the works of edgar allan poe-2-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hesitated　not　to　acknowledge　how　familiar　was　all　this　…　I　still
wondered　to　find　how　unfamiliar　were　the　fancies　which　ordinary
images　were　stirring　up。　　On　one　of　the　staircases；　I　met　the
physician　of　the　family。　　His　countenance；　I　thought；　wore　a　mingled
expression　of　low　cunning　and　perplexity。　　He　accosted　me　with
trepidation　and　passed　on。　　The　valet　now　threw　open　a　door　and
ushered　me　into　the　presence　of　his　master。

　　　　The　room　in　which　I　found　myself　was　very　large　and　lofty。　　The
windows　were　long；　narrow；　and　pointed；　and　at　so　vast　a　distance
from　the　black　oaken　floor　as　to　be　altogether　inaccessible　from
within。　Feeble　gleams　of　encrimsoned　light　made　their　way　through　the
trellissed　panes；　and　served　to　render　sufficiently　distinct　the　more
prominent　objects　around　；　　the　eye；　however；　struggled　in　vain　to
reach　the　remoter　angles　of　the　chamber；　or　the　recesses　of　the
vaulted　and　fretted　ceiling。　　Dark　draperies　hung　upon　the　walls。
The　general　furniture　was　profuse；　comfortless；　antique；　and
tattered。　　Many　books　and　musical　instruments　lay　scattered　about；
but　failed　to　give　any　vitality　to　the　scene。　　I　felt　that　I　breathed
an　atmosphere　of　sorrow。　　An　air　of　stern；　deep；　and　irredeemable
gloom　hung　over　and　pervaded　all。

　　　　Upon　my　entrance；　Usher　arose　from　a　sofa　on　which　he　had　been
lying　at　full　length；　and　greeted　me　with　a　vivacious　warmth　which
had　much　in　it；　I　at　first　thought；　of　an　overdone　cordiality　…　of
the　constrained　effort　of　the　_ennuy開　；　　man　of　the　world。　A　glance；
however；　at　his　countenance；　convinced　me　of　his　perfect　sincerity。
We　sat　down　；　　and　for　some　moments；　while　he　spoke　not；　I　gazed　upon
him　with　a　feeling　half　of　pity；　half　of　awe。　　Surely；　man　had　never
before　so　terribly　altered；　in　so　brief　a　period；　as　had　Roderick
Usher　！　　It　was　with　difficulty　that　I　could　bring　myself　to　admit
the　identity　of　the　wan　being　before　me　with　the　companion　of　my
early　boyhood。　　Yet　the　character　of　his　face　had　been　at　all　times
remarkable。　　A　cadaverousness　of　complexion　；　　an　eye　large；　liquid；
and　luminous　beyond　comparison　；　　lips　somewhat　thin　and　very　pallid；
but　of　a　surpassingly　beautiful　curve　；　　a　nose　of　a　delicate　Hebrew
model；　but　with　a　breadth　of　nostril　unusual　in　similar　formations　；
a　finely　moulded　chin；　speaking；　in　its　want　of　prominence；　of　a　want
of　moral　energy；　hair　of　a　more　than　web…like　softness　and　tenuity　；
these　features；　with　an　inordinate　expansion　above　the　regions　of　the
temple；　made　up　altogether　a　countenance　not　easily　to　be　forgotten。
And　now　in　the　mere　exaggeration　of　the　prevailing　character　of　these
features；　and　of　the　expression　they　were　wont　to　convey；　lay　so　much
of　change　that　I　doubted　to　whom　I　spoke。　　The　now　ghastly　pallor　of
the　skin；　and　the　now　miraculous　lustre　of　the　eye；　above　all　things
startled　and　even　awed　me。　　The　silken　hair；　too；　had　been　suffered
to　grow　all　unheeded；　and　as；　in　its　wild　gossamer　texture；　it
floated　rather　than　fell　about　the　face；　I　could　not；　even　with
effort；　connect　its　Arabesque　expression　with　any　idea　of　simple
humanity。

