the works of edgar allan poe-2-第51部分

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over…acuteness　of　the　sense？　…　now；　I　say；　there　came　to　my　ears　a
low；　dull；　quick　sound；　such　as　a　watch　makes　when　enveloped　in
cotton。　I　knew　that　sound　well；　too。　It　was　the　beating　of　the　old
man's　heart。　It　increased　my　fury；　as　the　beating　of　a　drum
stimulates　the　soldier　into　courage。

But　even　yet　I　refrained　and　kept　still。　I　scarcely　breathed。　I　held
the　lantern　motionless。　I　tried　how　steadily　I　could　maintain　the　ray
upon　the　eve。　Meantime　the　hellish　tattoo　of　the　heart　increased。　It
grew　quicker　and　quicker；　and　louder　and　louder　every　instant。　The
old　man's　terror　must　have　been　extreme！　It　grew　louder；　I　say；
louder　every　moment！　…　do　you　mark　me　well　I　have　told　you　that　I　am
nervous：　so　I　am。　And　now　at　the　dead　hour　of　the　night；　amid　the
dreadful　silence　of　that　old　house；　so　strange　a　noise　as　this
excited　me　to　uncontrollable　terror。　Yet；　for　some　minutes　longer　I
refrained　and　stood　still。　But　the　beating　grew　louder；　louder！　I
thought　the　heart　must　burst。　And　now　a　new　anxiety　seized　me　…　the
sound　would　be　heard　by　a　neighbour！　The　old　man's　hour　had　come！
With　a　loud　yell；　I　threw　open　the　lantern　and　leaped　into　the　room。
He　shrieked　once　…　once　only。　In　an　instant　I　dragged　him　to　the
floor；　and　pulled　the　heavy　bed　over　him。　I　then　smiled　gaily；　to
find　the　deed　so　far　done。　But；　for　many　minutes；　the　heart　beat　on
with　a　muffled　sound。　This；　however；　did　not　vex　me；　it　would　not　be
heard　through　the　wall。　At　length　it　ceased。　The　old　man　was　dead。　I
removed　the　bed　and　examined　the　corpse。　Yes；　he　was　stone；　stone
dead。　I　placed　my　hand　upon　the　heart　and　held　it　there　many　minutes。
There　was　no　pulsation。　He　was　stone　dead。　His　eve　would　trouble　me
no　more。

If　still　you　think　me　mad；　you　will　think　so　no　longer　when　I
describe　the　wise　precautions　I　took　for　the　concealment　of　the　body。
The　night　waned；　and　I　worked　hastily；　but　in　silence。　First　of　all　I
dismembered　the　corpse。　I　cut　off　the　head　and　the　arms　and　the　legs。

I　then　took　up　three　planks　from　the　flooring　of　the　chamber；　and
deposited　all　between　the　scantlings。　I　then　replaced　the　boards　so
cleverly；　so　cunningly；　that　no　human　eye　…　not　even　his　…　could　have
detected　any　thing　wrong。　There　was　nothing　to　wash　out　…　no　stain　of
any　kind　…　no　blood…spot　whatever。　I　had　been　too　wary　for　that。　A
tub　had　caught　all　…　ha！　ha！

When　I　had　made　an　end　of　these　labors；　it　was　four　o'clock　…　still
dark　as　midnight。　As　the　bell　sounded　the　hour；　there　came　a　knocking
at　the　street　door。　I　went　down　to　open　it　with　a　light　heart；　…　for
what　had　I　now　to　fear？　There　entered　three　men；　who　introduced
themselves；　with　perfect　suavity；　as　officers　of　the　police。　A　shriek
had　been　heard　by　a　neighbour　during　the　night；　suspicion　of　foul
play　had　been　aroused；　information　had　been　lodged　at　the　police
office；　and　they　（the　officers）　had　been　deputed　to　search　the
premises。

I　smiled；　…　for　what　had　I　to　fear？　I　bade　the　gentlemen　welcome。　The
shriek；　I　said；　was　my　own　in　a　dream。　The　old　man；　I　mentioned；　was
absent　in　the　country。　I　took　my　visitors　all　over　the　house。　I　bade
them　search　…　search　well。　I　led　them；　at　length；　to　his　chamber。　I
showed　them　his　treasures；　secure；　undisturbed。　In　the　enthusiasm　of
my　confidence；　I　brought　chairs　into　the　room；　and　desired　them　here
to　rest　from　their　fatigues；　while　I　myself；　in　the　wild　audacity　of
my　perfect　triumph；　placed　my　own　seat　upon　the　very　spot　beneath
which　reposed　the　corpse　of　the　victim。

