the works of edgar allan poe-2-第24部分

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with　a　gentle　yet　constant　and　uniform　sway。　　Having　rapidly　taken
notice　of　all　this；　I　resumed　the　narrative　of　Sir　Launcelot；　which
thus　proceeded：

　　　　〃And　now；　the　champion；　having　escaped　from　the　terrible　fury　of
the　dragon；　bethinking　himself　of　the　brazen　shield；　and　of　the
breaking　up　of　the　enchantment　which　was　upon　it；　removed　the　carcass
from　out　of　the　way　before　him；　and　approached　valorously　over　the
silver　pavement　of　the　castle　to　where　the　shield　was　upon　the　wall　；
　which　in　sooth　tarried　not　for　his　full　coming；　but　fell　down　at　his
feet　upon　the　silver　floor；　with　a　mighty　great　and　terrible　ringing
sound。〃

　　　　No　sooner　had　these　syllables　passed　my　lips；　than　…　as　if　a
shield　of　brass　had　indeed；　at　the　moment；　fallen　heavily　upon　a
floor　of　silver　…　I　became　aware　of　a　distinct；　hollow；　metallic；　and
clangorous；　yet　apparently　muffled　reverberation。　　Completely
unnerved；　I　leaped　to　my　feet　；　　but　the　measured　rocking　movement　of
Usher　was　undisturbed。　　I　rushed　to　the　chair　in　which　he　sat。　　His
eyes　were　bent　fixedly　before　him；　and　throughout　his　whole
countenance　there　reigned　a　stony　rigidity。　　But；　as　I　placed　my　hand
upon　his　shoulder；　there　came　a　strong　shudder　over　his　whole　person
；　　a　sickly　smile　quivered　about　his　lips　；　　and　I　saw　that　he　spoke
in　a　low；　hurried；　and　gibbering　murmur；　as　if　unconscious　of　my
presence。　　Bending　closely　over　him；　I　at　length　drank　in　the　hideous
import　of　his　words。

　　　　〃Not　hear　it　？　　…　yes；　I　hear　it；　and　_have_　heard　it。　　Long　…
long　…　long　…　many　minutes；　many　hours；　many　days；　have　I　heard　it　…
yet　I　dared　not　…　oh；　pity　me；　miserable　wretch　that　I　am　！　　…　I
dared　not　…　I　_dared_　not　speak　！　　_We　have　put　her　living　in　the
tomb　！_　　Said　I　not　that　my　senses　were　acute　？　　I　_now_　tell　you
that　I　heard　her　first　feeble　movements　in　the　hollow　coffin。　　I
heard　them　…　many；　many　days　ago　…　yet　I　dared　not　…　_I　dared　not
speak　！_　　And　now　…　to…night　…　Ethelred　…　ha　！　　ha　！　…　the　breaking
of　the　hermit's　door；　and　the　death…cry　of　the　dragon；　and　the
clangor　of　the　shield　！　　…　say；　rather；　the　rending　of　her　coffin；
and　the　grating　of　the　iron　hinges　of　her　prison；　and　her　struggles
within　the　coppered　archway　of　the　vault　！　　　Oh　whither　shall　I　fly　？
　Will　she　not　be　here　anon　？　　Is　she　not　hurrying　to　upbraid　me　for
my　haste　？　　Have　I　not　heard　her　footstep　on　the　stair　？　　Do　I　not
distinguish　that　heavy　and　horrible　beating　of　her　heart　？　　Madman　！〃
…　here　he　sprang　furiously　to　his　feet；　and　shrieked　out　his
syllables；　as　if　in　the　effort　he　were　giving　up　his　soul　…　〃_Madman
！　　I　tell　you　that　she　now　stands　without　the　door　！_〃

　　　　As　if　in　the　superhuman　energy　of　his　utterance　there　had　been
found　the　potency　of　a　spell　…　the　huge　antique　pannels　to　which　the
speaker　pointed；　threw　slowly　back；　upon　the　instant；　their　ponderous
and　ebony　jaws。　　It　was　the　work　of　the　rushing　gust　…　but　then
without　those　doors　there　_did_　stand　the　lofty　and　enshrouded　figure
of　the　lady　Madeline　of　Usher。　　There　was　blood　upon　her　white　robes；
and　the　evidence　of　some　bitter　struggle　upon　every　portion　of　her
emaciated　frame。　　For　a　moment　she　remained　trembling　and　reeling　to
and　fro　upon　the　threshold　…　then；　with　a　low　moaning　cry；　fell
heavily　inward　upon　the　person　of　her　brother；　and　in　her　violent　and
now　final　death…agonies；　bore　him　to　the　floor　a　corpse；　and　a　victim
to　the　terrors　he　had　anticipated。

