stories by modern american authors-第24部分

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The　Gold…Bug





What　ho！　what　ho！　this　fellow　is　dancing　mad！

He　hath　been　bitten　by　the　Tarantula。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　All　in　the　Wrong。





Many　years　ago；　I　contracted　an　intimacy　with　a　Mr。　William

Legrand。　　He　was　of　an　ancient　Huguenot　family；　and　had　once　been

wealthy：　but　a　series　of　misfortunes　had　reduced　him　to　want。　　To

avoid　the　mortification　consequent　upon　his　disasters；　he　left　New

Orleans；　the　city　of　his　forefathers；　and　took　up　his　residence　at

Sullivan's　Island；　near　Charleston；　South　Carolina。



This　island　is　a　very　singular　one。　　It　consists　of　little　else

than　the　sea　sand；　and　is　about　three　miles　long。　　Its　breadth　at

no　point　exceeds　a　quarter　of　a　mile。　　It　is　separated　from　the

mainland　by　a　scarcely　perceptible　creek；　oozing　its　way　through　a

wilderness　of　reeds　and　slime；　a　favorite　resort　of　the　marsh　hen。

The　vegetation；　as　might　be　supposed；　is　scant；　or　at　least

dwarfish。　　No　trees　of　any　magnitude　are　to　be　seen。　　Near　the

western　extremity；　where　Fort　Moultrie　stands；　and　where　are　some

miserable　frame　buildings；　tenanted；　during　summer；　by　the

fugitives　from　Charleston　dust　and　fever；　may　be　found；　indeed；　the

bristly　palmetto；　but　the　whole　island；　with　the　exception　of　this

western　point；　and　a　line　of　hard；　white　beach　on　the　seacoast；　is

covered　with　a　dense　undergrowth　of　the　sweet　myrtle　so　much　prized

by　the　horticulturists　of　England。　　The　shrub　here　often　attains

the　height　of　fifteen　or　twenty　feet；　and　forms　an　almost

impenetrable　coppice；　burdening　the　air　with　its　fragrance。



In　the　inmost　recesses　of　this　coppice；　not　far　from　the　eastern　or

more　remote　end　of　the　island；　Legrand　had　built　himself　a　small

hut；　which　he　occupied　when　I　first；　by　mere　accident；　made　his

acquaintance。　　This　soon　ripened　into　friendshipfor　there　was

much　in　the　recluse　to　excite　interest　and　esteem。　　I　found　him

well　educated；　with　unusual　powers　of　mind；　but　infected　with

misanthropy；　and　subject　to　perverse　moods　of　alternate　enthusiasm

and　melancholy。　　He　had　with　him　many　books；　but　rarely　employed

them。　　His　chief　amusements　were　gunning　and　fishing；　or　sauntering

along　the　beach　and　through　the　myrtles；　in　quest　of　shells　or

entomological　specimenshis　collection　of　the　latter　might　have

been　envied　by　a　Swammerdamm。　　In　these　excursions　he　was　usually

accompanied　by　an　old　negro；　called　Jupiter；　who　had　been

manumitted　before　the　reverses　of　the　family；　but　who　could　be

induced；　neither　by　threats　nor　by　promises；　to　abandon　what　he

considered　his　right　of　attendance　upon　the　footsteps　of　his　young

〃Massa　Will。〃　　It　is　not　improbable　that　the　relatives　of　Legrand；

conceiving　him　to　be　somewhat　unsettled　in　intellect；　had　contrived

to　instill　this　obstinacy　into　Jupiter；　with　a　view　to　the

supervision　and　guardianship　of　the　wanderer。



The　winters　in　the　latitude　of　Sullivan's　Island　are　seldom　very

