the notch on the ax and on being found out-第11部分

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close；　and　behind　her　I　heard　a　footstep。　　She　turned　round　as　if
to　listen；　and　then　she　opened　the　letters　and　seemed　to　read；　and
over　her　shoulder　I　saw　a　livid　face；　the　face　as　of　a　man　long
drowned；bloated；　bleached；　seaweed　tangled　in　its　dripping　hair；
and　at　her　feet　lay　a　form　as　of　a　corpse；　and　beside　the　corpse
there　cowered　a　child；　a　miserable；　squalid　child；　with　famine　in
its　cheeks　and　fear　in　its　eyes。　　And　as　I　looked　in　the　old
woman's　face；　the　wrinkles　and　lines　vanished；　and　it　became　a　face
of　youth；hard…eyed；　stony；　but　still　youth；　and　the　Shadow　darted
forth；　and　darkened　over　these　phantoms　as　it　had　darkened　over　the
last。

Nothing　now　was　left　but　the　Shadow；　and　on　that　my　eyes　were
intently　fixed；　till　again　eyes　grew　out　of　the　Shadow；malignant；
serpent　eyes。　　And　the　bubbles　of　light　again　rose　and　fell；　and　in
their　disordered；　irregular；　turbulent　maze；　mingled　with　the　wan
moonlight。　　And　now　from　these　globules　themselves；　as　from　the
shell　of　an　egg；　monstrous　things　burst　out；　the　air　grew　filled
with　them：　larvae　so　bloodless　and　so　hideous　that　I　can　in　no　way
describe　them　except　to　remind　the　reader　of　the　swarming　life
which　the　solar　microscope　brings　before　his　eyes　in　a　drop　of
water；things　transparent；　supple；　agile；　chasing　each　other；
devouring　each　other；　forms　like　naught　ever　beheld　by　the　naked
eye。　　As　the　shapes　were　without　symmetry；　so　their　movements　were
without　order。　　In　their　very　vagrancies　there　was　no　sport；　they
came　round　me　and　round；　thicker　and　faster　and　swifter；　swarming
over　my　head；　crawling　over　my　right　arm；　which　was　outstretched　in
involuntary　command　against　all　evil　beings。　　Sometimes　I　felt
myself　touched；　but　not　by　them；　invisible　hands　touched　me。　　Once
I　felt　the　clutch　as　of　cold；　soft　fingers　at　my　throat。　　I　was
still　equally　conscious　that　if　I　gave　way　to　fear　I　should　be　in
bodily　peril；　and　I　concentered　all　my　faculties　in　the　single
focus　of　resisting　stubborn　will。　　And　I　turned　my　sight　from　the
Shadow；　above　all；　from　those　strange　serpent　eyes；eyes　that　had
now　become　distinctly　visible。　　For　there；　though　in　naught　else
around　me；　I　was　aware　that　there　was　a　WILL；　and　will　of　intense；
creative；　working　evil；　which　might　crush　down　my　own。

The　pale　atmosphere　in　the　room　began　now　to　redden　as　if　in　the
air　of　some　near　conflagration。　　The　larvae　grew　lurid　as　things
that　live　in　fire。　　Again　the　room　vibrated；　again　were　heard　the
three　measured　knocks；　and　again　all　things　were　swallowed　up　in
the　darkness　of　the　dark　Shadow；　as　if　out　of　that　darkness　all　had
come；　into　that　darkness　all　returned。

As　the　gloom　receded；　the　Shadow　was　wholly　gone。　　Slowly；　as　it
had　been　withdrawn；　the　flame　grew　again　into　the　candles　on　the
table；　again　into　the　fuel　in　the　grate。　　The　whole　room　came　once
more　calmly；　healthfully　into　sight。

The　two　doors　were　still　closed；　the　door　communicating　with　the
servant's　room　still　locked。　　In　the　corner　of　the　wall；　into　which
he　had　so　convulsively　niched　himself；　lay　the　dog。　　I　called　to
him；no　movement；　I　approached；the　animal　was　dead：　his　eyes
protruded；　his　tongue　out　of　his　mouth；　the　froth　gathered　round
his　jaws。　　I　took　him　in　my　arms；　I　brought　him　to　the　fire。　　I
felt　acute　grief　for　the　loss　of　my　poor　favorite；acute　self…
reproach；　I　accused　myself　of　his　death；　I　imagined　he　had　died　of
fright。　　But　what　was　my　surprise　on　finding　that　his　neck　was
actually　broken。　　Had　this　been　done　in　the　dark？　　Must　it　not　have
been　by　a　hand　human　as　mine；　must　there　not　have　been　a　human
agency　all　the　while　in　that　room？　　Good　cause　to　suspect　it。　　I
cannot　tell。　　I　cannot　do　more　than　state　the　fact　fairly；　the
reader　may　draw　his　own　inference。

