the works of edgar allan poe-2-第16部分

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the　affair　from　the　public；　at　least　for　the　present；　or　until　we　had
farther　opportunities　for　investigation　　through　our　endeavors　to
effect　this　　a　garbled　or　exaggerated　account　made　its　way　into
society；　and　became　the　source　of　many　unpleasant　misrepresentations；
and；　very　naturally；　of　a　great　deal　of　disbelief。

It　is　now　rendered　necessary　that　I　give　the　facts　　as　far　as　I
comprehend　them　myself。　They　are；　succinctly；　these：

My　attention；　for　the　last　three　years；　had　been　repeatedly　drawn　to
the　subject　of　Mesmerism；　and；　about　nine　months　ago　it　occurred　to
me；　quite　suddenly；　that　in　the　series　of　experiments　made　hitherto；
there　had　been　a　very　remarkable　and　most　unaccountable　omission：　
no　person　had　as　yet　been　mesmerized　in　articulo　mortis。　It　remained
to　be　seen；　first；　whether；　in　such　condition；　there　existed　in　the
patient　any　susceptibility　to　the　magnetic　influence；　secondly；
whether；　if　any　existed；　it　was　impaired　or　increased　by　the
condition；　thirdly；　to　what　extent；　or　for　how　long　a　period；　the
encroachments　of　Death　might　be　arrested　by　the　process。　There　were
other　points　to　be　ascertained；　but　these　most　excited　my　curiosity
　the　last　in　especial；　from　the　immensely　important　character　of
its　consequences。

In　looking　around　me　for　some　subject　by　whose　means　I　might　test
these　particulars；　I　was　brought　to　think　of　my　friend；　M。　Ernest
Valdemar；　the　well…known　compiler　of　the　〃Bibliotheca　Forensica；〃　and
author　（under　the　nom　de　plume　of　Issachar　Marx）　of　the　Polish
versions　of　〃Wallenstein〃　and　〃Gargantua。〃　M。　Valdemar；　who　has
resided　principally　at　Harlaem；　N。Y。；　since　the　year　1839；　is　（or
was）　particularly　noticeable　for　the　extreme　spareness　of　his　person
　his　lower　limbs　much　resembling　those　of　John　Randolph；　and；　also；
for　the　whiteness　of　his　whiskers；　in　violent　contrast　to　the
blackness　of　his　hair　　the　latter；　in　consequence；　being　very
generally　mistaken　for　a　wig。　His　temperament　was　markedly　nervous；
and　rendered　him　a　good　subject　for　mesmeric　experiment。　On　two　or
three　occasions　I　had　put　him　to　sleep　with　little　difficulty；　but
was　disappointed　in　other　results　which　his　peculiar　constitution　had
naturally　led　me　to　anticipate。　His　will　was　at　no　period　positively；
or　thoroughly；　under　my　control；　and　in　regard　to　clairvoyance；　I
could　accomplish　with　him　nothing　to　be　relied　upon。　I　always
attributed　my　failure　at　these　points　to　the　disordered　state　of　his
health。　For　some　months　previous　to　my　becoming　acquainted　with　him；
his　physicians　had　declared　him　in　a　confirmed　phthisis。　It　was　his
custom；　indeed；　to　speak　calmly　of　his　approaching　dissolution；　as　of
a　matter　neither　to　be　avoided　nor　regretted。

When　the　ideas　to　which　I　have　alluded　first　occurred　to　me；　it　was
of　course　very　natural　that　I　should　think　of　M。　Valdemar。　I　knew　the
steady　philosophy　of　the　man　too　well　to　apprehend　any　scruples　from
him；　and　he　had　no　relatives　in　America　who　would　be　likely　to
interfere。　I　spoke　to　him　frankly　upon　the　subject；　and；　to　my
surprise；　his　interest　seemed　vividly　excited。　I　say　to　my　surprise；
for；　although　he　had　always　yielded　his　person　freely　to　my
experiments；　he　had　never　before　given　me　any　tokens　of　sympathy　with
what　I　did。　His　disease　was　if　that　character　which　would　admit　of
exact　calculation　in　respect　to　the　epoch　of　its　termination　in
death；　and　it　was　finally　arranged　between　us　that　he　would　send　for
me　about　twenty…four　hours　before　the　period　announced　by　his
physicians　as　that　of　his　decease。

