the works of edgar allan poe-2-第39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！


shuddering　spirit　is　overwhelmed　by　the　one　grim　Danger　　by　the　one
spectral　and　ever…prevalent　idea。

For　some　minutes　after　this　fancy　possessed　me；　I　remained　without
motion。　And　why？　I　could　not　summon　courage　to　move。　I　dared　not　make
the　effort　which　was　to　satisfy　me　of　my　fate　　and　yet　there　was
something　at　my　heart　which　whispered　me　it　was　sure。　Despair　　such
as　no　other　species　of　wretchedness　ever　calls　into　being　　despair
alone　urged　me；　after　long　irresolution；　to　uplift　the　heavy　lids　of
my　eyes。　I　uplifted　them。　It　was　dark　　all　dark。　I　knew　that　the
fit　was　over。　I　knew　that　the　crisis　of　my　disorder　had　long　passed。
I　knew　that　I　had　now　fully　recovered　the　use　of　my　visual　faculties
　and　yet　it　was　dark　　all　dark　　the　intense　and　utter
raylessness　of　the　Night　that　endureth　for　evermore。

I　endeavored　to　shriek…；　and　my　lips　and　my　parched　tongue　moved
convulsively　together　in　the　attempt　　but　no　voice　issued　from　the
cavernous　lungs；　which　oppressed　as　if　by　the　weight　of　some
incumbent　mountain；　gasped　and　palpitated；　with　the　heart；　at　every
elaborate　and　struggling　inspiration。

The　movement　of　the　jaws；　in　this　effort　to　cry　aloud；　showed　me　that
they　were　bound　up；　as　is　usual　with　the　dead。　I　felt；　too；　that　I
lay　upon　some　hard　substance；　and　by　something　similar　my　sides　were；
also；　closely　compressed。　So　far；　I　had　not　ventured　to　stir　any　of
my　limbs　　but　now　I　violently　threw　up　my　arms；　which　had　been
lying　at　length；　with　the　wrists　crossed。　They　struck　a　solid　wooden
substance；　which　extended　above　my　person　at　an　elevation　of　not　more
than　six　inches　from　my　face。　I　could　no　longer　doubt　that　I　reposed
within　a　coffin　at　last。

And　now；　amid　all　my　infinite　miseries；　came　sweetly　the　cherub　Hope
　for　I　thought　of　my　precautions。　I　writhed；　and　made　spasmodic
exertions　to　force　open　the　lid：　it　would　not　move。　I　felt　my　wrists
for　the　bell…rope：　it　was　not　to　be　found。　And　now　the　Comforter　fled
for　ever；　and　a　still　sterner　Despair　reigned　triumphant；　for　I　could
not　help　perceiving　the　absence　of　the　paddings　which　I　had　so
carefully　prepared　　and　then；　too；　there　came　suddenly　to　my
nostrils　the　strong　peculiar　odor　of　moist　earth。　The　conclusion　was
irresistible。　I　was　not　within　the　vault。　I　had　fallen　into　a　trance
while　absent　from　home…while　among　strangers　　when；　or　how；　I　could
not　remember　　and　it　was　they　who　had　buried　me　as　a　dog　　nailed
up　in　some　common　coffin　　and　thrust　deep；　deep；　and　for　ever；　into
some　ordinary　and　nameless　grave。

As　this　awful　conviction　forced　itself；　thus；　into　the　innermost
chambers　of　my　soul；　I　once　again　struggled　to　cry　aloud。　And　in　this
second　endeavor　I　succeeded。　A　long；　wild；　and　continuous　shriek；　or
yell　of　agony；　resounded　through　the　realms　of　the　subterranean
Night。

〃Hillo！　hillo；　there！〃　said　a　gruff　voice；　in　reply。

〃What　the　devil's　the　matter　now！〃　said　a　second。

〃Get　out　o'　that！〃　said　a　third。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　yowling　in　that　ere　kind　of　style；　like　a
cattymount？〃　said　a　fourth；　and　hereupon　I　was　seized　and　shaken
without　ceremony；　for　several　minutes；　by　a　junto　of　very
rough…looking　individuals。　They　did　not　arouse　me　from　my　slumber　
for　I　was　wide　awake　when　I　screamed　　but　they　restored　me　to　the
full　possession　of　my　memory。