Another　surprising　circumstance；my　watch　was　restored　to　the
table　from　which　it　had　been　so　mysteriously　withdrawn；　but　it　had
stopped　at　the　very　moment　it　was　so　withdrawn；　nor；　despite　all
the　skill　of　the　watchmaker；　has　it　ever　gone　since；that　is；　it
will　go　in　a　strange；　erratic　way　for　a　few　hours；　and　then　come　to
a　dead　stop；　it　is　worthless。

Nothing　more　chanced　for　the　rest　of　the　night。　　Nor；　indeed；　had　I
long　to　wait　before　the　dawn　broke。　　Not　till　it　was　broad　daylight
did　I　quit　the　haunted　house。　　Before　I　did　so；　I　revisited　the
little　blind　room　in　which　my　servant　and　myself　had　been　for　a
time　imprisoned。　　I　had　a　strong　impressionfor　which　I　could　not
accountthat　from　that　room　had　originated　the　mechanism　of　the
phenomena；　if　I　may　use　the　term；　which　had　been　experienced　in　my
chamber。　　And　though　I　entered　it　now　in　the　clear　day；　with　the
sun　peering　through　the　filmy　window；　I　still　felt；　as　I　stood　on
its　floors；　the　creep　of　the　horror　which　I　had　first　there
experienced　the　night　before；　and　which　had　been　so　aggravated　by
what　had　passed　in　my　own　chamber。　　I　could　not；　indeed；　bear　to
stay　more　than　half　a　minute　within　those　walls。　　I　descended　the
stairs；　and　again　I　heard　the　footfall　before　me；　and　when　I　opened
the　street　door；　I　thought　I　could　distinguish　a　very　low　laugh。　　I
gained　my　own　home；　expecting　to　find　my　runaway　servant　there；　but
he　had　not　presented　himself；　nor　did　I　hear　more　of　him　for　three
days；　when　I　received　a　letter　from　him；　dated　from　Liverpool　to
this　effect：


〃HONORED　SIR；I　humbly　entreat　your　pardon；　though　I　can　scarcely
hope　that　you　will　think　that　I　deserve　it；　unlesswhich　Heaven
forbid！you　saw　what　I　did。　　I　feel　that　it　will　be　years　before　I
can　recover　myself；　and　as　to　being　fit　for　service；　it　is　out　of
the　question。　　I　am　therefore　going　to　my　brother…in…law　at
Melbourne。　　The　ship　sails　to…morrow。　　Perhaps　the　long　voyage　may
set　me　up。　　I　do　nothing　now　but　start　and　tremble；　and　fancy　it　is
behind　me。　　I　humbly　beg　you；　honored　sir；　to　order　my　clothes；　and
whatever　wages　are　due　to　me；　to　be　sent　to　my　mother's；　at
Walworth；John　knows　her　address。〃


The　letter　ended　with　additional　apologies；　somewhat　incoherent；
and　explanatory　details　as　to　effects　that　had　been　under　the
writer's　charge。

This　flight　may　perhaps　warrant　a　suspicion　that　the　man　wished　to
go　to　Australia；　and　had　been　somehow　or　other　fraudulently　mixed
up　with　the　events　of　the　night。　　I　say　nothing　in　refutation　of
that　conjecture；　rather；　I　suggest　it　as　one　that　would　seem　to
many　persons　the　most　probable　solution　of　improbable　occurrences。
My　belief　in　my　own　theory　remained　unshaken。　　I　returned　in　the
evening　to　the　house；　to　bring　away　in　a　hack　cab　the　things　I　had
left　there；　with　my　poor　dog's　body。　　In　this　task　I　was　not
disturbed；　nor　did　any　incident　worth　note　befall　me；　except　that
still；　on　ascending　and　descending　the　stairs；　I　heard　the　same
footfall　in　advance。　　On　leaving　the　house；　I　went　to　Mr。　J's。
He　was　at　home。　　I　returned　him　the　keys；　told　him　that　my
curiosity　was　sufficiently　gratified；　and　was　about　to　relate
quickly　what　had　passed；　when　he　stopped　me；　and　said；　though　with
much　politeness；　that　he　had　no　longer　any　interest　in　a　mystery
which　none　had　ever　solved。

