the works of edgar allan poe-2-第53部分

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seriously　believed　_que　toutes　ses　dents　etaient　des　idees_。　_Des
idees！_　…　ah　here　was　the　idiotic　thought　that　destroyed　me！　_Des
idees！_　…　ah　_therefore_　it　was　that　I　coveted　them　so　madly！　I　felt
that　their　possession　could　alone　ever　restore　me　to　peace；　in　giving
me　back　to　reason。

　　　　And　the　evening　closed　in　upon　me　thus　…　and　then　the　darkness
came；　and　tarried；　and　went　…　and　the　day　again　dawned　…　and　the
mists　of　a　second　night　were　now　gathering　around　…　and　still　I　sat
motionless　in　that　solitary　room　…　and　still　I　sat　buried　in
meditation　…　and　still　the　_phantasma_　of　the　teeth　maintained　its
terrible　ascendancy；　as；　with　the　most　vivid　hideous　distinctness；　it
floated　about　amid　the　changing　lights　and　shadows　of　the　chamber。　At
length　there　broke　in　upon　my　dreams　a　cry　as　of　horror　and　dismay；
and　thereunto；　after　a　pause；　succeeded　the　sound　of　troubled　voices；
intermingled　with　many　low　moanings　of　sorrow　or　of　pain。　I　arose
from　my　seat；　and　throwing　open　one　of　the　doors　of　the　library；　saw
standing　out　in　the　ante…chamber　a　servant　maiden；　all　in　tears；　who
told　me　that　Berenice　was　…　no　more！　She　had　been　seized　with
epilepsy　in　the　early　morning；　and　now；　at　the　closing　in　of　the
night；　the　grave　was　ready　for　its　tenant；　and　all　the　preparations
for　the　burial　were　completed。

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　　　　I　found　myself　sitting　in　the　library；　and　again　sitting　there
alone。　It　seemed　that　I　had　newly　awakened　from　a　confused　and
exciting　dream。　I　knew　that　it　was　now　midnight；　and　I　was　well
aware；　that　since　the　setting　of　the　sun；　Berenice　had　been　interred。
But　of　that　dreary　period　which　intervened　I　had　no　positive；　at
least　no　definite　comprehension。　Yet　its　memory　was　replete　with
horror　…　horror　more　horrible　from　being　vague；　and　terror　more
terrible　from　ambiguity。　It　was　a　fearful　page　in　the　record　my
existence；　written　all　over　with　dim；　and　hideous；　and　unintelligible
recollections。　I　strived　to　decypher　them；　but　in　vain；　while　ever
and　anon；　like　the　spirit　of　a　departed　sound；　the　shrill　and
piercing　shriek　of　a　female　voice　seemed　to　be　ringing　in　my　ears。　I
had　done　a　deed　…　what　was　it？　I　asked　myself　the　question　aloud；　and
the　whispering　echoes　of　the　chamber　answered　me；　…　〃_what　was　it？_〃

　　　　On　the　table　beside　me　burned　a　lamp；　and　near　it　lay　a　little
box。　It　was　of　no　remarkable　character；　and　I　had　seen　it　frequently
before；　for　it　was　the　property　of　the　family　physician；　but　how　came
it　_there_；　upon　my　table；　and　why　did　I　shudder　in　regarding　it？
These　things　were　in　no　manner　to　be　accounted　for；　and　my　eyes　at
length　dropped　to　the　open　pages　of　a　book；　and　to　a　sentence
underscored　therein。　The　words　were　the　singular　but　simple　ones　of
the　poet　Ebn　Zaiat：　…　〃_Dicebant　mihi　sodales　si　sepulchrum　amicae
visitarem；　curas　meas　aliquantulum　fore　levatas_。〃　Why　then；　as　I
perused　them；　did　the　hairs　of　my　head　erect　themselves　on　end；　and
the　blood　of　my　body　become　congealed　within　my　veins？

　　　　There　came　a　light　tap　at　the　library　door　…　and；　pale　as　the
tenant　of　a　tomb；　a　menial　entered　upon　tiptoe。　His　looks　were　wild
with　terror；　and　he　spoke　to　me　in　a　voice　tremulous；　husky；　and　very
low。　What　said　he？　…　some　broken　sentences　I　heard。　He　told　of　a　wild
cry　disturbing　the　silence　of　the　night　…　of　the　gathering　together
of　the　household　…　of　a　search　in　the　direction　of　the　sound；　and
then　his　tones　grew　thrillingly　distinct　as　he　whispered　me　of　a
violated　grave　…　of　a　disfigured　body　enshrouded；　yet　still　breathing
…　still　palpitating　…　_still　alive_！

