the works of edgar allan poe-3-第46节

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all　things　heavenly　　the　magnificent　turn　of　the　short　upper　lip　
the　soft；　voluptuous　slumber　of　the　under　　the　dimples　which
sported；　and　the　color　which　spoke　　the　teeth　glancing　back；　with　a
brilliancy　almost　startling；　every　ray　of　the　holy　light　which　fell
upon　them　in　her　serene　and　placid；　yet　most　exultingly　radiant　of
all　smiles。　I　scrutinized　the　formation　of　the　chin　　and　here；　too；
I　found　the　gentleness　of　breadth；　the　softness　and　the　majesty；　the
fullness　and　the　spirituality；　of　the　Greek　　the　contour　which　the
god　Apollo　revealed　but　in　a　dream；　to　Cleomenes；　the　son　of　the
Athenian。　And　then　I　peered　into　the　large　eves　of　Ligeia。

For　eyes　we　have　no　models　in　the　remotely　antique。　It　might　have
been；　too；　that　in　these　eves　of　my　beloved　lay　the　secret　to　which
Lord　Verulam　alludes。　They　were；　I　must　believe；　far　larger　than　the
ordinary　eyes　of　our　own　race。　They　were　even　fuller　than　the　fullest
of　the　gazelle　eyes　of　the　tribe　of　the　valley　of　Nourjahad。　Yet　it
was　only　at　intervals　　in　moments　of　intense　excitement　　that
this　peculiarity　became　more　than　slightly　noticeable　in　Ligeia。　And
at　such　moments　was　her　beauty　　in　my　heated　fancy　thus　it　appeared
perhaps　　the　beauty　of　beings　either　above　or　apart　from　the　earth
　the　beauty　of　the　fabulous　Houri　of　the　Turk。　The　hue　of　the　orbs
was　the　most　brilliant　of　black；　and；　far　over　them；　hung　jetty
lashes　of　great　length。　The　brows；　slightly　irregular　in　outline；　had
the　same　tint。　The　〃strangeness；〃　however；　which　I　found　in　the　eyes；
was　of　a　nature　distinct　from　the　formation；　or　the　color；　or　the
brilliancy　of　the　features；　and　must；　after　all；　be　referred　to　the
expression。　Ah；　word　of　no　meaning！　behind　whose　vast　latitude　of
mere　sound　we　intrench　our　ignorance　of　so　much　of　the　spiritual。　The
expression　of　the　eyes　of　Ligeia！　How　for　long　hours　have　I　pondered
upon　it！　How　have　I；　through　the　whole　of　a　midsummer　night；
struggled　to　fathom　it！　What　was　it　　that　something　more　profound
than　the　well　of　Democritus　　which　lay　far　within　the　pupils　of　my
beloved？　What　was　it？　I　was　possessed　with　a　passion　to　discover。
Those　eyes！　those　large；　those　shining；　those　divine　orbs！　they
became　to　me　twin　stars　of　Leda；　and　I　to　them　devoutest　of
astrologers。

