the works of edgar allan poe-2-第17部分

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same　condition　as　when　Dr。　F　　went　away　　that　is　to　say；　he　lay
in　the　same　position；　the　pulse　was　imperceptible；　the　breathing　was
gentle　（scarcely　noticeable；　unless　through　the　application　of　a
mirror　to　the　lips）；　the　eyes　were　closed　naturally；　and　the　limbs
were　as　rigid　and　as　cold　as　marble。　Still；　the　general　appearance
was　certainly　not　that　of　death。

As　I　approached　M。　Valdemar　I　made　a　kind　of　half　effort　to　influence
his　right　arm　into　pursuit　of　my　own；　as　I　passed　the　latter　gently
to　and　fro　above　his　person。　In　such　experiments　with　this　patient
had　never　perfectly　succeeded　before；　and　assuredly　I　had　little
thought　of　succeeding　now；　but　to　my　astonishment；　his　arm　very
readily；　although　feebly；　followed　every　direction　I　assigned　it　with
mine。　I　determined　to　hazard　a　few　words　of　conversation。

〃M。　Valdemar；〃　I　said；　〃are　you　asleep？〃　He　made　no　answer；　but　I
perceived　a　tremor　about　the　lips；　and　was　thus　induced　to　repeat　the
question；　again　and　again。　At　its　third　repetition；　his　whole　frame
was　agitated　by　a　very　slight　shivering；　the　eyelids　unclosed
themselves　so　far　as　to　display　a　white　line　of　the　ball；　the　lips
moved　sluggishly；　and　from　between　them；　in　a　barely　audible　whisper；
issued　the　words：

〃Yes；　　asleep　now。　Do　not　wake　me！　　let　me　die　so！〃

I　here　felt　the　limbs　and　found　them　as　rigid　as　ever。　The　right　arm；
as　before；　obeyed　the　direction　of　my　hand。　I　questioned　the
sleep…waker　again：

〃Do　you　still　feel　pain　in　the　breast；　M。　Valdemar？〃

The　answer　now　was　immediate；　but　even　less　audible　than　before：　〃No
pain　　I　am　dying。〃

I　did　not　think　it　advisable　to　disturb　him　farther　just　then；　and
nothing　more　was　said　or　done　until　the　arrival　of　Dr。　F　　；　who
came　a　little　before　sunrise；　and　expressed　unbounded　astonishment　at
finding　the　patient　still　alive。　After　feeling　the　pulse　and　applying
a　mirror　to　the　lips；　he　requested　me　to　speak　to　the　sleep…waker
again。　I　did　so；　saying：

〃M。　Valdemar；　do　you　still　sleep？〃

As　before；　some　minutes　elapsed　ere　a　reply　was　made；　and　during　the
interval　the　dying　man　seemed　to　be　collecting　his　energies　to　speak。
At　my　fourth　repetition　of　the　question；　he　said　very　faintly；　almost
inaudibly：

〃Yes；　still　asleep　　dying。〃

It　was　now　the　opinion；　or　rather　the　wish；　of　the　physicians；　that
M。　Valdemar　should　be　suffered　to　remain　undisturbed　in　his　present
apparently　tranquil　condition；　until　death　should　supervene　　and
this；　it　was　generally　agreed；　must　now　take　place　within　a　few
minutes。　I　concluded；　however；　to　speak　to　him　once　more；　and　merely
repeated　my　previous　question。

While　I　spoke；　there　came　a　marked　change　over　the　countenance　of　the
sleep…waker。　The　eyes　rolled　themselves　slowly　open；　the　pupils
disappearing　upwardly；　the　skin　generally　assumed　a　cadaverous　hue；
resembling　not　so　much　parchment　as　white　paper；　and　the　circular
hectic　spots　which；　hitherto；　had　been　strongly　defined　in　the　centre
of　each　cheek；　went　out　at　once。　I　use　this　expression；　because　the
suddenness　of　their　departure　put　me　in　mind　of　nothing　so　much　as
the　extinguishment　of　a　candle　by　a　puff　of　the　breath。　The　upper
lip；　at　the　same　time；　writhed　itself　away　from　the　teeth；　which　it
had　previously　covered　completely；　while　the　lower　jaw　fell　with　an
audible　jerk；　leaving　the　mouth　widely　extended；　and　disclosing　in
full　view　the　swollen　and　blackened　tongue。　I　presume　that　no　member
of　the　party　then　present　had　been　unaccustomed　to　death…bed　horrors；
but　so　hideous　beyond　conception　was　the　appearance　of　M。　Valdemar　at
this　moment；　that　there　was　a　general　shrinking　back　from　the　region
of　the　bed。