　　　　He　pointed　to　garments；　…　they　were　muddy　and　clotted　with　gore。
I　spoke　not；　and　he　took　me　gently　by　the　hand：　it　was　indented　with
the　impress　of　human　nails。　He　directed　my　attention　to　some　object
against　the　wall。　I　looked　at　it　for　some　minutes：　it　was　a　spade。
With　a　shriek　I　bounded　to　the　table；　and　grasped　the　box　that　lay
upon　it。　But　I　could　not　force　it　open；　and　in　my　tremor；　it　slipped
from　my　hands；　and　fell　heavily；　and　burst　into　pieces；　and　from　it；
with　a　rattling　sound；　there　rolled　out　some　instruments　of　dental
surgery；　intermingled　with　thirty…two　small；　white　and　ivory…looking
substances　that　were　scattered　to　and　fro　about　the　floor。



~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



ELEONORA

Sub　conservatione　formae　specificae　salva　anima。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　_　　Raymond　Lully_　。

I　AM　come　of　a　race　noted　for　vigor　of　fancy　and　ardor　of　passion。
Men　have　called　me　mad；　but　the　question　is　not　yet　settled；　whether
madness　is　or　is　not　the　loftiest　intelligence　　whether　much　that
is　glorious…　whether　all　that　is　profound　　does　not　spring　from
disease　of　thought　　from　moods　of　mind　exalted　at　the　expense　of
the　general　intellect。　They　who　dream　by　day　are　cognizant　of　many
things　which　escape　those　who　dream　only　by　night。　In　their　gray
visions　they　obtain　glimpses　of　eternity；　and　thrill；　in　awakening；
to　find　that　they　have　been　upon　the　verge　of　the　great　secret。　In
snatches；　they　learn　something　of　the　wisdom　which　is　of　good；　and
more　of　the　mere　knowledge　which　is　of　evil。　They　penetrate；　however；
rudderless　or　compassless　into　the　vast　ocean　of　the　〃light
ineffable；〃　and　again；　like　the　adventures　of　the　Nubian　geographer；
〃agressi　sunt　mare　tenebrarum；　quid　in　eo　esset　exploraturi。〃

We　will　say；　then；　that　I　am　mad。　I　grant；　at　least；　that　there　are
two　distinct　conditions　of　my　mental　existence　　the　condition　of　a
lucid　reason；　not　to　be　disputed；　and　belonging　to　the　memory　of
events　forming　the　first　epoch　of　my　life　　and　a　condition　of
shadow　and　doubt；　appertaining　to　the　present；　and　to　the
recollection　of　what　constitutes　the　second　great　era　of　my　being。
Therefore；　what　I　shall　tell　of　the　earlier　period；　believe；　and　to
what　I　may　relate　of　the　later　time；　give　only　such　credit　as　may
seem　due；　or　doubt　it　altogether；　or；　if　doubt　it　ye　cannot；　then
play　unto　its　riddle　the　Oedipus。

She　whom　I　loved　in　youth；　and　of　whom　I　now　pen　calmly　and
distinctly　these　remembrances；　was　the　sole　daughter　of　the　only
sister　of　my　mother　long　departed。　Eleonora　was　the　name　of　my
cousin。　We　had　always　dwelled　together；　beneath　a　tropical　sun；　in
the　Valley　of　the　Many…Colored　Grass。　No　unguided　footstep　ever　came
upon　that　vale；　for　it　lay　away　up　among　a　range　of　giant　hills　that
hung　beetling　around　about　it；　shutting　out　the　sunlight　from　its
sweetest　recesses。　No　path　was　trodden　in　its　vicinity；　and；　to　reach
our　happy　home；　there　was　need　of　putting　back；　with　force；　the
foliage　of　many　thousands　of　forest　trees；　and　of　crushing　to　death
the　glories　of　many　millions　of　fragrant　flowers。　Thus　it　was　that　we
lived　all　alone；　knowing　nothing　of　the　world　without　the　valley　
I；　and　my　cousin；　and　her　mother。

