the works of edgar allan poe-2-第38部分

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are　still　mysterious；　its　obvious　and　apparent　character　is
sufficiently　well　understood。　Its　variations　seem　to　be　chiefly　of
degree。　Sometimes　the　patient　lies；　for　a　day　only；　or　even　for　a
shorter　period；　in　a　species　of　exaggerated　lethargy。　He　is　senseless
and　externally　motionless；　but　the　pulsation　of　the　heart　is　still
faintly　perceptible；　some　traces　of　warmth　remain；　a　slight　color
lingers　within　the　centre　of　the　cheek；　and；　upon　application　of　a
mirror　to　the　lips；　we　can　detect　a　torpid；　unequal；　and　vacillating
action　of　the　lungs。　Then　again　the　duration　of　the　trance　is　for
weeks　　even　for　months；　while　the　closest　scrutiny；　and　the　most
rigorous　medical　tests；　fail　to　establish　any　material　distinction
between　the　state　of　the　sufferer　and　what　we　conceive　of　absolute
death。　Very　usually　he　is　saved　from　premature　interment　solely　by
the　knowledge　of　his　friends　that　he　has　been　previously　subject　to
catalepsy；　by　the　consequent　suspicion　excited；　and；　above　all；　by
the　non…appearance　of　decay。　The　advances　of　the　malady　are；　luckily；
gradual。　The　first　manifestations；　although　marked；　are　unequivocal。
The　fits　grow　successively　more　and　more　distinctive；　and　endure　each
for　a　longer　term　than　the　preceding。　In　this　lies　the　principal
security　from　inhumation。　The　unfortunate　whose　first　attack　should
be　of　the　extreme　character　which　is　occasionally　seen；　would　almost
inevitably　be　consigned　alive　to　the　tomb。

My　own　case　differed　in　no　important　particular　from　those　mentioned
in　medical　books。　Sometimes；　without　any　apparent　cause；　I　sank；
little　by　little；　into　a　condition　of　hemi…syncope；　or　half　swoon；
and；　in　this　condition；　without　pain；　without　ability　to　stir；　or；
strictly　speaking；　to　think；　but　with　a　dull　lethargic　consciousness
of　life　and　of　the　presence　of　those　who　surrounded　my　bed；　I
remained；　until　the　crisis　of　the　disease　restored　me；　suddenly；　to
perfect　sensation。　At　other　times　I　was　quickly　and　impetuously
smitten。　I　grew　sick；　and　numb；　and　chilly；　and　dizzy；　and　so　fell
prostrate　at　once。　Then；　for　weeks；　all　was　void；　and　black；　and
silent；　and　Nothing　became　the　universe。　Total　annihilation　could　be
no　more。　From　these　latter　attacks　I　awoke；　however；　with　a　gradation
slow　in　proportion　to　the　suddenness　of　the　seizure。　Just　as　the　day
dawns　to　the　friendless　and　houseless　beggar　who　roams　the　streets
throughout　the　long　desolate　winter　night　　just　so　tardily　　just
so　wearily　　just　so　cheerily　came　back　the　light　of　the　Soul　to　me。

Apart　from　the　tendency　to　trance；　however；　my　general　health
appeared　to　be　good；　nor　could　I　perceive　that　it　was　at　all　affected
by　the　one　prevalent　malady　　unless；　indeed；　an　idiosyncrasy　in　my
ordinary　sleep　may　be　looked　upon　as　superinduced。　Upon　awaking　from
slumber；　I　could　never　gain；　at　once；　thorough　possession　of　my
senses；　and　always　remained；　for　many　minutes；　in　much　bewilderment
and　perplexity；　　the　mental　faculties　in　general；　but　the　memory　in
especial；　being　in　a　condition　of　absolute　abeyance。

