the works of edgar allan poe-5-第15节

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in　contact　with　the　corpse；　poured　out　rapidly　and　vehemently　a　detailed
confession　of　the　hideous　crime　for　which　Mr。　Pennifeather　was　then
imprisoned　and　doomed　to　die。

What　he　recounted　was　in　substance　this：　　He　followed　his　victim　to　the
vicinity　of　the　pool；　there　shot　his　horse　with　a　pistol；　despatched　its
rider　with　the　butt　end；　possessed　himself　of　the　pocket…book；　and；
supposing　the　horse　dead；　dragged　it　with　great　labour　to　the　brambles　by
the　pond。　Upon　his　own　beast　he　slung　the　corpse　of　Mr。　Shuttleworthy；　and
thus　bore　it　to　a　secure　place　of　concealment　a　long　distance　off　through
the　woods。

The　waistcoat；　the　knife；　the　pocket…book；　and　bullet；　had　been　placed　by
himself　where　found；　with　the　view　of　avenging　himself　upon　Mr。
Pennifeather。　He　had　also　contrived　the　discovery　of　the　stained
handkerchief　and　shirt。

Towards　the　end　of　the　blood…churning　recital　the　words　of　the　guilty
wretch　faltered　and　grew　hollow。　When　the　record　was　finally　exhausted；　he
arose；　staggered　backward　from　the　table；　and　fell…dead。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The　means　by　which　this　happily…timed　confession　was　extorted；　although
efficient；　were　simple　indeed。　Mr。　Goodfellow's　excess　of　frankness　had
disgusted　me；　and　excited　my　suspicions　from　the　first。　I　was　present　when
Mr。　Pennifeather　had　struck　him；　and　the　fiendish　expression　which　then
arose　upon　his　countenance；　although　momentary；　assured　me　that　his　threat
of　vengeance　would；　if　possible；　be　rigidly　fulfilled。　I　was　thus　prepared
to　view　the　manoeuvering　of　〃Old　Charley〃　in　a　very　different　light　from
that　in　which　it　was　regarded　by　the　good　citizens　of　Rattleborough。　I　saw
at　once　that　all　the　criminating　discoveries　arose；　either　directly　or
indirectly；　from　himself。　But　the　fact　which　clearly　opened　my　eyes　to　the
true　state　of　the　case；　was　the　affair　of　the　bullet；　found　by　Mr。　G。　in
the　carcass　of　the　horse。　I　had　not　forgotten；　although　the　Rattleburghers
had；　that　there　was　a　hole　where　the　ball　had　entered　the　horse；　and
another　where　it　went　out。　If　it　were　found　in　the　animal　then；　after
having　made　its　exit；　I　saw　clearly　that　it　must　have　been　deposited　by
the　person　who　found　it。　The　bloody　shirt　and　handkerchief　confirmed　the
idea　suggested　by　the　bullet；　for　the　blood　on　examination　proved　to　be
capital　claret；　and　no　more。　When　I　came　to　think　of　these　things；　and
also　of　the　late　increase　of　liberality　and　expenditure　on　the　part　of　Mr。
Goodfellow；　I　entertained　a　suspicion　which　was　none　the　less　strong
because　I　kept　it　altogether　to　myself。

In　the　meantime；　I　instituted　a　rigorous　private　search　for　the　corpse　of
Mr。　Shuttleworthy；　and；　for　good　reasons；　searched　in　quarters　as
divergent　as　possible　from　those　to　which　Mr。　Goodfellow　conducted　his
party。　The　result　was　that；　after　some　days；　I　came　across　an　old　dry
well；　the　mouth　of　which　was　nearly　hidden　by　brambles；　and　here；　at　the
bottom；　I　discovered　what　I　sought。

