the works of edgar allan poe-2-第44部分

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among　the　cypresses　of　the　Itchiatuckanee。　It　was　a　triple　　stemmed
tulip…tree　　the　Liriodendron　Tulipiferum　　one　of　the　natural
order　of　magnolias。　Its　three　trunks　separated　from　the　parent　at
about　three　feet　from　the　soil；　and　diverging　very　slightly　and
gradually；　were　not　more　than　four　feet　apart　at　the　point　where　the
largest　stem　shot　out　into　foliage：　this　was　at　an　elevation　of　about
eighty　feet。　The　whole　height　of　the　principal　division　was　one
hundred　and　twenty　feet。　Nothing　can　surpass　in　beauty　the　form；　or
the　glossy；　vivid　green　of　the　leaves　of　the　tulip…tree。　In　the
present　instance　they　were　fully　eight　inches　wide；　but　their　glory
was　altogether　eclipsed　by　the　gorgeous　splendor　of　the　profuse
blossoms。　Conceive；　closely　congregated；　a　million　of　the　largest　and
most　resplendent　tulips！　Only　thus　can　the　reader　get　any　idea　of　the
picture　I　would　convey。　And　then　the　stately　grace　of　the　clean；
delicately　　granulated　columnar　stems；　the　largest　four　feet　in
diameter；　at　twenty　from　the　ground。　The　innumerable　blossoms；
mingling　with　those　of　other　trees　scarcely　less　beautiful；　although
infinitely　less　majestic；　filled　the　valley　with　more　than　Arabian
perfumes。

The　general　floor　of　the　amphitheatre　was　grass　of　the　same　character
as　that　I　had　found　in　the　road；　if　anything；　more　deliciously　soft；
thick；　velvety；　and　miraculously　green。　It　was　hard　to　conceive　how
all　this　beauty　had　been　attained。

I　have　spoken　of　two　openings　into　the　vale。　From　the　one　to　the
northwest　issued　a　rivulet；　which　came；　gently　murmuring　and　slightly
foaming；　down　the　ravine；　until　it　dashed　against　the　group　of　rocks
out　of　which　sprang　the　insulated　hickory。　Here；　after　encircling　the
tree；　it　passed　on　a　little　to　the　north　of　east；　leaving　the　tulip
tree　some　twenty　feet　to　the　south；　and　making　no　decided　alteration
in　its　course　until　it　came　near　the　midway　between　the　eastern　and
western　boundaries　of　the　valley。　At　this　point；　after　a　series　of
sweeps；　it　turned　off　at　right　angles　and　pursued　a　generally
southern　direction　meandering　as　it　went　　until　it　became　lost　in　a
small　lake　of　irregular　figure　（although　roughly　oval）；　that　lay
gleaming　near　the　lower　extremity　of　the　vale。　This　lakelet　was；
perhaps；　a　hundred　yards　in　diameter　at　its　widest　part。　No　crystal
could　be　clearer　than　its　waters。　Its　bottom；　which　could　be
distinctly　seen；　consisted　altogether；　of　pebbles　brilliantly　white。
Its　banks；　of　the　emerald　grass　already　described；　rounded；　rather
than　sloped；　off　into　the　clear　heaven　below；　and　so　clear　was　this
heaven；　so　perfectly；　at　times；　did　it　reflect　all　objects　above　it；
that　where　the　true　bank　ended　and　where　the　mimic　one　commenced；　it
was　a　point　of　no　little　difficulty　to　determine。　The　trout；　and　some
other　varieties　of　fish；　with　which　this　pond　seemed　to　be　almost
inconveniently　crowded；　had　all　the　appearance　of　veritable
flying…fish。　It　was　almost　impossible　to　believe　that　they　were　not
absolutely　suspended　in　the　air。　A　light　birch　canoe　that　lay
placidly　on　the　water；　was　reflected　in　its　minutest　fibres　with　a
fidelity　unsurpassed　by　the　most　exquisitely　polished　mirror。　A　small
island；　fairly　laughing　with　flowers　in　full　bloom；　and　affording
little　more　space　than　just　enough　for　a　picturesque　little　building；
seemingly　a　fowl…house　　arose　from　the　lake　not　far　from　its
northern　shore　　to　which　it　was　connected　by　means　of　an
inconceivably　light　　looking　and　yet　very　primitive　bridge。　It　was
formed　of　a　single；　broad　and　thick　plank　of　the　tulip　wood。　This　was
forty　feet　long；　and　spanned　the　interval　between　shore　and　shore
with　a　slight　but　very　perceptible　arch；　preventing　all　oscillation。
From　the　southern　extreme　of　the　lake　issued　a　continuation　of　the
rivulet；　which；　after　meandering　for；　perhaps；　thirty　yards；　finally
passed　through　the　〃depression〃　（already　described）　in　the　middle　of
the　southern　declivity；　and　tumbling　down　a　sheer　precipice　of　a
hundred　feet；　made　its　devious　and　unnoticed　way　to　the　Hudson。

