stories by modern american authors-第1节
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Stories by Modern American Authors
Edited by Julian Hawthorne
CONTENTS：
F。 MARION CRAWFORD （1854…）
By the Waters of Paradise
MARY E。 WILKINS FREEMAN （1862…）
The Shadows on the Wall
MELVILLE D。 POST （1871…）
The Corpus Delicti
AMBROSE BIERCE （1842…）
An Heiress from Redhorse
The Man and the Snake
EDGAR ALLAN POE （1809…49）
The Oblong Box
The Gold…Bug
WASHINGTON IRVING （1783…1859）
Wolfert Webber； or Golden Dreams
Adventure of the Black Fisherman
CHARLES BROCKDEN BROWN （1771…1810）
Wieland's Madness
FITZJAMES O'BRIEN （1828…1862）
The Golden Ingot
My Wife's Tempter
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE （1804…1864）
The Minister's Black Veil
ANONYMOUS
Horror： A True Tale
THE MOST INTERESTING STORIES OF ALL NATIONS
Edited by Julian Hawthorne
AMERICAN
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION BY JULIAN HAWTHORNE
〃Riddle Stories〃
F。 MARION CRAWFORD （1854…）
By the Waters of Paradise
MARY E。 WILKINS FREEMAN （1862…）
The Shadows on the Wall
MELVILLE D。 POST （1871…）
The Corpus Delicti
AMBROSE BIERCE （1842…）
An Heiress from Redhorse
The Man and the Snake
EDGAR ALLAN POE （1809…49）
The Oblong Box
The Gold…Bug
WASHINGTON IRVING （1783…1859）
Wolfert Webber； or Golden Dreams
Adventure of the Black Fisherman
CHARLES BROCKDEN BROWN （1771…1810）
Wieland's Madness
FITZJAMES O'BRIEN （1828…1862）
The Golden Ingot
My Wife's Tempter
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE （1804…1864）
The Minister's Black Veil
ANONYMOUS
Horror： A True Tale
〃Riddle Stories〃
Introduction by Julian Hawthorne
When Poe wrote his immortal Dupin tales； the name 〃Detective〃
stories had not been invented； the detective of fiction not having
been as yet discovered。 And the title is still something of a
misnomer； for many narratives involving a puzzle of some sort；
though belonging to the category which I wish to discuss； are
handled by the writer without expert detective aid。 Sometimes the
puzzle solves itself through operation of circumstance； sometimes
somebody who professes no special detective skill happens upon the
secret of its mystery； once in a while some venturesome genius has
the courage to leave his enigma unexplained。 But ever since
Gaboriau created his Lecoq； the transcendent detective has been in
favor； and Conan Doyle's famous gentleman analyst has given him a
fresh lease of life； and reanimated the stage by reverting to the
method of Poe。 Sherlock Holmes is Dupin redivivus； and mutatus
mutandis； personally he is a more stirring and engaging companion；
but so far as kinship to probabilities or even possibilities is
concerned； perhaps the older version of him is the more
presentable。 But in this age of marvels we seem less difficult to
suit in this respect than our forefathers were。
The fact is； meanwhile； that； in the riddle story； the detective
was an afterthought； or； more accurately； a deus ex machina to make
the story go。 The riddle had to be unriddled； and who could do it
so naturally and readily as a detective？ The detective； as Poe saw
him； was a means to this end； and it was only afterwards that
writers perceived his availability as a character。 Lecoq
accordingly becomes a figure in fiction； and Sherlock； while he was
as yet a novelty； was nearly as attractive as the complications in
which he involved himself。 Riddle…story writers in general；
however； encounter the obvious embarrassment that their detective
is obliged to lavish so much attention on the professional services
which the exigencies of the tale demand of him； that he has very
little leisure to expound his own personal equationthe rather
since the attitude of peering into a millstone is not； of itself；
conducive to elucidations of oneself； the professional endowment
obscures all the others。 We ordinarily find； therefore； our author
dismissing the individuality of his detective with a few strong
black…chalk outlines； and devoting his main labor upon what he
feels the reader will chiefly occupy his own ingenuity with；
namely； the elaboration of the riddle itself。 Reader and writer
sit down to a game； as it were； with the odds； of course；
altogether on the latter's side；apart from the fact that a writer
sometimes permits himself a little cheating。 It more often happens
that the detective appears to be in the writer's pay； and aids the
