stories by modern american authors-第60部分

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

at　a　second　glance；　have　been　discovered；　but　no　second　glance　was

allowed。　　My　first　thought　hurried　me　to　action；　and；　fixing　my

eyes　upon　Carwin；　I　exclaimed；



〃O　wretch！　once　more　hast　thou　come？　　Let　it　be　to　abjure　thy

malice；　to　counterwork　this　hellish　stratagem；　to　turn　from　me　and

from　my　brother　this　desolating　rage！



〃Testify　thy　innocence　or　thy　remorse；　exert　the　powers　which

pertain　to　thee；　whatever　they　be；　to　turn　aside　this　ruin。　　Thou

art　the　author　of　these　horrors！　　What　have　I　done　to　deserve　thus

to　die？　　How　have　I　merited　this　unrelenting　persecution？　　I　adjure

thee；　by　that　God　whose　voice　thou　hast　dared　to　counterfeit；　to

save　my　life！



〃Wilt　thou　then　go？leave　me！　　Succorless！〃



Carwin　listened　to　my　entreaties　unmoved；　and　turned　from　me。　　He

seemed　to　hesitate　a　moment；then　glided　through　the　door。　　Rage

and　despair　stifled　my　utterance。　　The　interval　of　respite　was

past；　the　pangs　reserved　for　me　by　Wieland　were　not　to　be　endured；

my　thoughts　rushed　again　into　anarchy。　　Having　received　the　knife

from　his　hand；　I　held　it　loosely　and　without　regard；　but　now　it

seized　again　my　attention；　and　I　grasped　it　with　force。



He　seemed　to　notice　not　the　entrance　or　exit　of　Carwin。　　My　gesture

and　the　murderous　weapon　appeared　to　have　escaped　his　notice。　　His

silence　was　unbroken；　his　eye；　fixed　upon　the　clock　for　a　time；　was

now　withdrawn；　fury　kindled　in　every　feature；　all　that　was　human　in

his　face　gave　way　to　an　expression　supernatural　and　tremendous。　　I

felt　my　left　arm　within　his　grasp。



Even　now　I　hesitated　to　strike。　　I　shrunk　from　his　assault；　but　in

vain。



Here　let　me　desist。　　Why　should　I　rescue　this　event　from　oblivion？

Why　should　I　paint　this　detestable　conflict？　　Why　not　terminate　at

once　this　series　of　horrors？Hurry　to　the　verge　of　the　precipice；

and　cast　myself　forever　beyond　remembrance　and　beyond　hope？



Still　I　live；　with　this　load　upon　my　breast；　with　this　phantom　to

pursue　my　steps；　with　adders　lodged　in　my　bosom；　and　stinging　me　to

madness；　still　I　consent　to　live！



Yes！　　I　will　rise　above　the　sphere　of　mortal　passions；　I　will　spurn

at　the　cowardly　remorse　that　bids　me　seek　impunity　in　silence；　or

comfort　in　forgetfulness。　　My　nerves　shall　be　new…strung　to　the

task。　　Have　I　not　resolved？　　I　will　die。　　The　gulf　before　me　is

inevitable　and　near。　　I　will　die；　but　then　only　when　my　tale　is　at

an　end。





III





My　right　hand；　grasping　the　unseen　knife；　was　still　disengaged。　　It

was　lifted　to　strike。　　All　my　strength　was　exhausted　but　what　was

sufficient　to　the　performance　of　this　deed。　　Already　was　the　energy

awakened　and　the　impulse　given　that　should　bear　the　fatal　steel　to

his　heart；　whenWieland　shrunk　back；　his　hand　was　withdrawn。

Breathless　with　affright　and　desperation；　I　stood；　freed　from　his

grasp；　unassailed；　untouched。



Thus　long　had　the　power　which　controlled　the　scene　forborne　to

interfere：　but　now　his　might　was　irresistible；　and　Wieland　in　a

moment　was　disarmed　of　all　his　purposes。　　A　voice；　louder　than

human　organs　could　produce；　shriller　than　language　can　depict；

burst　from　the　ceiling　and　commanded　himTO　HOLD！



Trouble　and　dismay　succeeded　to　the　steadfastness　that　had　lately

