the great god pan(潘恩大帝)-第3部分
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suddenly her eyes opened。 Clarke quailed before them。 They shone
with an awful light； looking far away； and a great wonder fell upon her
face； and her hands stretched out as if to touch what was invisible； but in
an instant the wonder faded； and gave place to the most awful terror。 The
muscles of her face were hideously convulsed； she shook from head to
foot； the soul seemed struggling and shuddering within the house of flesh。
It was a horrible sight； and Clarke rushed forward； as she fell shrieking to
the floor。
Three days later Raymond took Clarke to Mary's bedside。 She was
lying wide…awake； rolling her head from side to side； and grinning
vacantly。
〃Yes；〃 said the doctor； still quite cool； 〃it is a great pity； she is a
hopeless idiot。 However； it could not be helped； and； after all； she has
seen the Great God Pan。〃
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THE GREAT GOD PAN
II
MR。 CLARKE'S MEMOIRS
Mr。 Clarke； the gentleman chosen by Dr。 Raymond to witness the
strange experiment of the god Pan； was a person in whose character
caution and curiosity were oddly mingled； in his sober moments he
thought of the unusual and eccentric with undisguised aversion； and yet；
deep in his heart； there was a wide…eyed inquisitiveness with respect to all
the more recondite and esoteric elements in the nature of men。 The latter
tendency had prevailed when he accepted Raymond's invitation； for
though his considered judgment had always repudiated the doctor's
theories as the wildest nonsense； yet he secretly hugged a belief in fantasy；
and would have rejoiced to see that belief confirmed。 The horrors that he
witnessed in the dreary laboratory were to a certain extent salutary； he was
conscious of being involved in an affair not altogether reputable； and for
many years afterwards he clung bravely to the commonplace； and rejected
all occasions of occult investigation。 Indeed； on some homeopathic
principle； he for some time attended the seances of distinguished mediums；
hoping that the clumsy tricks of these gentlemen would make him
altogether disgusted with mysticism of every kind； but the remedy； though
caustic； was not efficacious。 Clarke knew that he still pined for the unseen；
and little by little； the old passion began to reassert itself； as the face of
Mary； shuddering and convulsed with an unknown terror； faded slowly
from his memory。 Occupied all day in pursuits both serious and lucrative；
the temptation to relax in the evening was too great； especially in the
winter months； when the fire cast a warm glow over his snug bachelor
apartment； and a bottle of some choice claret stood ready by his elbow。
His dinner digested； he would make a brief pretence of reading the
evening paper； but the mere catalogue of news soon palled upon him； and
Clarke would find himself casting glances of warm desire in the direction
of an old Japanese bureau； which stood at a pleasant distance from the
hearth。 Like a boy before a jam…closet； for a few minutes he would hover
indecisive； but lust always prevailed； and Clarke ended by drawing up his
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THE GREAT GOD PAN
chair； lighting a candle； and sitting down before the bureau。 Its pigeon…
holes and drawers teemed with documents on the most morbid subjects；
and in the well reposed a large manuscript volume； in which he had
painfully entered he gems of his collection。 Clarke had a fine contempt
for published literature； the most ghostly story ceased to interest him if it
happened to be printed； his sole pleasure was in the reading； compiling；
and rearranging what he called his 〃Memoirs to prove the Existence of the
Devil；〃 and engaged in this pursuit the evening seemed to fly and the night
appeared too short。
On one particular evening； an ugly December night； black with fog；
and raw with frost； Clarke hurried over his dinner； and scarcely deigned to
observe his customary ritual of taking up the paper and laying it down
again。 He paced two or three times up and down the room； and opened
the bureau； stood still a moment； and sat down。 He leant back； absorbed
in one of those dreams to which he was subject； and at length drew out his
book； and opened it at the last entry。 There were three or four pages
densely covered with Clarke's round； set penmanship； and at the beginning
he had written in a somewhat larger hand：
Singular Narrative told me by my Friend； Dr。 Phillips。
He assures me that all the facts related therein are
strictly and wholly True； but refuses to give either the
Surnames of the Persons Concerned； or the Place
where these Extraordinary Events occurred。
Mr。 Clarke began to read over the account for the tenth time； glancing
now and then at the pencil notes he had made when it was told him by his
friend。 It was one of his humours to pride himself on a certain literary
ability； he thought well of his style； and took pains in arranging the
circumstances in dramatic order。 He read the following story：
The persons concerned in this statement are Helen V。； who； if she is
still alive； must now be a woman of twenty…three； Rachel M。； since
deceased； who was a year younger than the above； and Trevor W。； an
imbecile； aged eighteen。 These persons were at the period of the story
inhabitants of a village on the borders of Wales； a place of some
importance in the time of the Roman occupation； but now a scattered
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THE GREAT GOD PAN
hamlet； of not more than five hundred souls。 It is situated on rising
ground； about six miles from the sea； and is sheltered by a large and
picturesque forest。
Some eleven years ago； Helen V。 came to the village under rather
peculiar circumstances。 It is understood that she； being an orphan； was
adopted in her infancy by a distant relative； who brought her up in his own
house until she was twelve years old。 Thinking； however； that it would be
better for the child to have playmates of her own age； he advertised in
several local papers for a good home in a comfortable farmhouse for a girl
of twelve； and this advertisement was answered by Mr。 R。； a well…to…do
farmer in the above…mentioned village。 His references proving
satisfactory； the gentleman sent his adopted daughter to Mr。 R。； with a
letter； in which he stipulated that the girl should have a room to herself；
and stated that her guardians need be at no trouble in the matter of
education； as she was already sufficiently educated for the position in life
which she would occupy。 In fact； Mr。 R。 was given to understand that the
girl be allowed to find her own occupations and to spend her time almost
as she liked。 Mr。 R。 duly met her at the nearest station； a town seven
miles away from his house； and seems to have remarked nothing
extraordinary about the child except that she was reticent as to her former
life and her adopted father。 She was； however； of a very different type
from the inhabitants of the village； her skin was a pale； clear olive； and her
features were strongly marked； and of a somewhat foreign character。 She
appears to have settled down easily enough into farmhouse life； and
became a favourite with the children； who sometimes went with her on her
rambles in the forest； for this was her amusement。 Mr。 R。 states that he
has known her to go out by herself directly after their early breakfast； and
not return till after dusk； and that； feeling uneasy at a young girl being out
alone for so many hours； he communicated with her adopted father； who
replied in a brief note that Helen must do as she chose。 In the winter；
when the forest paths are impassable； she spent most of her time in her
bedroom； where she slept alone； according to the instructions of her
relative。 It was on one of these expeditions to the forest that the first of the
singular incidents with which this girl is connected occurred； the date
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being about a year after her arrival at the village