Now　it　so　happened　that　I　had　overheard　the　colloquy　between　the　two
cronies；　when　Mr。　Goodfellow　had　contrived　to　cajole　his　host　into　the
promise　of　a　box　of　Chateaux…Margaux。　Upon　this　hint　I　acted。　I　procured　a
stiff　piece　of　whalebone；　thrust　it　down　the　throat　of　the　corpse；　and
deposited　the　latter　in　an　old　wine　box…taking　care　so　to　double　the　body
up　as　to　double　the　whalebone　with　it。　In　this　manner　I　had　to　press
forcibly　upon　the　lid　to　keep　it　down　while　I　secured　it　with　nails；　and　I
anticipated；　of　course；　that　as　soon　as　these　latter　were　removed；　the　top
would　fly　off　and　the　body　up。

Having　thus　arranged　the　box；　I　marked；　numbered；　and　addressed　it　as
already　told；　and　then　writing　a　letter　in　the　name　of　the　wine　merchants
with　whom　Mr。　Shuttleworthy　dealt；　I　gave　instructions　to　my　servant　to
wheel　the　box　to　Mr。　Goodfellow's　door；　in　a　barrow；　at　a　given　signal
from　myself。　For　the　words　which　I　intended　the　corpse　to　speak；　I
confidently　depended　upon　my　ventriloquial　abilities；　for　their　effect；　I
counted　upon　the　conscience　of　the　murderous　wretch。

I　believe　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　explained。　Mr。　Pennifeather　was
released　upon　the　spot；　inherited　the　fortune　of　his　uncle；　profited　by
the　lessons　of　experience；　turned　over　a　new　leaf；　and　led　happily　ever
afterward　a　new　life。

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



WHY　THE　LITTLE　FRENCHMAN　WEARS　HIS　HAND　IN　A　SLING

IT'S　on　my　visiting　cards　sure　enough　（and　it's　them　that's　all　o'　pink
satin　paper）　that　inny　gintleman　that　plases　may　behould　the　intheristhin
words；　〃Sir　Pathrick　O'Grandison；　Barronitt；　39　Southampton　Row；　Russell
Square；　Parrish　o'　Bloomsbury。〃　And　shud　ye　be　wantin'　to　diskiver　who　is
the　pink　of　purliteness　quite；　and　the　laider　of　the　hot　tun　in　the　houl
city　o'　Lonon　　why　it's　jist　mesilf。　And　fait　that　same　is　no　wonder　at
all　at　all　（so　be　plased　to　stop　curlin　your　nose）；　for　every　inch　o'　the
six　wakes　that　I've　been　a　gintleman；　and　left　aff　wid　the　bogthrothing　to
take　up　wid　the　Barronissy；　it's　Pathrick　that's　been　living　like　a　houly
imperor；　and　gitting　the　iddication　and　the　graces。　Och！　and　wouldn't　it
be　a　blessed　thing　for　your　spirrits　if　ye　cud　lay　your　two　peepers　jist；
upon　Sir　Pathrick　O'Grandison；　Barronitt；　when　he　is　all　riddy　drissed　for
the　hopperer；　or　stipping　into　the　Brisky　for　the　drive　into　the　Hyde
Park。　But　it's　the　illigant　big　figgur　that　I　ave；　for　the　rason　o'　which
all　the　ladies　fall　in　love　wid　me。　Isn't　it　my　own　swate　silf　now　that'll
missure　the　six　fut；　and　the　three　inches　more　nor　that；　in　me　stockins；
and　that　am　excadingly　will　proportioned　all　over　to　match？　And　it　is
ralelly　more　than　three　fut　and　a　bit　that　there　is；　inny　how；　of　the
little　ould　furrener　Frinchman　that　lives　jist　over　the　way；　and　that's　a
oggling　and　a　goggling　the　houl　day；　（and　bad　luck　to　him；）　at　the　purty
widdy　Misthress　Tracle　that's　my　own　nixt…door　neighbor；　（God　bliss　her！）
and　a　most　particuller　frind　and　acquaintance？　You　percave　the　little
spalpeen　is　summat　down　in　the　mouth；　and　wears　his　lift　hand　in　a　sling；
and　it's　for　that　same　thing；　by　yur　lave；　that　I'm　going　to　give　you　the
good　rason。

