the works of edgar allan poe-3-第48节

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excitement　of　my　opium　dreams　（for　I　was　habitually　fettered　in　the
shackles　of　the　drug）　I　would　call　aloud　upon　her　name；　during　the
silence　of　the　night；　or　among　the　sheltered　recesses　of　the　glens　by
day；　as　if；　through　the　wild　eagerness；　the　solemn　passion；　the
consuming　ardor　of　my　longing　for　the　departed；　I　could　restore　her
to　the　pathway　she　had　abandoned　　ah；　could　it　be　forever？　　upon
the　earth。

About　the　commencement　of　the　second　month　of　the　marriage；　the　Lady
Rowena　was　attacked　with　sudden　illness；　from　which　her　recovery　was
slow。　The　fever　which　consumed　her　rendered　her　nights　uneasy；　and　in
her　perturbed　state　of　half…slumber；　she　spoke　of　sounds；　and　of
motions；　in　and　about　the　chamber　of　the　turret；　which　I　concluded
had　no　origin　save　in　the　distemper　of　her　fancy；　or　perhaps　in　the
phantasmagoric　influences　of　the　chamber　itself。　She　became　at　length
convalescent　　finally　well。　Yet　but　a　brief　period　elapsed；　ere　a
second　more　violent　disorder　again　threw　her　upon　a　bed　of　suffering；
and　from　this　attack　her　frame；　at　all　times　feeble；　never　altogether
recovered。　Her　illnesses　were；　after　this　epoch；　of　alarming
character；　and　of　more　alarming　recurrence；　defying　alike　the
knowledge　and　the　great　exertions　of　her　physicians。　With　the
increase　of　the　chronic　disease　which　had　thus；　apparently；　taken　too
sure　hold　upon　her　constitution　to　be　eradicated　by　human　means；　I
could　not　fall　to　observe　a　similar　increase　in　the　nervous
irritation　of　her　temperament；　and　in　her　excitability　by　trivial
causes　of　fear。　She　spoke　again；　and　now　more　frequently　and
pertinaciously；　of　the　sounds　　of　the　slight　sounds　　and　of　the
unusual　motions　among　the　tapestries；　to　which　she　had　formerly
alluded。