severe；　and　in　the　fall　of　the　year　it　is　a　rare　event　indeed　when

a　fire　is　considered　necessary。　　About　the　middle　of　October；　18；

there　occurred；　however；　a　day　of　remarkable　chilliness。　　Just

before　sunset　I　scrambled　my　way　through　the　evergreens　to　the　hut

of　my　friend；　whom　I　had　not　visited　for　several　weeksmy

residence　being；　at　that　time；　in　Charleston；　a　distance　of　nine

miles　from　the　island；　while　the　facilities　of　passage　and

repassage　were　very　far　behind　those　of　the　present　day。　　Upon

reaching　the　hut　I　rapped；　as　was　my　custom；　and　getting　no　reply；

sought　for　the　key　where　I　knew　it　was　secreted；　unlocked　the　door；

and　went　in。　　A　fine　fire　was　blazing　upon　the　hearth。　　It　was　a

novelty；　and　by　no　means　an　ungrateful　one。　　I　threw　off　an

overcoat；　took　an　armchair　by　the　crackling　logs；　and　awaited

patiently　the　arrival　of　my　hosts。



Soon　after　dark　they　arrived；　and　gave　me　a　most　cordial　welcome。

Jupiter；　grinning　from　ear　to　ear；　bustled　about　to　prepare　some

marsh　hens　for　supper。　　Legrand　was　in　one　of　his　fitshow　else

shall　I　term　them？of　enthusiasm。　　He　had　found　an　unknown

bivalve；　forming　a　new　genus；　and；　more　than　this；　he　had　hunted

down　and　secured；　with　Jupiter's　assistance；　a　scarabaeus　which　he

believed　to　be　totally　new；　but　in　respect　to　which　he　wished　to

have　my　opinion　on　the　morrow。



〃And　why　not　to…night？〃　I　asked；　rubbing　my　hands　over　the　blaze；

and　wishing　the　whole　tribe　of　scarabaei　at　the　devil。



〃Ah；　if　I　had　only　known　you　were　here！〃　said　Legrand；　〃but　it's　so

long　since　I　saw　you；　and　how　could　I　foresee　that　you　would　pay　me

a　visit　this　very　night　of　all　others？　　As　I　was　coming　home　I　met

Lieutenant　G；　from　the　fort；　and；　very　foolishly；　I　lent　him

the　bug；　so　it　will　be　impossible　for　you　to　see　it　until　the

morning。　　Stay　here　to…night；　and　I　will　send　Jup　down　for　it　at

sunrise。　　It　is　the　loveliest　thing　in　creation！〃



〃What？sunrise？〃



〃Nonsense！　no！the　bug。　　It　is　of　a　brilliant　gold　colorabout

the　size　of　a　large　hickory　nutwith　two　jet　black　spots　near　one

extremity　of　the　back；　and　another；　somewhat　longer；　at　the　other。

The　antennae　are〃



〃Dey　ain't　NO　tin　in　him；　Massa　Will；　I　keep　a　tellin'　on　you；〃

here　interrupted　Jupiter；　〃de　bug　is　a　goole…bug；　solid；　ebery　bit

of　him；　inside　and　all；　sep　him　wingneber　feel　half　so　hebby　a

bug　in　my　life。〃



〃Well；　suppose　it　is；　Jup；〃　replied　Legrand；　somewhat　more

earnestly；　it　seemed　to　me；　than　the　case　demanded；　〃is　that　any

reason　for　your　letting　the　birds　burn？　　The　color〃here　he　turned

to　me〃is　really　almost　enough　to　warrant　Jupiter's　idea。　　You

never　saw　a　more　brilliant　metallic　luster　than　the　scales　emit

but　of　this　you　cannot　judge　till　to…morrow。　　In　the　meantime　I　can

give　you　some　idea　of　the　shape。〃　　Saying　this；　he　seated　himself

at　a　small　table；　on　which　were　a　pen　and　ink；　but　no　paper。　　He

looked　for　some　in　a　drawer；　but　found　none。



〃Never　mind；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃this　will　answer；〃　and　he　drew

