the works of edgar allan poe-5-第4节

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below。　As　this　creature　first　came　in　sight；　I　doubted　my　own　sanity　　or
at　least　the　evidence　of　my　own　eyes；　and　many　minutes　passed　before　I
succeeded　in　convincing　myself　that　I　was　neither　mad　nor　in　a　dream。　Yet
when　I　described　the　monster　（which　I　distinctly　saw；　and　calmly　surveyed
through　the　whole　period　of　its　progress）；　my　readers；　I　fear；　will　feel
more　difficulty　in　being　convinced　of　these　points　than　even　I　did　myself。

Estimating　the　size　of　the　creature　by　comparison　with　the　diameter　of　the
large　trees　near　which　it　passed　　the　few　giants　of　the　forest　which　had
escaped　the　fury　of　the　land…slide　　I　concluded　it　to　be　far　larger　than
any　ship　of　the　line　in　existence。　I　say　ship　of　the　line；　because　the
shape　of　the　monster　suggested　the　idea…　the　hull　of　one　of　our
seventy…four　might　convey　a　very　tolerable　conception　of　the　general
outline。　The　mouth　of　the　animal　was　situated　at　the　extremity　of　a
proboscis　some　sixty　or　seventy　feet　in　length；　and　about　as　thick　as　the
body　of　an　ordinary　elephant。　Near　the　root　of　this　trunk　was　an　immense
quantity　of　black　shaggy　hair…　more　than　could　have　been　supplied　by　the
coats　of　a　score　of　buffaloes；　and　projecting　from　this　hair　downwardly
and　laterally；　sprang　two　gleaming　tusks　not　unlike　those　of　the　wild
boar；　but　of　infinitely　greater　dimensions。　Extending　forward；　parallel
with　the　proboscis；　and　on　each　side　of　it；　was　a　gigantic　staff；　thirty
or　forty　feet　in　length；　formed　seemingly　of　pure　crystal　and　in　shape　a
perfect　prism；　　it　reflected　in　the　most　gorgeous　manner　the　rays　of　the
declining　sun。　The　trunk　was　fashioned　like　a　wedge　with　the　apex　to　the
earth。　From　it　there　were　outspread　two　pairs　of　wings…　each　wing　nearly
one　hundred　yards　in　length　　one　pair　being　placed　above　the　other；　and
all　thickly　covered　with　metal　scales；　each　scale　apparently　some　ten　or
twelve　feet　in　diameter。　I　observed　that　the　upper　and　lower　tiers　of
wings　were　connected　by　a　strong　chain。　But　the　chief　peculiarity　of　this
horrible　thing　was　the　representation　of　a　Death's　Head；　which　covered
nearly　the　whole　surface　of　its　breast；　and　which　was　as　accurately　traced
in　glaring　white；　upon　the　dark　ground　of　the　body；　as　if　it　had　been
there　carefully　designed　by　an　artist。　While　I　regarded　the　terrific
animal；　and　more　especially　the　appearance　on　its　breast；　with　a　feeling
or　horror　and　awe　　with　a　sentiment　of　forthcoming　evil；　which　I　found
it　impossible　to　quell　by　any　effort　of　the　reason；　I　perceived　the　huge
jaws　at　the　extremity　of　the　proboscis　suddenly　expand　themselves；　and
from　them　there　proceeded　a　sound　so　loud　and　so　expressive　of　wo；　that　it
struck　upon　my　nerves　like　a　knell　and　as　the　monster　disappeared　at　the
foot　of　the　hill；　I　fell　at　once；　fainting；　to　the　floor。

Upon　recovering；　my　first　impulse；　of　course；　was　to　inform　my　friend　of
what　I　had　seen　and　heard　　and　I　can　scarcely　explain　what　feeling　of
repugnance　it　was　which；　in　the　end；　operated　to　prevent　me。

At　length；　one　evening；　some　three　or　four　days　after　the　occurrence；　we
were　sitting　together　in　the　room　in　which　I　had　seen　the　apparition　　I
occupying　the　same　seat　at　the　same　window；　and　he　lounging　on　a　sofa　near
at　hand。　The　association　of　the　place　and　time　impelled　me　to　give　him　an
account　of　the　phenomenon。　He　heard　me　to　the　end　　at　first　laughed
heartily　　and　then　lapsed　into　an　excessively　grave　demeanor；　as　if　my
insanity　was　a　thing　beyond　suspicion。　At　this　instant　I　again　had　a
distinct　view　of　the　monster…　to　which；　with　a　shout　of　absolute　terror；　I
now　directed　his　attention。　He　looked　eagerly　　but　maintained　that　he
saw　nothing…　although　I　designated　minutely　the　course　of　the　creature；　as
it　made　its　way　down　the　naked　face　of　the　hill。

I　was　now　immeasurably　alarmed；　for　I　considered　the　vision　either　as　an
omen　of　my　death；　or；　worse；　as　the　fore…runner　of　an　attack　of　mania。　I
threw　myself　passionately　back　in　my　chair；　and　for　some　moments　buried　my
face　in　my　hands。　When　I　uncovered　my　eyes；　the　apparition　was　no　longer
apparent。