The　lake　was　deep　　at　some　points　thirty　feet　　but　the　rivulet
seldom　exceeded　three；　while　its　greatest　width　was　about　eight。　Its
bottom　and　banks　were　as　those　of　the　pond　　if　a　defect　could　have
been　attributed；　in　point　of　picturesqueness；　it　was　that　of
excessive　neatness。

The　expanse　of　the　green　turf　was　relieved；　here　and　there；　by　an
occasional　showy　shrub；　such　as　the　hydrangea；　or　the　common
snowball；　or　the　aromatic　seringa；　or；　more　frequently；　by　a　clump　of
geraniums　blossoming　gorgeously　in　great　varieties。　These　latter　grew
in　pots　which　were　carefully　buried　in　the　soil；　so　as　to　give　the
plants　the　appearance　of　being　indigenous。　Besides　all　this；　the
lawn's　velvet　was　exquisitely　spotted　with　sheep　　a　considerable
flock　of　which　roamed　about　the　vale；　in　company　with　three　tamed
deer；　and　a　vast　number　of　brilliantly　　plumed　ducks。　A　very　large
mastiff　seemed　to　be　in　vigilant　attendance　upon　these　animals；　each
and　all。

Along　the　eastern　and　western　cliffs　　where；　toward　the　upper
portion　of　the　amphitheatre；　the　boundaries　were　more　or　less
precipitous　　grew　ivy　in　great　profusion　　so　that　only　here　and
there　could　even　a　glimpse　of　the　naked　rock　be　obtained。　The
northern　precipice；　in　like　manner；　was　almost　entirely　clothed　by
grape…vines　of　rare　luxuriance；　some　springing　from　the　soil　at　the
base　of　the　cliff；　and　others　from　ledges　on　its　face。

The　slight　elevation　which　formed　the　lower　boundary　of　this　little
domain；　was　crowned　by　a　neat　stone　wall；　of　sufficient　height　to
prevent　the　escape　of　the　deer。　Nothing　of　the　fence　kind　was
observable　elsewhere；　for　nowhere　else　was　an　artificial　enclosure
needed：　　any　stray　sheep；　for　example；　which　should　attempt　to　make
its　way　out　of　the　vale　by　means　of　the　ravine；　would　find　its
progress　arrested；　after　a　few　yards'　advance；　by　the　precipitous
ledge　of　rock　over　which　tumbled　the　cascade　that　had　arrested　my
attention　as　I　first　drew　near　the　domain。　In　short；　the　only　ingress
or　egress　was　through　a　gate　occupying　a　rocky　pass　in　the　road；　a
few　paces　below　the　point　at　which　I　stopped　to　reconnoitre　the
scene。

I　have　described　the　brook　as　meandering　very　irregularly　through　the
whole　of　its　course。　Its　two　general　directions；　as　I　have　said；　were
first　from　west　to　east；　and　then　from　north　to　south。　At　the　turn；
the　stream；　sweeping　backward；　made　an　almost　circular　loop；　so　as　to
form　a　peninsula　which　was　very　nearly　an　island；　and　which　included
about　the　sixteenth　of　an　acre。　On　this　peninsula　stood　a
dwelling…house　　and　when　I　say　that　this　house；　like　the　infernal
terrace　seen　by　Vathek；　〃etait　d'une　architecture　inconnue　dans　les
annales　de　la　terre；〃　I　mean；　merely；　that　its　tout　ensemble　struck
me　with　the　keenest　sense　of　combined　novelty　and　propriety　　in　a
word；　of　poetry　　（for；　than　in　the　words　just　employed；　I　could
scarcely　give；　of　poetry　in　the　abstract；　a　more　rigorous　definition）
　and　I　do　not　mean　that　merely　outre　was　perceptible　in　any
respect。