I　now　feel　that　I　have　reached　a　point　of　this　narrative　at　which
every　reader　will　be　startled　into　positive　disbelief。　It　is　my
business；　however；　simply　to　proceed。

There　was　no　longer　the　faintest　sign　of　vitality　in　M。　Valdemar；　and
concluding　him　to　be　dead；　we　were　consigning　him　to　the　charge　of
the　nurses；　when　a　strong　vibratory　motion　was　observable　in　the
tongue。　This　continued　for　perhaps　a　minute。　At　the　expiration　of
this　period；　there　issued　from　the　distended　and　motionless　jaws　a
voice　　such　as　it　would　be　madness　in　me　to　attempt　describing。
There　are；　indeed；　two　or　three　epithets　which　might　be　considered　as
applicable　to　it　in　part；　I　might　say；　for　example；　that　the　sound
was　harsh；　and　broken　and　hollow；　but　the　hideous　whole　is
indescribable；　for　the　simple　reason　that　no　similar　sounds　have　ever
jarred　upon　the　ear　of　humanity。　There　were　two　particulars；
nevertheless；　which　I　thought　then；　and　still　think；　might　fairly　be
stated　as　characteristic　of　the　intonation　　as　well　adapted　to
convey　some　idea　of　its　unearthly　peculiarity。　In　the　first　place；
the　voice　seemed　to　reach　our　ears　　at　least　mine　　from　a　vast
distance；　or　from　some　deep　cavern　within　the　earth。　In　the　second
place；　it　impressed　me　（I　fear；　indeed；　that　it　will　be　impossible　to
make　myself　comprehended）　as　gelatinous　or　glutinous　matters　impress
the　sense　of　touch。

I　have　spoken　both　of　〃sound〃　and　of　〃voice。〃　I　mean　to　say　that　the
sound　was　one　of　distinct　　of　even　wonderfully；　thrillingly
distinct　　syllabification。　M。　Valdemar　spoke　　obviously　in　reply
to　the　question　I　had　propounded　to　him　a　few　minutes　before。　I　had
asked　him；　it　will　be　remembered；　if　he　still　slept。　He　now　said：

〃Yes；　　no；　　I　have　been　sleeping　　and　now　　now　　I　am　dead。

No　person　present　even　affected　to　deny；　or　attempted　to　repress；　the
unutterable；　shuddering　horror　which　these　few　words；　thus　uttered；
were　so　well　calculated　to　convey。　Mr。　L　　l　（the　student）　swooned。
The　nurses　immediately　left　the　chamber；　and　could　not　be　induced　to
return。　My　own　impressions　I　would　not　pretend　to　render　intelligible
to　the　reader。　For　nearly　an　hour；　we　busied　ourselves；　silently　
without　the　utterance　of　a　word　　in　endeavors　to　revive　Mr。　L　　l。
When　he　came　to　himself；　we　addressed　ourselves　again　to　an
investigation　of　M。　Valdemar's　condition。

It　remained　in　all　respects　as　I　have　last　described　it；　with　the
exception　that　the　mirror　no　longer　afforded　evidence　of　respiration。
An　attempt　to　draw　blood　from　the　arm　failed。　I　should　mention；　too；
that　this　limb　was　no　farther　subject　to　my　will。　I　endeavored　in
vain　to　make　it　follow　the　direction　of　my　hand。　The　only　real
indication；　indeed；　of　the　mesmeric　influence；　was　now　found　in　the
vibratory　movement　of　the　tongue；　whenever　I　addressed　M。　Valdemar　a
question。　He　seemed　to　be　making　an　effort　to　reply；　but　had　no
longer　sufficient　volition。　To　queries　put　to　him　by　any　other　person
than　myself　he　seemed　utterly　insensible　　although　I　endeavored　to
place　each　member　of　the　company　in　mesmeric　rapport　with　him。　I
believe　that　I　have　now　related　all　that　is　necessary　to　an
understanding　of　the　sleep…waker's　state　at　this　epoch。　Other　nurses
were　procured；　and　at　ten　o'clock　I　left　the　house　in　company　with
the　two　physicians　and　Mr。　L　　l。