　　　　From　that　chamber；　and　from　that　mansion；　I　fled　aghast。　　The
storm　was　still　abroad　in　all　its　wrath　as　I　found　myself　crossing
the　old　causeway。　　Suddenly　there　shot　along　the　path　a　wild　light；
and　I　turned　to　see　whence　a　gleam　so　unusual　could　have　issued　；
for　the　vast　house　and　its　shadows　were　alone　behind　me。　　The
radiance　was　that　of　the　full；　setting；　and　blood…red　moon；　which　now
shone　vividly　through　that　once　barely…discernible　fissure；　of　which
I　have　before　spoken　as　extending　from　the　roof　of　the　building；　in　a
zigzag　direction；　to　the　base。　　While　I　gazed；　this　fissure　rapidly
widened　…　there　came　a　fierce　breath　of　the　whirlwind　…　the　entire
orb　of　the　satellite　burst　at　once　upon　my　sight　…　my　brain　reeled　as
I　saw　the　mighty　walls　rushing　asunder　…　there　was　a　long　tumultuous
shouting　sound　like　the　voice　of　a　thousand　waters　…　and　the　deep　and
dank　tarn　at　my　feet　closed　sullenly　and　silently　over　the　fragments
of　the　〃_House　of　Usher_。〃



~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



SILENCE　　A　FABLE

＋L*@LF4《　D@D；T《　6@*zLN〃4　J；　6〃4　N〃D〃（（；。

ALCMAN。　The　mountain　pinnacles　slumber；　valleys；　crags　and　caves　are
silent。

〃LISTEN　to　me；〃　said　the　Demon　as　he　placed　his　hand　upon　my　head。
〃The　region　of　which　I　speak　is　a　dreary　region　in　Libya；　by　the
borders　of　the　river　Zaire。　And　there　is　no　quiet　there；　nor　silence。

〃The　waters　of　the　river　have　a　saffron　and　sickly　hue；　and　they　flow
not　onwards　to　the　sea；　but　palpitate　forever　and　forever　beneath　the
red　eye　of　the　sun　with　a　tumultuous　and　convulsive　motion。　For　many
miles　on　either　side　of　the　river's　oozy　bed　is　a　pale　desert　of
gigantic　water…lilies。　They　sigh　one　unto　the　other　in　that　solitude；
and　stretch　towards　the　heaven　their　long　and　ghastly　necks；　and　nod
to　and　fro　their　everlasting　heads。　And　there　is　an　indistinct　murmur
which　cometh　out　from　among　them　like　the　rushing　of　subterrene
water。　And　they　sigh　one　unto　the　other。

〃But　there　is　a　boundary　to　their　realm　　the　boundary　of　the　dark；
horrible；　lofty　forest。　There；　like　the　waves　about　the　Hebrides；　the
low　underwood　is　agitated　continually。　But　there　is　no　wind
throughout　the　heaven。　And　the　tall　primeval　trees　rock　eternally
hither　and　thither　with　a　crashing　and　mighty　sound。　And　from　their
high　summits；　one　by　one；　drop　everlasting　dews。　And　at　the　roots
strange　poisonous　flowers　lie　writhing　in　perturbed　slumber。　And
overhead；　with　a　rustling　and　loud　noise；　the　gray　clouds　rush
westwardly　forever；　until　they　roll；　a　cataract；　over　the　fiery　wall
of　the　horizon。　But　there　is　no　wind　throughout　the　heaven。　And　by
the　shores　of　the　river　Zaire　there　is　neither　quiet　nor　silence。

〃It　was　night；　and　the　rain　fell；　and　falling；　it　was　rain；　but；
having　fallen；　it　was　blood。　And　I　stood　in　the　morass　among　the　tall
and　the　rain　fell　upon　my　head　　and　the　lilies　sighed　one　unto　the
other　in　the　solemnity　of　their　desolation。

