the works of edgar allan poe-2-第43部分

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slender　Eastern　trees　　bosky　shrubberies　　flocks　of　golden　and
crimson　birds　　lily…fringed　lakes　　meadows　of　violets；　tulips；
poppies；　hyacinths；　and　tuberoses　　long　intertangled　lines　of
silver　streamlets　　and；　upspringing　confusedly　from　amid　all；　a
mass　of　semi…Gothic；　semi…Saracenic　architecture　sustaining　itself　by
miracle　in　mid…air；　glittering　in　the　red　sunlight　with　a　hundred
oriels；　minarets；　and　pinnacles；　and　seeming　the　phantom　handiwork；
conjointly；　of　the　Sylphs；　of　the　Fairies；　of　the　Genii　and　of　the
Gnomes。

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



LANDOR'S　COTTAGE

A　Pendant　to　〃The　Domain　of　Arnheim〃

DURING　A　pedestrian　trip　last　summer；　through　one　or　two　of　the　river
counties　of　New　York；　I　found　myself；　as　the　day　declined；　somewhat
embarrassed　about　the　road　I　was　pursuing。　The　land　undulated　very
remarkably；　and　my　path；　for　the　last　hour；　had　wound　about　and　about
so　confusedly；　in　its　effort　to　keep　in　the　valleys；　that　I　no　longer
knew　in　what　direction　lay　the　sweet　village　of　B…；　where　I　had
determined　to　stop　for　the　night。　The　sun　had　scarcely　shone　
strictly　speaking　　during　the　day；　which　nevertheless；　had　been
unpleasantly　warm。　A　smoky　mist；　resembling　that　of　the　Indian
summer；　enveloped　all　things；　and　of　course；　added　to　my　uncertainty。
Not　that　I　cared　much　about　the　matter。　If　I　did　not　hit　upon　the
village　before　sunset；　or　even　before　dark；　it　was　more　than　possible
that　a　little　Dutch　farmhouse；　or　something　of　that　kind；　would　soon
make　its　appearance　　although；　in　fact；　the　neighborhood　（perhaps
on　account　of　being　more　picturesque　than　fertile）　was　very　sparsely
inhabited。　At　all　events；　with　my　knapsack　for　a　pillow；　and　my　hound
as　a　sentry；　a　bivouac　in　the　open　air　was　just　the　thing　which　would
have　amused　me。　I　sauntered　on；　therefore；　quite　at　ease　　Ponto
taking　charge　of　my　gun　　until　at　length；　just　as　I　had　begun　to
consider　whether　the　numerous　little　glades　that　led　hither　and
thither；　were　intended　to　be　paths　at　all；　I　was　conducted　by　one　of
them　into　an　unquestionable　carriage　track。　There　could　be　no
mistaking　it。　The　traces　of　light　wheels　were　evident；　and　although
the　tall　shrubberies　and　overgrown　undergrowth　met　overhead；　there
was　no　obstruction　whatever　below；　even　to　the　passage　of　a　Virginian
mountain　wagon　　the　most　aspiring　vehicle；　I　take　it；　of　its　kind。
The　road；　however；　except　in　being　open　through　the　wood　　if　wood
be　not　too　weighty　a　name　for　such　an　assemblage　of　light　trees　
and　except　in　the　particulars　of　evident　wheel…tracks　　bore　no
resemblance　to　any　road　I　had　before　seen。　The　tracks　of　which　I
speak　were　but　faintly　perceptible　　having　been　impressed　upon　the
firm；　yet　pleasantly　moist　surface　of　　what　looked　more　like　green
Genoese　velvet　than　any　thing　else。　It　was　grass；　clearly　　but
grass　such　as　we　seldom　see　out　of　England　　so　short；　so　thick；　so
even；　and　so　vivid　in　color。　Not　a　single　impediment　lay　in　the
wheel…route　　not　even　a　chip　or　dead　twig。　The　stones　that　once
obstructed　the　way　had　been　carefully　placed　　not　thrown…along　the
sides　of　the　lane；　so　as　to　define　its　boundaries　at　bottom　with　a
kind　of　half…precise；　half…negligent；　and　wholly　picturesque
definition。　Clumps　of　wild　flowers　grew　everywhere；　luxuriantly；　in
the　interspaces。