This　adventure　occurred　near　Richmond；　in　Virginia。　Accompanied　by　a
friend；　I　had　proceeded；　upon　a　gunning　expedition；　some　miles　down
the　banks　of　the　James　River。　Night　approached；　and　we　were　overtaken
by　a　storm。　The　cabin　of　a　small　sloop　lying　at　anchor　in　the　stream；
and　laden　with　garden　mould；　afforded　us　the　only　available　shelter。
We　made　the　best　of　it；　and　passed　the　night　on　board。　I　slept　in　one
of　the　only　two　berths　in　the　vessel　　and　the　berths　of　a　sloop　of
sixty　or　twenty　tons　need　scarcely　be　described。　That　which　I
occupied　had　no　bedding　of　any　kind。　Its　extreme　width　was　eighteen
inches。　The　distance　of　its　bottom　from　the　deck　overhead　was
precisely　the　same。　I　found　it　a　matter　of　exceeding　difficulty　to
squeeze　myself　in。　Nevertheless；　I　slept　soundly；　and　the　whole　of　my
vision　　for　it　was　no　dream；　and　no　nightmare　　arose　naturally
from　the　circumstances　of　my　position　　from　my　ordinary　bias　of
thought　　and　from　the　difficulty；　to　which　I　have　alluded；　of
collecting　my　senses；　and　especially　of　regaining　my　memory；　for　a
long　time　after　awaking　from　slumber。　The　men　who　shook　me　were　the
crew　of　the　sloop；　and　some　laborers　engaged　to　unload　it。　From　the
load　itself　came　the　earthly　smell。　The　bandage　about　the　jaws　was　a
silk　handkerchief　in　which　I　had　bound　up　my　head；　in　default　of　my
customary　nightcap。

The　tortures　endured；　however；　were　indubitably　quite　equal　for　the
time；　to　those　of　actual　sepulture。　They　were　fearfully　　they　were
inconceivably　hideous；　but　out　of　Evil　proceeded　Good；　for　their　very
excess　wrought　in　my　spirit　an　inevitable　revulsion。　My　soul　acquired
tone　　acquired　temper。　I　went　abroad。　I　took　vigorous　exercise。　I
breathed　the　free　air　of　Heaven。　I　thought　upon　other　subjects　than
Death。　I　discarded　my　medical　books。　〃Buchan〃　I　burned。　I　read　no
〃Night　Thoughts〃　　no　fustian　about　churchyards　　no　bugaboo　tales
　such　as　this。　In　short；　I　became　a　new　man；　and　lived　a　man's
life。　From　that　memorable　night；　I　dismissed　forever　my　charnel
apprehensions；　and　with　them　vanished　the　cataleptic　disorder；　of
which；　perhaps；　they　had　been　less　the　consequence　than　the　cause。

There　are　moments　when；　even　to　the　sober　eye　of　Reason；　the　world　of
our　sad　Humanity　may　assume　the　semblance　of　a　Hell　　but　the
imagination　of　man　is　no　Carathis；　to　explore　with　impunity　its　every
cavern。　Alas！　the　grim　legion　of　sepulchral　terrors　cannot　be
regarded　as　altogether　fanciful　　but；　like　the　Demons　in　whose
company　Afrasiab　made　his　voyage　down　the　Oxus；　they　must　sleep；　or
they　will　devour　us　　they　must　be　suffered　to　slumber；　or　we
perish。

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



THE　DOMAIN　OF　ARNHEIM

　　　　　The　garden　like　a　lady　fair　was　cut；
　　　　　That　lay　as　if　she　slumbered　in　delight；
　　　　　And　to　the　open　skies　her　eyes　did　shut。
　　　　　The　azure　fields　of　Heaven　were　'sembled　right
　　　　　In　a　large　round；　set　with　the　flowers　of　light。
　　　　　The　flowers　de　luce；　and　the　round　sparks　of　dew。
　　　　　That　hung　upon　their　azure　leaves　did　shew
　　　　　Like　twinkling　stars　that　sparkle　in　the　evening　blue。
　　　　　Giles　Fletcher。