from　his　waistcoat　pocket　a　scrap　of　what　I　took　to　be　very　dirty

foolscap；　and　made　upon　it　a　rough　drawing　with　the　pen。　　While　he

did　this；　I　retained　my　seat　by　the　fire；　for　I　was　still　chilly。

When　the　design　was　complete；　he　handed　it　to　me　without　rising。

As　I　received　it；　a　loud　growl　was　heard；　succeeded　by　a　scratching

at　the　door。　　Jupiter　opened　it；　and　a　large　Newfoundland；

belonging　to　Legrand；　rushed　in；　leaped　upon　my　shoulders；　and

loaded　me　with　caresses；　for　I　had　shown　him　much　attention　during

previous　visits。　　When　his　gambols　were　over；　I　looked　at　the

paper；　and；　to　speak　the　truth；　found　myself　not　a　little　puzzled

at　what　my　friend　had　depicted。



〃Well！〃　I　said；　after　contemplating　it　for　some　minutes；　〃this　IS　a

strange　scarabaeus；　I　must　confess；　new　to　me；　never　saw　anything

like　it　beforeunless　it　was　a　skull；　or　a　death's　head；　which　it

more　nearly　resembles　than　anything　else　that　has　come　under　MY

observation。〃



〃A　death's　head！〃　echoed　Legrand。　　〃Ohyeswell；　it　has　something

of　that　appearance　upon　paper；　no　doubt。　　The　two　upper　black　spots

look　like　eyes；　eh？　and　the　longer　one　at　the　bottom　like　a　mouth

and　then　the　shape　of　the　whole　is　oval。〃



〃Perhaps　so；〃　said　I；　〃but；　Legrand；　I　fear　you　are　no　artist。　　I

must　wait　until　I　see　the　beetle　itself；　if　I　am　to　form　any　idea

of　its　personal　appearance。〃



〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　said　he；　a　little　nettled；　〃I　draw　tolerably

SHOULD　do　it　at　leasthave　had　good　masters；　and　flatter　myself

that　I　am　not　quite　a　blockhead。〃



〃But；　my　dear　fellow；　you　are　joking　then；〃　said　I；　〃this　is　a　very

passable　SKULLindeed；　I　may　say　that　it　is　a　very　EXCELLENT

skull；　according　to　the　vulgar　notions　about　such　specimens　of

physiologyand　your　scarabaeus　must　be　the　queerest　scarabaeus　in

the　world　if　it　resembles　it。　　Why；　we　may　get　up　a　very　thrilling

bit　of　superstition　upon　this　hint。　　I　presume　you　will　call　the

bug　Scarabaeus　caput　hominis；　or　something　of　that　kindthere　are

many　similar　titles　in　the　Natural　Histories。　　But　where　are　the

antennae　you　spoke　of？〃



〃The　antennae！〃　said　Legrand；　who　seemed　to　be　getting

unaccountably　warm　upon　the　subject；　〃I　am　sure　you　must　see　the

antennae。　　I　made　them　as　distinct　as　they　are　in　the　original

insect；　and　I　presume　that　is　sufficient。〃



〃Well；　well；〃　I　said；　〃perhaps　you　havestill　I　don't　see　them；〃

and　I　handed　him　the　paper　without　additional　remark；　not　wishing

to　ruffle　his　temper；　but　I　was　much　surprised　at　the　turn　affairs

had　taken；　his　ill　humor　puzzled　meand；　as　for　the　drawing　of　the

beetle；　there　were　positively　NO　antennae　visible；　and　the　whole

DID　bear　a　very　close　resemblance　to　the　ordinary　cuts　of　a　death's

head。



He　received　the　paper　very　peevishly；　and　was　about　to　crumple　it；

apparently　to　throw　it　in　the　fire；　when　a　casual　glance　at　the

design　seemed　suddenly　to　rivet　his　attention。　　In　an　instant　his

face　grew　violently　redin　another　excessively　pale。　　For　some

minutes　he　continued　to　scrutinize　the　drawing　minutely　where　he

sat。　　At　length　he　arose；　took　a　candle　from　the　table；　and

proceeded　to　seat　himself　upon　a　sea　chest　in　the　farthest　corner

of　the　room。　　Here　again　he　made　an　anxious　examination　of　the

paper；　turning　it　in　all　directions。　　He　said　nothing；　however；　and

his　conduct　greatly　astonished　me；　yet　I　thought　it　prudent　not　to

exacerbate　the　growing　moodiness　of　his　temper　by　any　comment。

Presently　he　took　from　his　coat　pocket　a　wallet；　placed　the　paper

carefully　in　it；　and　deposited　both　in　a　writing　desk；　which　he

locked。　　He　now　grew　more　composed　in　his　demeanor；　but　his

original　air　of　enthusiasm　had　quite　disappeared。　　Yet　he　seemed

not　so　much　sulky　as　abstracted。　　As　the　evening　wore　away　he

became　more　and　more　absorbed　in　reverie；　from　which　no　sallies　of

mine　could　arouse　him。　　It　had　been　my　intention　to　pass　the　night

at　the　hut；　as　I　had　frequently　done　before；　but；