What　to　make　of　all　this；　of　course　I　knew　not。　Here　was　art
undoubtedly　　that　did　not　surprise　me　　all　roads；　in　the　ordinary
sense；　are　works　of　art；　nor　can　I　say　that　there　was　much　to　wonder
at　in　the　mere　excess　of　art　manifested；　all　that　seemed　to　have　been
done；　might　have　been　done　here　　with　such　natural　〃capabilities〃
（as　they　have　it　in　the　books　on　Landscape　Gardening）　　with　very
little　labor　and　expense。　No；　it　was　not　the　amount　but　the　character
of　the　art　which　caused　me　to　take　a　seat　on　one　of　the　blossomy
stones　and　gaze　up　and　down　this　fairy　　like　avenue　for　half　an
hour　or　more　in　bewildered　admiration。　One　thing　became　more　and　more
evident　the　longer　I　gazed：　an　artist；　and　one　with　a　most　scrupulous
eye　for　form；　had　superintended　all　these　arrangements。　The　greatest
care　had　been　taken　to　preserve　a　due　medium　between　the　neat　and
graceful　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　pittoresque；　in　the　true　sense　of
the　Italian　term；　on　the　other。　There　were　few　straight；　and　no　long
uninterrupted　lines。　The　same　effect　of　curvature　or　of　color
appeared　twice；　usually；　but　not　oftener；　at　any　one　point　of　view。
Everywhere　was　variety　in　uniformity。　It　was　a　piece　of
〃composition；〃　in　which　the　most　fastidiously　critical　taste　could
scarcely　have　suggested　an　emendation。

I　had　turned　to　the　right　as　I　entered　this　road；　and　now；　arising；　I
continued　in　the　same　direction。　The　path　was　so　serpentine；　that　at
no　moment　could　I　trace　its　course　for　more　than　two　or　three　paces
in　advance。　Its　character　did　not　undergo　any　material　change。

Presently　the　murmur　of　water　fell　gently　upon　my　ear　　and　in　a　few
moments　afterward；　as　I　turned　with　the　road　somewhat　more　abruptly
than　hitherto；　I　became　aware　that　a　building　of　some　kind　lay　at　the
foot　of　a　gentle　declivity　just　before　me。　I　could　see　nothing
distinctly　on　account　of　the　mist　which　occupied　all　the　little
valley　below。　A　gentle　breeze；　however；　now　arose；　as　the　sun　was
about　descending；　and　while　I　remained　standing　on　the　brow　of　the
slope；　the　fog　gradually　became　dissipated　into　wreaths；　and　so
floated　over　the　scene。

As　it　came　fully　into　view　　thus　gradually　as　I　describe　it　
piece　by　piece；　here　a　tree；　there　a　glimpse　of　water；　and　here　again
the　summit　of　a　chimney；　I　could　scarcely　help　fancying　that　the
whole　was　one　of　the　ingenious　illusions　sometimes　exhibited　under
the　name　of　〃vanishing　pictures。〃

By　the　time；　however；　that　the　fog　had　thoroughly　disappeared；　the
sun　had　made　its　way　down　behind　the　gentle　hills；　and　thence；　as　it
with　a　slight　chassez　to　the　south；　had　come　again　fully　into　sight；
glaring　with　a　purplish　lustre　through　a　chasm　that　entered　the
valley　from　the　west。　Suddenly；　therefore　　and　as　if　by　the　hand　of
magic　　this　whole　valley　and　every　thing　in　it　became　brilliantly
visible。

The　first　coup　d'oeil；　as　the　sun　slid　into　the　position　described；
impressed　me　very　much　as　I　have　been　impressed；　when　a　boy；　by　the
concluding　scene　of　some　well…arranged　theatrical　spectacle　or
melodrama。　Not　even　the　monstrosity　of　color　was　wanting；　for　the
sunlight　came　out　through　the　chasm；　tinted　all　orange　and　purple；
while　the　vivid　green　of　the　grass　in　the　valley　was　reflected　more
or　less　upon　all　objects　from　the　curtain　of　vapor　that　still　hung
overhead；　as　if　loth　to　take　its　total　departure　from　a　scene　so
enchantingly　beautiful。