　　　　In　the　manner　of　my　friend　I　was　at　once　struck　with　an
incoherence　…　an　inconsistency　；　　and　I　soon　found　this　to　arise　from
a　series　of　feeble　and　futile　struggles　to　overcome　an　habitual
trepidancy　…　an　excessive　nervous　agitation。　　For　something　of　this
nature　I　had　indeed　been　prepared；　no　less　by　his　letter；　than　by
reminiscences　of　certain　boyish　traits；　and　by　conclusions　deduced
from　his　peculiar　physical　conformation　and　temperament。　　His　action
was　alternately　vivacious　and　sullen。　　His　voice　varied　rapidly　from
a　tremulous　indecision　（when　the　animal　spirits　seemed　utterly　in
abeyance）　to　that　species　of　energetic　concision　…　that　abrupt；
weighty；　unhurried；　and　hollow…sounding　enunciation　…　that　leaden；
self…balanced　and　perfectly　modulated　guttural　utterance；　which　may
be　observed　in　the　lost　drunkard；　or　the　irreclaimable　eater　of
opium；　during　the　periods　of　his　most　intense　excitement。

　　　　It　was　thus　that　he　spoke　of　the　object　of　my　visit；　of　his
earnest　desire　to　see　me；　and　of　the　solace　he　expected　me　to　afford
him。　　He　entered；　at　some　length；　into　what　he　conceived　to　be　the
nature　of　his　malady。　　It　was；　he　said；　a　constitutional　and　a　family
evil；　and　one　for　which　he　despaired　to　find　a　remedy　…　a　mere
nervous　affection；　he　immediately　added；　which　would　undoubtedly　soon
pass　off。　　It　displayed　itself　in　a　host　of　unnatural　sensations。
Some　of　these；　as　he　detailed　them；　interested　and　bewildered　me　；
although；　perhaps；　the　terms；　and　the　general　manner　of　the　narration
had　their　weight。　　He　suffered　much　from　a　morbid　acuteness　of　the
senses　；　　the　most　insipid　food　was　alone　endurable；　he　could　wear
only　garments　of　certain　texture　；　　the　odors　of　all　flowers　were
oppressive　；　　his　eyes　were　tortured　by　even　a　faint　light　；　　and
there　were　but　peculiar　sounds；　and　these　from　stringed　instruments；
which　did　not　inspire　him　with　horror。

　　　　To　an　anomalous　species　of　terror　I　found　him　a　bounden　slave。
〃I　shall　perish；〃　said　he；　〃I　must　perish　in　this　deplorable　folly。
Thus；　thus；　and　not　otherwise；　shall　I　be　lost。　　I　dread　the　events
of　the　future；　not　in　themselves；　but　in　their　results。　　I　shudder　at
the　thought　of　any；　even　the　most　trivial；　incident；　which　may
operate　upon　this　intolerable　agitation　of　soul。　　I　have；　indeed；　no
abhorrence　of　danger；　except　in　its　absolute　effect　…　in　terror。　　In
this　unnerved　…　in　this　pitiable　condition　…　I　feel　that　the　period
will　sooner　or　later　arrive　when　I　must　abandon　life　and　reason
together；　in　some　struggle　with　the　grim　phantasm；　FEAR。〃

　　　　I　learned；　moreover；　at　intervals；　and　through　broken　and
equivocal　hints；　another　singular　feature　of　his　mental　condition。　He
was　enchained　by　certain　superstitious　impressions　in　regard　to　the
dwelling　which　he　tenanted；　and　whence；　for　many　years；　he　had　never
ventured　forth　…　in　regard　to　an　influence　whose　supposititious　force
was　conveyed　in　terms　too　shadowy　here　to　be　re…stated　…　an　influence
which　some　peculiarities　in　the　mere　form　and　substance　of　his　family
mansion；　had；　by　dint　of　long　sufferance；　he　said；　obtained　over　his
spirit　…　an　effect　which　the　_physique_　of　the　gray　walls　and
turrets；　and　of　the　dim　tarn　into　which　they　all　looked　down；　had；　at
length；　brought　about　upon　the　_morale_　of　his　existence。

