stories by modern american authors-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！







　　　　　〃Talents　differ；　all　is　well　and　wisely　put；

　　　　　　If　I　cannot　carry　forests　on　my　back；

　　　　　　Neither　can　you　crack　a　nut。〃





Andes　and　Paradises　Lost　are　expedient　and　perhaps　necessary　in

their　proper　atmosphere　and　function；　but　Squirrels　and　Gold　Bugs

are　indispensable　in　our　daily　walk。　　There　is　as　fine　and　as　true

literature　in　Poe's　Tales　as　in　Milton's　epics；　only　the　elevation

and　dimensions　differ。　　But　I　would　rather　live　in　a　world　that

possessed　only　literature　of　the　Poe　caliber；　than　shiver　in　one

echoing　solely　the　strains　of　the　Miltonian　muse。　　Mere　human

beings　are　not　constructed　to　stand　all　day　a…tiptoe　on　the　misty

mountain　tops；　they　like　to　walk　the　streets　most　of　the　time　and

sit　in　easy　chairs。　　And　writings　that　picture　the　human　mind　and

nature；　in　true　colors　and　in　artistic　proportions；　are　literature；

and　nobody　has　any　business　to　pooh…pooh　them。　　In　fact；　I　feel　as

if　I　were　knocking　down　a　man　of　straw。　　I　look　in　vain　for　any

genuine　resistance。　　Of　course　〃The　Gold　Bug〃　is　literature；　of

course　any　other　story　of　mystery　and　puzzle　is　also　literature；

provided　it　is　as　good　as　〃The　Gold　Bug；〃or　I　will　say；　since

that　standard　has　never　since　been　quite　attained；　provided　it　is　a

half　or　a　tenth　as　good。　　It　is　goldsmith's　work；　it　is　Chinese

carving；　it　is　Daedalian；　it　is　fine。　　It　is　the　product　of　the

ingenuity　lobe　of　the　human　brain　working　and　expatiating　in

freedom。　　It　is　art；　not　spiritual　or　transcendental　art；　but　solid

art；　to　be　felt　and　experienced。　　You　may　examine　it　at　your

leisure；　it　will　be　always　ready　for　you；　you　need　not　fast　or

watch　your　arms　overnight　in　order　to　understand　it。　　Look　at　the

nice　setting　of　the　mortises；　mark　how　the　cover　fits；　how　smooth

is　the　working　of　that　spring　drawer。　　Observe　that　this　bit　of

carving；　which　seemed　mere　ornament；　is　really　a　vital　part　of　the

mechanism。　　Note；　moreover；　how　balanced　and　symmetrical　the　whole

design　is；　with　what　economy　and　foresight　every　part　is　fashioned。

It　is　not　only　an　ingenious　structure；　it　is　a　handsome　bit　of

furniture；　and　will　materially　improve　the　looks　of　the　empty

chambers；　or　disorderly　or　ungainly　chambers　that　you　carry　under

your　crown。　　Or　if　it　happen　that　these　apartments　are　noble　in

decoration　and　proportions；　then　this　captivating　little　object

will　find　a　suitable　place　in　some　spare　nook　or　other；　and　will

rest　or　entertain　eyes　too　long　focused　on　the　severely　sublime　and

beautiful。　　I　need　not；　however；　rely　upon　abstract　argument　to

support　my　contention。　　Many　of　the　best　writers　of　all　time　have

used　their　skill　in　the　inverted　form　of　story　telling；　as　a　glance

at　our　table　of　contents　will　show；　and　many　of　their　tales　depend

for　their　effect　as　much　on　character　and　atmosphere　as　on　the　play

and　complication　of　events。



The　statement　that　a　good　detective　or　riddle　story　is　good　in　art

is　supported　by　the　fact　that　the　supply　of　really　good　ones　is

relatively　small；　while　the　number　of　writers　who　would　write　good

ones　if　they　could；　and　who　have　tried　and　failed　to　write　them；　is

past　computation。　　And　one　reason　probably　is　that　such　stories；

for　their　success；　must　depend　primarily　upon　structurea　sound

and　perfect　plotwhich　is　one　of　the　rare　things　in　our

contemporary　fiction。　　Our　writers　get　hold　of　an　incident；　or　a

sentiment；　or　a　character；　or　a　moral　principle；　or　a　hit　of

technical　knowledge；　or　a　splotch　of　local　color；　or　even　of　a　new

version　of　dialect；　and　they　will　do　something　in　two　to　ten

thousand　words　out　of　that　and　call　it　a　short　story。　　Magazines

may　be　found　to　print　itfor　there　are　all　manner　of　magazines；

but　nothing　of　that　sort　will　serve　for　a　riddle　story。　　You　cannot

make　a　riddle　story　by　beginning　it　and　then　trusting　to　luck　to

bring　it　to　an　end。　　You　must　know　all　about　the　end　and　the　middle

before　thinking；　even；　of　the　beginning；　the　beginning　of　a　riddle

story；　unlike　those　of　other　stories　and　of　other　enterprises；　is

not　half　the　battle；　it　is　next　to　being　quite　unimportant；　and；

moreover；　it　is　always　easy。　　The　unexplained　corpse　lies　weltering

in　its　gore　in　the　first　paragraph；　the　inexplicable　cipher

presents　its　enigma　at　the　turning　of　the　opening　page。　　The　writer

who　is　secure　in　the　knowledge　that　he　has　got　a　good　thing　coming；

and　has　arranged　the　manner　and　details　of　its　coming；　cannot　go

