the works of edgar allan poe-3-第63节

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until　five　immeasurable　summers　had　〃dragged　their　slow　length
along。〃　What；　then；　to　do？　At　fifteen；　or　even　at　twenty…one　＇for　I
had　now　passed　my　fifth　olympiad＇　five　years　in　prospect　are　very
much　the　same　as　five　hundred。　In　vain　we　besieged　the　old　gentleman
with　importunities。　Here　was　a　piece　de　resistance　（as　Messieurs　Ude
and　Careme　would　say）　which　suited　his　perverse　fancy　to　a　T。　It
would　have　stiffed　the　indignation　of　Job　himself；　to　see　how　much
like　an　old　mouser　he　behaved　to　us　two　poor　wretched　little　mice。　In
his　heart　he　wished　for　nothing　more　ardently　than　our　union。　He　had
made　up　his　mind　to　this　all　along。　In　fact；　he　would　have　given　ten
thousand　pounds　from　his　own　pocket　（Kate's　plum　was　her　own）　if　he
could　have　invented　any　thing　like　an　excuse　for　complying　with　our
very　natural　wishes。　But　then　we　had　been　so　imprudent　as　to　broach
the　subject　ourselves。　Not　to　oppose　it　under　such　circumstances；　I
sincerely　believe；　was　not　in　his　power。

I　have　said　already　that　he　had　his　weak　points；　but　in　speaking　of
these；　I　must　not　be　understood　as　referring　to　his　obstinacy：　which
was　one　of　his　strong　points　　〃assurement　ce　n'　etait　pas　sa
foible。〃　When　I　mention　his　weakness　I　have　allusion　to　a　bizarre
old…womanish　superstition　which　beset　him。　He　was　great　in　dreams；
portents；　et　id　genus　omne　of　rigmarole。　He　was　excessively
punctilious；　too；　upon　small　points　of　honor；　and；　after　his　own
fashion；　was　a　man　of　his　word；　beyond　doubt。　This　was；　in　fact；　one
of　his　hobbies。　The　spirit　of　his　vows　he　made　no　scruple　of　setting
at　naught；　but　the　letter　was　a　bond　inviolable。　Now　it　was　this
latter　peculiarity　in　his　disposition；　of　which　Kates　ingenuity
enabled　us　one　fine　day；　not　long　after　our　interview　in　the
dining…room；　to　take　a　very　unexpected　advantage；　and；　having　thus；
in　the　fashion　of　all　modern　bards　and　orators；　exhausted　in
prolegomena；　all　the　time　at　my　command；　and　nearly　all　the　room　at
my　disposal；　I　will　sum　up　in　a　few　words　what　constitutes　the　whole
pith　of　the　story。

It　happened　then　　so　the　Fates　ordered　it　　that　among　the　naval
acquaintances　of　my　betrothed；　were　two　gentlemen　who　had　just　set
foot　upon　the　shores　of　England；　after　a　year's　absence；　each；　in
foreign　travel。　In　company　with　these　gentlemen；　my　cousin　and　I；
preconcertedly　paid　uncle　Rumgudgeon　a　visit　on　the　afternoon　of
Sunday；　October　the　tenth；　　just　three　weeks　after　the　memorable
decision　which　had　so　cruelly　defeated　our　hopes。　For　about　half　an
hour　the　conversation　ran　upon　ordinary　topics；　but　at　last；　we
contrived；　quite　naturally；　to　give　it　the　following　turn：

CAPT。　PRATT。　〃Well　I　have　been　absent　just　one　year。　　Just　one　year
to…day；　as　I　live　　let　me　see！　yes！　　this　is　October　the　tenth。
You　remember；　Mr。　Rumgudgeon；　I　called；　this　day　year　to　bid　you
good…bye。　And　by　the　way；　it　does　seem　something　like　a　coincidence；
does　it　not　　that　our　friend；　Captain　Smitherton；　here；　has　been
absent　exactly　a　year　also　　a　year　to…day！〃

SMITHERTON。　〃Yes！　just　one　year　to　a　fraction。　You　will　remember；　Mr。
Rumgudgeon；　that　I　called　with　Capt。　Pratol　on　this　very　day；　last
year；　to　pay　my　parting　respects。〃

UNCLE。　〃Yes；　yes；　yes　　I　remember　it　very　well　　very　queer
indeed！　Both　of　you　gone　just　one　year。　A　very　strange　coincidence；
indeed！　Just　what　Doctor　Dubble　L。　Dee　would　denominate　an
extraordinary　concurrence　of　events。　Doctor　Dub…〃

KATE。　＇Interrupting。＇　〃To　be　sure；　papa；　it　is　something　strange；　but
then　Captain　Pratt　and　Captain　Smitherton　didn't　go　altogether　the
same　route；　and　that　makes　a　difference；　you　know。〃

UNCLE。　〃I　don't　know　any　such　thing；　you　huzzy！　How　should　I？　I　think
it　only　makes　the　matter　more　remarkable；　Doctor　Dubble　L。　Dee…

KATE。　Why；　papa；　Captain　Pratt　went　round　Cape　Horn；　and　Captain
Smitherton　doubled　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope。〃

