stories by modern american authors-第25部分

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at　the　hut；　as　I　had　frequently　done　before；　but；　seeing　my　host　in

this　mood；　I　deemed　it　proper　to　take　leave。　　He　did　not　press　me

to　remain；　but；　as　I　departed；　he　shook　my　hand　with　even　more　than

his　usual　cordiality。



It　was　about　a　month　after　this　（and　during　the　interval　I　had　seen

nothing　of　Legrand）　when　I　received　a　visit；　at　Charleston；　from

his　man；　Jupiter。　　I　had　never　seen　the　good　old　negro　look　so

dispirited；　and　I　feared　that　some　serious　disaster　had　befallen　my

friend。



〃Well；　Jup；〃　said　I；　〃what　is　the　matter　now？how　is　your　master？〃



〃Why；　to　speak　the　troof；　massa；　him　not　so　berry　well　as　mought

be。〃



〃Not　well！　　I　am　truly　sorry　to　hear　it。　　What　does　he　complain


of？〃



〃Dar！　dot's　it！him　neber　'plain　of　notin'but　him　berry　sick　for

all　dat。〃



〃VERY　sick；　Jupiter！why　didn't　you　say　so　at　once？　　Is　he

confined　to　bed？〃



〃No；　dat　he　aint！he　aint　'fin'd　nowhardat's　just　whar　de　shoe

pinchmy　mind　is　got　to　be　berry　hebby　'bout　poor　Massa　Will。〃



〃Jupiter；　I　should　like　to　understand　what　it　is　you　are　talking

about。　　You　say　your　master　is　sick。　　Hasn't　he　told　you　what　ails

him？〃



〃Why；　massa；　'taint　worf　while　for　to　git　mad　about　de　matter

Massa　Will　say　noffin　at　all　aint　de　matter　wid　himbut　den　what

make　him　go　about　looking　dis　here　way；　wid　he　head　down　and　he

soldiers　up；　and　as　white　as　a　goose？　　And　den　he　keep　a　syphon　all

de　time〃



〃Keeps　a　what；　Jupiter？〃



〃Keeps　a　syphon　wid　de　figgurs　on　de　slatede　queerest　figgurs　I

ebber　did　see。　　Ise　gittin'　to　be　skeered；　I　tell　you。　　Hab　for　to

keep　mighty　tight　eye　'pon　him　'noovers。　　Todder　day　he　gib　me　slip

'fore　de　sun　up　and　was　gone　de　whole　ob　de　blessed　day。　　I　had　a

big　stick　ready　cut　for　to　gib　him　deuced　good　beating　when　he　did

comebut　Ise　sich　a　fool　dat　I　hadn't　de　heart　arter　allhe

looked　so　berry　poorly。〃



〃Eh？what？ah　yes！upon　the　whole　I　think　you　had　better　not　be

too　severe　with　the　poor　fellowdon't　flog　him；　Jupiterhe　can't

very　well　stand　itbut　can　you　form　no　idea　of　what　has　occasioned

this　illness；　or　rather　this　change　of　conduct？　　Has　anything

unpleasant　happened　since　I　saw　you？〃



〃No；　massa；　dey　aint　bin　noffin　onpleasant　SINCE　den'twas　'FORE

den　I'm　feared'twas　de　berry　day　you　was　dare。〃



〃How？　what　do　you　mean。〃



〃Why；　massa；　I　mean　de　bugdare　now。〃



〃The　what？〃



〃De　bugI'm　berry　sartin　dat　Massa　Will　bin　bit　somewhere　'bout　de

head　by　dat　goole…bug。〃



〃And　what　cause　have　you；　Jupiter；　for　such　a　supposition？〃



〃Claws　enuff；　massa；　and　mouff；　too。　　I　nebber　did　see　sich　a

deuced　bughe　kick　and　he　bite　eberyting　what　cum　near　him。　　Massa

Will　cotch　him　fuss；　but　had　for　to　let　him　go　'gin　mighty　quick；　I

tell　youden　was　de　time　he　must　ha'　got　de　bite。　　I　didn't　like

de　look　ob　de　bug　mouff；　myself；　nohow；　so　I　wouldn't　take　hold　oh

him　wid　my　finger；　but　I　cotch　him　wid　a　piece　oh　paper　dat　I

found。　　I　rap　him　up　in　de　paper　and　stuff　a　piece　of　it　in　he

mouffdat　was　de　way。〃



〃And　you　think；　then；　that　your　master　was　really　bitten　by　the

beetle；　and　that　the　bite　made　him　sick？〃



〃I　don't　think　noffin　about　itI　nose　it。　　What　make　him　dream

'bout　de　goole　so　much；　if　'taint　cause　he　bit　by　the　goole…bug？

Ise　heered　'bout　dem　goole…bugs　'fore　dis。〃



〃But　how　do　you　know　he　dreams　about　gold？〃



〃How　I　know？　　why；　'cause　he　talk　about　it　in　he　sleepdat's　how　I