It　is　now　rather　more　than　seven　months　since　I　received；　from　M。
Valdemar　himself；　the　subjoined　note：

My　DEAR　P　　；

You　may　as　well　come　now。　D　　and　F　　are　agreed　that　I　cannot　hold
out　beyond　to…morrow　midnight；　and　I　think　they　have　hit　the　time
very　nearly。

VALDEMAR

I　received　this　note　within　half　an　hour　after　it　was　written；　and　in
fifteen　minutes　more　I　was　in　the　dying　man's　chamber。　I　had　not　seen
him　for　ten　days；　and　was　appalled　by　the　fearful　alteration　which
the　brief　interval　had　wrought　in　him。　His　face　wore　a　leaden　hue；
the　eyes　were　utterly　lustreless；　and　the　emaciation　was　so　extreme
that　the　skin　had　been　broken　through　by　the　cheek…bones。　His
expectoration　was　excessive。　The　pulse　was　barely　perceptible。　He
retained；　nevertheless；　in　a　very　remarkable　manner；　both　his　mental
power　and　a　certain　degree　of　physical　strength。　He　spoke　with
distinctness　　took　some　palliative　medicines　without　aid　　and；
when　I　entered　the　room；　was　occupied　in　penciling　memoranda　in　a
pocket…book。　He　was　propped　up　in　the　bed　by　pillows。　Doctors　D　
and　F　　were　in　attendance。

After　pressing　Valdemar's　hand；　I　took　these　gentlemen　aside；　and
obtained　from　them　a　minute　account　of　the　patient's　condition。　The
left　lung　had　been　for　eighteen　months　in　a　semi…osseous　or
cartilaginous　state；　and　was；　of　course；　entirely　useless　for　all
purposes　of　vitality。　The　right；　in　its　upper　portion；　was　also
partially；　if　not　thoroughly；　ossified；　while　the　lower　region　was
merely　a　mass　of　purulent　tubercles；　running　one　into　another。
Several　extensive　perforations　existed；　and；　at　one　point；　permanent
adhesion　to　the　ribs　had　taken　place。　These　appearances　in　the　right
lobe　were　of　comparatively　recent　date。　The　ossification　had
proceeded　with　very　unusual　rapidity；　no　sign　of　it　had　discovered　a
month　before；　and　the　adhesion　had　only　been　observed　during　the
three　previous　days。　Independently　of　the　phthisis；　the　patient　was
suspected　of　aneurism　of　the　aorta；　but　on　this　point　the　osseous
symptoms　rendered　an　exact　diagnosis　impossible。　It　was　the　opinion
of　both　physicians　that　M。　Valdemar　would　die　about　midnight　on　the
morrow　（Sunday）。　It　was　then　seven　o'clock　on　Saturday　evening。

On　quitting　the　invalid's　bed…side　to　hold　conversation　with　myself；
Doctors　D　　and　F　　had　bidden　him　a　final　farewell。　It　had　not
been　their　intention　to　return；　but；　at　my　request；　they　agreed　to
look　in　upon　the　patient　about　ten　the　next　night。

When　they　had　gone；　I　spoke　freely　with　M。　Valdemar　on　the　subject　of
his　approaching　dissolution；　as　well　as；　more　particularly；　of　the
experiment　proposed。　He　still　professed　himself　quite　willing　and
even　anxious　to　have　it　made；　and　urged　me　to　commence　it　at　once。　A
male　and　a　female　nurse　were　in　attendance；　but　I　did　not　feel　myself
altogether　at　liberty　to　engage　in　a　task　of　this　character　with　no
more　reliable　witnesses　than　these　people；　in　case　of　sudden
accident；　might　prove。　I　therefore　postponed　operations　until　about
eight　the　next　night；　when　the　arrival　of　a　medical　student　with　whom
I　had　some　acquaintance；　（Mr。　Theodore　L　　l；）　relieved　me　from
farther　embarrassment。　It　had　been　my　design；　originally；　to　wait　for
the　physicians；　but　I　was　induced　to　proceed；　first；　by　the　urgent
entreaties　of　M。　Valdemar；　and　secondly；　by　my　conviction　that　I　had
not　a　moment　to　lose；　as　he　was　evidently　sinking　fast。

