the works of edgar allan poe-2-第5部分

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the　present　instance　I　have　no　sympathy　…　at　least　no　pity　…　for　him
who　descends。　He　is　that　monstrum　horrendum；　an　unprincipled　man　of
genius。　I　confess；　however；　that　I　should　like　very　well　to　know　the
precise　character　of　his　thoughts；　when；　being　defied　by　her　whom　the
Prefect　terms　'a　certain　personage'　he　is　reduced　to　opening　the
letter　which　I　left　for　him　in　the　card…rack。〃

〃How？　did　you　put　any　thing　particular　in　it？〃

〃Why　…　it　did　not　seem　altogether　right　to　leave　the　interior　blank　…
that　would　have　been　insulting。　D；　at　Vienna　once；　did　me　an　evil
turn；　which　I　told　him；　quite　good…humoredly；　that　I　should　remember。
So；　as　I　knew　he　would　feel　some　curiosity　in　regard　to　the　identity
of　the　person　who　had　outwitted　him；　I　thought　it　a　pity　not　to　give
him　a　clue。　He　is　well　acquainted　with　my　MS。；　and　I　just　copied　into
the　middle　of　the　blank　sheet　the　words　…

〃　'　　Un　dessein　si　funeste；　S'il　n'est　digne　d'Atr閑；　est　digne
de　Thyeste。

They　are　to　be　found　in　Crebillon's　'Atr閑。'　〃

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



THE　THOUSAND…AND…SECOND　TALE　OF　SCHEHERAZADE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Truth　is　stranger　than　fiction。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　OLD　SAYING。

HAVING　had　occasion；　lately；　in　the　course　of　some　Oriental
investigations；　to　consult　the　Tellmenow　Isitsoornot；　a　work　which
（like　the　Zohar　of　Simeon　Jochaides）　is　scarcely　known　at　all；　even
in　Europe；　and　which　has　never　been　quoted；　to　my　knowledge；　by　any
American　　if　we　except；　perhaps；　the　author　of　the　〃Curiosities　of
American　Literature〃；　　having　had　occasion；　I　say；　to　turn　over
some　pages　of　the　first　　mentioned　very　remarkable　work；　I　was　not
a　little　astonished　to　discover　that　the　literary　world　has　hitherto
been　strangely　in　error　respecting　the　fate　of　the　vizier's　daughter；
Scheherazade；　as　that　fate　is　depicted　in　the　〃Arabian　Nights〃；　and
that　the　denouement　there　given；　if　not　altogether　inaccurate；　as　far
as　it　goes；　is　at　least　to　blame　in　not　having　gone　very　much
farther。

For　full　information　on　this　interesting　topic；　I　must　refer　the
inquisitive　reader　to　the　〃Isitsoornot〃　itself；　but　in　the　meantime；
I　shall　be　pardoned　for　giving　a　summary　of　what　I　there　discovered。

It　will　be　remembered；　that；　in　the　usual　version　of　the　tales；　a
certain　monarch　having　good　cause　to　be　jealous　of　his　queen；　not
only　puts　her　to　death；　but　makes　a　vow；　by　his　beard　and　the
prophet；　to　espouse　each　night　the　most　beautiful　maiden　in　his
dominions；　and　the　next　morning　to　deliver　her　up　to　the　executioner。

Having　fulfilled　this　vow　for　many　years　to　the　letter；　and　with　a
religious　punctuality　and　method　that　conferred　great　credit　upon　him
as　a　man　of　devout　feeling　and　excellent　sense；　he　was　interrupted
one　afternoon　（no　doubt　at　his　prayers）　by　a　visit　from　his　grand
vizier；　to　whose　daughter；　it　appears；　there　had　occurred　an　idea。

Her　name　was　Scheherazade；　and　her　idea　was；　that　she　would　either
redeem　the　land　from　the　depopulating　tax　upon　its　beauty；　or　perish；
after　the　approved　fashion　of　all　heroines；　in　the　attempt。