been　displayed　in　the　looks　of　Wieland。　　His　eyes　roved　from　one

quarter　to　another；　with　an　expression　of　doubt。　　He　seemed　to　wait

for　a　further　intimation。



Carwin's　agency　was　here　easily　recognized。　　I　had　besought　him　to

interpose　in　my　defense。　　He　had　flown。　　I　had　imagined　him　deaf　to

my　prayer；　and　resolute　to　see　me　perish；　yet　he　disappeared　merely

to　devise　and　execute　the　means　of　my　relief。



Why　did　he　not　forbear　when　this　end　was　accomplished？　　Why　did　his

misjudging　zeal　and　accursed　precipitation　overpass　that　limit？　　Or

meant　he　thus　to　crown　the　scene；　and　conduct　his　inscrutable　plots

to　this　consummation？



Such　ideas　were　the　fruit　of　subsequent　contemplation。　　This　moment

was　pregnant　with　fate。　　I　had　no　power　to　reason。　　In　the　career

of　my　tempestuous　thoughts；　rent　into　pieces　as　my　mind　was　by

accumulating　horrors；　Carwin　was　unseen　and　unsuspected。　　I　partook

of　Wieland's　credulity；　shook　with　his　amazement；　and　panted　with

his　awe。



Silence　took　place　for　a　moment：　so　much　as　allowed　the　attention

to　recover　its　post。　　Then　new　sounds　were　uttered　from　above：



〃Man　of　errors！　cease　to　cherish　thy　delusion；　not　heaven　or　hell；

but　thy　senses；　have　misled　thee　to　commit　these　acts。　　Shake　off

thy　frenzy；　and　ascend　into　rational　and　human。　　Be　lunatic　no

longer。〃



My　brother　opened　his　lips　to　speak。　　His　tone　was　terrific　and

faint。　　He　muttered　an　appeal　to　heaven。　　It　was　difficult　to

comprehend　the　theme　of　his　inquiries。　　They　implied　doubt　as　to

the　nature　of　the　impulse　that　hitherto　had　guided　him；　and

questioned　whether　he　had　acted　in　consequence　of　insane

perceptions。



To　these　interrogatories　the　voice；　which　now　seemed　to　hover　at

his　shoulder；　loudly　answered　in　the　affirmative。　　Then

uninterrupted　silence　ensued。



Fallen　from　his　lofty　and　heroic　station；　now　finally　restored　to

the　perception　of　truth；　weighed　to　earth　by　the　recollection　of

his　own　deeds；　consoled　no　longer　by　a　consciousness　of　rectitude

for　the　loss　of　offspring　and　wife；a　loss　for　which　he　was

indebted　to　his　own　misguided　hand；Wieland　was　transformed　at

once　into　the　MAN　OF　SORROWS！



He　reflected　not　that　credit　should　be　as　reasonably　denied　to　the

last　as　to　any　former　intimation；　that　one　might　as　justly　be

ascribed　to　erring　or　diseased　senses　as　the　other。　　He　saw　not

that　this　discovery　in　no　degree　affected　the　integrity　of　his

conduct；　that　his　motives　had　lost　none　of　their　claims　to　the

homage　of　mankind；　that　the　preference　of　supreme　good；　and　the

boundless　energy　of　duty；　were　undiminished　in　his　bosom。



It　is　not　for　me　to　pursue　him　through　the　ghastly　changes　of　his

countenance。　　Words　he　had　none。　　Now　he　sat　upon　the　floor；

motionless　in　all　his　limbs；　with　his　eyes　glazed　and　fixed；　a

monument　of　woe。



Anon　a　spirit　of　tempestuous　but　undesigning　activity　seized　him。

He　rose　from　his　place　and　strode　across　the　floor；　tottering　and

at　random。　　His　eyes　were　without　moisture；　and　gleamed　with　the

fire　that　consumed　his　vitals。　　The　muscles　of　his　face　were

agitated　by　convulsions。　　His　lips　moved；　but　no　sound　escaped　him。



That　nature　should　long　sustain　this　conflict　was　not　to　be

believed。　　My　state　was　little　different　from　that　of　my　brother。

