the works of edgar allan poe-2-第31部分

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figure　muffled　in　a　cloak；　stepped　out　within　reach　of　the　light；
and；　pausing　a　moment　upon　the　verge　of　the　giddy　descent；　plunged
headlong　into　the　canal。　　As；　in　an　instant　afterwards；　he　stood　with
the　still　living　and　breathing　child　within　his　grasp；　upon　the
marble　flagstones　by　the　side　of　the　Marchesa；　his　cloak；　heavy　with
the　drenching　water；　became　unfastened；　and；　falling　in　folds　about
his　feet；　discovered　to　the　wonder…stricken　spectators　the　graceful
person　of　a　very　young　man；　with　the　sound　of　whose　name　the　greater
part　of　Europe　was　then　ringing。

　　　No　word　spoke　the　deliverer。　　But　the　Marchesa　！　　She　will　now
receive　her　child　…　she　will　press　it　to　her　heart　…　she　will　cling
to　its　little　form；　and　smother　it　with　her　caresses。　　Alas　！
_another's_　arms　have　taken　it　from　the　stranger　…　_another's_　arms
have　taken　it　away；　and　borne　it　afar　off；　unnoticed；　into　the　palace
！　　And　the　Marchesa　！　　Her　lip　…　her　beautiful　lip　trembles　：　　tears
are　gathering　in　her　eyes　…　those　eyes　which；　like　Pliny's　acanthus；
are　〃soft　and　almost　liquid。〃　Yes　！　　tears　are　gathering　in　those
eyes　…　and　see　！　　the　entire　woman　thrills　throughout　the　soul；　and
the　statue　has　started　into　life　！　　The　pallor　of　the　marble
countenance；　the　swelling　of　the　marble　bosom；　the　very　purity　of　the
marble　feet；　we　behold　suddenly　flushed　over　with　a　tide　of
ungovernable　crimson　；　　and　a　slight　shudder　quivers　about　her
delicate　frame；　as　a　gentle　air　at　Napoli　about　the　rich　silver
lilies　in　the　grass。

　　　Why　_should_　that　lady　blush　！　　To　this　demand　there　is　no　answer
…　except　that；　having　left；　in　the　eager　haste　and　terror　of　a
mother's　heart；　the　privacy　of　her　own　_boudoir_；　she　has　neglected
to　enthral　her　tiny　feet　in　their　slippers；　and　utterly　forgotten　to
throw　over　her　Venetian　shoulders　that　drapery　which　is　their　due。
What　other　possible　reason　could　there　have　been　for　her　so　blushing
？　…　for　the　glance　of　those　wild　appealing　eyes　？　　for　the　unusual
tumult　of　that　throbbing　bosom　　？　　…　for　the　convulsive　pressure　of
that　trembling　hand　？　…　that　hand　which　fell；　as　Mentoni　turned　into
the　palace；　accidentally；　upon　the　hand　of　the　stranger。　　What　reason
could　there　have　been　for　the　low　…　the　singularly　low　tone　of　those
unmeaning　words　which　the　lady　uttered　hurriedly　in　bidding　him　adieu
？　　〃Thou　hast　conquered；〃　she　said；　or　the　murmurs　of　the　water
deceived　me　；　　〃thou　hast　conquered　…　one　hour　after　sunrise　…　we
shall　meet　…　so　let　it　be　！〃

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　　　The　tumult　had　subsided；　the　lights　had　died　away　within　the
palace；　and　the　stranger；　whom　I　now　recognized；　stood　alone　upon　the
flags。　　He　shook　with　inconceivable　agitation；　and　his　eye　glanced
around　in　search　of　a　gondola。　　I　could　not　do　less　than　offer　him
the　service　of　my　own　；　　and　he　accepted　the　civility。　Having
obtained　an　oar　at　the　water…gate；　we　proceeded　together　to　his
residence；　while　he　rapidly　recovered　his　self…possession；　and　spoke
of　our　former　slight　acquaintance　in　terms　of　great　apparent
cordiality。

