the works of edgar allan poe-3-第59节

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after　leaving　Talbot's　hotel　will　be　easily　explained；　as　also　their
allusion　to　Ninon　De　L'Enclos。　I　had　no　opportunity　of　seeing　Madame
Lalande　closely　during　daylight；　and；　at　her　musical　soiree；　my　silly
weakness　in　refusing　the　aid　of　glasses　effectually　prevented　me　from
making　a　discovery　of　her　age。　When　〃Madame　Lalande〃　was　called　upon
to　sing；　the　younger　lady　was　intended；　and　it　was　she　who　arose　to
obey　the　call；　my　great；　great；　grandmother；　to　further　the
deception；　arising　at　the　same　moment　and　accompanying　her　to　the
piano　in　the　main　drawing…room。　Had　I　decided　upon　escorting　her
thither；　it　had　been　her　design　to　suggest　the　propriety　of　my
remaining　where　I　was；　but　my　own　prudential　views　rendered　this
unnecessary。　The　songs　which　I　so　much　admired；　and　which　so
confirmed　my　impression　of　the　youth　of　my　mistress；　were　executed　by
Madame　Stephanie　Lalande。　The　eyeglass　was　presented　by　way　of　adding
a　reproof　to　the　hoax　　a　sting　to　the　epigram　of　the　deception。　Its
presentation　afforded　an　opportunity　for　the　lecture　upon　affectation
with　which　I　was　so　especially　edified。　It　is　almost　superfluous　to
add　that　the　glasses　of　the　instrument；　as　worn　by　the　old　lady；　had
been　exchanged　by　her　for　a　pair　better　adapted　to　my　years。　They
suited　me；　in　fact；　to　a　T。

The　clergyman；　who　merely　pretended　to　tie　the　fatal　knot；　was　a　boon
companion　of　Talbot's；　and　no　priest。　He　was　an　excellent　〃whip；〃
however；　and　having　doffed　his　cassock　to　put　on　a　great…coat；　he
drove　the　hack　which　conveyed　the　〃happy　couple〃　out　of　town。　Talbot
took　a　seat　at　his　side。　The　two　scoundrels　were　thus　〃in　at　the
death；〃　and　through　a　half…open　window　of　the　back　parlor　of　the　inn；
amused　themselves　in　grinning　at　the　denouement　of　the　drama。　I
believe　I　shall　be　forced　to　call　them　both　out。

Nevertheless；　I　am　not　the　husband　of　my　great；　great；　grandmother；
and　this　is　a　reflection　which　affords　me　infinite　relief；　　but　I
am　the　husband　of　Madame　Lalande　　of　Madame　Stephanie　Lalande　
with　whom　my　good　old　relative；　besides　making　me　her　sole　heir　when
she　dies　　if　she　ever　does　　has　been　at　the　trouble　of　concocting
me　a　match。　In　conclusion：　I　am　done　forever　with　billets　doux　and　am
never　to　be　met　without　SPECTACLES。

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



KING　PEST。

A　Tale　Containing　an　Allegory。

The　gods　do　bear　and　will　allow　in　kings
The　things　which　they　abhor　in　rascal　routes。

　　　　　　　　　_Buckhurst's　Tragedy　of　Ferrex　and　Porrex。_

ABOUT　twelve　o'clock；　one　night　in　the　month　of　October；　and　during
the　chivalrous　reign　of　the　third　Edward；　two　seamen　belonging　to　the
crew　of　the　〃Free　and　Easy；〃　a　trading　schooner　plying　between　Sluys
and　the　Thames；　and　then　at　anchor　in　that　river；　were　much
astonished　to　find　themselves　seated　in　the　tap…room　of　an　ale…house
in　the　parish　of　St。　Andrews；　London　　which　ale…house　bore　for　sign
the　portraiture　of　a　〃Jolly　Tar。〃

The　room；　although　ill…contrived；　smoke…blackened；　low…pitched；　and
in　every　other　respect　agreeing　with　the　general　character　of　such
places　at　the　period　　was；　nevertheless；　in　the　opinion　of　the
grotesque　groups　scattered　here　and　there　within　it；　sufficiently
well　adapted　to　its　purpose。

Of　these　groups　our　two　seamen　formed；　I　think；　the　most　interesting；
if　not　the　most　conspicuous。

The　one　who　appeared　to　be　the　elder；　and　whom　his　companion
addressed　by　the　characteristic　appellation　of　〃Legs；〃　was　at　the
same　time　much　the　taller　of　the　two。　He　might　have　measured　six　feet
and　a　half；　and　an　habitual　stoop　in　the　shoulders　seemed　to　have
been　the　necessary　consequence　of　an　altitude　so　enormous。　
Superfluities　in　height　were；　however；　more　than　accounted　for　by
deficiencies　in　other　respects。　He　was　exceedingly　thin；　and　might；
as　his　associates　asserted；　have　answered；　when　drunk；　for　a　pennant
at　the　mast…head；　or；　when　sober；　have　served　for　a　jib…boom。　But
these　jests；　and　others　of　a　similar　nature；　had　evidently　produced；
at　no　time；　any　effect　upon　the　cachinnatory　muscles　of　the　tar。　With
high　cheek…bones；　a　large　hawk…nose；　retreating　chin；　fallen
under…jaw；　and　huge　protruding　white　eyes；　the　expression　of　his
countenance；　although　tinged　with　a　species　of　dogged　indifference　to
matters　and　things　in　general；　was　not　the　less　utterly　solemn　and
serious　beyond　all　attempts　at　imitation　or　description。