I　entered；　as　it　were；　into　his　thoughts。　　My　heart　was　visited　and

rent　by　his　pangs。　　〃Oh　that　thy　frenzy　had　never　been　cured！　that

thy　madness；　with　its　blissful　visions；　would　return！　or；　if　that

must　not　be；　that　thy　scene　would　hasten　to　a　close！that　death

would　cover　thee　with　his　oblivion！



〃What　can　I　wish　for　thee？　　Thou　who　hast　vied　with　the　great

Preacher　of　thy　faith　in　sanctity　of　motives；　and　in　elevation

above　sensual　and　selfish！　　Thou　whom　thy　fate　has　changed　into

parricide　and　savage！　　Can　I　wish　for　the　continuance　of　thy　being？

No。〃



For　a　time　his　movements　seemed　destitute　of　purpose。　　If　he

walked；　if　he　turned；　if　his　fingers　were　entwined　with　each　other；

if　his　hands　were　pressed　against　opposite　sides　of　his　head　with　a

force　sufficient　to　crush　it　into　pieces；　it　was　to　tear　his　mind

from　self…contemplation；　to　waste　his　thoughts　on　external　objects。



Speedily　this　train　was　broken。　　A　beam　appeared　to　be　darted　into

his　mind　which　gave　a　purpose　to　his　efforts。　　An　avenue　to　escape

presented　itself；　and　now　he　eagerly　gazed　about　him。　　When　my

thoughts　became　engaged　by　his　demeanor；　my　fingers　were　stretched

as　by　a　mechanical　force；　and　the　knife；　no　longer　heeded　or　of

use；　escaped　from　my　grasp　and　fell　unperceived　on　the　floor。　　His

eye　now　lighted　upon　it；　he　seized　it　with　the　quickness　of

thought。



I　shrieked　aloud；　but　it　was　too　late。　　He　plunged　it　to　the　hilt

in　his　neck；　and　his　life　instantly　escaped　with　the　stream　that

gushed　from　the　wound。　　He　was　stretched　at　my　feet；　and　my　hands

were　sprinkled　with　his　blood　as　he　fell。



Such　was　thy　last　deed；　my　brother！　　For　a　spectacle　like　this　was

it　my　fate　to　be　reserved！　　Thy　eyes　were　closedthy　face　ghastly

with　deaththy　arms；　and　the　spot　where　thou　lyedst；　floated　in

thy　life's　blood！　　These　images　have　not　for　a　moment　forsaken　me。

Till　I　am　breathless　and　cold；　they　must　continue　to　hover　in　my

sight。



Carwin；　as　I　said；　had　left　the　room；　but　he　still　lingered　in　the

house。　　My　voice　summoned　him　to　my　aid；　but　I　scarcely　noticed　his

reentrance；　and　now　faintly　recollect　his　terrified　looks；　his

broken　exclamations；　his　vehement　avowals　of　innocence；　the

effusions　of　his　pity　for　me；　and　his　offers　of　assistance。



I　did　not　listenI　answered　him　notI　ceased　to　upbraid　or

accuse。　　His　guilt　was　a　point　to　which　I　was　indifferent。　　Ruffian

or　devil；　black　as　hell　or　bright　as　angels；　thenceforth　he　was

nothing　to　me。　　I　was　incapable　of　sparing　a　look　or　a　thought　from

the　ruin　that　was　spread　at　my　feet。



When　he　left　me；　I　was　scarcely　conscious　of　any　variation　in　the

scene。　　He　informed　the　inhabitants　of　the　hut　of　what　had　passed；

and　they　flew　to　the　spot。　　Careless　of　his　own　safety；　he　hasted

to　the　city　to　inform　my　friends　of　my　condition。



My　uncle　speedily　arrived　at　the　house。　　The　body　of　Wieland　was

removed　from　my　presence；　and　they　supposed　that　I　would　follow　it；

but　no；　my　home　is　ascertained；　here　I　have　taken　up　my　rest；　and

never　will　I　go　hence；　till；　like　Wieland；　I　am　borne　to　my　grave。



Importunity　was　tried　in　vain。　　They　threatened　to　remove　me　by

violence；nay；　violence　was　used；　but　my　soul　prizes　too　dearly

this　little　roof　to　endure　to　be　bereaved　of　it。