From　the　dim　regions　beyond　the　mountains　at　the　upper　end　of　our
encircled　domain；　there　crept　out　a　narrow　and　deep　river；　brighter
than　all　save　the　eyes　of　Eleonora；　and；　winding　stealthily　about　in
mazy　courses；　it　passed　away；　at　length；　through　a　shadowy　gorge；
among　hills　still　dimmer　than　those　whence　it　had　issued。　We　called
it　the　〃River　of　Silence〃；　for　there　seemed　to　be　a　hushing　influence
in　its　flow。　No　murmur　arose　from　its　bed；　and　so　gently　it　wandered
along；　that　the　pearly　pebbles　upon　which　we　loved　to　gaze；　far　down
within　its　bosom；　stirred　not　at　all；　but　lay　in　a　motionless
content；　each　in　its　own　old　station；　shining　on　gloriously　forever。

The　margin　of　the　river；　and　of　the　many　dazzling　rivulets　that
glided　through　devious　ways　into　its　channel；　as　well　as　the　spaces
that　extended　from　the　margins　away　down　into　the　depths　of　the
streams　until　they　reached　the　bed　of　pebbles　at　the　bottom；　　these
spots；　not　less　than　the　whole　surface　of　the　valley；　from　the　river
to　the　mountains　that　girdled　it　in；　were　carpeted　all　by　a　soft
green　grass；　thick；　short；　perfectly　even；　and　vanilla…perfumed；　but
so　besprinkled　throughout　with　the　yellow　buttercup；　the　white　daisy；
the　purple　violet；　and　the　ruby…red　asphodel；　that　its　exceeding
beauty　spoke　to　our　hearts　in　loud　tones；　of　the　love　and　of　the
glory　of　God。

And；　here　and　there；　in　groves　about　this　grass；　like　wildernesses　of
dreams；　sprang　up　fantastic　trees；　whose　tall　slender　stems　stood　not
upright；　but　slanted　gracefully　toward　the　light　that　peered　at
noon…day　into　the　centre　of　the　valley。　Their　mark　was　speckled　with
the　vivid　alternate　splendor　of　ebony　and　silver；　and　was　smoother
than　all　save　the　cheeks　of　Eleonora；　so　that；　but　for　the　brilliant
green　of　the　huge　leaves　that　spread　from　their　summits　in　long；
tremulous　lines；　dallying　with　the　Zephyrs；　one　might　have　fancied
them　giant　serpents　of　Syria　doing　homage　to　their　sovereign　the　Sun。

Hand　in　hand　about　this　valley；　for　fifteen　years；　roamed　I　with
Eleonora　before　Love　entered　within　our　hearts。　It　was　one　evening　at
the　close　of　the　third　lustrum　of　her　life；　and　of　the　fourth　of　my
own；　that　we　sat；　locked　in　each　other's　embrace；　beneath　the
serpent…like　trees；　and　looked　down　within　the　water　of　the　River　of
Silence　at　our　images　therein。　We　spoke　no　words　during　the　rest　of
that　sweet　day；　and　our　words　even　upon　the　morrow　were　tremulous　and
few。　We　had　drawn　the　God　Eros　from　that　wave；　and　now　we　felt　that
he　had　enkindled　within　us　the　fiery　souls　of　our　forefathers。　The
passions　which　had　for　centuries　distinguished　our　race；　came
thronging　with　the　fancies　for　which　they　had　been　equally　noted；　and
together　breathed　a　delirious　bliss　over　the　Valley　of　the
Many…Colored　Grass。　A　change　fell　upon　all　things。　Strange；　brilliant
flowers；　star…shaped；　burn　out　upon　the　trees　where　no　flowers　had
been　known　before。　The　tints　of　the　green　carpet　deepened；　and　when；
one　by　one；　the　white　daisies　shrank　away；　there　sprang　up　in　place
of　them；　ten　by　ten　of　the　ruby…red　asphodel。　And　life　arose　in　our
paths；　for　the　tall　flamingo；　hitherto　unseen；　with　all　gay　glowing
birds；　flaunted　his　scarlet　plumage　before　us。　The　golden　and　silver
fish　haunted　the　river；　out　of　the　bosom　of　which　issued；　little　by
little；　a　murmur　that　swelled；　at