deception by leading the reader off on false scents。 Be that as it
may； the professional sleuth is in nine cases out of ten a dummy by
malice prepense； and it might be plausibly argued that； in the
interests of pure art； that is what he ought to be。 But genius
always finds a way that is better than the rules； and I think it
will be found that the very best riddle stories contrive to drive
character and riddle side by side； and to make each somehow enhance
the effect of the other。The intention of the above paragraph will
be more precisely conveyed if I include under the name of detective
not only the man from the central office； but also anybody whom the
writer may； for ends of his own； consider better qualified for that
function。 The latter is a professional detective so far as the
exigencies of the tale are concerned； and what becomes of him after
that nobody need care；there is no longer anything to prevent his
becoming； in his own right； the most fascinating of mankind。
But in addition to the dummyship of the detective； or to the cases
in which the mere slip of circumstance takes his place； there is
another reason against narrowing our conception of the riddle story
to the degree which the alternative appellation would imply。 And
that is； that it would exclude not a few of the most captivating
riddle stories in existence； for in De Quincey's 〃Avenger；〃 for
example； the interest is not in the unraveling of the web； but in
the weaving of it。 The same remark applies to Bulwer's 〃Strange
Story〃； it is the strangeness that is the thing。 There is； in
short； an inalienable charm in the mere contemplation of mystery
and the hazard of fortunes； and it would be a pity to shut them out
from our consideration only because there is no second…sighted
conjurer on hand to turn them into plain matter of fact。
Yet we must not be too liberal； and a ghost story can be brought
into our charmed and charming circle only if we have made up our
minds to believe in the ghosts； otherwise their introduction would
not be a square deal。 It would not be fair； in other words； to
propose a conundrum on a basis of ostensible materialism； and then；
when no other key would fit； to palm off a disembodied spirit on
us。 Tell me beforehand that your scenario is to include both
worlds； and I have no objection to make； I simply attune my mind to
the more extensive scope。 But I rebel at an unheralded ghostland；
and declare frankly that your tale is incredible。 And I must
confess that I would as lief have ghosts kept out altogether； their
stories make a very good library in themselves； and have no need to
tag themselves on to what is really another department of fiction。
Nevertheless； when a ghost story is told with the consummate art of
a Miss Wilkins； and of one or two others on our list； consistency
in this regard ceases to be a jewel； art proves irresistible。 As
for adventure stories； there is a fringe of them that comes under
the riddle…story head； but for the most part the riddle story
begins after the adventures have finished。 We are to contemplate a
condition； not to watch the events that ultimate in it。 Our
detective； or anyone else； may of course meet with haps and mishaps
on his way to the solution of his puzzle； but an astute writer will
not color such incidents too vividly； lest he risk forfeiting our
preoccupation with the problem that we came forth for to study。 In
a word； One thing at a time！
The foregoing disquisition may seem uncalled for by such rigid
moralists as have made up their minds not to regard detective； or
riddle stories； as any part of respectable literature at all。 With
that sect； I announce at the outset that I am entirely out of
sympathy。 It is not needed to compare 〃The Gold Bug〃 with
〃Paradise Lost〃； nobody denies the superior literary stature of the
latter； although； as the Oxford Senior Wrangler objected； 〃What
does it prove？〃 But I appeal to Emerson； who； in his poem of 〃The
Mountain and the Squirrel；〃 states the nub of the argument； with
incomparable felicity； as follows：you will recall that the two
protagonists had a difference； originating in the fact that the
former called the latter 〃Little Prig。〃 Bun made a very sprightly
retort； summing up to this effect：
〃Talents differ； all is well and wisely put；
If I cannot carry forests on m