　　　　He　admitted；　however；　although　with　hesitation；　that　much　of　the
peculiar　gloom　which　thus　afflicted　him　could　be　traced　to　a　more
natural　and　far　more　palpable　origin　…　to　the　severe　and
long…continued　illness　…　indeed　to　the　evidently　approaching
dissolution　…　of　a　tenderly　beloved　sister　…　his　sole　companion　for
long　years　…　his　last　and　only　relative　on　earth。　　〃Her　decease；〃　he
said；　with　a　bitterness　which　I　can　never　forget；　〃would　leave　him
（him　the　hopeless　and　the　frail）　the　last　of　the　ancient　race　of　the
Ushers。〃　While　he　spoke；　the　lady　Madeline　（for　so　was　she　called）
passed　slowly　through　a　remote　portion　of　the　apartment；　and；　without
having　noticed　my　presence；　disappeared。　　I　regarded　her　with　an
utter　astonishment　not　unmingled　with　dread　…　and　yet　I　found　it
impossible　to　account　for　such　feelings。　　A　sensation　of　stupor
oppressed　me；　as　my　eyes　followed　her　retreating　steps。　　When　a　door；
at　length；　closed　upon　her；　my　glance　sought　instinctively　and
eagerly　the　countenance　of　the　brother　…　but　he　had　buried　his　face
in　his　hands；　and　I　could　only　perceive　that　a　far　more　than　ordinary
wanness　had　overspread　the　emaciated　fingers　through　which　trickled
many　passionate　tears。

　　　　The　disease　of　the　lady　Madeline　had　long　baffled　the　skill　of
her　physicians。　　A　settled　apathy；　a　gradual　wasting　away　of　the
person；　and　frequent　although　transient　affections　of　a　partially
cataleptical　character；　were　the　unusual　diagnosis。　　Hitherto　she　had
steadily　borne　up　against　the　pressure　of　her　malady；　and　had　not
betaken　herself　finally　to　bed　；　　but；　on　the　closing　in　of　the
evening　of　my　arrival　at　the　house；　she　succumbed　（as　her　brother
told　me　at　night　with　inexpressible　agitation）　to　the　prostrating
power　of　the　destroyer　；　　and　I　learned　that　the　glimpse　I　had
obtained　of　her　person　would　thus　probably　be　the　last　I　should
obtain　…　that　the　lady；　at　least　while　living；　would　be　seen　by　me　no
more。

　　　　For　several　days　ensuing；　her　name　was　unmentioned　by　either
Usher　or　myself：　and　during　this　period　I　was　busied　in　earnest
endeavors　to　alleviate　the　melancholy　of　my　friend。　　We　painted　and
read　together　；　　or　I　listened；　as　if　in　a　dream；　to　the　wild
improvisations　of　his　speaking　guitar。　　And　thus；　as　a　closer　and
still　closer　intimacy　admitted　me　more　unreservedly　into　the　recesses
of　his　spirit；　the　more　bitterly　did　I　perceive　the　futility　of　all
attempt　at　cheering　a　mind　from　which　darkness；　as　if　an　inherent
positive　quality；　poured　forth　upon　all　objects　of　the　moral　and
physical　universe；　in　one　unceasing　radiation　of　gloom。

　　　　I　shall　ever　bear　about　me　a　memory　of　the　many　solemn　hours　I
thus　spent　alone　with　the　master　of　the　House　of　Usher。　　Yet　I　should
fail　in　any　attempt　to　convey　an　idea　of　the　exact　character　of　the
studies；　or　of　the　occupations；　in　which　he　involved　me；　or　led　me
the　way。　　An　excited　and　highly　distempered　ideality　threw　a
sulphureous　lustre　over　all。　　His　long　improvised　dirges　will　ring
forever　in　my　ears。　　Among　other　things；　I　hold　painfully　in　mind　a
certain　singular　perversion　and　amplification　of　the　wild　air　of　the
last　waltz　of　Von　Weber。　　From　the　paintings　over　which　his　elaborate
fancy　brooded；　and　which　grew；　touch　by　touch；　into　vaguenesses　at
which　I　shuddered　the　more　thrillingly；　because　I　shuddered　knowing
not　why　；　　…　from　these　paintings　（vivid　as　their　images　now　are
before　me）　I　would　in　vain　endeavor　to　educe　more　than　a　small
portion　which　should　lie　within　the　compass　of　merely　written　words。
By　the　utter　simplicity；　by　the　nakedness　of　his　designs；　he　arrested
and　overawed　attention。　　If　ever　mortal　painted　an　idea；　that　mortal
was　Roderick　Usher。　　For　me　at　least　…　in　the　circumstances　then
surro