One　night；　near　the　closing　in　of　September；　she　pressed　this
distressing　subject　with　more　than　usual　emphasis　upon　my　attention。
She　had　just　awakened　from　an　unquiet　slumber；　and　I　had　been
watching；　with　feelings　half　of　anxiety；　half　of　vague　terror；　the
workings　of　her　emaciated　countenance。　I　sat　by　the　side　of　her　ebony
bed；　upon　one　of　the　ottomans　of　India。　She　partly　arose；　and　spoke；
in　an　earnest　low　whisper；　of　sounds　which　she　then　heard；　but　which
I　could　not　hear　　of　motions　which　she　then　saw；　but　which　I　could
not　perceive。　The　wind　was　rushing　hurriedly　behind　the　tapestries；
and　I　wished　to　show　her　（what；　let　me　confess　it；　I　could　not　all
believe）　that　those　almost　inarticulate　breathings；　and　those　very
gentle　variations　of　the　figures　upon　the　wall；　were　but　the　natural
effects　of　that　customary　rushing　of　the　wind。　But　a　deadly　pallor；
overspreading　her　face；　had　proved　to　me　that　my　exertions　to
reassure　her　would　be　fruitless。　She　appeared　to　be　fainting；　and　no
attendants　were　within　call。　I　remembered　where　was　deposited　a
decanter　of　light　wine　which　had　been　ordered　by　her　physicians；　and
hastened　across　the　chamber　to　procure　it。　But；　as　I　stepped　beneath
the　light　of　the　censer；　two　circumstances　of　a　startling　nature
attracted　my　attention。　I　had　felt　that　some　palpable　although
invisible　object　had　passed　lightly　by　my　person；　and　I　saw　that
there　lay　upon　the　golden　carpet；　in　the　very　middle　of　the　rich
lustre　thrown　from　the　censer；　a　shadow　　a　faint；　indefinite　shadow
of　angelic　aspect　　such　as　might　be　fancied　for　the　shadow　of　a
shade。　But　I　was　wild　with　the　excitement　of　an　immoderate　dose　of
opium；　and　heeded　these　things　but　little；　nor　spoke　of　them　to
Rowena。　Having　found　the　wine；　I　recrossed　the　chamber；　and　poured
out　a　gobletful；　which　I　held　to　the　lips　of　the　fainting　lady。　She
had　now　partially　recovered；　however；　and　took　the　vessel　herself；
while　I　sank　upon　an　ottoman　near　me；　with　my　eyes　fastened　upon　her
person。　It　was　then　that　I　became　distinctly　aware　of　a　gentle
footfall　upon　the　carpet；　and　near　the　couch；　and　in　a　second
thereafter；　as　Rowena　was　in　the　act　of　raising　the　wine　to　her　lips；
I　saw；　or　may　have　dreamed　that　I　saw；　fall　within　the　goblet；　as　if
from　some　invisible　spring　in　the　atmosphere　of　the　room；　three　or
four　large　drops　of　a　brilliant　and　ruby　colored　fluid。　If　this　I　saw
　not　so　Rowena。　She　swallowed　the　wine　unhesitatingly；　and　I
forbore　to　speak　to　her　of　a　circumstance　which　must；　after　all；　I
considered；　have　been　but　the　suggestion　of　a　vivid　imagination；
rendered　morbidly　active　by　the　terror　of　the　lady；　by　the　opium；　and
by　the　hour。

Yet　I　cannot　conceal　it　from　my　own　perception　that；　immediately
subsequent　to　the　fall　of　the　ruby…drops；　a　rapid　change　for　the
worse　took　place　in　the　disorder　of　my　wife；　so　that；　on　the　third
subsequent　night；　the　hands　of　her　menials　prepared　her　for　the　tomb；
and　on　the　fourth；　I　sat　alone；　with　her　shrouded　body；　in　that
fantastic　chamber　which　had　received　her　as　my　bride。　　Wild
visions；　opium…engendered；　flitted；　shadow…like；　before　me。　I　gazed
with　unquiet　eye　upon　the　sarcophagi　in　the　angles　of　the　room；　upon
the　varying　figures　of　the　drapery；　and　upon　the　writhing　of　the
parti…colored　fires　in　the　censer　overhead。　My　eyes　then　fell；　as　I
called　to　mind　the　circumstances　of　a　former　night；　to　the　spot
beneath　the　glare　of　the　censer　where　I　had　seen　the　faint　traces　of
the　shadow。　It　was　there；　however；　no　longer；　and　breathing　with
greater　freedom；　I　turned　my　glances　to　the　pallid　and　rigid　figure
upon　the　bed。　Then　rushed　upon　me　a　thousand　memories　of　Ligeia　
and　then　came　back　upon　my　heart；　with　the　turbulent　violence　of　a
flood；　the　whole　of　that　unutterable　wo　with　which　I　had　regarded　her
thus　enshrouded。　The　night　waned；　and　still；　with　a　bosom　full　of
bitter　thoughts　of　the　one　only　and　supremely　beloved；　I　remained
gazing　upon　the　body　of　Rowena。

