　with　the　harps
alone。　It　is　impossible　to　show　greater　ingenuity　of　detail；　or　to
produce　a　grander　general　effect。Dear　me！　again　an　outbreak！〃　said
the　Duchess。

Genovese；　who　had　sung　his　duet　with　Carthagenova　so　well；　was
caricaturing　himself　now　that　la　Tinti　was　on　the　stage。　From　a　great
singer　he　sank　to　the　level　of　the　most　worthless　chorus　singer。

The　most　formidable　uproar　arose　that　had　ever　echoed　to　the　roof　of
the　/Fenice/。　The　commotion　only　yielded　to　Clarina；　and　she；　furious
at　the　difficulties　raised　by　Genovese's　obstinacy；　sang　/Mi　manca　la
voce/　as　it　will　never　be　sung　again。　The　enthusiasm　was　tremendous；
the　audience　forgot　their　indignation　and　rage　in　pleasure　that　was
really　acute。

〃She　floods　my　soul　with　purple　glow！〃　said　Capraja；　waving　his　hand
in　benediction　at　la　/Diva/　Tinti。

〃Heaven　send　all　its　blessings　on　your　head！〃　cried　a　gondolier。

〃Pharaoh　will　now　revoke　his　commands；〃　said　the　Duchess；　while　the
commotion　in　the　pit　was　calming　down。　〃Moses　will　overwhelm　him；　even
on　his　throne；　by　declaring　the　death　of　every　first…born　son　in
Egypt；　singing　that　strain　of　vengeance　which　augurs　thunders　from
heaven；　while　above　it　the　Hebrew　clarions　ring　out。　But　you　must
clearly　understand　that　this　air　is　by　Pacini；　Carthagenova　introduces
it　instead　of　that　by　Rossini。　This　air；　/Paventa/；　will　no　doubt　hold
its　place　in　the　score；　it　gives　a　bass　too　good　an　opportunity　for
displaying　the　quality　of　his　voice；　and　expression　here　will　carry
the　day　rather　than　science。　However；　the　air　is　full　of　magnificent
menace；　and　it　is　possible　that　we　may　not　be　long　allowed　to　hear
it。〃

A　thunder　of　clapping　and　/bravos/　hailed　the　song；　followed　by　deep
and　cautious　silence；　nothing　could　be　more　significant　or　more
thoroughly　Venetian　than　the　outbreak　and　its　sudden　suppression。

〃I　need　say　nothing　of　the　coronation　march　announcing　the
enthronement　of　Osiride；　intended　by　the　King　as　a　challenge　to　Moses；
to　hear　it　is　enough。　Their　famous　Beethoven　has　written　nothing
grander。　And　this　march；　full　of　earthly　pomp；　contrasts　finely　with
the　march　of　the　Israelites。　Compare　them；　and　you　will　see　that　the
music　is　full　of　purpose。

〃Elcia　declares　her　love　in　the　presence　of　the　two　Hebrew　leaders；
and　then　renounces　it　in　the　fine　/aria/；　/Porge　la　destra　amata/。
（Place　your　beloved　hand。）　Ah！　What　anguish！　Only　look　at　the　house！〃

The　pit　was　shouting　/bravo/；　when　Genovese　left　the　stage。

〃Now；　free　from　her　deplorable　lover；　we　shall　hear　Tinti　sing；　/O
desolata　Elcia/the　tremendous　/cavatina/　expressive　of　love
disapproved　by　God。〃

〃Where　art　thou；　Rossini？〃　cried　Cataneo。　〃If　he　could　but　hear　the
music　created　by　his　genius　so　magnificently　performed；〃　he　went　on。
〃Is　not　Clarina　worthy　of　him？〃　he　asked　Capraja。　〃To　give　life　to
those　notes　by　such　gusts　of　flame；　starting　from　the　lungs　and
feeding　in　the　air　on　some　unknown　matter　which　our　ears　inhale；　and
which　bears　us　heavenwards　in　a　rapture　of　love；　she　must　be　divine！〃

〃She　is　like　the　gorgeous　Indian　plant；　which　deserting　the　earth
absorbs　invisible　nourishment　from　the　atmosphere；　and　sheds　from　its
spiral　white　blossom　such　fragrant　vapors　as　fill　the　brain　with
dreams；〃　replied　Capraja。

On　being　recalled；　la　Tinti　appeared　alone。　She　was　received　with　a
storm　of　applause；　a　thousand　kisses　were　blown　to　her　from　finger…
tips；　she　was　pelted　with　roses；　and　a　wreath　was　made　of　the　flowers
snatched　from　the　ladies'　caps；　almost　all　sent　out　from　Paris。

The　/cavatina/　was　encored。

〃How　eagerly　Capraja；　with　his　passion　for　embellishments；　must　have
looked　forward　to　this　air；　which　derives　all　its　value　from
execution；〃　remarked　Massimilla。　〃Here　Rossini　has；　so　to　speak；　given
the　reins　over　to　the　singer's　fancy。　Her　/cadenzas/　and　her　feeling
are　everything。　With　a　poor　voice　or　inferior　execution；　it　would　be
nothingthe　throat　is　responsible　for　the　effects　of　this　/aria/。

〃The　singer　has　to　express　the　most　intense　anguish；that　of　a　woman
who　sees　her　lover　dying　before　her　very　eyes。　La　Tinti　makes　the
house　ring　with　her　highest　notes；　and　Rossini；　to　leave　pure　singing
free　to　do　its　utmost；　has　written　it　in　the　simplest；　clearest　style。
Then；　as　a　crowning　effort；　he　has　composed　those　heartrending　musical
cries：　/Tormenti！　Affanni！　Smanie！/　What　grief；　what　anguish；　in　those
runs。　And　la　Tinti；　you　see；　has　quite　carried　the　house　off　its
feet。〃

The　Frenchman；　bewildered　by　this　adoring　admiration　throughout　a　vast
theatre　for　the　source　of　its　delight；　here　had　a　glimpse　of　genuine
Italian　nature。　But　neither　the　Duchess　nor　the　two　young　men　paid　any
attention　to　the　ovation。　Clarina　began　again。

The　Duchess　feared　that　she　was　seeing　her　Emilio　for　the　last　time。
As　to　the　Prince：　in　the　presence　of　the　Duchess；　the　sovereign
divinity　who　lifted　him　to　the　skies；　he　had　forgotten　where　he　was；
he　no　longer　heard　the　voice　of　the　woman　who　had　initiated　him　into
the　mysteries　of　earthly　pleasure；　for　deep　dejection　made　his　ears
tingle　with　a　chorus　of　plaintive　voices；　half…drowned　in　a　rushing
noise　as　of　pouring