The　truth　of　the　houl　matter　is　jist　simple　enough；　for　the　very　first　day
that　I　com'd　from　Connaught；　and　showd　my　swate　little　silf　in　the　strait
to　the　widdy；　who　was　looking　through　the　windy；　it　was　a　gone　case
althegither　with　the　heart　o'　the　purty　Misthress　Tracle。　I　percaved　it；
ye　see；　all　at　once；　and　no　mistake；　and　that's　God's　truth。　First　of　all
it　was　up　wid　the　windy　in　a　jiffy；　and　thin　she　threw　open　her　two
peepers　to　the　itmost；　and　thin　it　was　a　little　gould　spy…glass　that　she
clapped　tight　to　one　o'　them　and　divil　may　burn　me　if　it　didn't　spake　to
me　as　plain　as　a　peeper　cud　spake；　and　says　it；　through　the　spy…glass：
〃Och！　the　tip　o'　the　mornin'　to　ye；　Sir　Pathrick　O'Grandison；　Barronitt；
mavourneen；　and　it's　a　nate　gintleman　that　ye　are；　sure　enough；　and　it's
mesilf　and　me　forten　jist　that'll　be　at　yur　sarvice；　dear；　inny　time　o'
day　at　all　at　all　for　the　asking。〃　And　it's　not　mesilf　ye　wud　have　to　be
bate　in　the　purliteness；　so　I　made　her　a　bow　that　wud　ha'　broken　yur　heart
altegither　to　behould；　and　thin　I　pulled　aff　me　hat　with　a　flourish；　and
thin　I　winked　at　her　hard　wid　both　eyes；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃True　for　you；
yer　a　swate　little　crature；　Mrs。　Tracle；　me　darlint；　and　I　wish　I　may　be
drownthed　dead　in　a　bog；　if　it's　not　mesilf；　Sir　Pathrick　O'Grandison；
Barronitt；　that'll　make　a　houl　bushel　o'　love　to　yur　leddyship；　in　the
twinkling　o'　the　eye　of　a　Londonderry　purraty。〃

And　it　was　the　nixt　mornin'；　sure；　jist　as　I　was　making　up　me　mind　whither
it　wouldn't　be　the　purlite　thing　to　sind　a　bit　o'　writin'　to　the　widdy　by
way　of　a　love…litter；　when　up　com'd　the　delivery　servant　wid　an　illigant
card；　and　he　tould　me　that　the　name　on　it　（for　I　niver　could　rade　the
copperplate　printin　on　account　of　being　lift　handed）　was　all　about
Mounseer；　the　Count；　A　Goose；　Look　　aisy；　Maiter…di…dauns；　and　that　the
houl　of　the　divilish　lingo　was　the　spalpeeny　long　name　of　the　little　ould
furrener　Frinchman　as　lived　over　the　way。

And　jist　wid　that　in　cum'd　the　little　willian　himself；　and　then　he　made　me
a　broth　of　a　bow；　and　thin　he　said　he　had　ounly　taken　the　liberty　of　doing
me　the　honor　of　the　giving　me　a　call；　and　thin　he　went　on　to　palaver　at　a
great　rate；　and　divil　the　bit　did　I　comprehind　what　he　wud　be　afther　the
tilling　me　at　all　at　all；　excipting　and　saving　that　he　said　〃pully　wou；
woolly　wou；〃　and　tould　me；　among　a　bushel　o'　lies；　bad　luck　to　him；　that
he　was　mad　for　the　love　o'　my　widdy　Misthress　Tracle；　and　that　my　widdy
Mrs。　Tracle　had　a　puncheon　for　him。

At　the　hearin'　of　this；　ye　may　swear；　though；　I　was　as　mad　as　a
grasshopper；　but　I　remimbered　that　I　was　Sir　Pathrick　O'Grandison；
Barronitt；　and　that　it　wasn't　althegither　gentaal　to　lit　the　anger　git　the
upper　hand　o'　the　purliteness；　so　I　made　light　o'　the　matter　and　kipt
dark；　and　got　quite　sociable　wid　the　little　chap；　and　afther　a　while　what
did　he　do　but　ask　me　to　go　wid　him　to　the　widdy's；　saying　he　wud　give　me
the　feshionable　inthroduction　to　her　leddyship。

〃Is　it　there　ye　are？〃　said　I　t