the works of edgar allan poe-5-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


of　the　excited　crowd）；　the　chain　by　which　the　chandelier　ordinarily　hung；
and　which　had　been　drawn　up　on　its　removal；　might　have　been　seen　very
gradually　to　descend；　until　its　hooked　extremity　came　within　three　feet　of
the　floor。

Soon　after　this；　the　king　and　his　seven　friends　having　reeled　about　the
hall　in　all　directions；　found　themselves；　at　length；　in　its　centre；　and；
of　course；　in　immediate　contact　with　the　chain。　While　they　were　thus
situated；　the　dwarf；　who　had　followed　noiselessly　at　their　heels；　inciting
them　to　keep　up　the　commotion；　took　hold　of　their　own　chain　at　the
intersection　of　the　two　portions　which　crossed　the　circle　diametrically
and　at　right　angles。　Here；　with　the　rapidity　of　thought；　he　inserted　the
hook　from　which　the　chandelier　had　been　wont　to　depend；　and；　in　an
instant；　by　some　unseen　agency；　the　chandelier…chain　was　drawn　so　far
upward　as　to　take　the　hook　out　of　reach；　and；　as　an　inevitable
consequence；　to　drag　the　ourang…outangs　together　in　close　connection；　and
face　to　face。

The　masqueraders；　by　this　time；　had　recovered；　in　some　measure；　from　their
alarm；　and；　beginning　to　regard　the　whole　matter　as　a　well…contrived
pleasantry；　set　up　a　loud　shout　of　laughter　at　the　predicament　of　the
apes。

〃Leave　them　to　me！〃　now　screamed　Hop…Frog；　his　shrill　voice　making　itself
easily　heard　through　all　the　din。　〃Leave　them　to　me。　I　fancy　I　know　them。
If　I　can　only　get　a　good　look　at　them；　I　can　soon　tell　who　they　are。〃

Here；　scrambling　over　the　heads　of　the　crowd；　he　managed　to　get　to　the
wall；　when；　seizing　a　flambeau　from　one　of　the　Caryatides；　he　returned；　as
he　went；　to　the　centre　of　the　room…leaping；　with　the　agility　of　a　monkey；
upon　the　kings　head；　and　thence　clambered　a　few　feet　up　the　chain；　holding
down　the　torch　to　examine　the　group　of　ourang…outangs；　and　still
screaming：　〃I　shall　soon　find　out　who　they　are！〃

And　now；　while　the　whole　assembly　（the　apes　included）　were　convulsed　with
laughter；　the　jester　suddenly　uttered　a　shrill　whistle；　when　the　chain
flew　violently　up　for　about　thirty　feet　　dragging　with　it　the　dismayed
and　struggling　ourang…outangs；　and　leaving　them　suspended　in　mid…air
between　the　sky…light　and　the　floor。　Hop…Frog；　clinging　to　the　chain　as　it
rose；　still　maintained　his　relative　position　in　respect　to　the　eight
maskers；　and　still　（as　if　nothing　were　the　matter）　continued　to　thrust　his
torch　down　toward　them；　as　though　endeavoring　to　discover　who　they　were。

So　thoroughly　astonished　was　the　whole　company　at　this　ascent；　that　a　dead
silence；　of　about　a　minute's　duration；　ensued。　It　was　broken　by　just　such
a　low；　harsh；　grating　sound；　as　had　before　attracted　the　attention　of　the
king　and　his　councillors　when　the　former　threw　the　wine　in　the　face　of
Trippetta。　But；　on　the　present　occasion；　there　could　be　no　question　as　to
whence　the　sound　issued。　It　came　from　the　fang　　like　teeth　of　the　dwarf；
who　ground　them　and　gnashed　them　as　he　foamed　at　the　mouth；　and　glared；
with　an　expression　of　maniacal　rage；　into　the　upturned　countenances　of　the
king　and　his　seven　companions。

〃Ah；　ha！〃　said　at　length　the　infuriated　jester。　〃Ah；　ha！　I　begin　to　see
who　these　people　are　now！〃　Here；　pretending　to　scrutinize　the　king　more
closely；　he　held　the　flambeau　to　the　flaxen　coat　which　enveloped　him；　and
which　instantly　burst　into　a　sheet　of　vivid　flame。　In　less　than　half　a
minute　the　whole　eight　ourang…outangs　were　blazing　fiercely；　amid　the
shrieks　of　the　multitude　who　gazed　at　them　from　below；　horror…stricken；
and　without　the　power　to　render　them　the　slightest　assistance。

