stories by modern american authors-第59部分

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

was　not　then　the　state　of　my　mind：　where　then　were　my　hopes　of

rescue？



Methinks　it　is　too　much。　　I　stand　aside；　as　it　were；　from　myself；　I

estimate　my　own　deservings；　a　hatred；　immortal　and　inexorable；　is

my　due。　　I　listen　to　my　own　pleas；　and　find　them　empty　and　false：

yes；　I　acknowledge　that　my　guilt　surpasses　that　of　mankind；　I

confess　that　the　curses　of　a　world　and　the　frowns　of　a　Deity　are

inadequate　to　my　demerits。　　Is　there　a　thing　in　the　world　worthy　of

infinite　abhorrence？　　It　is　I。



What　shall　I　say？　　I　was　menaced；　as　I　thought；　with　death；　and；　to

elude　this　evil；　my　hand　was　ready　to　inflict　death　upon　the

menacer。　　In　visiting　my　house；　I　had　made　provision　against　the

machinations　of　Carwin。　　In　a　fold　of　my　dress　an　open　penknife　was

concealed。　　This　I　now　seized　and　drew　forth。　　It　lurked　out　of

view；　but　I　now　see　that　my　state　of　mind　would　have　rendered　the

deed　inevitable　if　my　brother　had　lifted　his　hand。　　This　instrument

of　my　preservation　would　have　been　plunged　into　his　heart。



O　insupportable　remembrance！　hide　thee　from　my　view　for　a　time；

hide　it　from　me　that　my　heart　was　black　enough　to　meditate　the

stabbing　of　a　brother！　a　brother　thus　supreme　in　misery；　thus

towering　in　virtue！



He　was　probably　unconscious　of　my　design；　but　presently　drew　back。

This　interval　was　sufficient　to　restore　me　to　myself。　　The　madness；

the　iniquity；　of　that　act　which　I　had　purposed　rushed　upon　my

apprehension。　　For　a　moment　I　was　breathless　with　agony。　　At　the

next　moment　I　recovered　my　strength；　and　threw　the　knife　with

violence　on　the　floor。



The　sound　awoke　my　brother　from　his　reverie。　　He　gazed　alternately

at　me　and　at　the　weapon。　　With　a　movement　equally　solemn　he　stooped

and　took　it　up。　　He　placed　the　blade　in　different　positions；

scrutinizing　it　accurately；　and　maintaining；　at　the　same　time；　a

profound　silence。



Again　he　looked　at　me；　but　all　that　vehemence　and　loftiness　of

spirit　which　had　so　lately　characterized　his　features　were　flown。

Fallen　muscles；　a　forehead　contracted　into　folds；　eyes　dim　with

unbidden　drops；　and　a　ruefulness　of　aspect　which　no　words　can

describe；　were　now　visible。



His　looks　touched　into　energy　the　same　sympathies　in　me；　and　I

poured　forth　a　flood　of　tears。　　This　passion　was　quickly　checked　by

fear；　which　had　now　no　longer　my　own　but　his　safety　for　their

object。　　I　watched　his　deportment　in　silence。　　At　length　he　spoke：



〃Sister；〃　said　he；　in　an　accent　mournful　and　mild；　〃I　have　acted

poorly　my　part　in　this　world。　　What　thinkest　thou？　　Shall　I　not　do

better　in　the　next？〃



I　could　make　no　answer。　　The　mildness　of　his　tone　astonished　and

encouraged　me。　　I　continued　to　regard　him　with　wistful　and　anxious

looks。



〃I　think；〃　resumed　he；　〃I　will　try。　　My　wife　and　my　babes　have　gone

before。　　Happy　wretches！　　I　have　sent　you　to　repose；　and　ought　not

to　linger　behind。〃



These　words　had　a　meaning　sufficiently　intelligible。　　I　looked　at

the　open　knife　in　his　hand　and　shuddered；　but　knew　not　how　to

prevent　the　deed　which　I　dreaded。　　He　quickly　noticed　my　fears；　and

comprehended　them。　　Stretching　toward　me　his　hand；　with　an　air　of

increasing　mildness；　〃Take　it；〃　said　he；　〃fear　not　for　thy　own

