the works of edgar allan poe-2-第28部分

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all　metaphysicianism　have　been　concocted　a　priori。　The　intellectual
or　logical　man；　rather　than　the　understanding　or　observant　man；　set
himself　to　imagine　designs　　to　dictate　purposes　to　God。　Having　thus
fathomed；　to　his　satisfaction；　the　intentions　of　Jehovah；　out　of
these　intentions　he　built　his　innumerable　systems　of　mind。　In　the
matter　of　phrenology；　for　example；　we　first　determined；　naturally
enough；　that　it　was　the　design　of　the　Deity　that　man　should　eat。　We
then　assigned　to　man　an　organ　of　alimentiveness；　and　this　organ　is
the　scourge　with　which　the　Deity　compels　man；　will…I　nill…I；　into
eating。　Secondly；　having　settled　it　to　be　God's　will　that　man　should
continue　his　species；　we　discovered　an　organ　of　amativeness；
forthwith。　And　so　with　combativeness；　with　ideality；　with　causality；
with　constructiveness；　　so；　in　short；　with　every　organ；　whether
representing　a　propensity；　a　moral　sentiment；　or　a　faculty　of　the
pure　intellect。　And　in　these　arrangements　of　the　Principia　of　human
action；　the　Spurzheimites；　whether　right　or　wrong；　in　part；　or　upon
the　whole；　have　but　followed；　in　principle；　the　footsteps　of　their
predecessors：　deducing　and　establishing　every　thing　from　the
preconceived　destiny　of　man；　and　upon　the　ground　of　the　objects　of
his　Creator。

It　would　have　been　wiser；　it　would　have　been　safer；　to　classify　（if
classify　we　must）　upon　the　basis　of　what　man　usually　or　occasionally
did；　and　was　always　occasionally　doing；　rather　than　upon　the　basis　of
what　we　took　it　for　granted　the　Deity　intended　him　to　do。　If　we
cannot　comprehend　God　in　his　visible　works；　how　then　in　his
inconceivable　thoughts；　that　call　the　works　into　being？　If　we　cannot
understand　him　in　his　objective　creatures；　how　then　in　his
substantive　moods　and　phases　of　creation？

Induction；　a　posteriori；　would　have　brought　phrenology　to　admit；　as
an　innate　and　primitive　principle　of　human　action；　a　paradoxical
something；　which　we　may　call　perverseness；　for　want　of　a　more
characteristic　term。　In　the　sense　I　intend；　it　is；　in　fact；　a　mobile
without　motive；　a　motive　not　motivirt。　Through　its　promptings　we　act
without　comprehensible　object；　or；　if　this　shall　be　understood　as　a
contradiction　in　terms；　we　may　so　far　modify　the　proposition　as　to
say；　that　through　its　promptings　we　act；　for　the　reason　that　we
should　not。　In　theory；　no　reason　can　be　more　unreasonable；　but；　in
fact；　there　is　none　more　strong。　With　certain　minds；　under　certain
conditions；　it　becomes　absolutely　irresistible。　I　am　not　more　certain
that　I　breathe；　than　that　the　assurance　of　the　wrong　or　error　of　any
action　is　often　the　one　unconquerable　force　which　impels　us；　and
alone　impels　us　to　its　prosecution。　Nor　will　this　overwhelming
tendency　to　do　wrong　for　the　wrong's　sake；　admit　of　analysis；　or
resolution　into　ulterior　elements。　It　is　a　radical；　a　primitive
impulse…elementary。　It　will　be　said；　I　am　aware；　that　when　we　persist
in　acts　because　we　feel　we　should　not　persist　in　them；　our　conduct　is
but　a　modification　of　that　which　ordinarily　springs　from　the
combativeness　of　phrenology。　But　a　glance　will　show　the　fallacy　of
this　idea。　The　phrenological　combativeness　has　for　its　essence；　the
necessity　of　self…defence。　It　is　our　safeguard　against　injury。　Its
principle　regards　our　well…being；　and　thus　the　desire　to　be　well　is
excited　simultaneously　with　its　development。　It　follows；　that　the
desire　to　be　well　must　be　excited　simultaneously　with　any　principle
which　shall　be　merely　a　modification　of　combativeness；　but　in　the
case　of　that　something　which　I　term　perverseness；　the　desire　to　be
well　is　not　only　not　aroused；　but　a　strongly　antagonistical　sentiment
exists。

