the works of edgar allan poe-2-第49部分

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We　had　protracted　our　sitting　far　into　the　night；　and　I　had　at　length
effected　the　manoeuvre　of　getting　Glendinning　as　my　sole　antagonist。
The　game；　too；　was　my　favorite　ecarte！。　The　rest　of　the　company；
interested　in　the　extent　of　our　play；　had　abandoned　their　own　cards；
and　were　standing　around　us　as　spectators。　The　parvenu；　who　had　been
induced　by　my　artifices　in　the　early　part　of　the　evening；　to　drink
deeply；　now　shuffled；　dealt；　or　played；　with　a　wild　nervousness　of
manner　for　which　his　intoxication；　I　thought；　might　partially；　but
could　not　altogether　account。　In　a　very　short　period　he　had　become　my
debtor　to　a　large　amount；　when；　having　taken　a　long　draught　of　port；
he　did　precisely　what　I　had　been　coolly　anticipating　　he　proposed
to　double　our　already　extravagant　stakes。　With　a　well…feigned　show　of
reluctance；　and　not　until　after　my　repeated　refusal　had　seduced　him
into　some　angry　words　which　gave　a　color　of　pique　to　my　compliance；
did　I　finally　comply。　The　result；　of　course；　did　but　prove　how
entirely　the　prey　was　in　my　toils；　in　less　than　an　hour　he　had
quadrupled　his　debt。　For　some　time　his　countenance　had　been　losing
the　florid　tinge　lent　it　by　the　wine；　but　now；　to　my　astonishment；　I
perceived　that　it　had　grown　to　a　pallor　truly　fearful。　I　say　to　my
astonishment。　Glendinning　had　been　represented　to　my　eager　inquiries
as　immeasurably　wealthy；　and　the　sums　which　he　had　as　yet　lost；
although　in　themselves　vast；　could　not；　I　supposed；　very　seriously
annoy；　much　less　so　violently　affect　him。　That　he　was　overcome　by　the
wine　just　swallowed；　was　the　idea　which　most　readily　presented
itself；　and；　rather　with　a　view　to　the　preservation　of　my　own
character　in　the　eyes　of　my　associates；　than　from　any　less　interested
motive；　I　was　about　to　insist；　peremptorily；　upon　a　discontinuance　of
the　play；　when　some　expressions　at　my　elbow　from　among　the　company；
and　an　ejaculation　evincing　utter　despair　on　the　part　of　Glendinning；
gave　me　to　understand　that　I　had　effected　his　total　ruin　under
circumstances　which；　rendering　him　an　object　for　the　pity　of　all；
should　have　protected　him　from　the　ill　offices　even　of　a　fiend。

What　now　might　have　been　my　conduct　it　is　difficult　to　say。　The
pitiable　condition　of　my　dupe　had　thrown　an　air　of　embarrassed　gloom
over　all；　and；　for　some　moments；　a　profound　silence　was　maintained；
during　which　I　could　not　help　feeling　my　cheeks　tingle　with　the　many
burning　glances　of　scorn　or　reproach　cast　upon　me　by　the　less
abandoned　of　the　party。　I　will　even　own　that　an　intolerable　weight　of
anxiety　was　for　a　brief　instant　lifted　from　my　bosom　by　the　sudden
and　extraordinary　interruption　which　ensued。　The　wide；　heavy　folding
doors　of　the　apartment　were　all　at　once　thrown　open；　to　their　full
extent；　with　a　vigorous　and　rushing　impetuosity　that　extinguished；　as
if　by　magic；　every　candle　in　the　room。　Their　light；　in　dying；　enabled
us　just　to　perceive　that　a　stranger　had　entered；　about　my　own　height；
and　closely　muffled　in　a　cloak。　The　darkness；　however；　was　now　total；
and　we　could　only　feel　that　he　was　standing　in　our　midst。　Before　any
one　of　us　could　recover　from　the　extreme　astonishment　into　which　this
rudeness　had　thrown　all；　we　heard　the　voice　of　the　intruder。

〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　in　a　low；　distinct；　and　never…to…be…forgotten
whisper　which　thrilled　to　the　very　marrow　of　my　bones；　〃Gentlemen；　I
make　no　apology　for　this　behaviour；　because　in　thus　behaving；　I　am
but　fulfilling　a　duty。　You　are；　beyond　doubt；　uninformed　of　the　true
character　of　the　person　who　has　to…night　won　at　ecarte　a　large　sum　of
money　from　Lord　Glendinning。　I　will　therefore　put　you　upon　an
expeditious　and　decisive　plan　of　obtaining　this　very　necessary
information。　Please　to　examine；　at　your　leisure；　the　inner　linings　of
the　cuff　of　his　left　sleeve；　and　the　several　little　packages　which
may　be　found　in　the　somewhat　capacious　pockets　of　his　embroidered
morning　wrapper。〃

While　he　spoke；　so　profound　was　the　stillness　that　one　might　have
heard　a　pin　drop　upon　the　floor。　In　ceasing；　he　departed　at　once；　and
as　abruptly　as　he　had　entered。　Can　I　　shall　I　describe　my
sensations？　　must　I　say　that　I　felt　all　the　horrors　of　the　damned？
Most　assuredly　I　had　little　time　given　for　reflection。　Many　hands
roughly　seized　me　upon　the　spot；　and　lights　were　immediately
reprocured。　A　search　ensued。　In　the　lining　of　my　sleeve　were　found
all　the　court　cards　essential　in　ecarte；　and；　in　the　pockets　of　my
wrapper；　a　number　of　packs；　facsimiles　of　those　used　at　our　sittings；
with　the　single　exception　that　mine　were　of　the　species　called；
technically；　arrondees；　the　honours　being　slightly　convex　at　the
ends；　the　lower　cards　slightly　convex　at　the　sides。　In　this
disposition；　the　dupe　who　cuts；　as　customary；　at　the　length　of　the
pack；　will　invariably　find　that　he　cuts　his　antagonist　an　honor；
while　the　gambler；　cutting　at　the　breadth；　will；　as　certainly；　cut
nothing　for　his　victim　which　may　count　in　the　records　of　the　game。

Any　burst　of　indignation　upon　this　discovery　would　have　affected　me
less　than　the　silent　contempt；　or　the　sarcastic　composure；　with　which
it　was　received。

〃Mr。　Wilson；〃　said　our　host；　stooping　to　remove　from　beneath　his　feet
an　exceedingly　luxurious　cloak　of　rare　furs；　〃Mr。　Wilson；　this　is
your　property。〃　（The　weather　was　cold；　and；　upon　quitting　my　own
room；　I　had　thrown　a　cloak　over　my　dressing　wrapper；　putting　it　off
upon　reaching　the　scene　of　play。）　〃I　presume　it　is　supererogatory　to
seek　here　（eyeing　the　folds　of　the　garment　with　a　bitter　smile）　for
any　farther　evidence　of　your　skill。　Indeed；　we　have　had　enough。　You
will　see　the　necessity；　I　hope；　of　quitting　Oxford　　at　all　events；
of　quitting　instantly　my　chambers。〃

Abased；　humbled　to　the　dust　as　I　then　was；　it　is　probable　that　I
should　have　resented　this　galling　language　by　immediate　personal
violence；　had　not　my　whole　attention　been　at　the　moment　arrested　by　a
fact　of　the　most　startling　character。　The　cloak　which　I　had　worn　was
of　a　rare　description　of　fur；　how　rare；　how　extravagantly　costly；　I
shall　not　venture　to　say。　Its　fashion；　too；　was　of　my　own　fantastic
invention；　for　I　was　fastidious　to　an　absurd　degree　of　coxcombry；　in
matters　of　this　frivolous　nature。　When；　therefore；　Mr。　Preston
reached　me　that　which　he　had　picked　up　upon　the　floor；　and　near　the
folding　doors　of　the　apartment；　it　was　with　an　astonishment　nearly
bordering　upon　terror；　that　I　perceived　my　own　already　hanging　on　my
arm；　（where　I　had　no　doubt　unwittingly　placed　it；）　and　that　the　one
presented　me　was　but　its　exact　counterpart　in　every；　in　even　the
minutest　possible　particular。　The　singular　being　who　had　so
disastrously　exposed　me；　had　been　muffled；　I　remembered；　in　a　cloak；
and　none　had　been　worn　at　all　by　any　of　the　members　of　our　party　with
the　exception　of　myself。　Retaining　some　presence　of　mind；　I　took　the
one　offered　me　by　Preston；　placed　it；　unnoticed；　over　my　own；　left
the　apartment　with　a　resolute　scowl　of　defiance；　and；　next　morning
ere　dawn　of　day；　commenced　a　hurried　journey　from　Oxford　to　the
continent；　in　a　perfect　agony　of　horror　and　of　shame。

