the works of edgar allan poe-2-第48部分

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large　chambers　communicating　with　each　other；　where　slept　the　greater
number　of　the　students。　There　were；　however；　（as　must　necessarily
happen　in　a　building　so　awkwardly　planned；）　many　little　nooks　or
recesses；　the　odds　and　ends　of　the　structure；　and　these　the　economic
ingenuity　of　Dr。　Bransby　had　also　fitted　up　as　dormitories；　although；
being　the　merest　closets；　they　were　capable　of　accommodating　but　a
single　individual。　One　of　these　small　apartments　was　occupied　by
Wilson。

One　night；　about　the　close　of　my　fifth　year　at　the　school；　and
immediately　after　the　altercation　just　mentioned；　finding　every　one
wrapped　in　sleep；　I　arose　from　bed；　and；　lamp　in　hand；　stole　through
a　wilderness　of　narrow　passages　from　my　own　bedroom　to　that　of　my
rival。　I　had　long　been　plotting　one　of　those　ill…natured　pieces　of
practical　wit　at　his　expense　in　which　I　had　hitherto　been　so
uniformly　unsuccessful。　It　was　my　intention；　now；　to　put　my　scheme　in
operation；　and　I　resolved　to　make　him　feel　the　whole　extent　of　the
malice　with　which　I　was　imbued。　Having　reached　his　closet；　I
noiselessly　entered；　leaving　the　lamp；　with　a　shade　over　it；　on　the
outside。　I　advanced　a　step；　and　listened　to　the　sound　of　his　tranquil
breathing。　Assured　of　his　being　asleep；　I　returned；　took　the　light；
and　with　it　again　approached　the　bed。　Close　curtains　were　around　it；
which；　in　the　prosecution　of　my　plan；　I　slowly　and　quietly　withdrew；
when　the　bright　rays　fell　vividly　upon　the　sleeper；　and　my　eyes；　at
the　same　moment；　upon　his　countenance。　I　looked；　　and　a　numbness；
an　iciness　of　feeling　instantly　pervaded　my　frame。　My　breast　heaved；
my　knees　tottered；　my　whole　spirit　became　possessed　with　an
objectless　yet　intolerable　horror。　Gasping　for　breath；　I　lowered　the
lamp　in　still　nearer　proximity　to　the　face。　Were　these　　these　the
lineaments　of　William　Wilson？　I　saw；　indeed；　that　they　were　his；　but
I　shook　as　if　with　a　fit　of　the　ague　in　fancying　they　were　not。　What
was　there　about　them　to　confound　me　in　this　manner？　I　gazed；　　while
my　brain　reeled　with　a　multitude　of　incoherent　thoughts。　Not　thus　he
appeared　　assuredly　not　thus　　in　the　vivacity　of　his　waking
hours。　The　same　name！　the　same　contour　of　person！　the　same　day　of
arrival　at　the　academy！　And　then　his　dogged　and　meaningless　imitation
of　my　gait；　my　voice；　my　habits；　and　my　manner！　Was　it；　in　truth；
within　the　bounds　of　human　possibility；　that　what　I　now　saw　was　the
result；　merely；　of　the　habitual　practice　of　this　sarcastic　imitation？
Awe…stricken；　and　with　a　creeping　shudder；　I　extinguished　the　lamp；
passed　silently　from　the　chamber；　and　left；　at　once；　the　halls　of
that　old　academy；　never　to　enter　them　again。

After　a　lapse　of　some　months；　spent　at　home　in　mere　idleness；　I　found
myself　a　student　at　Eton。　The　brief　interval　had　been　sufficient　to
enfeeble　my　remembrance　of　the　events　at　Dr。　Bransby's；　or　at　least
to　effect　a　material　change　in　the　nature　of　the　feelings　with　which
I　remembered　them。　The　truth　　the　tragedy　　of　the　drama　was　no
more。　I　could　now　find　room　to　doubt　the　evidence　of　my　senses；　and
seldom　called　up　the　subject　at　all　but　with　wonder　at　extent　of
human　credulity；　and　a　smile　at　the　vivid　force　of　the　imagination
which　I　hereditarily　possessed。　Neither　was　this　species　of
scepticism　likely　to　be　diminished　by　the　character　of　the　life　I　led
at　Eton。　The　vortex　of　thoughtless　folly　into　which　I　there　so
immediately　and　so　recklessly　plunged；　washed　away　all　but　the　froth
of　my　past　hours；　engulfed　at　once　every　solid　or　serious　impression；
and　left　to　memory　only　the　veriest　levities　of　a　former　existence。