An　appeal　to　one's　own　heart　is；　after　all；　the　best　reply　to　the
sophistry　just　noticed。　No　one　who　trustingly　consults　and　thoroughly
questions　his　own　soul；　will　be　disposed　to　deny　the　entire
radicalness　of　the　propensity　in　question。　It　is　not　more
incomprehensible　than　distinctive。　There　lives　no　man　who　at　some
period　has　not　been　tormented；　for　example；　by　an　earnest　desire　to
tantalize　a　listener　by　circumlocution。　The　speaker　is　aware　that　he
displeases；　he　has　every　intention　to　please；　he　is　usually　curt；
precise；　and　clear；　the　most　laconic　and　luminous　language　is
struggling　for　utterance　upon　his　tongue；　it　is　only　with　difficulty
that　he　restrains　himself　from　giving　it　flow；　he　dreads　and
deprecates　the　anger　of　him　whom　he　addresses；　yet；　the　thought
strikes　him；　that　by　certain　involutions　and　parentheses　this　anger
may　be　engendered。　That　single　thought　is　enough。　The　impulse
increases　to　a　wish；　the　wish　to　a　desire；　the　desire　to　an
uncontrollable　longing；　and　the　longing　（to　the　deep　regret　and
mortification　of　the　speaker；　and　in　defiance　of　all　consequences）　is
indulged。

We　have　a　task　before　us　which　must　be　speedily　performed。　We　know
that　it　will　be　ruinous　to　make　delay。　The　most　important　crisis　of
our　life　calls；　trumpet…tongued；　for　immediate　energy　and　action。　We
glow；　we　are　consumed　with　eagerness　to　commence　the　work；　with　the
anticipation　of　whose　glorious　result　our　whole　souls　are　on　fire。　It
must；　it　shall　be　undertaken　to…day；　and　yet　we　put　it　off　until
to…morrow；　and　why？　There　is　no　answer；　except　that　we　feel　perverse；
using　the　word　with　no　comprehension　of　the　principle。　To…morrow
arrives；　and　with　it　a　more　impatient　anxiety　to　do　our　duty；　but
with　this　very　increase　of　anxiety　arrives；　also；　a　nameless；　a
positively　fearful；　because　unfathomable；　craving　for　delay。　This
craving　gathers　strength　as　the　moments　fly。　The　last　hour　for　action
is　at　hand。　We　tremble　with　the　violence　of　the　conflict　within　us；
　of　the　definite　with　the　indefinite　　of　the　substance　with　the
shadow。　But；　if　the　contest　have　proceeded　thus　far；　it　is　the　shadow
which　prevails；　　we　struggle　in　vain。　The　clock　strikes；　and　is　the
knell　of　our　welfare。　At　the　same　time；　it　is　the　chanticleer　　note
to　the　ghost　that　has　so　long　overawed　us。　It　flies　　it　disappears
　we　are　free。　The　old　energy　returns。　We　will　labor　now。　Alas；　it
is　too　late！