Accordingly；　and　although　we　do　not　find　it　to　be　leap…year　（which
makes　the　sacrifice　more　meritorious）；　she　deputes　her　father；　the
grand　vizier；　to　make　an　offer　to　the　king　of　her　hand。　This　hand　the
king　eagerly　accepts　　（he　had　intended　to　take　it　at　all　events；
and　had　put　off　the　matter　from　day　to　day；　only　through　fear　of　the
vizier）；　　but；　in　accepting　it　now；　he　gives　all　parties　very
distinctly　to　understand；　that；　grand　vizier　or　no　grand　vizier；　he
has　not　the　slightest　design　of　giving　up　one　iota　of　his　vow　or　of
his　privileges。　When；　therefore；　the　fair　Scheherazade　insisted　upon
marrying　the　king；　and　did　actually　marry　him　despite　her　father's
excellent　advice　not　to　do　any　thing　of　the　kind　　when　she　would
and　did　marry　him；　I　say；　will　I；　nill　I；　it　was　with　her　beautiful
black　eyes　as　thoroughly　open　as　the　nature　of　the　case　would　allow。

It　seems；　however；　that　this　politic　damsel　（who　had　been　reading
Machiavelli；　beyond　doubt）；　had　a　very　ingenious　little　plot　in　her
mind。　On　the　night　of　the　wedding；　she　contrived；　upon　I　forget　what
specious　pretence；　to　have　her　sister　occupy　a　couch　sufficiently
near　that　of　the　royal　pair　to　admit　of　easy　conversation　from　bed　to
bed；　and；　a　little　before　cock…crowing；　she　took　care　to　awaken　the
good　monarch；　her　husband　（who　bore　her　none　the　worse　will　because
he　intended　to　wring　her　neck　on　the　morrow）；　　she　managed　to
awaken　him；　I　say；　（although　on　account　of　a　capital　conscience　and
an　easy　digestion；　he　slept　well）　by　the　profound　interest　of　a　story
（about　a　rat　and　a　black　cat；　I　think）　which　she　was　narrating　（all
in　an　undertone；　of　course）　to　her　sister。　When　the　day　broke；　it　so
happened　that　this　history　was　not　altogether　finished；　and　that
Scheherazade；　in　the　nature　of　things　could　not　finish　it　just　then；
since　it　was　high　time　for　her　to　get　up　and　be　bowstrung　　a　thing
very　little　more　pleasant　than　hanging；　only　a　trifle　more　genteel。

The　king's　curiosity；　however；　prevailing；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　even
over　his　sound　religious　principles；　induced　him　for　this　once　to
postpone　the　fulfilment　of　his　vow　until　next　morning；　for　the
purpose　and　with　the　hope　of　hearing　that　night　how　it　fared　in　the
end　with　the　black　cat　（a　black　cat；　I　think　it　was）　and　the　rat。

The　night　having　arrived；　however；　the　lady　Scheherazade　not　only　put
the　finishing　stroke　to　the　black　cat　and　the　rat　（the　rat　was　blue）
but　before　she　well　knew　what　she　was　about；　found　herself　deep　in
the　intricacies　of　a　narration；　having　reference　（if　I　am　not
altogether　mistaken）　to　a　pink　horse　（with　green　wings）　that　went；　in
a　violent　manner；　by　clockwork；　and　was　wound　up　with　an　indigo　key。
With　this　history　the　king　was　even　more　profoundly　interested　than
with　the　other　　and；　as　the　day　broke　before　its　conclusion
（notwithstanding　all　the　queen's　endeavors　to　get　through　with　it　in
time　for　the　bowstringing）；　there　was　again　no　resource　but　to
postpone　that　ceremony　as　before；　for　twenty…four　hours。　The　next
night　there　happened　a　similar　accident　with　a　similar　result；　and
then　the　next　　and　then　again　the　next；　so　that；　in　the　end；　the
good　monarch；　having　been　unavoidably　deprived　of　all　opportunity　to
keep　his　vow　during　a　period　of　no　less　than　one　thousand　and　one
nights；　either　forgets　it　altogether　by　the　expiration　of　this　time；
or　gets　himself　absolved　of　it　in　the　regular　way；　or　（what　is　more
probable）　breaks　it　outright；　as　well　as　the　head　of　his　father
confessor。　At　all　events；　Scheherazade；　who；　being　lineally　descended
from　Eve；　fell　heir；　perhaps；　to　the　whole　seven　baskets　of　talk；
which　the　latter　lady；　we　all　know；　picked　up　from　under　the　trees　in
the　garden　of　Eden…Scheherazade；　I　say；　finally　triumphed；　and　the
tariff　upon　beauty　was　repealed。