The　little　vale　into　which　I　thus　peered　down　from　under　the　fog
canopy　could　not　have　been　more　than　four　hundred　yards　long；　while
in　breadth　it　varied　from　fifty　to　one　hundred　and　fifty　or　perhaps
two　hundred。　It　was　most　narrow　at　its　northern　extremity；　opening
out　as　it　tended　southwardly；　but　with　no　very　precise　regularity。
The　widest　portion　was　within　eighty　yards　of　the　southern　extreme。
The　slopes　which　encompassed　the　vale　could　not　fairly　be　called
hills；　unless　at　their　northern　face。　Here　a　precipitous　ledge　of
granite　arose　to　a　height　of　some　ninety　feet；　and；　as　I　have
mentioned；　the　valley　at　this　point　was　not　more　than　fifty　feet
wide；　but　as　the　visiter　proceeded　southwardly　from　the　cliff；　he
found　on　his　right　hand　and　on　his　left；　declivities　at　once　less
high；　less　precipitous；　and　less　rocky。　All；　in　a　word；　sloped　and
softened　to　the　south；　and　yet　the　whole　vale　was　engirdled　by
eminences；　more　or　less　high；　except　at　two　points。　One　of　these　I
have　already　spoken　of。　It　lay　considerably　to　the　north　of　west；　and
was　where　the　setting　sun　made　its　way；　as　I　have　before　described；
into　the　amphitheatre；　through　a　cleanly　cut　natural　cleft　in　the
granite　embankment；　this　fissure　might　have　been　ten　yards　wide　at
its　widest　point；　so　far　as　the　eye　could　trace　it。　It　seemed　to　lead
up；　up　like　a　natural　causeway；　into　the　recesses　of　unexplored
mountains　and　forests。　The　other　opening　was　directly　at　the　southern
end　of　the　vale。　Here；　generally；　the　slopes　were　nothing　more　than
gentle　inclinations；　extending　from　east　to　west　about　one　hundred
and　fifty　yards。　In　the　middle　of　this　extent　was　a　depression；　level
with　the　ordinary　floor　of　the　valley。　As　regards　vegetation；　as　well
as　in　respect　to　every　thing　else；　the　scene　softened　and　sloped　to
the　south。　To　the　north　　on　the　craggy　precipice　　a　few　paces
from　the　verge　　up　sprang　the　magnificent　trunks　of　numerous
hickories；　black　walnuts；　and　chestnuts；　interspersed　with　occasional
oak；　and　the　strong　lateral　branches　thrown　out　by　the　walnuts
especially；　spread　far　over　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　Proceeding
southwardly；　the　explorer　saw；　at　first；　the　same　class　of　trees；　but
less　and　less　lofty　and　Salvatorish　in　character；　then　he　saw　the
gentler　elm；　succeeded　by　the　sassafras　and　locust　　these　again　by
the　softer　linden；　red…bud；　catalpa；　and　maple　　these　yet　again　by
still　more　graceful　and　more　modest　varieties。　The　whole　face　of　the
southern　declivity　was　covered　with　wild　shrubbery　alone　　an
occasional　silver　willow　or　white　poplar　excepted。　In　the　bottom　of
the　valley　itself　　（for　it　must　be　borne　in　mind　that　the
vegetation　hitherto　mentioned　grew　only　on　the　cliffs　or　hillsides）
　were　to　be　seen　three　insulated　trees。　One　was　an　elm　of　fine　size
and　exquisite　form：　it　stood　guard　over　the　southern　gate　of　the
vale。　Another　was　a　hickory；　much　larger　than　the　elm；　and　altogether
a　much　finer　tree；　although　both　were　exceedingly　beautiful：　it
seemed　to　have　taken　charge　of　the　northwestern　entrance；　springing
from　a　group　of　rocks　in　the　very　jaws　of　the　ravine；　and　throwing
its　graceful　body；　at　an　angle　of　nearly　forty…five　degrees；　far　out
into　the　sunshine　of　the　amphitheatre。　About　thirty　yards　east　of
this　tree　stood；　however；　the　pride　of　the　valley；　and　beyond　all
question　the　most　magnificent　tree　I　have　ever　seen；　unless；　perhaps；
among　the　cypresses　of　the　Itchiatuckanee。　It　was　a　triple　　stemmed
tulip…tree　　the　Liriodend