The second volume of Zicci: A Tale opens with Glyndon's rescue from volcanic fumes by the mysterious Zicci, who had earlier prophesied their meeting. The episode establishes Zicci as a being of preternatural knowledge and control, able to manipulate events and even the timing of death. Lytton's prose shifts between the concrete—starlit mountain paths, the chill of the crater—and the abstract, as Glyndon's mind becomes consumed by a "fiercer desire than that of love": the longing to surpass human limits and share Zicci's secrets. The narrative quickly introduces a second mysterious figure, a stranger with a "passionless depth of thought," hinting at a broader occult hierarchy.

The Mountain Rescue and Its Aftermath

The opening chapter (X) finds Merton and Italian guides searching for Glyndon after his disappearance on Vesuvius. The guide's terror upon recognizing Zicci—"behold the very being that crossed me last Sabbath night"—marks Zicci as a figure of local legend, his face now "human" rather than demonic. Zicci's explanation for Glyndon's near-death is terse: he was overcome by "mephitic exhalation." Yet the rescue is framed as fulfillment of prophecy, not coincidence. Zicci immediately presses Glyndon to decide whether to marry Isabel di Pisani or lose her forever, linking the supernatural to a romantic ultimatum. The scene establishes a pattern: Zicci appears at critical junctures, offering choices that carry otherworldly weight.

The Gambler's Obsession

By Chapter XVIII, Glyndon's priorities have shifted. Lytton draws an explicit parallel between Glyndon's desire for occult knowledge and the "absorbing passion of the gamester." The narrator observes that "far more intense than the passion of the gamester was the frantic yet sublime desire that mastered the breast of Glyndon." This internal conflict is rendered through the language of addiction: the "despot demon" rules every thought. Glyndon no longer loves Isabel; her image fades after the Prince's death. Instead, he seeks to rival Zicci "not in human and perishable affections, but in preternatural and eternal lore." The text warns that such ambition is folly: "to be enamoured too madly of the goddess of goddesses is only to embrace a cloud."

The Second Mysterious Stranger

When Glyndon arrives at the appointed meeting place by the starry beach, he finds not Zicci but a stranger wrapped in a mantle. This figure's face is "not stamped by the glorious beauty of the Corsican" but is "equally majestic," with an "expanded forehead and deep-set but piercing eyes." The stranger speaks of being "more connected with your destiny, and more disposed to realize your dreams." This introduction of a second occult figure complicates the narrative, suggesting a hierarchy or society of adepts. The stranger's mature age and calm demeanor contrast with Zicci's more volatile presence, and his words imply that Glyndon's fate may be guided by forces beyond even Zicci's control.

The Fate of the Prince and the Wine of Cyprus

Earlier, Zicci confronts Mascari, the Prince's servant, referencing "the wine of Cyprus"—a poison that failed to affect Zicci but could "re-act on others." Zicci's forgiveness is laced with threat: "if the wine should kill me, I promise you that my ghost shall not haunt so worshipful a penitent." The Prince's sudden death, foreshadowed by Zicci's prophecy, is presented as both accidental and willed. Zicci then commands Mascari to lead him to Isabel's chamber, declaring, "the death of the jailer opens the cell of the captive." This sequence illustrates Zicci's ability to turn ordinary events—a servant's betrayal, a poisoned drink—into instruments of his design, while also freeing Isabel from captivity.

Readers approaching this volume should attend to the way Lytton uses setting—the volcanic mountain, the starry beach, the prison chamber—as a stage for metaphysical confrontation. The narrative alternates between swift action and philosophical digression, particularly in Glyndon's internal debates. The introduction of a second mysterious figure near the close suggests that Zicci is not the sole possessor of occult power, and that Glyndon's quest for knowledge may lead him into a larger, more dangerous world. The excerpts leave unresolved whether Glyndon will choose love or forbidden wisdom, and whether Zicci's motives are benevolent or manipulative.