At　length　the　flames；　suddenly　increasing　in　virulence；　forced　the　jester
to　climb　higher　up　the　chain；　to　be　out　of　their　reach；　and；　as　he　made
this　movement；　the　crowd　again　sank；　for　a　brief　instant；　into　silence。
The　dwarf　seized　his　opportunity；　and　once　more　spoke：

〃I　now　see　distinctly。〃　he　said；　〃what　manner　of　people　these　maskers　are。
They　are　a　great　king　and　his　seven　privy…councillors；　　a　king　who　does
not　scruple　to　strike　a　defenceless　girl　and　his　seven　councillors　who
abet　him　in　the　outrage。　As　for　myself；　I　am　simply　Hop…Frog；　the　jester
　and　this　is　my　last　jest。〃

Owing　to　the　high　combustibility　of　both　the　flax　and　the　tar　to　which　it
adhered；　the　dwarf　had　scarcely　made　an　end　of　his　brief　speech　before　the
work　of　vengeance　was　complete。　The　eight　corpses　swung　in　their　chains；　a
fetid；　blackened；　hideous；　and　indistinguishable　mass。　The　cripple　hurled
his　torch　at　them；　clambered　leisurely　to　the　ceiling；　and　disappeared
through　the　sky…light。

It　is　supposed　that　Trippetta；　stationed　on　the　roof　of　the　saloon；　had
been　the　accomplice　of　her　friend　in　his　fiery　revenge；　and　that；
together；　they　effected　their　escape　to　their　own　country：　for　neither　was
seen　again。

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



THE　MAN　OF　THE　CROWD。

Ce　grand　malheur；　de　ne　pouvoir　阾re　seul。

　　　　　　　　　_La　Bruy鑢e_。

　　　　IT　was　well　said　of　a　certain　German　book　that　〃_er　lasst　sich　nicht
lesen_〃　…　it　does　not　permit　itself　to　be　read。　There　are　some　secrets
which　do　not　permit　themselves　to　be　told。　Men　die　nightly　in　their　beds；
wringing　the　hands　of　ghostly　confessors　and　looking　them　piteously　in　the
eyes　　die　with　despair　of　heart　and　convulsion　of　throat；　on　account　of
the　hideousness　of　mysteries　which　will　not　suffer　themselves　to　be
revealed。　Now　and　then；　alas；　the　conscience　of　man　takes　up　a　burthen　so
heavy　in　horror　that　it　can　be　thrown　down　only　into　the　grave。　And　thus
the　essence　of　all　crime　is　undivulged。

　　　　Not　long　ago；　about　the　closing　in　of　an　evening　in　autumn；　I　sat　at
the　large　bow　window　of　the　D　Coffee…House　in　London。　For　some　months
I　had　been　ill　in　health；　but　was　now　convalescent；　and；　with　returning
strength；　found　myself　in　one　of　those　happy　moods　which　are　so　precisely
the　converse　of　ennui　…　moods　of　the　keenest　appetency；　when　the　film　from
the　mental　vision　departs　…　the　〃PL》　0　BDT　；B？L　…　and　the　intellect；
electrified；　surpasses　as　greatly　its　every…day　condition；　as　does　the
vivid　yet　candid　reason　of　Leibnitz；　the　mad　and　flimsy　rhetoric　of
Gorgias。　Merely　to　breathe　was　enjoyment；　and　I　derived　positive　pleasure
even　from　many　of　the　legitimate　sources　of　pain。　I　felt　a　calm　but
inquisitive　interest　in　every　thing。　With　a　cigar　in　my　mouth　and　a
newspaper　in　my　lap；　I　had　been　amusing　myself　for　the　greater　part　of　the
afternoon；　now　in　poring　over　advertisements；　now　in　observing　the
promiscuous　company　in　the　room；　and　now　in　peering　through　the　smoky
panes　into　the　street。