Now；　this　conclusion　（which　is　that　of　the　story　as　we　have　it　upon
record）　is；　no　doubt；　excessively　proper　and　pleasant　　but　alas！
like　a　great　many　pleasant　things；　is　more　pleasant　than　true；　and　I
am　indebted　altogether　to　the　〃Isitsoornot〃　for　the　means　of
correcting　the　error。　〃Le　mieux；〃　says　a　French　proverb；　〃est
l'ennemi　du　bien；〃　and；　in　mentioning　that　Scheherazade　had　inherited
the　seven　baskets　of　talk；　I　should　have　added　that　she　put　them　out
at　compound　interest　until　they　amounted　to　seventy…seven。

〃My　dear　sister；〃　said　she；　on　the　thousand…and…second　night；　（I
quote　the　language　of　the　〃Isitsoornot〃　at　this　point；　verbatim）　〃my
dear　sister；〃　said　she；　〃now　that　all　this　little　difficulty　about
the　bowstring　has　blown　over；　and　that　this　odious　tax　is　so　happily
repealed；　I　feel　that　I　have　been　guilty　of　great　indiscretion　in
withholding　from　you　and　the　king　（who　I　am　sorry　to　say；　snores　　a
thing　no　gentleman　would　do）　the　full　conclusion　of　Sinbad　the
sailor。　This　person　went　through　numerous　other　and　more　interesting
adventures　than　those　which　I　related；　but　the　truth　is；　I　felt
sleepy　on　the　particular　night　of　their　narration；　and　so　was　seduced
into　cutting　them　short　　a　grievous　piece　of　misconduct；　for　which
I　only　trust　that　Allah　will　forgive　me。　But　even　yet　it　is　not　too
late　to　remedy　my　great　neglect　　and　as　soon　as　I　have　given　the
king　a　pinch　or　two　in　order　to　wake　him　up　so　far　that　he　may　stop
making　that　horrible　noise；　I　will　forthwith　entertain　you　（and　him
if　he　pleases）　with　the　sequel　of　this　very　remarkable　story。

Hereupon　the　sister　of　Scheherazade；　as　I　have　it　from　the
〃Isitsoornot；〃　expressed　no　very　particular　intensity　of
gratification；　but　the　king；　having　been　sufficiently　pinched；　at
length　ceased　snoring；　and　finally　said；　〃hum！〃　and　then　〃hoo！〃　when
the　queen；　understanding　these　words　（which　are　no　doubt　Arabic）　to
signify　that　he　was　all　attention；　and　would　do　his　best　not　to　snore
any　more　　the　queen；　I　say；　having　arranged　these　matters　to　her
satisfaction；　re…entered　thus；　at　once；　into　the　history　of　Sinbad
the　sailor：

〃'At　length；　in　my　old　age；　＇these　are　the　words　of　Sinbad　himself；
as　retailed　by　Scheherazade＇　　'at　length；　in　my　old　age；　and　after
enjoying　many　years　of　tranquillity　at　home；　I　became　once　more
possessed　of　a　desire　of　visiting　foreign　countries；　and　one　day；
without　acquainting　any　of　my　family　with　my　design；　I　packed　up　some
bundles　of　such　merchandise　as　was　most　precious　and　least　bulky；
and；　engaged　a　porter　to　carry　them；　went　with　him　down　to　the
sea…shore；　to　await　the　arrival　of　any　chance　vessel　that　might
convey　me　out　of　the　kingdom　into　some　region　which　I　had　not　as　yet
explored。

〃'Having　deposited　the　packages　upon　the　sands；　we　sat　down　beneath
some　trees；　and　looked　out　into　the　ocean　in　the　hope　of　perceiving　a
ship；　but　during　several　hours　we　saw　none　whatever。　At　length　I
fancied　that　I　could　hear　a　singular　buzzing　or　humming　sound；　and
the　porter；　after　listening　awhile；　declared　that　he　also　could
distinguish　it。　Presently　it　grew　louder；　and　then　still　louder；　so
that　we　could　have　no　doubt　that　the　object　which　caused　it　was
approaching　us。　At　length；　on　the　edge　of　the　horizon；　we　discovered
a　black　speck；　which　rapidly