the great god pan(潘恩大帝)-第14部分
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glad to return to the bustle and the noise。 Would you like to see my
purchase？〃
Austin said nothing； but nodded his head slightly； he still looked white
and sick。 Villiers pulled out a drawer in the bamboo table； and showed
Austin a long coil of cord； hard and new； and at one end was a running
noose。
〃It is the best hempen cord；〃 said Villiers； 〃just as it used to be made
for the old trade； the man told me。 Not an inch of jute from end to end。〃
Austin set his teeth hard； and stared at Villiers； growing whiter as he
looked。
〃You would not do it；〃 he murmured at last。 〃You would not have
blood on your hands。 My God！〃 he exclaimed； with sudden vehemence；
〃you cannot mean this； Villiers； that you will make yourself a hangman？〃
〃No。 I shall offer a choice； and leave Helen Vaughan alone with this
cord in a locked room for fifteen minutes。 If when we go in it is not done；
I shall call the nearest policeman。 That is all。〃
〃I must go now。 I cannot stay here any longer； I cannot bear this。
Good…night。〃
〃Good…night； Austin。〃
The door shut； but in a moment it was open again； and Austin stood；
white and ghastly； in the entrance。
〃I was forgetting；〃 he said； 〃that I too have something to tell。 I have
received a letter from Dr。 Harding of Buenos Ayres。 He says that he
attended Meyrick for three weeks before his death。〃
〃And does he say what carried him off in the prime of life？ It was
not fever？〃
〃No； it was not fever。 According to the doctor； it was an utter
collapse of the whole system； probably caused by some severe shock。
But he states that the patient would tell him nothing； and that he was
consequently at some disadvantage in treating the case。〃
〃Is there anything more？〃
〃Yes。 Dr。 Harding ends his letter by saying： 'I think this is all the
information I can give you about your poor friend。 He had not been long
in Buenos Ayres； and knew scarcely any one； with the exception of a
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person who did not bear the best of characters； and has since lefta Mrs。
Vaughan。'〃
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VIII
THE FRAGMENTS
＇Amongst the papers of the well…known physician； Dr。 Robert
Matheson； of Ashley Street； Piccadilly； who died suddenly； of
apoplectic seizure； at the beginning of 1892； a leaf of manuscript
paper was found； covered with pencil jottings。 These notes were in
Latin； much abbreviated； and had evidently been made in great haste。
The MS。 was only deciphered with difficulty； and some words have up
to the present time evaded all the efforts of the expert employed。 The date；
〃XXV Jul。 1888；〃 is written on the right…hand corner of the MS。 The
following is a translation of Dr。 Matheson's manuscript。＇
〃Whether science would benefit by these brief notes if they could be
published； I do not know； but rather doubt。 But certainly I shall never
take the responsibility of publishing or divulging one word of what is here
written； not only on account of my oath given freely to those two persons
who were present； but also because the details are too abominable。 It is
probably that； upon mature consideration； and after weighting the good
and evil； I shall one day destroy this paper； or at least leave it under seal to
my friend D。； trusting in his discretion； to use it or to burn it； as he may
think fit。
〃As was befitting； I did all that my knowledge suggested to make sure
that I was suffering under no delusion。 At first astounded； I could hardly
think； but in a minute's time I was sure that my pulse was steady and
regular； and that I was in my real and true senses。 I then fixed my eyes
quietly on what was before me。
〃Though horror and revolting nausea rose up within me； and an odour
of corruption choked my breath； I remained firm。 I was then privileged or
accursed； I dare not say which； to see that which was on the bed； lying
there black like ink； transformed before my eyes。 The skin； and the flesh；
and the muscles； and the bones； and the firm structure of the human body
that I had thought to be unchangeable； and permanent as adamant； began
to melt and dissolve。
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〃I know that the body may be separated into its elements by external
agencies； but I should have refused to believe what I saw。 For here there
was some internal force； of which I knew nothing； that caused dissolution
and change。
〃Here too was all the work by which man had been made repeated
before my eyes。 I saw the form waver from sex to sex； dividing itself
from itself； and then again reunited。 Then I saw the body descend to the
beasts whence it ascended； and that which was on the heights go down to
the depths； even to the abyss of all being。 The principle of life； which
makes organism； always remained； while the outward form changed。
〃The light within the room had turned to blackness； not the darkness of
night； in which objects are seen dimly； for I could see clearly and without
difficulty。 But it was the negation of light； objects were presented to my
eyes； if I may say so； without any medium； in such a manner that if there
had been a prism in the room I should have seen no colours represented in
it。
〃I watched； and at last I saw nothing but a substance as jelly。 Then
the ladder was ascended again。。。 ＇here the MS。 is illegible＇ 。。。for one
instance I saw a Form； shaped in dimness before me； which I will not
farther describe。 But the symbol of this form may be seen in ancient
sculptures； and in paintings which survived beneath the lava； too foul to be
spoken of。。。 as a horrible and unspeakable shape； neither man nor beast；
was changed into human form； there came finally death。
〃I who saw all this； not without great horror and loathing of soul； here
write my name； declaring all that I have set on this paper to be true。
〃ROBERT MATHESON； Med。 Dr。〃
* * *
。。。Such； Raymond； is the story of what I know and what I have seen。
The burden of it was too heavy for me to bear alone； and yet I could tell it
to none but you。 Villiers； who was with me at the last； knows nothing of
that awful secret of the wood； of how what we both saw die； lay upon the
smooth； sweet turf amidst the summer flowers； half in sun and half in
shadow； and holding the girl Rachel's hand； called and summoned those
companions； and shaped in solid form； upon the earth we tread upon； the
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horror which we can but hint at； which we can only name under a figure。
I would not tell Villiers of this； nor of that resemblance； which struck me
as with a blow upon my heart； when I saw the portrait； which filled the
cup of terror at the end。 What this can mean I dare not guess。 I know
that what I saw perish was not Mary； and yet in the last agony Mary's eyes
looked into mine。 Whether there can be any one who can show the last
link in this chain of awful mystery； I do not know； but if there be any one
who can do this； you； Raymond； are the man。 And if you know the secret；
it rests with you to tell it or not； as you please。
I am writing this letter to you immediately on my getting back to town。
I have been in the country for the last few days； perhaps you may be able
to guess in which part。 While the horror and wonder of London was at
its heightfor 〃Mrs。 Beaumont；〃 as I have told you； was well known in
societyI wrote to my friend Dr。 Phillips； giving some brief outline； or
rather hint； of what happened； and asking him to tell me the name of the
village where the events he had related to me occurred。 He gave me the
name； as he said with the less hesitation； because Rachel's father and
mother were dead； and the rest of the family had gone to a relative in the
State of Washington six months before。 The parents； he said； had
undoubtedly died of grief and horror caused by the terrible death of their
daughter； and by what had gone before that death。 On the evening of the
day which I received Phillips'letter I was at Caermaen； and standing
beneath the mouldering Roman walls； white with the winters of seventeen
hundred years； I looked over the meadow where once had stood the older
temple of the 〃God of the Deeps；〃 and saw a house gleaming in the
sunlight。 It was the house where Helen had lived。 I stayed at Caermaen
for several days。 The people of
