stories by modern american authors-第58部分

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inquietude　and　curiosity。



He　advanced　with　a　firm　step；　and　looking　as　in　search　of　some　one。

He　saw　me　and　stopped。　　He　bent　his　sight　on　the　floor；　and；

clenching　his　hands；　appeared　suddenly　absorbed　in　meditation。

Such　were　the　figure　and　deportment　of　Wieland！　　Such；　in　his

fallen　state；　were　the　aspect　and　guise　of　my　brother！



Carwin　did　not　fail　to　recognize　the　visitant。　　Care　for　his　own

safety　was　apparently　swallowed　up　in　the　amazement　which　this

spectacle　produced。　　His　station　was　conspicuous；　and　he　could　not

have　escaped　the　roving　glances　of　Wieland；　yet　the　latter　seemed

totally　unconscious　of　his　presence。



Grief　at　this　scene　of　ruin　and　blast　was　at　first　the　only

sentiment　of　which　I　was　conscious。　　A　fearful　stillness　ensued。

At　length　Wieland；　lifting　his　hands；　which　were　locked　in　each

other；　to　his　breast；　exclaimed；　〃Father！　I　thank　thee。　　This　is

thy　guidance。　　Hither　thou　hast　led　me；　that　I　might　perform　thy

will。　　Yet　let　me　not　err；　let　me　hear　again　thy　messenger！〃



He　stood　for　a　minute　as　if　listening；　but；　recovering　from　his

attitude；　he　continued；　〃It　is　not　needed。　　Dastardly　wretch！　thus

eternally　questioning　the　behests　of　thy　Maker！　weak　in　resolution；

wayward　in　faith！〃



He　advanced　to　me；　and；　after　another　pause；　resumed：〃Poor　girl！

a　dismal　fate　has　set　its　mark　upon　thee。　　Thy　life　is　demanded　as

a　sacrifice。　　Prepare　thee　to　die。　　Make　not　my　office　difficult　by

fruitless　opposition。　　Thy　prayers　might　subdue　stones；　but　none

but　he　who　enjoined　my　purpose　can　shake　it。〃



These　words　were　a　sufficient　explication　of　the　scene。　　The　nature

of　his　frenzy；　as　described　by　my　uncle；　was　remembered。　　I；　who

had　sought　death；　was　now　thrilled　with　horror　because　it　was　near。

Death　in　this　form；　death　from　the　hand　of　a　brother；　was　thought

upon　with　indescribable　repugnance。



In　a　state　thus　verging　upon　madness；　my　eye　glanced　upon　Carwin。

His　astonishment　appeared　to　have　struck　him　motionless　and　dumb。

My　life　was　in　danger；　and　my　brother's　hand　was　about　to　be

imbrued　in　my　blood。　　I　firmly　believed　that　Carwin's　was　the

instigation。　　I　could　rescue　myself　from　this　abhorred　fate；　I

could　dissipate　this　tremendous　illusion；　I　could　save　my　brother

from　the　perpetration　of　new　horrors；　by　pointing　out　the　devil　who

seduced　him。　　To　hesitate　a　moment　was　to　perish。　　These　thoughts

gave　strength　to　my　limbs　and　energy　to　my　accents；　I　started　on　my

feet：



〃Oh；　brother！　spare　me！　spare　thyself！　　There　is　thy　betrayer。　　He

counterfeited　the　voice　and　face　of　an　angel；　for　the　purpose　of

destroying　thee　and　me。　　He　has　this　moment　confessed　it。　　He　is

able　to　speak　where　he　is　not。　　He　is　leagued　with　hell；　but　will

not　avow　it；　yet　he　confesses　that　the　agency　was　his。〃



My　brother　turned　slowly　his　eyes；　and　fixed　them　upon　Carwin。

Every　joint　in　the　frame　of　the　latter　trembled。　　His　complexion

was　paler　than　a　ghost's。　　His　eye　dared　not　meet　that　of　Wieland；

but　wandered　with　an　air　of　distraction　from　one　space　to　another。



〃Man；〃　said　my　brother；　in　a　voice　totally　unlike　that　which　he　had

used　to　me；　〃what　art　thou？　　The　charge　has　been　made。　　Answer　it。