I　do　not　wish；　however；　to　trace　the　course　of　my　miserable
profligacy　here　　a　profligacy　which　set　at　defiance　the　laws；　while
it　eluded　the　vigilance　of　the　institution。　Three　years　of　folly；
passed　without　profit；　had　but　given　me　rooted　habits　of　vice；　and
added；　in　a　somewhat　unusual　degree；　to　my　bodily　stature；　when；
after　a　week　of　soulless　dissipation；　I　invited　a　small　party　of　the
most　dissolute　students　to　a　secret　carousal　in　my　chambers。　We　met
at　a　late　hour　of　the　night；　for　our　debaucheries　were　to　be
faithfully　protracted　until　morning。　The　wine　flowed　freely；　and
there　were　not　wanting　other　and　perhaps　more　dangerous　seductions；
so　that　the　gray　dawn　had　already　faintly　appeared　in　the　east；　while
our　delirious　extravagance　was　at　its　height。　Madly　flushed　with
cards　and　intoxication；　I　was　in　the　act　of　insisting　upon　a　toast　of
more　than　wonted　profanity；　when　my　attention　was　suddenly　diverted
by　the　violent；　although　partial　unclosing　of　the　door　of　the
apartment；　and　by　the　eager　voice　of　a　servant　from　without。　He　said
that　some　person；　apparently　in　great　haste；　demanded　to　speak　with
me　in　the　hall。

Wildly　excited　with　wine；　the　unexpected　interruption　rather
delighted　than　surprised　me。　I　staggered　forward　at　once；　and　a　few
steps　brought　me　to　the　vestibule　of　the　building。　In　this　low　and
small　room　there　hung　no　lamp；　and　now　no　light　at　all　was　admitted；
save　that　of　the　exceedingly　feeble　dawn　which　made　its　way　through
the　semi…circular　window。　As　I　put　my　foot　over　the　threshold；　I
became　aware　of　the　figure　of　a　youth　about　my　own　height；　and
habited　in　a　white　kerseymere　morning　frock；　cut　in　the　novel　fashion
of　the　one　I　myself　wore　at　the　moment。　This　the　faint　light　enabled
me　to　perceive；　but　the　features　of　his　face　I　could　not　distinguish。
Upon　my　entering　he　strode　hurriedly　up　to　me；　and；　seizing　me　by。
the　arm　with　a　gesture　of　petulant　impatience；　whispered　the　words
〃William　Wilson！〃　in　my　ear。

I　grew　perfectly　sober　in　an　instant。　There　was　that　in　the　manner　of
the　stranger；　and　in　the　tremulous　shake　of　his　uplifted　finger；　as
he　held　it　between　my　eyes　and　the　light；　which　filled　me　with
unqualified　amazement；　but　it　was　not　this　which　had　so　violently
moved　me。　It　was　the　pregnancy　of　solemn　admonition　in　the　singular；
low；　hissing　utterance；　and；　above　all；　it　was　the　character；　the
tone；　the　key；　of　those　few；　simple；　and　familiar；　yet　whispered
syllables；　which　came　with　a　thousand　thronging　memories　of　bygone
days；　and　struck　upon　my　soul　with　the　shock　of　a　galvanic　battery。
Ere　I　could　recover　the　use　of　my　senses　he　was　gone。