far　wrong　with　his　exordium；　he　wants　to　get　into　action　at　once；

and　that　is　his　best　assurance　that　he　will　do　it　in　the　right　way。

But　O！　what　a　labor　and　sweat　it　is；　what　a　planning　and　trimming；

what　a　remodeling；　curtailing；　interlining；　what　despairs　succeeded

by　new　lights；　what　heroic　expedients　tried　at　the　last　moment；　and

dismissed　the　moment　after；　what　wastepaper　baskets　full　of

futilities；　and　what　gallant　commencements　all　over　again！　　Did　the

reader　know；　or　remotely　suspect；　what　terrific　struggles　the

writer　of　a　really　good　detective　story　had　sustained；　he　would

regard　the　final　product　with　a　new　wonder　and　respect；　and　read　it

all　over　once　more　to　find　out　how　the　troubles　occurred。　　But　he

will　search　in　vain；　there　are　no　signs　of　them　left；　no；　not　so

much　as　a　scar。　　The　tale　moves　along　as　smoothly　and　inevitably　as

oiled　machinery；　obviously；　it　could　not　have　been　arranged

otherwise　than　it　is；　and　the　wise　reader　is　convinced　that　he

could　have　done　the　thing　himself　without　half　trying。　　At　that；

the　weary　writer　smiles　a　bitter　smile；　but　it　is　one　of　the　spurns

that　patient　merit　of　the　unworthy　takes。　　Nobody；　except　him　who

has　tried　it；　will　ever　know　how　hard　it　is　to　write　a　really　good

detective　story。　　The　man　or　woman　who　can　do　it　can　also　write　a

good　play　（according　to　modern　ideas　of　plays）；　and　possesses　force

of　character；　individuality；　and　mental　ability。　　He　or　she　must

combine　the　intuition　of　the　artist　with　the　talent　of　the　master

mechanic；　but　will　seldom　be　a　poet；　and　will　generally　care　more

for　things　and　events　than　for　fellow　creatures。　　For；　although　the

story　is　often　concerned　with　righting　some　wrong；　or　avenging　some

murder；　yet　it　must　be　confessed　that　the　author　commonly　succeeds

better　in　the　measure　of　his　ruthlessness　in　devising　crimes　and

giving　his　portraits　of　devils　an　extra　touch　of　black。　　Mercy　is

not　his　strong　point；　however　he　may　abound　in　justice；　and　he　will

not　stickle　at　piling　up　the　agony；　if　thereby　he　provides

opportunity　for　enhancing　the　picturesqueness　and　completeness　of

the　evil　doer's　due。



But　this　leads　me　to　the　admission　that　one　charge；　at　least；　does

lie　against　the　door　of　the　riddle…story　writer；　and　that　is；　that

he　is　not　sincere；　he　makes　his　mysteries　backward；　and　knows　the

answer　to　his　riddle　before　he　states　its　terms。　　He　deliberately

supplies　his　reader；　also；　with　all　manner　of　false　scents；　well

knowing　them　to　be　such；　and　concocts　various　seeming　artless　and

innocent　remarks　and　allusions；　which　in　reality　are　diabolically

artful；　and　would　deceive　the　very　elect。　　All　this；　I　say；　must　be

conceded；　but　it　is　not　unfair；　the　very　object；　ostensibly；　of　the

riddle　story　is　to　prompt　you　to　sharpen　your　wits；　and　as　you　are

yourself　the　real　detective　in　the　case；　so　you　must　regard　your

author　as　the　real　criminal　whom　you　are　to　detect。　　Credit　no

statement　of　his　save　as　supported　by　the　clearest　evidence；　be

continually　repeating　to　yourself；　〃Timeo　Danaos　et　dona

ferentes；〃nay；　never　so　much　as　then。　　But；　as　I　said　before；

when　the　game　is　well　set；　you　have　no　chance　whatever　against　the

dealer；　and　for　my　own　part；　I　never　try　to　be　clever　when　I　go　up

against　these　thimble…riggers；　I　believe　all　they　tell　me；　and

accept　the　most　insolent　gold　bricks；　and　in　that　way　I

occasionally　catch　some　of　the　very　ablest　of　them　napping；　for

they　are　so　subtle　that　they　will　sometimes　tell　you　the　truth

because　they　think　you　will　suppose　it　to　be　a　lie。　　I　do　not　wish

to　catch　them　napping；　however；　I　cling　to　the　wisdom　of　ignorance；

and　childishly　enjoy　the　way　in　which　things　work　themselves　out

the　cul…de…sac　resolving　itself　at　the　very　last　moment　into　a

promising　corridor　toward　the　outer　air。　　At　every　rebuff　it　is　my

happiness　to　be　hopelessly　bewildered；　and　I　gape　with　admiration

when　the　Gordian　knot　is　untied。　　If　the　author　be　old…fashioned

enough　to　apostrophize　the　Gentle　Reader；　I　know　he　must　mean　me；

and　docilely　give　ear；　and　presently　tumble　head…foremost　into　the

treacherous　pit　he　has　digged　for　me。　　In　brief；　I　am　there　to　be

sold；　and　I　get　my　money's　worth。　　No　one　can　thoroughly　enjoy

riddle　stories　unless　he　is　old　enough；　or　young　enough；　or；　at　any

rate；　wise　enough　to　appreciate　the　value　of　the　faculty　of　being

surprised。　　Those　sardonic　and　omniscient　persons　who　know

everything　beforehand；　and　smile　compassionately　or　scornfully　at

the　artless　outcrie