sake；　nor　for　mine。　　The　cup　is　gone　by；　and　its　transient

inebriation　is　succeeded　by　the　soberness　of　truth。



〃Thou　angel　whom　I　was　wont　to　worship！　fearest　thou；　my　sister；

for　thy　life？　　Once　it　was　the　scope　of　my　labors　to　destroy　thee；

but　I　was　prompted　to　the　deed　by　heaven；　such；　at　least；　was　my

belief。　　Thinkest　thou　that　thy　death　was　sought　to　gratify

malevolence？　　No。　　I　am　pure　from　all　stain。　　I　believed　that　my

God　was　my　mover！



〃Neither　thee　nor　myself　have　I　cause　to　injure。　　I　have　done　my

duty；　and　surely　there　is　merit　in　having　sacrificed　to　that　all

that　is　dear　to　the　heart　of　man。　　If　a　devil　has　deceived　me；　he

came　in　the　habit　of　an　angel。　　If　I　erred；　it　was　not　my　judgment

that　deceived　me；　but　my　senses。　　In　thy　sight；　Being　of　beings！　I

am　still　pure。　　Still　will　I　look　for　my　reward　in　thy　justice！〃



Did　my　ears　truly　report　these　sounds？　　If　I　did　not　err；　my

brother　was　restored　to　just　perceptions。　　He　knew　himself　to　have

been　betrayed　to　the　murder　of　his　wife　and　children；　to　have　been

the　victim　of　infernal　artifice；　yet　he　found　consolation　in　the

rectitude　of　his　motives。　　He　was　not　devoid　of　sorrow；　for　this

was　written　on　his　countenance；　but　his　soul　was　tranquil　and

sublime。



Perhaps　this　was　merely　a　transition　of　his　former　madness　into　a

new　shape。　　Perhaps　he　had　not　yet　awakened　to　the　memory　of　the

horrors　which　he　had　perpetrated。　　Infatuated　wretch　that　I　was！

To　set　myself　up　as　a　model　by　which　to　judge　of　my　heroic　brother！

My　reason　taught　me　that　his　conclusions　were　right；　but；　conscious

of　the　impotence　of　reason　over　my　own　conduct；　conscious　of　my

cowardly　rashness　and　my　criminal　despair；　I　doubted　whether　anyone

could　be　steadfast　and　wise。



Such　was　my　weakness；　that　even　in　the　midst　of　these　thoughts　my

mind　glided　into　abhorrence　of　Carwin；　and　I　uttered；　in　a　low

voice；　〃O　Carwin！　Carwin！　what　hast　thou　to　answer　for？〃



My　brother　immediately　noticed　the　involuntary　exclamation。

〃Clara！〃　said　he；　〃be　thyself。　　Equity　used　to　be　a　theme　for　thy

eloquence。　　Reduce　its　lessons　to　practice；　and　be　just　to　that

unfortunate　man。　　The　instrument　has　done　its　work；　and　I　am

satisfied。



〃I　thank　thee；　my　God；　for　this　last　illumination！　　My　enemy　is

thine　also。　　I　deemed　him　to　be　a　man；the　man　with　whom　I　have

often　communed；　but　now　thy　goodness　has　unveiled　to　me　his　true

nature。　　As　the　performer　of　thy　behests；　he　is　my　friend。〃



My　heart　began　now　to　misgive　me。　　His　mournful　aspect　had

gradually　yielded　place　to　a　serene　brow。　　A　new　soul　appeared　to

actuate　his　frame；　and　his　eyes　to　beam　with　preternatural　luster。

These　symptoms　did　not　abate；　and　he　continued：



〃Clara；　I　must　not　leave　thee　in　doubt。　　I　know　not　what　brought

about　thy　interview　with　the　being　whom　thou　callest　Carwin。　　For　a

time　I　was　guilty　of　thy　error；　and　deduced　from　his　incoherent

confessions　that　I　had　been　made　the　victim　of　human　malice。　　He

left　us　at　my　bidding；　and　I　put　up　a　prayer　that　my　doubts　should

be　removed。　　Thy　eyes　were　shut　and　thy　ears　sealed　to　the　vision

that　answered　my　prayer。



〃I　was　indeed　deceived。　　The　form　thou　hast　seen　was　the

incarnation　of　a　demon。　　The　visage　and　voice　which　urged　me　to　the