Although　this　event　failed　not　of　a　vivid　effect　upon　my　disordered
imagination；　yet　was　it　evanescent　as　vivid。　For　some　weeks；　indeed；
I　busied　myself　in　earnest　inquiry；　or　was　wrapped　in　a　cloud　of
morbid　speculation。　I　did　not　pretend　to　disguise　from　my　perception
the　identity　of　the　singular　individual　who　thus　perseveringly
interfered　with　my　affairs；　and　harassed　me　with　his　insinuated
counsel。　But　who　and　what　was　this　Wilson？　　and　whence　came　he？　
and　what　were　his　purposes？　Upon　neither　of　these　points　could　I　be
satisfied；　merely　ascertaining；　in　regard　to　him；　that　a　sudden
accident　in　his　family　had　caused　his　removal　from　Dr。　Bransby's
academy　on　the　afternoon　of　the　day　in　which　I　myself　had　eloped。　But
in　a　brief　period　I　ceased　to　think　upon　the　subject；　my　attention
being　all　absorbed　in　a　contemplated　departure　for　Oxford。　Thither　I
soon　went；　the　uncalculating　vanity　of　my　parents　furnishing　me　with
an　outfit　and　annual　establishment；　which　would　enable　me　to　indulge
at　will　in　the　luxury　already　so　dear　to　my　heart；　　to　vie　in
profuseness　of　expenditure　with　the　haughtiest　heirs　of　the
wealthiest　earldoms　in　Great　Britain。

Excited　by　such　appliances　to　vice；　my　constitutional　temperament
broke　forth　with　redoubled　ardor；　and　I　spurned　even　the　common
restraints　of　decency　in　the　mad　infatuation　of　my　revels。　But　it
were　absurd　to　pause　in　the　detail　of　my　extravagance。　Let　it
suffice；　that　among　spendthrifts　I　out…Heroded　Herod；　and　that；
giving　name　to　a　multitude　of　novel　follies；　I　added　no　brief
appendix　to　the　long　catalogue　of　vices　then　usual　in　the　most
dissolute　university　of　Europe。

It　could　hardly　be　credited；　however；　that　I　had；　even　here；　so
utterly　fallen　from　the　gentlemanly　estate；　as　to　seek　acquaintance
with　the　vilest　arts　of　the　gambler　by　profession；　and；　having　become
an　adept　in　his　despicable　science；　to　practise　it　habitually　as　a
means　of　increasing　my　already　enormous　income　at　the　expense　of　the
weak…minded　among　my　fellow…collegians。　Such；　nevertheless；　was　the
fact。　And　the　very　enormity　of　this　offence　against　all　manly　and
honourable　sentiment　proved；　beyond　doubt；　the　main　if　not　the　sole
reason　of　the　impunity　with　which　it　was　committed。　Who；　indeed；
among　my　most　abandoned　associates；　would　not　rather　have　disputed
the　clearest　evidence　of　his　senses；　than　have　suspected　of　such
courses；　the　gay；　the　frank；　the　generous　William　Wilson　　the
noblest　and　most　commoner　at　Oxford　　him　whose　follies　（said　his
parasites）　were　but　the　follies　of　youth　and　unbridled　fancy　　whose
errors　but　inimitable　whim　　whose　darkest　vice　but　a　careless　and
dashing　extravagance？

I　had　been　now　two　years　successfully　busied　in　this　way；　when　there
came　to　the　university　a　young　parvenu　nobleman；　Glendinning　　rich；
said　report；　as　Herodes　Atticus　　his　riches；　too；　as　easily
acquired。　I　soon　found　him　of　weak　intellect；　and；　of　course；　marked
him　as　a　fitting　subject　for　my　skill。　I　frequently　engaged　him　in
play；　and　contrived；　with　the　gambler's　usual　art；　to　let　him　win
considerable　sums；　the　more　effectually　to　entangle　him　in　my　snares。
At　length；　my　schemes　being　ripe；　I　met　him　（with　the　full　intention
that　this　meeting　should　be　final　and　decisive）　at　the　chambers　of　a
fellow…commoner；　（Mr。　Preston；）　equally　intimate　with　both；　but　who；
to　do　him　Justice；　entertained　not　even　a　remote　suspicion　of　my
design。　To　give　to　this　a　better　colouring；　I　had　contrived　to　have
assembled　a　party　of　some　eight　or　ten；　and　was　solicitously　careful
that　the　introduction　of　cards　should　appear　accidental；　and
originate　in　the　proposal　of　my　contemplated　dupe　himself。　To　be
brief　upon　a　vile　topic；　none　of　the　low　finesse　was　omitted；　so
customary　upon　similar　occasions　that　it　is　a　just　matter　for　wonder
how　any　are　still　found　so　besotted　as　to　fall　its　victim。

We　had　protracted　our　sitting　far　into　the　night；　and　I　had　at　l