The　visagethe　voiceat　the　bottom　of　these　stairsat　the　hour

of　elevento　whom　did　they　belong？　　To　thee？〃



Twice　did　Carwin　attempt　to　speak；　but　his　words　died　away　upon　his

lips。　　My　brother　resumed；　in　a　tone　of　greater　vehemence：



〃Thou　falterest。　　Faltering　is　ominous。　　Say　yes　or　no；　one　word

will　suffice；　but　beware　of　falsehood。　　Was　it　a　stratagem　of　hell

to　overthrow　my　family？　　Wast　thou　the　agent？〃



I　now　saw　that　the　wrath　which　had　been　prepared　for　me　was　to　be

heaped　upon　another。　　The　tale　that　I　heard　from　him；　and　his

present　trepidations；　were　abundant　testimonies　of　his　guilt。　　But

what　if　Wieland　should　be　undeceived！　　What　if　he　shall　find　his

act　to　have　proceeded　not　from　a　heavenly　prompter；　but　from　human

treachery！　　Will　not　his　rage　mount　into　whirlwind？　　Will　not　he

tear　limb　from　limb　this　devoted　wretch？



Instinctively　I　recoiled　from　this　image；　but　it　gave　place　to

another。　　Carwin　may　be　innocent；　but　the　impetuosity　of　his　judge

may　misconstrue　his　answers　into　a　confession　of　guilt。　　Wieland

knows　not　that　mysterious　voices　and　appearances　were　likewise

witnessed　by　me。　　Carwin　may　be　ignorant　of　those　which　misled　my

brother。　　Thus　may　his　answers　unwarily　betray　himself　to　ruin。



Such　might　be　the　consequences　of　my　frantic　precipitation；　and

these　it　was　necessary；　if　possible；　to　prevent。　　I　attempted　to

speak；　but　Wieland；　turning　suddenly　upon　me；　commanded　silence；　in

a　tone　furious　and　terrible。　　My　lips　closed；　and　my　tongue　refused

its　office。



〃What　art　thou？〃　he　resumed；　addressing　himself　to　Carwin。　　〃Answer

me：　whose　formwhose　voice；was　it　thy　contrivance？　　Answer　me。〃



The　answer　was　now　given；　but　confusedly　and　scarcely　articulated。

〃I　meant　nothingI　intended　no　illif　I　understandif　I　do　not

mistake　youit　is　too　trueI　did　appearin　the　entrydid　speak。

The　contrivance　was　mine；　but〃



These　words　were　no　sooner　uttered；　than　my　brother　ceased　to　wear

the　same　aspect。　　His　eyes　were　downcast；　he　was　motionless；　his

respiration　became　hoarse；　like　that　of　a　man　in　the　agonies　of

death。　　Carwin　seemed　unable　to　say　more。　　He　might　have　easily

escaped；　but　the　thought　which　occupied　him　related　to　what　was

horrid　and　unintelligible　in　this　scene；　and　not　to　his　own　danger。



Presently　the　faculties　of　Wieland；　which；　for　a　time；　were　chained

up；　were　seized　with　restlessness　and　trembling。　　He　broke　silence。

The　stoutest　heart　would　have　been　appalled　by　the　tone　in　which　he

spoke。　　He　addressed　himself　to　Carwin：



〃Why　art　thou　here？　　Who　detains　thee？　　Go　and　learn　better。　　I

will　meet　thee；　but　it　must　be　at　the　bar　of　thy　Maker。　　There

shall　I　bear　witness　against　thee。〃



Perceiving　that　Carwin　did　not　obey；　he　continued；　〃Dost　thou　wish

me　to　complete　the　catalogue　by　thy　death？　　Thy　life　is　a　worthless

thing。　　Tempt　me　no　more。　　I　am　but　a　man；　and　thy　presence　may

awaken　a　fury　which　may　spurn　my　control。　　Begone！〃



Carwin；　irresolute；　striving　in　vain　for　utterance；　his　complexion

pallid　as　death；　his　knees　beating　one　against　another；　slowly

obeyed　the　mandate　and　withdrew。





II





A　few　words　more　and　I　lay　aside　the　pen　forever。　　Yet　why　should　I

not　relinquish　it　now？　　All　that　I　have　said　is　preparatory　to　this

scene；　and　my　fingers；　tremulous　and　cold　as　my　heart；　refuse　any