The　younger　seaman　was；　in　all　outward　appearance；　the　converse　of
his　companion。　His　stature　could　not　have　exceeded　four　feet。　A　pair
of　stumpy　bow…legs　supported　his　squat；　unwieldy　figure；　while　his
unusually　short　and　thick　arms；　with　no　ordinary　fists　at　their
extremities；　swung　off　dangling　from　his　sides　like　the　fins　of　a
sea…turtle。　Small　eyes；　of　no　particular　color；　twinkled　far　back　in
his　head。　His　nose　remained　buried　in　the　mass　of　flesh　which
enveloped　his　round；　full；　and　purple　face；　and　his　thick　upper…lip
rested　upon　the　still　thicker　one　beneath　with　an　air　of　complacent
self…satisfaction；　much　heightened　by　the　owner's　habit　of　licking
them　at　intervals。　He　evidently　regarded　his　tall　shipmate　with　a
feeling　half…wondrous；　half…quizzical；　and　stared　up　occasionally　in
his　face　as　the　red　setting　sun　stares　up　at　the　crags　of　Ben　Nevis。

Various　and　eventful；　however；　had　been　the　peregrinations　of　the
worthy　couple　in　and　about　the　different　tap…houses　of　the
neighbourhood　during　the　earlier　hours　of　the　night。　Funds　even　the
most　ample；　are　not　always　everlasting：　and　it　was　with　empty　pockets
our　friends　had　ventured　upon　the　present　hostelrie。

At　the　precise　period；　then；　when　this　history　properly　commences；
Legs；　and　his　fellow　Hugh　Tarpaulin；　sat；　each　with　both　elbows
resting　upon　the　large　oaken　table　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　and
with　a　hand　upon　either　cheek。　They　were　eyeing；　from　behind　a　huge
flagon　of　unpaid…for　〃humming…stuff；〃　the　portentous　words；　〃No
Chalk；〃　which　to　their　indignation　and　astonishment　were　scored　over
the　doorway　by　means　of　that　very　mineral　whose　presence　they
purported　to　deny。　Not　that　the　gift　of　decyphering　written
characters　　a　gift　among　the　commonalty　of　that　day　considered
little　less　cabalistical　than　the　art　of　inditing　　could；　in　strict
justice；　have　been　laid　to　the　charge　of　either　disciple　of　the　sea；
but　there　was；　to　say　the　truth；　a　certain　twist　in　the　formation　of
the　letters　　an　indescribable　lee…lurch　about　the　whole　　…which
foreboded；　in　the　opinion　of　both　seamen；　a　long　run　of　dirty
weather；　and　determined　them　at　once；　in　the　allegorical　words　of
Legs　himself；　to　〃pump　ship；　clew　up　all　sail；　and　scud　before　the
wind。〃

Having　accordingly　disposed　of　what　remained　of　the　ale；　and　looped
up　the　points　of　their　short　doublets；　they　finally　made　a　bolt　for
the　street。　Although　Tarpaulin　rolled　twice　into　the　fire…place；
mistaking　it　for　the　door；　yet　their　escape　was　at　length　happily
effected　　and　half　after　twelve　o'clock　found　our　heroes　ripe　for
mischief；　and　running　for　life　down　a　dark　alley　in　the　direction　of
St。　Andrew's　Stair；　hotly　pursued　by　the　landlady　of　the　〃Jolly　Tar。〃

At　the　epoch　of　this　eventful　tale；　and　periodically；　for　many　years
before　and　after；　all　England；　but　more　especially　the　metropolis；
resounded　with　the　fearful　cry　of　〃Plague！〃　The　city　was　in　a　great
measure　depopulated　　and　in　those　horrible　regions；　in　the　vicinity
of　the　Thames；　where　amid　the　dark；　narrow；　and　filthy　lanes　and
alleys；　the　Demon　of　Disease　was　supposed　to　have　had　his　nativity；
Awe；　Terror；　and　Superstition　were　alone　to　be　found　stalking　abroad。

By　authority　of　the　king　such　districts　were　placed　under　ban；　and
all　persons　forbidden；　under　pain　of　death；　to　intrude　upon　their
dismal　solitude。　Yet　neither　the　mandate　of　the　monarch；　nor　the　huge
barriers　erected　at　the　entrances　of　the　streets；　nor　the　prospect　of
that　loathsome　death　which；　with　almost　absolute　certainty；
overwhelmed　the　wretch　whom　no　peril　could　deter　from　the　adventure；
prevented　the　unfurnished　and　untenanted　dwellings　from　being
stripped；　by　the　hand　of　nightly　rapine；　of　every　article；　such　as
iron；　brass；　or　lead…work；　which　could　in　any　manner　be　turned　to　a
profitable　account。

Above　all；　it　was　usually　found；　upon　the　annual　winter　opening　of
the　barriers；　that　locks；　bolts；　and　secret　cellars；　had　proved　but
slender　protection　to　those　rich　stores　of　wines　and　liquors　which；
in　consideration　of　the　risk　and　trouble　of　removal；　many　of　the
numerous　dealers　having　shops　in　the　neighbourhood　had　consented　to
trust；　during　the　period　of　exile；　to　so　insufficient　a　security。

But　there　were　very　few　of　the　terror…stricken　people　who　attributed
these　doings　to　the　agency　of　human　hands。　Pest…spirits；
plague…goblins；　and　fever…demons；　were　the　popular　imps　of　mischief；
and　tales　so　blood…chilling　were　hourly　told；　that　the　whole　mass　of
forbidden　buildings　was；　at　length；　enveloped　in　terror　as　in　a
shroud；　and　the　plunderer　himself　was　often　scared　away　by　the
horrors　his　own　depreciations　had　created；　leaving　the　entire　vast
circuit　of　prohibited　district　to　gloom；　silence；　pestilence；　and
death。

It　was　by　one　of　the　terrific　barriers　al