This　latter　is　one　of　the　principal　thoroughfares　of　the　city；　and　had
been　very　much　crowded　during　the　whole　day。　But；　as　the　darkness　came　on；
the　throng　momently　increased；　and；　by　the　time　the　lamps　were　well
lighted；　two　dense　and　continuous　tides　of　population　were　rushing　past
the　door。　At　this　particular　period　of　the　evening　I　had　never　before　been
in　a　similar　situation；　and　the　tumultuous　sea　of　human　heads　filled　me；
therefore；　with　a　delicious　novelty　of　emotion。　I　gave　up；　at　length；　all
care　of　things　within　the　hotel；　and　became　absorbed　in　contemplation　of
the　scene　without。

At　first　my　observations　took　an　abstract　and　generalizing　turn。　I　looked
at　the　passengers　in　masses；　and　thought　of　them　in　their　aggregate
relations。　Soon；　however；　I　descended　to　details；　and　regarded　with　minute
interest　the　innumerable　varieties　of　figure；　dress；　air；　gait；　visage；
and　expression　of　countenance。

By　far　the　greater　number　of　those　who　went　by　had　a　satisfied
business…like　demeanor；　and　seemed　to　be　thinking　only　of　making　their　way
through　the　press。　Their　brows　were　knit；　and　their　eyes　rolled　quickly；
when　pushed　against　by　fellow…wayfarers　they　evinced　no　symptom　of
impatience；　but　adjusted　their　clothes　and　hurried　on。　Others；　still　a
numerous　class；　were　restless　in　their　movements；　had　flushed　faces；　and
talked　and　gesticulated　to　themselves；　as　if　feeling　in　solitude　on
account　of　the　very　denseness　of　the　company　around。　When　impeded　in　their
progress；　these　people　suddenly　ceased　muttering；　but　re…doubled　their
gesticulations；　and　awaited；　with　an　absent　and　overdone　smile　upon　the
lips；　the　course　of　the　persons　impeding　them。　If　jostled；　they　bowed
profusely　to　the　jostlers；　and　appeared　overwhelmed　with　confusion。　…
There　was　nothing　very　distinctive　about　these　two　large　classes　beyond
what　I　have　noted。　Their　habiliments　belonged　to　that　order　which　is
pointedly　termed　the　decent。　They　were　undoubtedly　noblemen；　merchants；
attorneys；　tradesmen；　stock…jobbers　…　the　Eupatrids　and　the　common…places
of　society　…　men　of　leisure　and　men　actively　engaged　in　affairs　of　their
own　…　conducting　business　upon　their　own　responsibility。　They　did　not
greatly　excite　my　attention。

The　tribe　of　clerks　was　an　obvious　one　and　here　I　discerned　two　remarkable
divisions。　There　were　the　junior　clerks　of　flash　houses　…　young　gentlemen
with　tight　coats；　bright　boots；　well…oiled　hair；　and　supercilious　lips。
Setting　aside　a　certain　dapperness　of　carriage；　which　may　be　termed
deskism　for　want　of　a　better　word；　the　manner　of　these　persons　seemed　to
me　an　exact　fac…simile　of　what　had　been　the　perfection　of　bon　ton　about
twelve　or　eighteen　months　before。　They　wore　the　cast…off　graces　of　the
gentry；　…　and　this；　I　believe；　involves　the　best　definition　of　the　class。

The　division　of　the　upper　clerks　of　staunch　firms；　or　of　the　〃steady　old
fellows；〃　it　was　not　possible　to　mistake。　These　were　known　by　their　coats
and　pantaloons　of　black　or　brown；　made　to　sit　comfortably；　with　white
cravats　and　waistcoats；　broad　solid…looking　shoes；　and　thick　hose　or
gaiters。　…　They　had　all　slightly　bald　heads；　from　which　the　right　ears；
long　used　to　pen…holding；　had　an　odd　habit　of　standing　off　on　end。　I
observed　that　they　always　removed　or　settled　their　hats　with　both　hands；
and　wore　watches；　with　short　gold　chains　of　a　substantial　and　ancient
pattern。　Theirs　was　the　affectation　of　respectability；　…　if　indeed　there
be　an　affectation　so　honorable。

There　were　many　individuals　of　dashing　appearance；　whom　I　easily
understood　as　belonging　to　the　race　of　swell　pick…pockets　with　which　all
great　ci