sacrifice　of　my　family　were　his。　　Now　he　personates　a　human　form；

then　he　was　environed　with　the　luster　of　heaven。



〃Clara；〃　he　continued；　advancing　closer　to　me；　〃thy　death　must

come。　　This　minister　is　evil；　but　he　from　whom　his　commission　was

received　is　God。　　Submit　then　with　all　thy　wonted　resignation　to　a

decree　that　cannot　be　reversed　or　resisted。　　Mark　the　clock。　　Three

minutes　are　allowed　to　thee；　in　which　to　call　up　thy　fortitude　and

prepare　thee　for　thy　doom。〃　　There　he　stopped。



Even　now；　when　this　scene　exists　only　in　memory；　when　life　and　all

its　functions　have　sunk　into　torpor；　my　pulse　throbs；　and　my　hairs

uprise；　my　brows　are　knit；　as　then；　and　I　gaze　around　me　in

distraction。　　I　was　unconquerably　averse　to　death；　but　death；

imminent　and　full　of　agony　as　that　which　was　threatened；　was

nothing。　　This　was　not　the　only　or　chief　inspirer　of　my　fears。



For　him；　not　for　myself；　was　my　soul　tormented。　　I　might　die；　and

no　crime；　surpassing　the　reach　of　mercy；　would　pursue　me　to　the

presence　of　my　Judge；　but　my　assassin　would　survive　to　contemplate

his　deed；　and　that　assassin　was　Wieland！



Wings　to　bear　me　beyond　his　reach　I　had　not。　　I　could　not　vanish

with　a　thought。　　The　door　was　open；　but　my　murderer　was　interposed

between　that　and　me。　　Of　self…defense　I　was　incapable。　　The　frenzy

that　lately　prompted　me　to　blood　was　gone：　my　state　was　desperate；

my　rescue　was　impossible。



The　weight　of　these　accumulated　thoughts　could　not　be　borne。　　My

sight　became　confused；　my　limbs　were　seized　with　convulsion；　I

spoke；　but　my　words　were　half　formed：



〃Spare　me；　my　brother！　　Look　down；　righteous　Judge！　snatch　me　from

this　fate！　take　away　this　fury　from　him；　or　turn　it　elsewhere！　〃



Such　was　the　agony　of　my　thoughts　that　I　noticed　not　steps　entering

my　apartment。　　Supplicating　eyes　were　cast　upward；　but　when　my

prayer　was　breathed　I　once　more　wildly　gazed　at　the　door。　　A　form

met　my　sight；　I　shuddered　as　if　the　God　whom　I　invoked　were

present。　　It　was　Carwin　that　again　intruded；　and　who　stood　before

me；　erect　in　attitude　and　steadfast　in　look！



The　sight　of　him　awakened　new　and　rapid　thoughts。　　His　recent　tale

was　remembered；　his　magical　transitions　and　mysterious　energy　of

voice。　　Whether　he　were　infernal　or　miraculous　or　human；　there　was

no　power　and　no　need　to　decide。　　Whether　the　contriver　or　not　of

this　spell；　he　was　able　to　unbind　it；　and　to　check　the　fury　of　my

brother。　　He　had　ascribed　to　himself　intentions　not　malignant。

Here　now　was　afforded　a　test　of　his　truth。　　Let　him　interpose；　as

from　above；　revoke　the　savage　decree　which　the　madness　of　Wieland

has　assigned　to　heaven；　and　extinguish　forever　this　passion　for

blood！



My　mind　detected　at　a　glance　this　avenue　to　safety。　　The

recommendations　it　possessed　thronged　as　it　were　together；　and　made

but　one　impression　on　my　intellect。　　Remoter　effects　and　collateral

dangers　I　saw　not。　　Perhaps　the　pause　of　an　instant　had　sufficed　to

call　them　up。　　The　improbability　that　the　influence　which　governed

Wieland　was　external　or　human；　the　tendency　of　this　stratagem　to

sanction　so　fatal　an　error　or　substitute　a　more　destructive　rage　in

place　of　this；　the　insufficiency　of　Carwin's　mere　muscular　forces

to　counteract　the　efforts　and　restrain　the　fury　of　Wieland；　might；

at　a　second　glanc