There　is　no　point；　among　the　many　incomprehensible　anomalies　of　the
science　of　mind；　more　thrillingly　exciting　than　the　fact　　never；　I
believe；　noticed　in　the　schools　　that；　in　our　endeavors　to　recall
to　memory　something　long　forgotten；　we　often　find　ourselves　upon　the
very　verge　of　remembrance；　without　being　able；　in　the　end；　to
remember。　And　thus　how　frequently；　in　my　intense　scrutiny　of　Ligeia's
eyes；　have　I　felt　approaching　the　full　knowledge　of　their　expression
　felt　it　approaching　　yet　not　quite　be　mine　　and　so　at　length
entirely　depart！　And　（strange；　oh　strangest　mystery　of　all！）　I　found；
in　the　commonest　objects　of　the　universe；　a　circle　of　analogies　to
theat　expression。　I　mean　to　say　that；　subsequently　to　the　period　when
Ligeia's　beauty　passed　into　my　spirit；　there　dwelling　as　in　a　shrine；
I　derived；　from　many　existences　in　the　material　world；　a　sentiment
such　as　I　felt　always　aroused　within　me　by　her　large　and　luminous
orbs。　Yet　not　the　more　could　I　define　that　sentiment；　or　analyze；　or
even　steadily　view　it。　I　recognized　it；　let　me　repeat；　sometimes　in
the　survey　of　a　rapidly…growing　vine　　in　the　contemplation　of　a
moth；　a　butterfly；　a　chrysalis；　a　stream　of　running　water。　I　have
felt　it　in　the　ocean；　in　the　falling　of　a　meteor。　I　have　felt　it　in
the　glances　of　unusually　aged　people。　And　there　are　one　or　two　stars
in　heaven　　（one　especially；　a　star　of　the　sixth　magnitude；　double
and　changeable；　to　be　found　near　the　large　star　in　Lyra）　in　a
telescopic　scrutiny　of　which　I　have　been　made　aware　of　the　feeling。　I
have　been　filled　with　it　by　certain　sounds　from　stringed　instruments；
and　not　unfrequently　by　passages　from　books。　Among　innumerable　other
instances；　I　well　remember　something　in　a　volume　of　Joseph　Glanvill；
which　（perhaps　merely　from　its　quaintness　　who　shall　say？）　never
failed　to　inspire　me　with　the　sentiment；　　〃And　the　will　therein
lieth；　which　dieth　not。　Who　knoweth　the　mysteries　of　the　will；　with
its　vigor？　For　God　is　but　a　great　will　pervading　all　things　by　nature
of　its　intentness。　Man　doth　not　yield　him　to　the　angels；　nor　unto
death　utterly；　save　only　through　the　weakness　of　his　feeble　will。〃

Length　of　years；　and　subsequent　reflection；　have　enabled　me　to　trace；
indeed；　some　remote　connection　between　this　passage　in　the　English
moralist　and　a　portion　of　the　character　of　Ligeia。　An　intensity　in
thought；　action；　or　speech；　was　possibly；　in　her；　a　result；　or　at
least　an　index；　of　that　gigantic　volition　which；　during　our　long
intercourse；　failed　to　give　other　and　more　immediate　evidence　of　its
existence。　Of　all　the　women　whom　I　have　ever　known；　she；　the
outwardly　calm；　the　ever…placid　Ligeia；　was　the　most　violently　a　prey
to　the　tumultuous　vultures　of　stern　passion。　And　of　such　passion　I
could　form　no　estimate；　save　by　the　miraculous　expansion　of　those
eyes　which　at　once　so　delighted　and　appalled　me　　by　the　almost
magical　melody；　modulation；　distinctness　and　placidity　of　her　very
low　voice　　and　by　the　fierce　energy　（rendered　doubly　effective　by
contrast　with　her　manner　of　utterance）　of　the　wild　words　which　she
habitually　uttered。