　　　There　are　some　subjects　upon　which　I　take　pleasure　in　being
minute。　　The　person　of　the　stranger　…　let　me　call　him　by　this　title；
who　to　all　the　world　was　still　a　stranger　…　the　person　of　the
stranger　is　one　of　these　subjects。　　In　height　he　might　have　been
below　rather　than　above　the　medium　size　：　　although　there　were
moments　of　intense　passion　when　his　frame　actually　_expanded_　and
belied　the　assertion。　　The　light；　almost　slender　symmetry　of　his
figure；　promised　more　of　that　ready　activity　which　he　evinced　at　the
Bridge　of　Sighs；　than　of　that　Herculean　strength　which　he　has　been
known　to　wield　without　an　effort；　upon　occasions　of　more　dangerous
emergency。　　With　the　mouth　and　chin　of　a　deity　…　singular；　wild；
full；　liquid　eyes；　whose　shadows　varied　from　pure　hazel　to　intense
and　brilliant　jet　…　and　a　profusion　of　curling；　black　hair；　from
which　a　forehead　of　unusual　breadth　gleamed　forth　at　intervals　all
light　and　ivory　…　his　were　features　than　which　I　have　seen　none　more
classically　regular；　except；　perhaps；　the　marble　ones　of　the　Emperor
Commodus。　　Yet　his　countenance　was；　nevertheless；　one　of　those　which
all　men　have　seen　at　some　period　of　their　lives；　and　have　never
afterwards　seen　again。　　It　had　no　peculiar　…　it　had　no　settled
predominant　expression　to　be　fastened　upon　the　memory　；　　a
countenance　seen　and　instantly　forgotten　…　but　forgotten　with　a　vague
and　never…ceasing　desire　of　recalling　it　to　mind。　　Not　that　the
spirit　of　each　rapid　passion　failed；　at　any　time；　to　throw　its　own
distinct　image　upon　the　mirror　of　that　face　…　but　that　the　mirror；
mirror…like；　retained　no　vestige　of　the　passion；　when　the　passion　had
departed。

　　　Upon　leaving　him　on　the　night　of　our　adventure；　he　solicited　me；
in　what　I　thought　an　urgent　manner；　to　call　upon　him　_very_　early　the
next　morning。　　Shortly　after　sunrise；　I　found　myself　accordingly　at
his　Palazzo；　one　of　those　huge　structures　of　gloomy；　yet　fantastic
pomp；　which　tower　above　the　waters　of　the　Grand　Canal　in　the　vicinity
of　the　Rialto。　　I　was　shown　up　a　broad　winding　staircase　of　mosaics；
into　an　apartment　whose　unparalleled　splendor　burst　through　the
opening　door　with　an　actual　glare；　making　me　blind　and　dizzy　with
luxuriousness。

　　　I　knew　my　acquaintance　to　be　wealthy。　　Report　had　spoken　of　his
possessions　in　terms　which　I　had　even　ventured　to　call　terms　of
ridiculous　exaggeration。　　But　as　I　gazed　about　me；　I　could　not　bring
myself　to　believe　that　the　wealth　of　any　subject　in　Europe　could　have
supplied　the　princely　magnificence　which　burned　and　blazed　around。

　　　Although；　as　I　say；　the　sun　had　arisen；　yet　the　room　was　still
brilliantly　lighted　up。　　I　judge　from　this　circumstance；　as　well　as
from　an　air　of　exhaustion　in　the　countenance　of　my　friend；　that　he
had　not　retired　to　bed　during　the　whole　of　the　preceding　night。　　In
the　architecture　and　embellishments　of　the　chamber；　the　evident
design　had　been　to　dazzle　and　astound。　　Little　attention　had　been
paid　to　the　_decora_　of　what　is　technically　called　_keeping_；　or　to
the　proprieties　of　nationality。　The　eye　wandered　from　object　to
object；　and　rested　upon　none　…　neither　the　_grotesques_　of　the　Greek
painters；　nor　the　sculptures　of　the　best　Italian　days；　nor　the　huge
carvings　of　untutored　Egypt。　　Rich　draperies　in　every　part　of　the
room　trembled　to　the　vibration　of　low；　melancholy　music；　whose　origin
was　not　to　be　discovered。　　The　senses　were　oppressed　by　mingled　and
conflicting　perfumes；　reeking　up　from　strange　convolute　censers；
together　with　multitudinous　flaring　and　flickering　tongues　of　emerald
and　violet　fire。　　The　rays　of　the　newly　risen　sun　poured　in　upon　the
whole；　through　windows；　formed　each　of　a　single　pane　of
crimson…tinted　glass。　　Glancing　to　and　fro；　in　a　thousand
reflections；　from　curtains　which　rolled　from　their　cornices　like
cataracts　of　molten　silver；　the　beams　of　natural　glory　mingled　at
length　fitfully　with　the　artificial　light；　and　lay　weltering　in
subdued　masses　upon　a　carpet　of　rich；　liquid…looking　cloth　of　Chili
gold。