further　exertion。　　This　must　not　be。　　Let　my　last　energies　support

me　in　the　finishing　of　this　task。　　Then　will　I　lay　down　my　head　in

the　lap　of　death。　　Hushed　will　be　all　my　murmurs　in　the　sleep　of

the　grave。



Every　sentiment　has　perished　in　my　bosom。　　Even　friendship　is

extinct。　　Your　love　for　me　has　prompted　me　to　this　task；　but　I

would　not　have　complied　if　it　had　not　been　a　luxury　thus　to　feast

upon　my　woes。　　I　have　justly　calculated　upon　my　remnant　of

strength。　　When　I　lay　down　the　pen　the　taper　of　life　will　expire；

my　existence　will　terminate　with　my　tale。



Now　that　I　was　left　alone　with　Wieland；　the　perils　of　my　situation

presented　themselves　to　my　mind。　　That　this　paroxysm　should

terminate　in　havoc　and　rage　it　was　reasonable　to　predict。　　The

first　suggestion　of　my　fears　had　been　disproved　by　my　experience。

Carwin　had　acknowledged　his　offenses；　and　yet　had　escaped。　　The

vengeance　which　I　had　harbored　had　not　been　admitted　by　Wieland；

and　yet　the　evils　which　I　had　endured；　compared　with　those

inflicted　on　my　brother；　were　as　nothing。　　I　thirsted　for　his

blood；　and　was　tormented　with　an　insatiable　appetite　for　his

destruction；　but　my　brother　was　unmoved；　and　had　dismissed　him　in

safety。　　Surely　thou　wast　more　than　man；　while　I　am　sunk　below　the

beasts。



Did　I　place　a　right　construction　on　the　conduct　of　Wieland？　　Was

the　error　that　misled　him　so　easily　rectified？　　Were　views　so　vivid

and　faith　so　strenuous　thus　liable　to　fading　and　to　change？　　Was

there　not　reason　to　doubt　the　accuracy　of　my　perceptions？　　With

images　like　these　was　my　mind　thronged；　till　the　deportment　of　my

brother　called　away　my　attention。



I　saw　his　lips　move　and　his　eyes　cast　up　to　heaven。　　Then　would　he

listen　and　look　back；　as　if　in　expectation　of　some　one's

appearance。　　Thrice　he　repeated　these　gesticulations　and　this

inaudible　prayer。　　Each　time　the　mist　of　confusion　and　doubt　seemed

to　grow　darker　and　to　settle　on　his　understanding。　　I　guessed　at

the　meaning　of　these　tokens。　　The　words　of　Carwin　had　shaken　his

belief；　and　he　was　employed　in　summoning　the　messenger　who　had

formerly　communed　with　him；　to　attest　the　value　of　those　new

doubts。　　In　vain　the　summons　was　repeated；　for　his　eye　met　nothing

but　vacancy；　and　not　a　sound　saluted　his　ear。



He　walked　to　the　bed；　gazed　with　eagerness　at　the　pillow　which　had

sustained　the　head　of　the　breathless　Catharine；　and　then　returned

to　the　place　where　I　sat。　　I　had　no　power　to　lift　my　eyes　to　his

face：　I　was　dubious　of　his　purpose；　this　purpose　might　aim　at　my

life。



Alas！　nothing　but　subjection　to　danger　and　exposure　to　temptation

can　show　us　what　we　are。　　By　this　test　was　I　now　tried；　and　found

to　be　cowardly　and　rash。　　Men　can　deliberately　untie　the　thread　of

life；　and　of　this　I　had　deemed　myself　capable。　　It　was　now　that　I

stood　upon　the　brink　of　fate；　that　the　knife　of　the　sacrificer　was

aimed　at　my　heart；　I　shuddered；　and　betook　myself　to　any　means　of

escape；　however　monstrous。



Can　I　bear　to　thinkcan　I　endure　to　relate　the　outrage　which　my

heart　meditated？　　Where　were　my　means　of　safety？　　Resistance　was

vain。　　Not　even　the　energy　of　despair　could　set　me　on　a　level　with

that　strength　which　his　terrific　prompter　had　bestowed　upon

Wieland。　　Terror　enables　us　to　perform　incredible　feats；　but　terror

was　not　then　th