In　all　that　I　endured　there　was　no　physical　suffering　but　of　moral
distress　an　infinitude。　My　fancy　grew　charnel；　I　talked　〃of　worms；　of
tombs；　and　epitaphs。〃　I　was　lost　in　reveries　of　death；　and　the　idea
of　premature　burial　held　continual　possession　of　my　brain。　The
ghastly　Danger　to　which　I　was　subjected　haunted　me　day　and　night。　In
the　former；　the　torture　of　meditation　was　excessive　　in　the　latter；
supreme。　When　the　grim　Darkness　overspread　the　Earth；　then；　with
every　horror　of　thought；　I　shook　　shook　as　the　quivering　plumes
upon　the　hearse。　When　Nature　could　endure　wakefulness　no　longer；　it
was　with　a　struggle　that　I　consented　to　sleep　　for　I　shuddered　to
reflect　that；　upon　awaking；　I　might　find　myself　the　tenant　of　a
grave。　And　when；　finally；　I　sank　into　slumber；　it　was　only　to　rush　at
once　into　a　world　of　phantasms；　above　which；　with　vast；　sable；
overshadowing　wing；　hovered；　predominant；　the　one　sepulchral　Idea。

From　the　innumerable　images　of　gloom　which　thus　oppressed　me　in
dreams；　I　select　for　record　but　a　solitary　vision。　Methought　I　was
immersed　in　a　cataleptic　trance　of　more　than　usual　duration　and
profundity。　Suddenly　there　came　an　icy　hand　upon　my　forehead；　and　an
impatient；　gibbering　voice　whispered　the　word　〃Arise！〃　within　my　ear。

I　sat　erect。　The　darkness　was　total。　I　could　not　see　the　figure　of
him　who　had　aroused　me。　I　could　call　to　mind　neither　the　period　at
which　I　had　fallen　into　the　trance；　nor　the　locality　in　which　I　then
lay。　While　I　remained　motionless；　and　busied　in　endeavors　to　collect
my　thought；　the　cold　hand　grasped　me　fiercely　by　the　wrist；　shaking
it　petulantly；　while　the　gibbering　voice　said　again：

〃Arise！　did　I　not　bid　thee　arise？〃

〃And　who；〃　I　demanded；　〃art　thou？〃

〃I　have　no　name　in　the　regions　which　I　inhabit；〃　replied　the　voice；
mournfully；　〃I　was　mortal；　but　am　fiend。　I　was　merciless；　but　am
pitiful。　Thou　dost　feel　that　I　shudder。　　My　teeth　chatter　as　I
speak；　yet　it　is　not　with　the　chilliness　of　the　night　　of　the　night
without　end。　But　this　hideousness　is　insufferable。　How　canst　thou
tranquilly　sleep？　I　cannot　rest　for　the　cry　of　these　great　agonies。
These　sights　are　more　than　I　can　bear。　Get　thee　up！　Come　with　me　into
the　outer　Night；　and　let　me　unfold　to　thee　the　graves。　Is　not　this　a
spectacle　of　woe？　　Behold！〃

I　looked；　and　the　unseen　figure；　which　still　grasped　me　by　the　wrist；
had　caused　to　be　thrown　open　the　graves　of　all　mankind；　and　from　each
issued　the　faint　phosphoric　radiance　of　decay；　so　that　I　could　see
into　the　innermost　recesses；　and　there　view　the　shrouded　bodies　in
their　sad　and　solemn　slumbers　with　the　worm。　But　alas！　the　real
sleepers　were　fewer；　by　many　millions；　than　those　who　slumbered　not
at　all；　and　there　was　a　feeble　struggling；　and　there　was　a　general
sad　unrest；　and　from　out　the　depths　of　the　countless　pits　there　came
a　melancholy　rustling　from　the　garments　of　the　buried。　And　of　those
who　seemed　tranquilly　to　repose；　I　saw　that　a　vast　number　had
changed；　in　a　greater　or　less　degree；　the　rigid　and　uneasy　position
in　which　they　had　originally　been　entombed。　And　the　voice　again　said
to　me　as　I　gazed：

〃Is　it　not　　oh！　is　it　not　a　pitiful　sight？〃　　but；　before　I　could
find　words　to　reply；　the　figure　had　ceased　to　grasp　my　wrist；　the
phosphoric　lights　expired；　and　the　graves　were　closed　with　a　sudden
violence；　while　from　out　them　arose　a　tumult　of　despairing　cries；
saying　again：　〃Is　it　not　　O；　God；　is　it　not　a　very　pitiful　sight？〃

