Once seen, it never was to be exorcised.

It came at its own will, prompting black thoughts,--whispering strange temptations.

Only in scenes of turbulent excitement was it absent! Solitude, serenity, the struggling desires after peace and virtue,--THESE were the elements it loved to haunt! Bewildered, terror-stricken, the wild account confirmed by the dim impressions that never, in the depth and confidence of affection, had been closely examined, but rather banished as soon as felt,--that the life and attributes of Zanoni were not like those of mortals,--impressions which her own love had made her hitherto censure as suspicions that wronged, and which, thus mitigated, had perhaps only served to rivet the fascinated chains in which he bound her heart and senses, but which now, as Glyndon's awful narrative filled her with contagious dread, half unbound the very spells they had woven before,--Viola started up in fear, not for HERSELF, and clasped her child in her arms! "Unhappiest one!" cried Glyndon, shuddering, "hast thou indeed given birth to a victim thou canst not save?
Refuse it sustenance,--let it look to thee in vain for food! In the grave, at least, there are repose and peace!" Then there came back to Viola's mind the remembrance of Zanoni's night-long watches by that cradle, and the fear which even then had crept over her as she heard his murmured half-chanted words.

And as the child looked at her with its clear, steadfast eye, in the strange intelligence of that look there was something that only confirmed her awe.

So there both Mother and Forewarner stood in silence,--the sun smiling upon them through the casement, and dark by the cradle, though they saw it not, sat the motionless, veiled Thing! But by degrees better and juster and more grateful memories of the past returned to the young mother.