The　officers　were　satisfied。　My　manner　had　convinced　them。　I　was
singularly　at　ease。　They　sat；　and　while　I　answered　cheerily；　they
chatted　of　familiar　things。　But；　ere　long；　I　felt　myself　getting　pale
and　wished　them　gone。　My　head　ached；　and　I　fancied　a　ringing　in　my
ears：　but　still　they　sat　and　still　chatted。　The　ringing　became　more
distinct：　…　It　continued　and　became　more　distinct：　I　talked　more
freely　to　get　rid　of　the　feeling：　but　it　continued　and　gained
definiteness　…　until；　at　length；　I　found　that　the　noise　was　not
within　my　ears。

No　doubt　I　now　grew　_very_　pale；　…　but　I　talked　more　fluently；　and
with　a　heightened　voice。　Yet　the　sound　increased　…　and　what　could　I
do？　It　was　a　low；　dull；　quick　sound　…　much　such　a　sound　as　a　watch
makes　when　enveloped　in　cotton。　I　gasped　for　breath　…　and　yet　the
officers　heard　it　not。　I　talked　more　quickly　…　more　vehemently；　but
the　noise　steadily　increased。　I　arose　and　argued　about　trifles；　in　a
high　key　and　with　violent　gesticulations；　but　the　noise　steadily
increased。　Why　would　they　not　be　gone？　I　paced　the　floor　to　and　fro
with　heavy　strides；　as　if　excited　to　fury　by　the　observations　of　the
men　…　but　the　noise　steadily　increased。　Oh　God！　what　could　I　do？　I
foamed　…　I　raved　…　I　swore！　I　swung　the　chair　upon　which　I　had　been
sitting；　and　grated　it　upon　the　boards；　but　the　noise　arose　over　all
and　continually　increased。　It　grew　louder　…　louder　…　louder！　And
still　the　men　chatted　pleasantly；　and　smiled。　Was　it　possible　they
heard　not？　Almighty　God！　…　no；　no！　They　heard！　…　they　suspected！　…
they　knew！　…　they　were　making　a　mockery　of　my　horror！…this　I　thought；
and　this　I　think。　But　anything　was　better　than　this　agony！　Anything
was　more　tolerable　than　this　derision！　I　could　bear　those
hypocritical　smiles　no　longer！　I　felt　that　I　must　scream　or　die！　and
now　…　again！　…　hark！　louder！　louder！　louder！　louder！

〃Villains！〃　I　shrieked；　〃dissemble　no　more！　I　admit　the　deed！　…　tear
up　the　planks！　here；　here！　…　It　is　the　beating　of　his　hideous　heart！〃

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



BERENICE

　　　　Dicebant　mihi　sodales；　si　sepulchrum　amicae　visitarem；　curas　meas
aliquantulum　forelevatas。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…　_Ebn　Zaiat_。

　　　　MISERY　is　manifold。　The　wretchedness　of　earth　is　multiform。
Overreaching　the　wide　horizon　as　the　rainbow；　its　hues　are　as　various
as　the　hues　of　that　arch　…　as　distinct　too；　yet　as　intimately
blended。　Overreaching　the　wide　horizon　as　the　rainbow！　How　is　it　that
from　beauty　I　have　derived　a　type　of　unloveliness？　…　from　the
covenant　of　peace；　a　simile　of　sorrow？　But　as；　in　ethics；　evil　is　a
consequence　of　good；　so；　in　fact；　out　of　joy　is　sorrow　born。　Either
the　memory　of　past　bliss　is　the　anguish　of　to…day；　or　the　agonies
which　_are_；　have　their　origin　in　the　ecstasies　which　_might　have
been_。

　　　　My　baptismal　name　is　Egaeus；　that　of　my　family　I　will　not
mention。　Yet　there　are　no　towers　in　the　land　more　time…honored　than
my　gloomy；　gray；　hereditary　halls。　Our　line　has　been　called　a　race　of
visionaries；　and　in　many　striking　particulars　…　in　the　character　of
the　family　mansion　…　in　the　frescos　of　the　chief　saloon　…　in　the
tapestries　of　the　dormitories　…　in　the　chiselling　of　some　buttresses
in　the　armory　…　but　more　especially　in　the　gallery　of　antique
paintings　…　in　the　fashion　of　the　library　chamber　…　and；　lastly；　in
the　very　peculiar　nature　of　the　library's　contents　…　there　is　more
than　sufficient　evidence　to　warrant　the　belief。