We　stand　upon　the　brink　of　a　precipice。　We　peer　into　the　abyss　　we
grow　sick　and　dizzy。　Our　first　impulse　is　to　shrink　from　the　danger。
Unaccountably　we　remain。　By　slow　degrees　our　sickness　and　dizziness
and　horror　become　merged　in　a　cloud　of　unnamable　feeling。　By
gradations；　still　more　imperceptible；　this　cloud　assumes　shape；　as
did　the　vapor　from　the　bottle　out　of　which　arose　the　genius　in　the
Arabian　Nights。　But　out　of　this　our　cloud　upon　the　precipice's　edge；
there　grows　into　palpability；　a　shape；　far　more　terrible　than　any
genius　or　any　demon　of　a　tale；　and　yet　it　is　but　a　thought；　although
a　fearful　one；　and　one　which　chills　the　very　marrow　of　our　bones　with
the　fierceness　of　the　delight　of　its　horror。　It　is　merely　the　idea　of
what　would　be　our　sensations　during　the　sweeping　precipitancy　of　a
fall　from　such　a　height。　And　this　fall　　this　rushing　annihilation
　for　the　very　reason　that　it　involves　that　one　most　ghastly　and
loathsome　of　all　the　most　ghastly　and　loathsome　images　of　death　and
suffering　which　have　ever　presented　themselves　to　our　imagination　
for　this　very　cause　do　we　now　the　most　vividly　desire　it。　And　because
our　reason　violently　deters　us　from　the　brink；　therefore　do　we　the
most　impetuously　approach　it。　There　is　no　passion　in　nature　so
demoniacally　impatient；　as　that　of　him　who；　shuddering　upon　the　edge
of　a　precipice；　thus　meditates　a　Plunge。　To　indulge；　for　a　moment；　in
any　attempt　at　thought；　is　to　be　inevitably　lost；　for　reflection　but
urges　us　to　forbear；　and　therefore　it　is；　I　say；　that　we　cannot。　If
there　be　no　friendly　arm　to　check　us；　or　if　we　fail　in　a　sudden
effort　to　prostrate　ourselves　backward　from　the　abyss；　we　plunge；　and
are　destroyed。

Examine　these　similar　actions　as　we　will；　we　shall　find　them
resulting　solely　from　the　spirit　of　the　Perverse。　We　perpetrate　them
because　we　feel　that　we　should　not。　Beyond　or　behind　this　there　is　no
intelligible　principle；　and　we　might；　indeed；　deem　this　perverseness
a　direct　instigation　of　the　Arch…Fiend；　were　it　not　occasionally
known　to　operate　in　furtherance　of　good。

I　have　said　thus　much；　that　in　some　measure　I　may　answer　your
question；　that　I　may　explain　to　you　why　I　am　here；　that　I　may　assign
to　you　something　that　shall　have　at　least　the　faint　aspect　of　a　cause
for　my　wearing　these　fetters；　and　for　my　tenanting　this　cell　of　the
condemned。　Had　I　not　been　thus　prolix；　you　might　either　have
misunderstood　me　altogether；　or；　with　the　rabble；　have　fancied　me
mad。　As　it　is；　you　will　easily　perceive　that　I　am　one　of　the　many
uncounted　victims　of　the　Imp　of　the　Perverse。

It　is　impossible　that　any　deed　could　have　been　wrought　with　a　more
thorough　deliberation。　For　weeks；　for　months；　I　pondered　upon　the
means　of　the　murder。　I　rejected　a　thousand　schemes；　because　their
accomplishment　involved　a　chance　of　detection。　At　length；　in　reading
some　French　Memoirs；　I　found　an　account　of　a　nearly　fatal　illness
that　occurred　to　Madame　Pilau；　through　the　agency　of　a　candle
accidentally　poisoned。　The　idea　struck　my　fancy　at　once。　I　knew　my
victim's　habit　of　reading　in　bed。　I　knew；　too；　that　his　apartment　was
narrow　and　ill…ventilated。　But　I　need　not　vex　you　with　impertinent
details。　I　need　not　describe　the　easy　artifices　by　which　I
substituted；　in　his　bed…room　candle…stand；　a　wax…light　of　my　own
making　for　the　one　which　I　there　found。　The　next　morning　he　was
discovered　dead　in　his　bed；　and　the　Coroner's　verdict　was　　〃Death
by　the　visitation　of　God。〃

Having　inherited　his　estate；　all　went　well　with　me　for　years。　The
idea　of　detection　never　once　entered　my　brain。　Of　the　remains　of　the
fatal　taper　I　had　myself　carefully　disposed。　I　had　left　no　shadow　of
a　clew　by　which　it　would　be　possible　to　convict；　or　even　to　suspect
me　of　the　crime。　It　is　inconceivable　how　rich　a　sentiment　of
satisfaction　arose　in　my　bosom　as　I　reflected　upon　my　absolute
security。　For　a　very　long　period　of　time　I　was　accustomed　to　revel　in
this　sentiment。　It　afforded　me　more　real　delight　than　all　the　mere
worldly　advantages　accruing　from　my　sin。　But　there　arrived　at　length
an　epoch；　from　which　the　pleasurable　fe