I　have　spoken　of　the　learning　of　Ligeia：　it　was　immense　　such　as　I
have　never　known　in　woman。　In　the　classical　tongues　was　she　deeply
proficient；　and　as　far　as　my　own　acquaintance　extended　in　regard　to
the　modern　dialects　of　Europe；　I　have　never　known　her　at　fault。
Indeed　upon　any　theme　of　the　most　admired；　because　simply　the　most
abstruse　of　the　boasted　erudition　of　the　academy；　have　I　ever　found
Ligeia　at　fault？　How　singularly　　how　thrillingly；　this　one　point　in
the　nature　of　my　wife　has　forced　itself；　at　this　late　period　only；
upon　my　attention！　I　said　her　knowledge　was　such　as　I　have　never
known　in　woman　　but　where　breathes　the　man　who　has　traversed；　and
successfully；　all　the　wide　areas　of　moral；　physical；　and　mathematical
science？　I　saw　not　then　what　I　now　clearly　perceive；　that　the
acquisitions　of　Ligeia　were　gigantic；　were　astounding；　yet　I　was
sufficiently　aware　of　her　infinite　supremacy　to　resign　myself；　with　a
child…like　confidence；　to　her　guidance　through　the　chaotic　world　of
metaphysical　investigation　at　which　I　was　most　busily　occupied　during
the　earlier　years　of　our　marriage。　With　how　vast　a　triumph　　with
how　vivid　a　delight　　with　how　much　of　all　that　is　ethereal　in　hope
　did　I　feel；　as　she　bent　over　me　in　studies　but　little　sought　
but　less　known　　that　delicious　vista　by　slow　degrees　expanding
before　me；　down　whose　long；　gorgeous；　and　all　untrodden　path；　I　might
at　length　pass　onward　to　the　goal　of　a　wisdom　too　divinely　precious
not　to　be　forbidden！

How　poignant；　then；　must　have　been　the　grief　with　which；　after　some
years；　I　beheld　my　well…grounded　expectations　take　wings　to
themselves　and　fly　away！　Without　Ligeia　I　was　but　as　a　child　groping
benighted。　Her　presence；　her　readings　alone；　rendered　vividly
luminous　the　many　mysteries　of　the　transcendentalism　in　which　we　were
immersed。　Wanting　the　radiant　lustre　of　her　eyes；　letters；　lambent
and　golden；　grew　duller　than　Saturnian　lead。　And　now　those　eyes　shone
less　and　less　frequently　upon　the　pages　over　which　I　pored。　Ligeia
grew　ill。　The　wild　eyes　blazed　with　a　too　　too　glorious　effulgence；
the　pale　fingers　became　of　the　transparent　waxen　hue　of　the　grave；
and　the　blue　veins　upon　the　lofty　forehead　swelled　and　sank
impetuously　with　the　tides　of　the　gentle　emotion。　I　saw　that　she　must
die　　and　I　struggled　desperately　in　spirit　with　the　grim　Azrael。
And　the　struggles　of　the　passionate　wife　were；　to　my　astonishment；
even　more　energetic　than　my　own。　There　had　been　much　in　her　stern
nature　to　impress　me　with　the　belief　that；　to　her；　death　would　have
come　without　its　terrors；　　but　not　so。　Words　are　impotent　to　convey
any　just　idea　of　the　fierceness　of　resistance　with　which　she　wrestled
with　the　Shadow。　I　groaned　in　anguish　at　the　pitiable　spectacle。
would　have　soothed　　I　would　have　reasoned；　but；　in　the　intensity　of
her　wild　desire　for　life；　　for　life　　but　for　life　　solace　and
reason　were　the　uttermost　folly。　Yet　not　until　the　last　instance；
amid　the　most　convulsive　writhings　of　her　fierce　spirit；　was　shaken
the　external　placidity　of　her　demeanor。　Her　voice　grew　more　gentle　
grew　more　low　　yet　I　would　not　wish　to　dwell　upon　the　wild　meaning
of　the　quietly　uttered　words。　My　brain　reeled　as　I　hearkened
entranced；　to　a　melody　more　than　mortal　　to　assumptions　and
aspirations　which　mortality　had　never　before　known。

That　she　loved　me　I　should　not　have　doubted；　and　I　might　have　been
easily　aware　that；　in　a　bosom　such　as　hers；　love　would　have　reigned
no　ordinary　passion。　But　in　death　only；　was　I　fully　impressed　with
the　strength　of　her　affection。　For　long　hours；　detaining　my　hand；
would　she　pour　out　before　me　the　overflowing　of　a　heart　whose　more
than　passionate　devotion　amounted　to　idolatry。　How　had　I　deserved　to
be　so　blessed　by　such　confessions？　　how　had　I　deserved　to