My　host；　however；　had　in　some　degree　resumed　the　calmness　of　his　demeanor；
and　questioned　me　very　rigorously　in　respect　to　the　conformation　of　the
visionary　creature。　When　I　had　fully　satisfied　him　on　this　head；　he　sighed
deeply；　as　if　relieved　of　some　intolerable　burden；　and　went　on　to　talk；
with　what　I　thought　a　cruel　calmness；　of　various　points　of　speculative
philosophy；　which　had　heretofore　formed　subject　of　discussion　between　us。
I　remember　his　insisting　very　especially　（among　other　things）　upon　the
idea　that　the　principle　source　of　error　in　all　human　investigations　lay　in
the　liability　of　the　understanding　to　under…rate　or　to　over…value　the
importance　of　an　object；　through　mere　mis…admeasurement　of　its
propinquity。　〃To　estimate　properly；　for　example；〃　he　said；　〃the　influence
to　be　exercised　on　mankind　at　large　by　the　thorough　diffusion　of
Democracy；　the　distance　of　the　epoch　at　which　such　diffusion　may　possibly
be　accomplished　should　not　fail　to　form　an　item　in　the　estimate。　Yet　can
you　tell　me　one　writer　on　the　subject　of　government　who　has　ever　thought
this　particular　branch　of　the　subject　worthy　of　discussion　at　all？〃

He　here　paused　for　a　moment；　stepped　to　a　book…case；　and　brought　forth　one
of　the　ordinary　synopses　of　Natural　History。　Requesting　me　then　to
exchange　seats　with　him；　that　he　might　the　better　distinguish　the　fine
print　of　the　volume；　he　took　my　armchair　at　the　window；　and；　opening　the
book；　resumed　his　discourse　very　much　in　the　same　tone　as　before。

〃But　for　your　exceeding　minuteness；〃　he　said；　〃in　describing　the　monster；
I　might　never　have　had　it　in　my　power　to　demonstrate　to　you　what　it　was。
In　the　first　place；　let　me　read　to　you　a　schoolboy　account　of　the　genus
Sphinx；　of　the　family　Crepuscularia　of　the　order　Lepidoptera；　of　the　class
of　Insecta　　or　insects。　The　account　runs　thus：

〃'Four　membranous　wings　covered　with　little　colored　scales　of　metallic
appearance；　mouth　forming　a　rolled　proboscis；　produced　by　an　elongation　of
the　jaws；　upon　the　sides　of　which　are　found　the　rudiments　of　mandibles　and
downy　palpi；　the　inferior　wings　retained　to　the　superior　by　a　stiff　hair；
antennae　in　the　form　of　an　elongated　club；　prismatic；　abdomen　pointed；　The
Death's　　headed　Sphinx　has　occasioned　much　terror　among　the　vulgar；　at
times；　by　the　melancholy　kind　of　cry　which　it　utters；　and　the　insignia　of
death　which　it　wears　upon　its　corslet。'〃

He　here　closed　the　book　and　leaned　forward　in　the　chair；　placing　himself
accurately　in　the　position　which　I　had　occupied　at　the　moment　of　beholding
〃the　monster。〃

〃Ah；　here　it　is；〃　he　presently　exclaimed　　〃it　is　reascending　the　face　of
the　hill；　and　a　very　remarkable　looking　creature　I　admit　it　to　be。　Still；
it　is　by　no　means　so　large　or　so　distant　as　you　imagined　it；　　for　the
fact　is　that；　as　it　wriggles　its　way　up　this　thread；　which　some　spider　has
wrought　along　the　window…sash；　I　find　it　to　be　about　the　sixteenth　of　an
inch　in　its　extreme　length；　and　also　about　the　sixteenth　of　an　inch
distant　from　the　pupil　of　my　eye。〃

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



HOP…FROG

　　　　I　NEVER　knew　anyone　so　keenly　alive　to　a　joke　as　the　king　was。　He
seemed　to　live　only　for　joking。　To　tell　a　good　story　of　the　joke　kind；　and
to　tell　it　well；　was　the　surest　road　to　his　favor。　Thus　it　happened　that
his　seven　ministers　were　all　noted　for　their　accomplishments　as　jokers。
They　all　took　after　the　king；　too；　in　being　large；　corpulent；　oily　men；　as
well　as　inimitable　jokers。　Whether　people　grow　fat　by　joking；　or　whether
there　is　something　in　fat　itself　which　predisposes　to　a　joke；　I　have　never
been　quite　able　to　determine；　but　certain　it　is　that　a　lean　joker　is　a
rara　avis　in　terris。

About　the　refinements；　or；　as　he　called　them；　the　'ghost'　of　wit；　the　king
troubled　himself　very　little。　He　had　an　especial　admiration　for　breadth　in
a　jest；　and　would　often　put　up　with　length；　for　the　sake　of　it。
Over…niceties　wearied　him。　He　would　have　preferred　Rabelais'　'Gargantua'
to　the　'Zadig'　of　Voltaire：　and；　upon　the　whole；　practical　jokes　suited
his　taste　far　better　than　verbal　ones。

At　the　date　of　my　narrative；　professing　jesters　had　not　altogether　gone
out　of　fashion　at　court。　Several　of　the　great　continental　'powers'　still
retain　their　'fools；'　who　wore　motley；　with　caps　and　bells；　and　who　were
expected　to　be　always　ready　with　sharp　witticisms；　at　a　moment's　notice；
in　consideration　of　the　crumbs　that　fell　from　the　royal　table。

Our　king；　as　a　matter　of　course；　retained　his　'fool。'　The　fact　is；　he
required　something　in　the　way　of　folly　　if　only　to　counterbalance　the
heavy　wisdom　of　the　seven　wise　men　who　were　his　ministers　　not　to
mention　himself。

His　fool；　or　professional　jester；　was　not　only　a　fool；　however。　His　value
was　trebled　in　the　eyes　of　the　king；　by　the　fact　of　his　being　also　a　dwarf
and　a　cripple。　Dwarfs　were　as　common　at　court；　in　those　days；　as　fools；
and　many　monarchs　would　have　found　it　difficult　to　get　through　their　days
（days　are　rather　longer　at　court　than　elsewhere）　without　both　a　jester　to
laugh　with；　and　a　dwarf　to　laugh　at。　But；　as　I　have　already　obs