nose。〃



〃Well；　Jup；　perhaps　you　are　right；　but　to　what　fortunate

circumstance　am　I　to　attribute　the　honor　of　a　visit　from　you　to…

day？〃



〃What　de　matter；　massa？〃



〃Did　you　bring　any　message　from　Mr。　Legrand？〃



〃No；　massa；　I　bring　dis　here　pissel；〃　and　here　Jupiter　handed　me　a

note　which　ran　thus：





〃MY　DEAR　



〃Why　have　I　not　seen　you　for　so　long　a　time？　　I　hope　you　have　not

been　so　foolish　as　to　take　offense　at　any　little　brusquerie　of

mine；　but　no；　that　is　improbable。



〃Since　I　saw　you　I　have　had　great　cause　for　anxiety。　　I　have

something　to　tell　you；　yet　scarcely　know　how　to　tell　it；　or　whether

I　should　tell　it　at　all。



〃I　have　not　been　quite　well　for　some　days　past；　and　poor　old　Jup

annoys　me；　almost　beyond　endurance；　by　his　well…meant　attentions。

Would　you　believe　it？he　had　prepared　a　huge　stick；　the　other　day；

with　which　to　chastise　me　for　giving　him　the　slip；　and　spending　the

day；　solus；　among　the　hills　on　the　mainland。　　I　verily　believe　that

my　ill　looks　alone　saved　me　a　flogging。



〃I　have　made　no　addition　to　my　cabinet　since　we　met。　　〃If　you　can；

in　any　way；　make　it　convenient；　come　over　with　Jupiter。　　DO　come。

I　wish　to　see　you　TO…NIGHT；　upon　business　of　importance。　　I　assure

you　that　it　is　of　the　HIGHEST　importance。



〃Ever　yours；



〃WILLIAM　LEGRAND。〃





There　was　something　in　the　tone　of　this　note　which　gave　me　great

uneasiness。　　Its　whole　style　differed　materially　from　that　of

Legrand。　　What　could　he　be　dreaming　of？　　What　new　crotchet

possessed　his　excitable　brain？　　What　〃business　of　the　highest

importance〃　could　HE　possibly　have　to　transact？　　Jupiter's　account

of　him　boded　no　good。　　I　dreaded　lest　the　continued　pressure　of

misfortune　had；　at　length；　fairly　unsettled　the　reason　of　my

friend。　　Without　a　moment's　hesitation；　therefore；　I　prepared　to

accompany　the　negro。



Upon　reaching　the　wharf；　I　noticed　a　scythe　and　three　spades；　all

apparently　new；　lying　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat　in　which　we　were　to

embark。



〃What　is　the　meaning　of　all　this；　Jup？〃　I　inquired。



〃Him　syfe；　massa；　and　spade。〃



〃Very　true；　but　what　are　they　doing　here？〃



〃Him　de　syfe　and　de　spade　what　Massa　Will　sis　'pon　my　buying　for

him　in　de　town；　and　de　debbil's　own　lot　of　money　I　had　to　gib　for

em。〃



〃But　what；　in　the　name　of　all　that　is　mysterious；　is　your　'Massa

Will'　going　to　do　with　scythes　and　spades？〃



〃Dat's　more　dan　I　know；　and　debbil　take　me　if　I　don't　b'lieve　'tis

more　dan　he　know　too。　　But　it's　all　cum　ob　de　bug。〃



Finding　that　no　satisfaction　was　to　be　obtained　of　Jupiter；　whose

whole　intellect　seemed　to　be　absorbed　by　〃de　bug；〃　I　now　stepped

into　the　boat；　and　made　sail。　　With　a　fair　and　strong　breeze　we

soon　ran　into　the　little　cove　to　the　northward　of　Fort　Moultrie；

and　a　walk　of　some　two　miles　brought　us　to　the　hut。　　It　was　about

three　in　the　afternoon　when　we　arrived。　　Legrand　had　been　awaiting

us　in　eager　expectation。　　He　grasped　my　hand　with　a　nervous

empressement　which　alarmed　me　and　strengthened　the　suspicions

already　entertained。　　His　countenance　was　pale　even　to　ghastliness；

and　his　deep…set　eyes　glared　with　unnatural　luster。　　After　some

inquiries　respecting　his　health；　I　asked　him；　not　knowing　what

better　to　say；　if　he　had　yet　obtained　the　scarabaeus　from

Lieutenant　G。



〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　replied；　coloring　violently；　〃I　got　it　from　him　the