It　might　have　been　midnight；　or　perhaps　earlier；　or　later；　for　I　had
taken　no　note　of　time；　when　a　sob；　low；　gentle；　but　very　distinct；
startled　me　from　my　revery。　　I　felt　that　it　came　from　the　bed　of
ebony　　the　bed　of　death。　I　listened　in　an　agony　of　superstitious
terror　　but　there　was　no　repetition　of　the　sound。　I　strained　my
vision　to　detect　any　motion　in　the　corpse　　but　there　was　not　the
slightest　perceptible。　Yet　I　could　not　have　been　deceived。　I　had
heard　the　noise；　however　faint；　and　my　soul　was　awakened　within　me。　I
resolutely　and　perseveringly　kept　my　attention　riveted　upon　the　body。
Many　minutes　elapsed　before　any　circumstance　occurred　tending　to
throw　light　upon　the　mystery。　At　length　it　became　evident　that　a
slight；　a　very　feeble；　and　barely　noticeable　tinge　of　color　had
flushed　up　within　the　cheeks；　and　along　the　sunken　small　veins　of　the
eyelids。　Through　a　species　of　unutterable　horror　and　awe；　for　which
the　language　of　mortality　has　no　sufficiently　energetic　expression；　I
felt　my　heart　cease　to　beat；　my　limbs　grow　rigid　where　I　sat。　Yet　a
sense　of　duty　finally　operated　to　restore　my　self…possession。　I　could
no　longer　doubt　that　we　had　been　precipitate　in　our　preparations　
that　Rowena　still　lived。　It　was　necessary　that　some　immediate
exertion　be　made；　yet　turret　was　altogether　apart　from　the　portion　of
the　abbey　tenanted　by　the　servants　　there　were　none　within　call　
I　had　no　means　of　summoning　them　to　my　aid　without　leaving　the　room
for　many　minutes　　and　this　I　could　not　venture　to　do。　I　therefore
struggled　alone　in　my　endeavors　to　call　back　the　spirit　ill　hovering。
In　a　short　period　it　was　certain；　however；　that　a　relapse　had　taken
place；　the　color　disappeared　from　both　eyelid　and　cheek；　leaving　a
wanness　even　more　than　that　of　marble；　the　lips　became　doubly
shrivelled　and　pinched　up　in　the　ghastly　expression　of　death；　a
repulsive　clamminess　and　coldness　overspread　rapidly　the　surface　of
the　body；　and　all　the　usual　rigorous　illness　immediately　supervened。
I　fell　back　with　a　shudder　upon　the　couch　from　which　I　had　been　so
startlingly　aroused；　and　again　gave　myself　up　to　passionate　waking
visions　of　Ligeia。

An　hour　thus　elapsed　when　（could　it　be　possible？）　I　was　a　second　time
aware　of　some　vague　sound　issuing　from　the　region　of　the　bed。　I
listened　　in　extremity　of　horror。　The　sound　came　again　　it　was　a
sigh。　Rushing　to　the　corpse；　I　saw　　distinctly　saw　　a　tremor　upon
the　lips。　In　a　minute　afterward　they　relaxed；　disclosing　a　bright
line　of　the　pearly　teeth。　Amazement　now　struggled　in　my　bosom　with
the　profound　awe　which　had　hitherto　reigned　there　alone。　I　felt　that
my　vision　grew　dim；　that　my　reason　wandered；　and　it　was　only　by　a
violent　effort　that　I　at　length　succeeded　in　nerving　myself　to　the
task　which　duty　thus　once　more　had　pointed　out。　There　was　now　a
partial　glow　upon　the　forehead　and　upon　the　cheek　and　throat；　a
perceptible　warmth　pervaded　the　whole　frame；　there　was　even　a　slight
pulsation　at　the　heart。　The　lady　lived；　and　with　redoubled　ardor　I
betook　myself　to　the　task　of　restoration。　I　chafed　and　bathed　the
temples　and　the　hands；　and　used　every　exertion　which　experience；　and
no　little。　medical　reading；　could　suggest。　But　in　vain。　Suddenly；　the
color　fled；　the　pulsation　ceased；　the　lips　resumed　the　expression　of
the　dead；　and；　in　an　instant　afterward；　the　whole　body　took　upon
itself　the　icy　chilliness；　the　livid　hue；　the　intense　rigidity；　the
sunken　outline；　and　all