〃And；　all　at　once；　the　moon　arose　through　the　thin　ghastly　mist；　and
was　crimson　in　color。　And　mine　eyes　fell　upon　a　huge　gray　rock　which
stood　by　the　shore　of　the　river；　and　was　lighted　by　the　light　of　the
moon。　And　the　rock　was　gray；　and　ghastly；　and　tall；　　and　the　rock
was　gray。　Upon　its　front　were　characters　engraven　in　the　stone；　and　I
walked　through　the　morass　of　water…lilies；　until　I　came　close　unto
the　shore；　that　I　might　read　the　characters　upon　the　stone。　But　I
could　not　decypher　them。　And　I　was　going　back　into　the　morass；　when
the　moon　shone　with　a　fuller　red；　and　I　turned　and　looked　again　upon
the　rock；　and　upon　the　characters；　　and　the　characters　were
DESOLATION。

〃And　I　looked　upwards；　and　there　stood　a　man　upon　the　summit　of　the
rock；　and　I　hid　myself　among　the　water…lilies　that　I　might　discover
the　actions　of　the　man。　And　the　man　was　tall　and　stately　in　form；　and
was　wrapped　up　from　his　shoulders　to　his　feet　in　the　toga　of　old
Rome。　And　the　outlines　of　his　figure　were　indistinct　　but　his
features　were　the　features　of　a　deity；　for　the　mantle　of　the　night；
and　of　the　mist；　and　of　the　moon；　and　of　the　dew；　had　left　uncovered
the　features　of　his　face。　And　his　brow　was　lofty　with　thought；　and
his　eye　wild　with　care；　and；　in　the　few　furrows　upon　his　cheek　I　read
the　fables　of　sorrow；　and　weariness；　and　disgust　with　mankind；　and　a
longing　after　solitude。

〃And　the　man　sat　upon　the　rock；　and　leaned　his　head　upon　his　hand；
and　looked　out　upon　the　desolation。　He　looked　down　into　the　low
unquiet　shrubbery；　and　up　into　the　tall　primeval　trees；　and　up　higher
at　the　rustling　heaven；　and　into　the　crimson　moon。　And　I　lay　close
within　shelter　of　the　lilies；　and　observed　the　actions　of　the　man。
And　the　man　trembled　in　the　solitude；　　but　the　night　waned；　and　he
sat　upon　the　rock。

〃And　the　man　turned　his　attention　from　the　heaven；　and　looked　out
upon　the　dreary　river　Zaire；　and　upon　the　yellow　ghastly　waters；　and
upon　the　pale　legions　of　the　water…lilies。　And　the　man　listened　to
the　sighs　of　the　water…lilies；　and　to　the　murmur　that　came　up　from
among　them。　And　I　lay　close　within　my　covert　and　observed　the　actions
of　the　man。　And　the　man　trembled　in　the　solitude；　　but　the　night
waned　and　he　sat　upon　the　rock。

〃Then　I　went　down　into　the　recesses　of　the　morass；　and　waded　afar　in
among　the　wilderness　of　the　lilies；　and　called　unto　the　hippopotami
which　dwelt　among　the　fens　in　the　recesses　of　the　morass。　And　the
hippopotami　heard　my　call；　and　came；　with　the　behemoth；　unto　the　foot
of　the　rock；　and　roared　loudly　and　fearfully　beneath　the　moon。　And　I
lay　close　within　my　covert　and　observed　the　actions　of　the　man。　And
the　man　trembled　in　the　solitude；　　but　the　night　waned　and　he　sat
upon　the　rock。

〃Then　I　cursed　the　elements　with　the　curse　of　tumult；　and　a　frightful
tempest　gathered　in　the　heaven　where；　before；　there　had　been　no　wind。
And　the　heaven　became　livid　with　the　violence　of　the　tempest　　and
the　rain　beat　upon　the　head　of　the　man　　and　the　floods　of　the　river
came　down　　and　the　river　was　tormented　into　foam　　and　the
water…lilies　shrieked　within　their　beds　　and　the　forest　crumbled
before　the　wind　　and　the　thunder　rolled　　and　the　lightning　fell
　and　the　rock　rocked　to　its　foundation。　And　I　lay　close　within　my
covert　and　observed　the　actions　of　the　man。　And　the　man　trembled　in
the　solitude；　　but　the　night　waned　and　he　sat　upon　the　rock。

〃Then　I　grew　angry　and　cursed；　with　the　curse　of　silence；　the　river；
and　the　lilies；　and　the　wind；　and　the　forest；　and　the　heaven；　and　the
thunder；　and　the　sighs　of　the　water…lilies。　And　they　became　accursed；
and　were　still。　And　the　moon　ceased　to　totter　up　its　pathway　to
heaven　　and　the　thunder　died　away　　and　the　lightning　did　not
flash　　and　the　clouds　hung　motionless　　and　the　waters　sunk　to
their　level　a