I　fled　in　vain。　My　evil　destiny　pursued　me　as　if　in　exultation；　and
proved；　indeed；　that　the　exercise　of　its　mysterious　dominion　had　as
yet　only　begun。　Scarcely　had　I　set　foot　in　Paris　ere　I　had　fresh
evidence　of　the　detestable　interest　taken　by　this　Wilson　in　my
concerns。　Years　flew；　while　I　experienced　no　relief。　Villain！　　at
Rome；　with　how　untimely；　yet　with　how　spectral　an　officiousness；
stepped　he　in　between　me　and　my　ambition！　At　Vienna；　too　　at　Berlin
　and　at　Moscow！　Where；　in　truth；　had　I　not　bitter　cause　to　curse
him　within　my　heart？　From　his　inscrutable　tyranny　did　I　at　length
flee；　panic…stricken；　as　from　a　pestilence；　and　to　the　very　ends　of
the　earth　I　fled　in　vain。

And　again；　and　again；　in　secret　communion　with　my　own　spirit；　would　I
demand　the　questions　〃Who　is　he？　　whence　came　he？　　and　what　are
his　objects？〃　But　no　answer　was　there　found。　And　then　I　scrutinized；
with　a　minute　scrutiny；　the　forms；　and　the　methods；　and　the　leading
traits　of　his　impertinent　supervision。　But　even　here　there　was　very
little　upon　which　to　base　a　conjecture。　It　was　noticeable；　indeed；
that；　in　no　one　of　the　multiplied　instances　in　which　he　had　of　late
crossed　my　path；　had　he　so　crossed　it　except　to　frustrate　those
schemes；　or　to　disturb　those　actions；　which；　if　fully　carried　out；
might　have　resulted　in　bitter　mischief。　Poor　justification　this；　in
truth；　for　an　authority　so　imperiously　assumed！　Poor　indemnity　for
natural　rights　of　self…agency　so　pertinaciously；　so　insultingly
denied！

I　had　also　been　forced　to　notice　that　my　tormentor；　for　a　very　long
period　of　time；　（while　scrupulously　and　with　miraculous　dexterity
maintaining　his　whim　of　an　identity　of　apparel　with　myself；）　had　so
contrived　it；　in　the　execution　of　his　varied　interference　with　my
will；　that　I　saw　not；　at　any　moment；　the　features　of　his　face。　Be
Wilson　what　he　might；　this；　at　least；　was　but　the　veriest　of
affectation；　or　of　folly。　Could　he；　for　an　instant；　have　supposed
that；　in　my　admonisher　at　Eton　　in　the　destroyer　of　my　honor　at
Oxford；　　in　him　who　thwarted　my　ambition　at　Rome；　my　revenge　at
Paris；　my　passionate　love　at　Naples；　or　what　he　falsely　termed　my
avarice　in　Egypt；　　that　in　this；　my　arch…enemy　and　evil　genius；
could　fall　to　recognise　the　William　Wilson　of　my　school　boy　days；　
the　namesake；　the　companion；　the　rival；　　the　hated　and　dreaded
rival　at　Dr。　Bransby's？　Impossible！　　But　let　me　hasten　to　the　last
eventful　scene　of　the　drama。

Thus　far　I　had　succumbed　supinely　to　this　imperious　domination。　The
sentiment　of　deep　awe　with　which　I　habitually　regarded　the　elevated
character；　the　majestic　wisdom；　the　apparent　omnipresence　and
omnipotence　of　Wilson；　added　to　a　feeling　of　even　terror；　with　which
certain　other　traits　in　his　nature　and　assumptions　inspired　me；　had
operated；　hitherto；　to　impress　me　with　an　idea　of　my　own　utter
weakness　and　helplessness；　and　to　suggest　an　implicit；　although
bitterly　reluctant　submission　to　his　arbitrary　will。　But；　of　late
days；　I　had　given　myself　up　entirely　to　wine；　and　its　maddening
influence　upon　my　hereditary