In　fact　nothing　could　well　be　more　simple　　more　utterly
unpretending　than　this　cottage。　Its　marvellous　effect　lay　altogether
in　its　artistic　arrangement　as　a　picture。　I　could　have　fancied；　while
I　looked　at　it；　that　some　eminent　landscape…painter　had　built　it　with
his　brush。

The　point　of　view　from　which　I　first　saw　the　valley；　was　not
altogether；　although　it　was　nearly；　the　best　point　from　which　to
survey　the　house。　I　will　therefore　describe　it　as　I　afterwards　saw　it
　from　a　position　on　the　stone　wall　at　the　southern　extreme　of　the
amphitheatre。

The　main　building　was　about　twenty…four　feet　long　and　sixteen　broad
　certainly　not　more。　Its　total　height；　from　the　ground　to　the　apex
of　the　roof；　could　not　have　exceeded　eighteen　feet。　To　the　west　end
of　this　structure　was　attached　one　about　a　third　smaller　in　all　its
proportions：　　the　line　of　its　front　standing　back　about　two　yards
from　that　of　the　larger　house；　and　the　line　of　its　roof；　of　course；
being　considerably　depressed　below　that　of　the　roof　adjoining。　At
right　angles　to　these　buildings；　and　from　the　rear　of　the　main　one　
not　exactly　in　the　middle　　extended　a　third　compartment；　very　small
　being；　in　general；　one…third　less　than　the　western　wing。　The　roofs
of　the　two　larger　were　very　steep　　sweeping　down　from　the
ridge…beam　with　a　long　concave　curve；　and　extending　at　least　four
feet　beyond　the　walls　in　front；　so　as　to　form　the　roofs　of　two
piazzas。　These　latter　roofs；　of　course；　needed　no　support；　but　as
they　had　the　air　of　needing　it；　slight　and　perfectly　plain　pillars
were　inserted　at　the　corners　alone。　The　roof　of　the　northern　wing　was
merely　an　extension　of　a　portion　of　the　main　roof。　Between　the　chief
building　and　western　wing　arose　a　very　tall　and　rather　slender　square
chimney　of　hard　Dutch　bricks；　alternately　black　and　red：　　a　slight
cornice　of　projecting　bricks　at　the　top。　Over　the　gables　the　roofs
also　projected　very　much：　　in　the　main　building　about　four　feet　to
the　east　and　two　to　the　west。　The　principal　door　was　not　exactly　in
the　main　division；　being　a　little　to　the　east　　while　the　two
windows　were　to　the　west。　These　latter　did　not　extend　to　the　floor；
but　were　much　longer　and　narrower　than　usual　　they　had　single
shutters　like　doors　　the　panes　were　of　lozenge　form；　but　quite
large。　The　door　itself　had　its　upper　half　of　glass；　also　in　lozenge
panes　　a　movable　shutter　secured　it　at　night。　The　door　to　the　west
wing　was　in　its　gable；　and　quite　simple　　a　single　window　looked　out
to　the　south。　There　was　no　external　door　to　the　north　wing；　and　it
also　had　only　one　window　to　the　east。

The　blank　wall　of　the　eastern　gable　was　relieved　by　stairs　（with　a
balustrade）　running　diagonally　across　it　　the　ascent　being　from　the
south。　Under　cover　of　the　widely　projecting　eave　these　steps　gave
access　to　a　door　leading　to　the　garret；　or　rather　loft　　for　it　was
lighted　only　by　a　single　window　to　the　north；　and　seemed　to　have　been
intended　as　a　store…room。

The　piazzas　of　the　main　building　and　western　wing　had　no　floors；　as
is　usual；　but　at　the　doors　and　at　each　window；　large；　flat　irregular
slabs　of　granite