UNCLE。　〃Precisely！　　the　one　went　east　and　the　other　went　west；　you
jade；　and　they　both　have　gone　quite　round　the　world。　By　the　by；
Doctor　Dubble　L。　Dee…

MYSELF。　＇Hurriedly。＇　〃Captain　Pratt；　you　must　come　and　spend　the
evening　with　us　to…morrow　　you　and　Smitherton　　you　can　tell　us
all　about　your　voyage；　and　well　have　a　game　of　whist　and…

PRATT。　〃Wist；　my　dear　fellow　　you　forget。　To…morrow　will　be　Sunday。
Some　other　evening…

KATE。　〃Oh；　no。　fie！　　Robert's　not　quite　so　bad　as　that。　To…day's
Sunday。〃

PRATT。　〃I　beg　both　your　pardons　　but　I　can't　be　so　much　mistaken。　I
know　to…morrow's　Sunday；　because…〃

SMITHERTON。　＇Much　surprised。＇　〃What　are　you　all　thinking　about？
Wasn't　yesterday；　Sunday；　I　should　like　to　know？〃

ALL。　〃Yesterday　indeed！　you　are　out！〃

UNCLE。　〃To…days　Sunday；　I　say　　don't　I　know？〃

PRATT。　〃Oh　no！　　to…morrow's　Sunday。〃

SMITHERTON。　〃You　are　all　mad　　every　one　of　you。　I　am　as　positive
that　yesterday　was　Sunday　as　I　am　that　I　sit　upon　this　chair。〃

KATE。　＇jumping　up　eagerly。＇　〃I　see　it　　I　see　it　all。　Papa；　this　is
a　judgment　upon　you；　about　　about　you　know　what。　Let　me　alone；　and
I'll　explain　it　all　in　a　minute。　It's　a　very　simple　thing；　indeed。
Captain　Smitherton　says　that　yesterday　was　Sunday：　so　it　was；　he　is
right。　Cousin　Bobby；　and　uncle　and　I　say　that　to…day　is　Sunday：　so　it
is；　we　are　right。　Captain　Pratt　maintains　that　to…morrow　will　be
Sunday：　so　it　will；　he　is　right；　too。　The　fact　is；　we　are　all　right；
and　thus　three　Sundays　have　come　together　in　a　week。〃

SMITHERTON。　＇After　a　pause。＇　〃By　the　by；　Pratt；　Kate　has　us
completely。　What　fools　we　two　are！　Mr。　Rumgudgeon；　the　matter　stands
thus：　the　earth；　you　know；　is　twenty…four　thousand　miles　in
circumference。　Now　this　globe　of　the　earth　turns　upon　its　own　axis…
revolves　　spins　round　　these　twenty…four　thousand　miles　of
extent；　going　from　west　to　east；　in　precisely　twenty…four　hours。　Do
you　understand　Mr。　Rumgudgeon？…〃

UNCLE。　〃To　be　sure　　to　be　sure　　Doctor　Dub…〃

SMITHERTON。　＇Drowning　his　voice。＇　〃Well；　sir；　that　is　at　the　rate　of
one　thousand　miles　per　hour。　Now；　suppose　that　I　sail　from　this
position　a　thousand　miles　east。　Of　course　I　anticipate　the　rising　of
the　sun　here　at　London　by　just　one　hour。　I　see　the　sun　rise　one　hour
before　you　do。　Proceeding；　in　the　same　direction；　yet　another
thousand　miles；　I　anticipate　the　rising　by　two　hours　　another
thousand；　and　I　anticipate　it　by　three　hours；　and　so　on；　until　I　go
entirely　round　the　globe；　and　back　to　this　spot；　when；　having　gone
twenty…four　thousand　miles　east；　I　anticipate　the　rising　of　the
London　sun　by　no　less　than　twenty…four　hours；　that　is　to　say；　I　am　a
day　in　advance　of　your　time。　Understand；　eh？〃

UNCLE。　〃But　Double　L。　Dee…〃

SMITHERTON。　＇Speaking　very　loud。＇　〃Captain　Pratt；　on　the　contrary；
when　he　had　sailed　a　thousand　miles　west　of　this　position；　was　an
hour；　and　when　he　had　sailed　twenty…four　thousand　miles　west；　was
twenty…four　hours；　or　one　day；　behind　the　time　at　London。　Thus；　with
me；　yesterday　was　Sunday　　thus；　with　you；　to…day　is　Sunday　　and
thus；　with　Pratt；　to…morrow　will　be　Sunday。　And　what　is　more；　Mr。
Rumgudgeon；　it　is　positively　clear　that　we　are　all　right；　for　there
can　be　no　philosophical　reason　assigned　why　the　idea　of　one　of　us
should　have　preference　over　that　of　the　other。〃

UNCLE。　〃My　eyes！　　well；　Kate　　well；　Bobby！　　this　is　a　judgment
upon　me；　as　you　say。　But　I　am　a　man　of　my　word　　mark　that！　you
shall　have　her；　boy；　（plum　and　all）；　when　you　please。　Done　up；　by
Jove！　Three　Sundays　all　in　a　row！　I'll　go；　and　take　Dubble　L。　Dee's
opinion　upon　that。〃





End　of　The　Works　of　Edgar　Allan　Poe　V。　3