In　the　afternoon　we　all　called　again　to　see　the　patient。　His
condition　remained　precisely　the　same。　We　had　now　some　discussion　as
to　the　propriety　and　feasibility　of　awakening　him；　but　we　had　little
difficulty　in　agreeing　that　no　good　purpose　would　be　served　by　so
doing。　It　was　evident　that；　so　far；　death　（or　what　is　usually　termed
death）　had　been　arrested　by　the　mesmeric　process。　It　seemed　clear　to
us　all　that　to　awaken　M。　Valdemar　would　be　merely　to　insure　his
instant；　or　at　least　his　speedy　dissolution。

From　this　period　until　the　close　of　last　week　　an　interval　of
nearly　seven　months　　we　continued　to　make　daily　calls　at　M。
Valdemar's　house；　accompanied；　now　and　then；　by　medical　and　other
friends。　All　this　time　the　sleeper…waker　remained　exactly　as　I　have
last　described　him。　The　nurses'　attentions　were　continual。

It　was　on　Friday　last　that　we　finally　resolved　to　make　the　experiment
of　awakening　or　attempting　to　awaken　him；　and　it　is　the　（perhaps）
unfortunate　result　of　this　latter　experiment　which　has　given　rise　to
so　much　discussion　in　private　circles　　to　so　much　of　what　I　cannot
help　thinking　unwarranted　popular　feeling。

For　the　purpose　of　relieving　M。　Valdemar　from　the　mesmeric　trance；　I
made　use　of　the　customary　passes。　These；　for　a　time；　were
unsuccessful。　The　first　indication　of　revival　was　afforded　by　a
partial　descent　of　the　iris。　It　was　observed；　as　especially
remarkable；　that　this　lowering　of　the　pupil　was　accompanied　by　the
profuse　out…flowing　of　a　yellowish　ichor　（from　beneath　the　lids）　of　a
pungent　and　highly　offensive　odor。

It　was　now　suggested　that　I　should　attempt　to　influence　the　patient's
arm；　as　heretofore。　I　made　the　attempt　and　failed。　Dr。　F　　then
intimated　a　desire　to　have　me　put　a　question。　I　did　so；　as　follows：

〃M。　Valdemar；　can　you　explain　to　us　what　are　your　feelings　or　wishes
now？〃

There　was　an　instant　return　of　the　hectic　circles　on　the　cheeks；　the
tongue　quivered；　or　rather　rolled　violently　in　the　mouth　（although
the　jaws　and　lips　remained　rigid　as　before；）　and　at　length　the　same
hideous　voice　which　I　have　already　described；　broke　forth：

〃For　God's　sake！　　quick！　　quick！　　put　me　to　sleep　　or；　quick！
　waken　me！　　quick！　　I　say　to　you　that　I　am　dead！〃

I　was　thoroughly　unnerved；　and　for　an　instant　remained　undecided　what
to　do。　At　first　I　made　an　endeavor　to　re…compose　the　patient；　but；
failing　in　this　through　total　abeyance　of　the　will；　I　retraced　my
steps　and　as　earnestly　struggled　to　awaken　him。　In　this　attempt　I
soon　saw　that　I　should　be　successful　　or　at　least　I　soon　fancied
that　my　success　would　be　complete　　and　I　am　sure　that　all　in　the
room　were　prepared　to　see　the　patient　awaken。

For　what　really　occurred；　however；　it　is　quite　impossible　that　any
human　being　could　have　been　prepared。

As　I　rapidly　made　the　mesmeric　passes；　amid　ejaculations　of　〃dead！
dead！〃　absolutely　bursting　from　the　tongue　and　not　from　the　lips　of
the　sufferer；　his　whole　frame　at　once　　within　the　space　of　a　single
minute；　or　even　less；　shrunk　　crumbled　　absolutely　rotted　away
beneath　my　hands。　Upon　the　bed；　before　that　whole　company；　there　lay
a　nearly　liquid　mass　of　loathsome　　of　detestable　putridity。

~~~　End　o