FROM　his　cradle　to　his　grave　a　gale　of　prosperity　bore　my　friend
Ellison　along。　Nor　do　I　use　the　word　prosperity　in　its　mere　worldly
sense。　I　mean　it　as　synonymous　with　happiness。　The　person　of　whom　I
speak　seemed　born　for　the　purpose　of　foreshadowing　the　doctrines　of
Turgot；　Price；　Priestley；　and　Condorcet　　of　exemplifying　by
individual　instance　what　has　been　deemed　the　chimera　of　the
perfectionists。　In　the　brief　existence　of　Ellison　I　fancy　that　I　have
seen　refuted　the　dogma；　that　in　man's　very　nature　lies　some　hidden
principle；　the　antagonist　of　bliss。　An　anxious　examination　of　his
career　has　given　me　to　understand　that　in　general；　from　the　violation
of　a　few　simple　laws　of　humanity　arises　the　wretchedness　of　mankind
　that　as　a　species　we　have　in　our　possession　the　as　yet　unwrought
elements　of　content　　and　that；　even　now；　in　the　present　darkness
and　madness　of　all　thought　on　the　great　question　of　the　social
condition；　it　is　not　impossible　that　man；　the　individual；　under
certain　unusual　and　highly　fortuitous　conditions；　may　be　happy。

With　opinions　such　as　these　my　young　friend；　too；　was　fully　imbued；
and　thus　it　is　worthy　of　observation　that　the　uninterrupted　enjoyment
which　distinguished　his　life　was；　in　great　measure；　the　result　of
preconcert。　It　is　indeed　evident　that　with　less　of　the　instinctive
philosophy　which；　now　and　then；　stands　so　well　in　the　stead　of
experience；　Mr。　Ellison　would　have　found　himself　precipitated；　by　the
very　extraordinary　success　of　his　life；　into　the　common　vortex　of
unhappiness　which　yawns　for　those　of　pre…eminent　endowments。　But　it
is　by　no　means　my　object　to　pen　an　essay　on　happiness。　The　ideas　of
my　friend　may　be　summed　up　in　a　few　words。　He　admitted　but　four
elementary　principles；　or　more　strictly；　conditions　of　bliss。　That
which　he　considered　chief　was　（strange　to　say！）　the　simple　and　purely
physical　one　of　free　exercise　in　the　open　air。　〃The　health；〃　he　said；
〃attainable　by　other　means　is　scarcely　worth　the　name。〃　He　instanced
the　ecstasies　of　the　fox…hunter；　and　pointed　to　the　tillers　of　the
earth；　the　only　people　who；　as　a　class；　can　be　fairly　considered
happier　than　others。　His　second　condition　was　the　love　of　woman。　His
third；　and　most　difficult　of　realization；　was　the　contempt　of
ambition。　His　fourth　was　an　object　of　unceasing　pursuit；　and　he　held
that；　other　things　being　equal；　the　extent　of　attainable　happiness
was　in　proportion　to　the　spirituality　of　this　object。

Ellison　was　remarkable　in　the　continuous　profusion　of　good　gifts
lavished　upon　him　by　fortune。　In　personal　grace　and　beauty　he
exceeded　all　men。　His　intellect　was　of　that　order　to　which　the
acquisition　of　knowledge　is　less　a　labor　than　an　intuition　and　a
necessity。　His　family　was　one　of　the　most　illustrious　of　the　empire。
His　bride　was　the　loveliest　and　most　devoted　of　women。　His
possessions　had　been　always　ample；　but　on　the　attainment　of　his
majority；　it　was　discovered　that　one　of　those　extraordinary　freaks　of
fate　had　been　played　in　his　behalf　which　startle　the　whole　social
world　amid　which　they　occur；　and　seldom　fail　radically　to　alter　the
moral　constitution　of　those　who　are　their　objects。

It　appears　that　about　a　hundred　years　before　Mr。　Ellison's　coming　of
age；　there　had　died；　in　a　remote　province；　one　Mr。　Seabright　Ellison。
This　gentleman　had　amassed　a　princely　fortune；　and；　having　no
immediate　connections；　conceived　the　whim　of　suffering　his　wealth　to
accumulate　for　a　century　after　his　decease。　Minutely　and　sagaciously
directing　the　various　modes　of　investment；　he　bequeathed　the
aggregate　amount　to　the　nearest　of　blood；　bearing　the　name　of
Ellison；　who　should　be　alive　at　the　end　of　the　hundred　years。　Many
attempts　had　been　made　to　set　aside　this　singular　bequest；　their　ex
post　fac