next　morning。　　Nothing　should　tempt　me　to　part　with　that

scarabaeus。　　Do　you　know　that　Jupiter　is　quite　right　about　it？〃



〃In　what　way？〃　I　asked；　with　a　sad　foreboding　at　heart。



〃In　supposing　it　to　be　a　bug　of　REAL　GOLD。〃　　He　said　this　with　an

air　of　profound　seriousness；　and　I　felt　inexpressibly　shocked。



〃This　bug　is　to　make　my　fortune；〃　he　continued；　with　a　triumphant

smile；　〃to　reinstate　me　in　my　family　possessions。　　Is　it　any

wonder；　then；　that　I　prize　it？　　Since　Fortune　has　thought　fit　to

bestow　it　upon　me；　I　have　only　to　use　it　properly；　and　I　shall

arrive　at　the　gold　of　which　it　is　the　index。　　Jupiter；　bring　me

that　scarabaeus！〃



〃What！　de　bug；　massa？　　I'd　rudder　not　go　fer　trubble　dat　bug；　you

mus'　git　him　for　your　own　self。〃　　Hereupon　Legrand　arose；　with　a

grave　and　stately　air；　and　brought　me　the　beetle　from　a　glass　case

in　which　it　was　enclosed。　　It　was　a　beautiful　scarabaeus；　and；　at

that　time；　unknown　to　naturalistsof　course　a　great　prize　in　a

scientific　point　of　view。　　There　were　two　round　black　spots　near

one　extremity　of　the　back；　and　a　long　one　near　the　other。　　The

scales　were　exceedingly　hard　and　glossy；　with　all　the　appearance　of

burnished　gold。　　The　weight　of　the　insect　was　very　remarkable；　and；

taking　all　things　into　consideration；　I　could　hardly　blame　Jupiter

for　his　opinion　respecting　it；　but　what　to　make　of　Legrand's

concordance　with　that　opinion；　I　could　not；　for　the　life　of　me；

tell。



〃I　sent　for　you；〃　said　he；　in　a　grandiloquent　tone；　when　I　had

completed　my　examination　of　the　beetle；　〃I　sent　for　you　that　I

might　have　your　counsel　and　assistance　in　furthering　the　views　of

Fate　and　of　the　bug〃



〃My　dear　Legrand；〃　I　cried；　interrupting　him；　〃you　are　certainly

unwell；　and　had　better　use　some　little　precautions。　　You　shall　go

to　bed；　and　I　will　remain　with　you　a　few　days；　until　you　get　over

this。　　You　are　feverish　and〃



〃Feel　my　pulse；〃　said　he。



I　felt　it；　and；　to　say　the　truth；　found　not　the　slightest

indication　of　fever。



〃But　you　may　be　ill　and　yet　have　no　fever。　　Allow　me　this　once　to

prescribe　for　you。　　In　the　first　place　go　to　bed。　　In　the　next〃



〃You　are　mistaken；〃　he　interposed；　〃I　am　as　well　as　I　can　expect　to

be　under　the　excitement　which　I　suffer。　　If　you　really　wish　me

well；　you　will　relieve　this　excitement。〃



〃And　how　is　this　to　be　done？〃



〃Very　easily。　　Jupiter　and　myself　are　going　upon　an　expedition　into

the　hills；　upon　the　mainland；　and；　in　this　expedition；　we　shall

need　the　aid　of　some　person　in　whom　we　can　confide。　　You　are　the

only　one　we　can　trust。　　Whether　we　succeed　or　fail；　the　excitement

which　you　now　perceive　in　me　will　be　equally　allayed。〃



〃I　am　anxious　to　oblige　you　in　any　way；〃　I　replied；　〃but　do　you

mean　to　say　that　this　infernal　beetle　has　any　connection　with　your

expedition　into　the　hills？〃



〃It　has。〃



〃Then；　Legrand；　I　can　become　a　party　to　no　such　absurd　proceeding。〃



〃I　am　sorryvery　sorryfor　we　shall　have　to　try　it　by　ourselves。〃



〃Try　it　by　yourselves！　　The　man　is　surel