Phantasies　such　as　these；　presenting　themselves　at　night；　extended
their　terrific　influence　far　into　my　waking　hours。　My　nerves　became
thoroughly　unstrung；　and　I　fell　a　prey　to　perpetual　horror。　I
hesitated　to　ride；　or　to　walk；　or　to　indulge　in　any　exercise　that
would　carry　me　from　home。　In　fact；　I　no　longer　dared　trust　myself　out
of　the　immediate　presence　of　those　who　were　aware　of　my　proneness　to
catalepsy；　lest；　falling　into　one　of　my　usual　fits；　I　should　be
buried　before　my　real　condition　could　be　ascertained。　I　doubted　the
care；　the　fidelity　of　my　dearest　friends。　I　dreaded　that；　in　some
trance　of　more　than　customary　duration；　they　might　be　prevailed　upon
to　regard　me　as　irrecoverable。　I　even　went　so　far　as　to　fear　that；　as
I　occasioned　much　trouble；　they　might　be　glad　to　consider　any　very
protracted　attack　as　sufficient　excuse　for　getting　rid　of　me
altogether。　It　was　in　vain　they　endeavored　to　reassure　me　by　the　most
solemn　promises。　I　exacted　the　most　sacred　oaths；　that　under　no
circumstances　they　would　bury　me　until　decomposition　had　so
materially　advanced　as　to　render　farther　preservation　impossible。
And；　even　then；　my　mortal　terrors　would　listen　to　no　reason　　would
accept　no　consolation。　I　entered　into　a　series　of　elaborate
precautions。　Among　other　things；　I　had　the　family　vault　so　remodelled
as　to　admit　of　being　readily　opened　from　within。　The　slightest
pressure　upon　a　long　lever　that　extended　far　into　the　tomb　would
cause　the　iron　portal　to　fly　back。　There　were　arrangements　also　for
the　free　admission　of　air　and　light；　and　convenient　receptacles　for
food　and　water；　within　immediate　reach　of　the　coffin　intended　for　my
reception。　This　coffin　was　warmly　and　softly　padded；　and　was　provided
with　a　lid；　fashioned　upon　the　principle　of　the　vault…door；　with　the
addition　of　springs　so　contrived　that　the　feeblest　movement　of　the
body　would　be　sufficient　to　set　it　at　liberty。　Besides　all　this；
there　was　suspended　from　the　roof　of　the　tomb；　a　large　bell；　the　rope
of　which；　it　was　designed；　should　extend　through　a　hole　in　the
coffin；　and　so　be　fastened　to　one　of　the　hands　of　the　corpse。　But；
alas？　what　avails　the　vigilance　against　the　Destiny　of　man？　Not　even
these　well…contrived　securities　sufficed　to　save　from　the　uttermost
agonies　of　living　inhumation；　a　wretch　to　these　agonies　foredoomed！

There　arrived　an　epoch　　as　often　before　there　had　arrived　　in
which　I　found　myself　emerging　from　total　unconsciousness　into　the
first　feeble　and　indefinite　sense　of　existence。　Slowly　　with　a
tortoise　gradation　　approached　the　faint　gray　dawn　of　the　psychal
day。　A　torpid　uneasiness。　An　apathetic　endurance　of　dull　pain。　No
care　　no　hope　　no　effort。　Then；　after　a　long　interval；　a　ringing
in　the　ears；　then；　after　a　lapse　still　longer；　a　prickling　or
tingling　sensation　in　the　extremities；　then　a　seemingly　eternal
period　of　pleasurable　quiescence；　during　which　the　awakening　feelings
are　struggling　into　thought；　then　a　brief　re…sinking　into　non…entity；
then　a　sudden　recovery。　At　length　the　slight　quivering　of　an　eyelid；
and　immediately　thereupon；　an　electric　shock　of　a　terror；　deadly　and
indefinite；　which　sends　the　blood　in　torrents　from　the　temples　to　the
heart。　And　now　the　first　positive　effort　to　think。　And　now　the　first
endeavor　to　remember。　And　now　a　partial　and　evanescent　success。　And
now　the　memory　has　so　far　regained　its　dominion；　that；　in　some
measure；　I　am　cognizant　of　my　state。　I　feel　that　I　am　not　awaking
from　ordinary　sleep。　I　recollect　that　I　have　been　subject　to
catalepsy。　And　now；　at　last；　as　if　by　the　rush　of　an　ocean；　my
shuddering　spirit　is　overwhelmed　by　the　one　grim　Danger　　by　the　one
spectral　a