　　　〃Ha　！　　ha　！　　ha　！　　…　ha　！　　ha　！　　ha　！　　〃　…　laughed　the　proprietor；
motioning　me　to　a　seat　as　I　entered　the　room；　and　throwing　himself
back　at　full…length　upon　an　ottoman。　　〃I　see；〃　said　he；　perceiving
that　I　could　not　immediately　reconcile　myself　to　the　_bienseance_　of
so　singular　a　welcome　…　〃I　see　you　are　astonished　at　my　apartment　…
at　my　statues　…　my　pictures　…　my　originality　of　conception　in
architecture　and　upholstery　！　　absolutely　drunk；　eh；　with　my
magnificence　？　　But　pardon　me；　my　dear　sir；　（here　his　tone　of　voice
dropped　to　the　very　spirit　of　cordiality；）　pardon　me　for　my
uncharitable　laughter。　　You　appeared　so　_utterly_　astonished。
Besides；　some　things　are　so　completely　ludicrous；　that　a　man　_must_
laugh　or　die。　　To　die　laughing；　must　be　the　most　glorious　of　all
glorious　deaths　！　　Sir　Thomas　More　…　a　very　fine　man　was　Sir　Thomas
More　…　Sir　Thomas　More　died　laughing；　you　remember。　　Also　in　the
_Absurdities_　of　Ravisius　Textor；　there　is　a　long　list　of　characters
who　came　to　the　same　magnificent　end。　　Do　you　know；　however；〃
continued　he　musingly；　〃that　at　Sparta　（which　is　now　Pal？；　　ochori；）
at　Sparta；　I　say；　to　the　west　of　the　citadel；　among　a　chaos　of
scarcely　visible　ruins；　is　a　kind　of　_socle_；　upon　which　are　still
legible　the　letters　　7！=9　。　They　are　undoubtedly　part　of　　'＋7！=9！　。
Now；　at　Sparta　were　a　thousand　temples　and　shrines　to　a　thousand
different　divinities。　　How　exceedingly　strange　that　the　altar　of
Laughter　should　have　survived　all　the　others　！　　But　in　the　present
instance；〃　he　resumed；　with　a　singular　alteration　of　voice　and
manner；　〃I　have　no　right　to　be　merry　at　your　expense。　　You　might　well
have　been　amazed。　　Europe　cannot　produce　anything　so　fine　as　this；　my
little　regal　cabinet。　　My　other　apartments　are　by　no　means　of　the
same　order　…　mere　_ultras_　of　fashionable　insipidity。　This　is　better
than　fashion　…　is　it　not　？　　Yet　this　has　but　to　be　seen　to　become　the
rage　…　that　is；　with　those　who　could　afford　it　at　the　cost　of　their
entire　patrimony。　　I　have　guarded；　however；　against　any　such
profanation。　With　one　exception；　you　are　the　only　human　being　besides
myself　and　my　_valet_；　who　has　been　admitted　within　the　mysteries　of
these　imperial　precincts；　since　they　have　been　bedizzened　as　you　see
！〃

　　　I　bowed　in　acknowledgment　…　for　the　overpowering　sense　of　splendor
and　perfume；　and　music；　together　with　the　unexpected　eccentricity　of
his　address　and　manner；　prevented　me　from　expressing；　in　words；　my
appreciation　of　what　I　might　have　construed　into　a　compliment。

　　　〃Here；〃　he　resumed；　arising　and　leaning　on　my　arm　as　he　sauntered
around　the　apartment；　〃here　are　paintings　from　the　Greeks　to　Cimabue；
and　from　Cimabue　to　the　present　hour。　　Many　are　chosen；　as　you　see；
with　little　deference　to　the　opinions　of　Virtu。　　They　are　all；
however；　fitting　tapestry　for　a　chamber　such　as　this。　　Here；　too；　are
some　_chefs　d'渦vre_　of　the　unknown　great　；　　and　here；　unfinished
designs　by　men；　celebrated　in　their　day；　whose　very　names　the
perspicacity　of　the　academies　has　left　to　silence　and　to　me。　　What
think