Mr。　L　　l　was　so　kind　as　to　accede　to　my　desire　that　he　would　take
notes　of　all　that　occurred；　and　it　is　from　his　memoranda　that　what　I
now　have　to　relate　is；　for　the　most　part；　either　condensed　or　copied
verbatim。

It　wanted　about　five　minutes　of　eight　when；　taking　the　patient's
hand；　I　begged　him　to　state；　as　distinctly　as　he　could；　to　Mr。　L　
l；　whether　he　（M。　Valdemar）　was　entirely　willing　that　I　should　make
the　experiment　of　mesmerizing　him　in　his　then　condition。

He　replied　feebly；　yet　quite　audibly；　〃Yes；　I　wish　to　be　〃I　fear　you
have　mesmerized〃　　adding　immediately　afterwards；　deferred　it　too
long。〃

While　he　spoke　thus；　I　commenced　the　passes　which　I　had　already　found
most　effectual　in　subduing　him。　He　was　evidently　influenced　with　the
first　lateral　stroke　of　my　hand　across　his　forehead；　but　although　I
exerted　all　my　powers；　no　farther　perceptible　effect　was　induced
until　some　minutes　after　ten　o'clock；　when　Doctors　D　　and　F　
called；　according　to　appointment。　I　explained　to　them；　in　a　few
words；　what　I　designed；　and　as　they　opposed　no　objection；　saying　that
the　patient　was　already　in　the　death　agony；　I　proceeded　without
hesitation　　exchanging；　however；　the　lateral　passes　for　downward
ones；　and　directing　my　gaze　entirely　into　the　right　eye　of　the
sufferer。

By　this　time　his　pulse　was　imperceptible　and　his　breathing　was
stertorous；　and　at　intervals　of　half　a　minute。

This　condition　was　nearly　unaltered　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　At　the
expiration　of　this　period；　however；　a　natural　although　a　very　deep
sigh　escaped　the　bosom　of　the　dying　man；　and　the　stertorous　breathing
ceased　　that　is　to　say；　its　stertorousness　was　no　longer　apparent；
the　intervals　were　undiminished。　The　patient's　extremities　were　of　an
icy　coldness。

At　five　minutes　before　eleven　I　perceived　unequivocal　signs　of　the
mesmeric　influence。　The　glassy　roll　of　the　eye　was　changed　for　that
expression　of　uneasy　inward　examination　which　is　never　seen　except　in
cases　of　sleep…waking；　and　which　it　is　quite　impossible　to　mistake。
With　a　few　rapid　lateral　passes　I　made　the　lids　quiver；　as　in
incipient　sleep；　and　with　a　few　more　I　closed　them　altogether。　I　was
not　satisfied；　however；　with　this；　but　continued　the　manipulations
vigorously；　and　with　the　fullest　exertion　of　the　will；　until　I　had
completely　stiffened　the　limbs　of　the　slumberer；　after　placing　them
in　a　seemingly　easy　position。　The　legs　were　at　full　length；　the　arms
were　nearly　so；　and　reposed　on　the　bed　at　a　moderate　distance　from
the　loin。　The　head　was　very　slightly　elevated。

When　I　had　accomplished　this；　it　was　fully　midnight；　and　I　requested
the　gentlemen　present　to　examine　M。　Valdemar's　condition。　After　a　few
experiments；　they　admitted　him　to　be　an　unusually　perfect　state　of
mesmeric　trance。　The　curiosity　of　both　the　physicians　was　greatly
excited。　Dr。　D　　resolved　at　once　to　remain　with　the　patient　all
night；　while　Dr。　F　　took　leave　with　a　promise　to　return　at
daybreak。　Mr。　L　　l　and　the　nurses　remained。

We　left　M。　Valdemar　entirely　undisturbed　until　about　three　o'clock　in
the　morning；　when　I　approached　him　and　found　him　in　precisely　the
same　condition　as　when　Dr。　F　　went　away　　that　is　to　say；　he　lay
in　the　same　position；　the　pu