　　　　The　recollections　of　my　earliest　years　are　connected　with　that
chamber；　and　with　its　volumes　…　of　which　latter　I　will　say　no　more。
Here　died　my　mother。　Herein　was　I　born。　But　it　is　mere　idleness　to
say　that　I　had　not　lived　before　…　that　the　soul　has　no　previous
existence。　You　deny　it？　…　let　us　not　argue　the　matter。　Convinced
myself；　I　seek　not　to　convince。　There　is；　however；　a　remembrance　of
aerial　forms　…　of　spiritual　and　meaning　eyes　…　of　sounds；　musical　yet
sad　…　a　remembrance　which　will　not　be　excluded；　a　memory　like　a
shadow　…　vague；　variable；　indefinite；　unsteady；　and　like　a　shadow；
too；　in　the　impossibility　of　my　getting　rid　of　it　while　the　sunlight
of　my　reason　shall　exist。

　　　　In　that　chamber　was　I　born。　Thus　awaking　from　the　long　night　of
what　seemed；　but　was　not；　nonentity；　at　once　into　the　very　regions　of
fairy　land　…　into　a　palace　of　imagination　…　into　the　wild　dominions
of　monastic　thought　and　erudition　…　it　is　not　singular　that　I　gazed
around　me　with　a　startled　and　ardent　eye　…　that　I　loitered　away　my
boyhood　in　books；　and　dissipated　my　youth　in　reverie；　but　it　_is_
singular　that　as　years　rolled　away；　and　the　noon　of　manhood　found　me
still　in　the　mansion　of　my　fathers　…　it　_is_　wonderful　what
stagnation　there　fell　upon　the　springs　of　my　life　…　wonderful　how
total　an　inversion　took　place　in　the　character　of　my　commonest
thought。　The　realities　of　the　world　affected　me　as　visions；　and　as
visions　only；　while　the　wild　ideas　of　the　land　of　dreams　became；　in
turn；　not　the　material　of　my　every…day　existence；　but　in　very　deed
that　existence　utterly　and　solely　in　itself。

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　　　　Berenice　and　I　were　cousins；　and　we　grew　up　together　in　my
paternal　halls。　Yet　differently　we　grew　…　I；　ill　of　health；　and
buried　in　gloom　…　she；　agile；　graceful；　and　overflowing　with　energy；
hers；　the　ramble　on　the　hill…side　…　mine　the　studies　of　the　cloister；
I；　living　within　my　own　heart；　and　addicted；　body　and　soul；　to　the
most　intense　and　painful　meditation　…　she；　roaming　carelessly　through
life；　with　no　thought　of　the　shadows　in　her　path；　or　the　silent
flight　of　the　raven…winged　hours。　Berenice！　…I　call　upon　her　name　…
Berenice！　…　and　from　the　gray　ruins　of　memory　a　thousand　tumultuous
recollections　are　startled　at　the　sound！　Ah；　vividly　is　her　image
before　me　now；　as　in　the　early　days　of　her　light…heartedness　and　joy！
Oh；　gorgeous　yet　fantastic　beauty！　Oh；　sylph　amid　the　shrubberies　of
Arnheim！　Oh；　Naiad　among　its　fountains！　And　then　…　then　all　is
mystery　and　terror；　and　a　tale　which　should　not　be　told。　Disease　…　a
fatal　disease；　fell　like　the　simoon　upon　her　frame；　and；　even　while　I
gazed　upon　her；　the　spirit　of　change　swept　over　her；　pervading　her
mind；　her　habits；　and　her　character；　and；　in　a　manner　the　most　subtle
and　terrible；　disturbing　even　the　identity　of　her　person！　Alas！　the
destroyer　came　and　went！　…　and　the　victim　…where　is　she？　I　knew　her
not　…　or　knew　her　no　longer　as　Berenice。

　　　　Among　the　numerous　train　of　maladies　superinduced　by　that　fatal
and　primary　one　which　effected　a　revolution　of　so　horrible　a　kind　in
the　moral　and　physical　being　of　my　cousin；　may　be　mentioned　as　the
most　distressing　a