I　determined　at　least　to　tell　him　of　the　two　letters　I　had　read；　as
well　as　of　the　extraordinary　manner　in　which　they　had　disappeared；
and　I　then　inquired　if　he　thought　they　had　been　addressed　to　the
woman　who　had　died　in　the　house；　and　if　there　were　anything　in　her
early　history　which　could　possibly　confirm　the　dark　suspicions　to
which　the　letters　gave　rise。　　Mr。　J　seemed　startled；　and；　after
musing　a　few　moments；　answered；　〃I　am　but　little　acquainted　with
the　woman's　earlier　history；　except　as　I　before　told　you；　that　her
family　were　known　to　mine。　　But　you　revive　some　vague　reminiscences
to　her　prejudice。　　I　will　make　inquiries；　and　inform　you　of　their
result。　　Still；　even　if　we　could　admit　the　popular　superstition
that　a　person　who　had　been　either　the　perpetrator　or　the　victim　of
dark　crimes　in　life　could　revisit；　as　a　restless　spirit；　the　scene
in　which　those　crimes　had　been　committed；　I　should　observe　that　the
house　was　infested　by　strange　sights　and　sounds　before　the　old
woman　diedyou　smilewhat　would　you　say？〃

〃I　would　say　this；　that　I　am　convinced；　if　we　could　get　to　the
bottom　of　these　mysteries；　we　should　find　a　living　human　agency。〃

〃What！　you　believe　it　is　all　an　imposture？　　For　what　object？〃

〃Not　an　imposture　in　the　ordinary　sense　of　the　word。　　If　suddenly　I
were　to　sink　into　a　deep　sleep；　from　which　you　could　not　awake　me；
but　in　that　sleep　could　answer　questions　with　an　accuracy　which　I
could　not　pretend　to　when　awake；tell　you　what　money　you　had　in
your　pocket；　nay；　describe　your　very　thoughts；it　is　not
necessarily　an　imposture；　any　more　than　it　is　necessarily
supernatural。　　I　should　be；　unconsciously　to　myself；　under　a
mesmeric　influence；　conveyed　to　me　from　a　distance　by　a　human　being
who　had　acquired　power　over　me　by　previous　rapport。〃

〃But　if　a　mesmerizer　could　so　affect　another　living　being；　can　you
suppose　that　a　mesmerizer　could　also　affect　inanimate　objects：　move
chairs；open　and　shut　doors？〃

〃Or　impress　our　senses　with　the　belief　in　such　effects；we　never
having　been　en　rapport　with　the　person　acting　on　us？　　No。　　What　is
commonly　called　mesmerism　could　not　do　this；　but　there　may　be　a
power　akin　to　mesmerism；　and　superior　to　it；the　power　that　in　the
old　days　was　called　Magic。　　That　such　a　power　may　extend　to　all
inanimate　objects　of　matter；　I　do　not　say；　but　if　so；　it　would　not
be　against　Nature；it　would　be　only　a　rare　power　in　Nature　which
might　be　given　to　constitutions　with　certain　peculiarities；　and
cultivated　by　practice　to　an　extraordinary　degree。　　That　such　a
power　might　extend　over　the　dead；that　is；　over　certain　thoughts
and　memories　that　the　dead　may　still　retain；and　compel；　not　that
which　ought　properly　to　be　called　the　SOUL；　and　which　is　far　beyond
human　reach；　but　rather　a　phantom　of　what　has　been　most　earth…
stained　on　earth；　to　make　itself　apparent　to　our　senses；　is　a　very
ancient　though　obsolete　theory　upon　which　I　will　hazard　no　opinion。
But　I　do　not　conceive　the　power　would　be　supernatural。　　Let　me
illustrate　what　I　mean　from　an　experiment　which　Paracelsus
describes　as　not　difficult；　and　w