stories by modern american authors-第27节

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marsh　hens　for　supper。　　Legrand　was　in　one　of　his　fitshow　else

shall　I　term　them？of　enthusiasm。　　He　had　found　an　unknown

bivalve；　forming　a　new　genus；　and；　more　than　this；　he　had　hunted

down　and　secured；　with　Jupiter's　assistance；　a　scarabaeus　which　he

believed　to　be　totally　new；　but　in　respect　to　which　he　wished　to

have　my　opinion　on　the　morrow。



〃And　why　not　to…night？〃　I　asked；　rubbing　my　hands　over　the　blaze；

and　wishing　the　whole　tribe　of　scarabaei　at　the　devil。



〃Ah；　if　I　had　only　known　you　were　here！〃　said　Legrand；　〃but　it's　so

long　since　I　saw　you；　and　how　could　I　foresee　that　you　would　pay　me

a　visit　this　very　night　of　all　others？　　As　I　was　coming　home　I　met

Lieutenant　G；　from　the　fort；　and；　very　foolishly；　I　lent　him

the　bug；　so　it　will　be　impossible　for　you　to　see　it　until　the

morning。　　Stay　here　to…night；　and　I　will　send　Jup　down　for　it　at

sunrise。　　It　is　the　loveliest　thing　in　creation！〃



〃What？sunrise？〃



〃Nonsense！　no！the　bug。　　It　is　of　a　brilliant　gold　colorabout

the　size　of　a　large　hickory　nutwith　two　jet　black　spots　near　one

extremity　of　the　back；　and　another；　somewhat　longer；　at　the　other。

The　antennae　are〃



〃Dey　ain't　NO　tin　in　him；　Massa　Will；　I　keep　a　tellin'　on　you；〃

here　interrupted　Jupiter；　〃de　bug　is　a　goole…bug；　solid；　ebery　bit

of　him；　inside　and　all；　sep　him　wingneber　feel　half　so　hebby　a

bug　in　my　life。〃



〃Well；　suppose　it　is；　Jup；〃　replied　Legrand；　somewhat　more

earnestly；　it　seemed　to　me；　than　the　case　demanded；　〃is　that　any

reason　for　your　letting　the　birds　burn？　　The　color〃here　he　turned

to　me〃is　really　almost　enough　to　warrant　Jupiter's　idea。　　You

never　saw　a　more　brilliant　metallic　luster　than　the　scales　emit

but　of　this　you　cannot　judge　till　to…morrow。　　In　the　meantime　I　can

give　you　some　idea　of　the　shape。〃　　Saying　this；　he　seated　himself

at　a　small　table；　on　which　were　a　pen　and　ink；　but　no　paper。　　He

looked　for　some　in　a　drawer；　but　found　none。



〃Never　mind；〃　he　said　at　length；　〃this　will　answer；〃　and　he　drew

from　his　waistcoat　pocket　a　scrap　of　what　I　took　to　be　very　dirty

foolscap；　and　made　upon　it　a　rough　drawing　with　the　pen。　　While　he

did　this；　I　retained　my　seat　by　the　fire；　for　I　was　still　chilly。

When　the　design　was　complete；　he　handed　it　to　me　without　rising。

As　I　received　it；　a　loud　growl　was　heard；　succeeded　by　a　scratching

at　the　door。　　Jupiter　opened　it；　and　a　large　Newfoundland；

belonging　to　Legrand；　rushed　in；　leaped　upon　my　shoulders；　and

loaded　me　with　caresses；　for　I　had　shown　him　much　attention　during

previous　visits。　　When　his　gambols　were　over；　I　looked　at　the

paper；　and；　to　speak　the　truth；　found　myself　not　a　little　puzzled

at　what　my　friend　had　depicted。



〃Well！〃　I　said；　after　contemplating　it　for　some　minutes；　〃this　IS　a

strange　scarabaeus；　I　must　confess；　new　to　me；　never　saw　anything

like　it　beforeunless　it　was　a　skull；　or　a　death's　head；　which　it

more　nearly　resembles　than　anything　else　that　has　come　under　MY

observation。〃



〃A　death's　head！〃　echoed　Legrand。　　〃Ohyeswell；　it　has　something

of　that　appearance　upon　paper；　no　doubt。　　The　two　upper　black　spots

look　like　eyes；　eh？　and　the　longer　one　at　the　bottom　like　a　mouth

and　then　the　shape　of　the　whole　is　oval。〃



〃Perhaps　so；〃　said　I；　〃but；　Legrand；　I　fear　you　are　no　artist。　　I

must　wait　until　I　see　the　beetle　itself；　if　I　am　to　form　any　idea

of　its　personal　appearance。〃



〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　said　he；　a　little　nettled；　〃I　draw　tolerably

SHOULD　do　it　at　leasthave　had　good　masters；　and　flatter　myself

that　I　am　not　quite　a　blockhead。〃



〃But；　my　dear　fellow；　you　are　joking　then；〃　said　I；　〃this　is　a　very

passable　SKULLindeed；　I　may　say　that　it　is　a　very　EXCELLENT

skull；　according　to　the　vulgar　notions　about　such　specimens　of

physiologyand　your　scarabaeus　must　be　the　queerest　scarabaeus　in

the　world　if　it　resembles　it。　　Why；　we　may　get　up　a　very　thrilling

bit　of　superstition　upon　this　hint。　　I　presume　you　will　call　the

bug　Scarabaeus　caput　hominis；　or　something　of　that　kindthere　are

many　similar　titles　in　the　Natural　Histories。　　But　where　are　the

antennae　you　spoke　of？〃



〃The　antennae！〃　said　Legrand；　who　seemed　to　be　getting

unaccountably　warm　upon　the　subject；　〃I　am　sure　you　must　see　the

antennae。　　I　made　them　as　distinct　as　they　are　in　the　original

insect；　and　I　presume　that　is　sufficient。〃



〃Well；　well；〃　I　said；　〃perhaps　you　havestill　I　don't　see　them；〃

and　I　handed　him　the　paper　without　additional　remark；　not　wishing

to　ruffle　his　temper；　but　I　was　much　surprised　at　the　turn　affairs

had　taken；　his　ill　humor　puzzled　meand；　as　for　the　drawing　of　the

beetle；　there　were　positively　NO　antennae　visible；　and　the　whole

DID　bear　a　very　close　resemblance　to　the　ordinary　cuts　of　a　death's

head。



He　received　the　paper　very　peevishly；　and　was　about　to　crumple　it；

apparently　to　throw　it　in　the　fire；　when　a　casual　glance　at　the

design　seemed　suddenly　to　rivet　his　attention。　　In　an　instant　his

face　grew　violently　redin　another　excessively　pale。　　For　some

minutes　he　continued　to　scrutinize　the　drawing　minutely　where　he

sat。　　At　length　he　arose；　took　a　candle　from　the　table；　and

proceeded　to　seat　himself　upon　a　sea　chest　in　the　farthest　corner

of　the　room。　　Here　again　he　made　an　anxious　examination　of　the

paper；　turning　it　in　all　directions。　　He　said　nothing；　however；　and

his　conduct　greatly　astonished　me；　yet　I　thought　it　prudent　not　to

exacerbate　the　growing　moodiness　of　his　temper　by　any　comment。

Presently　he　took　from　his　coat　pocket　a　wallet；　placed　the　paper

carefully　in　it；　and　deposited　both　in　a　writing　desk；　which　he

locked。　　He　now　grew　more　composed　in　his　demeanor；　but　his

original　air　of　enthusiasm　had　quite　disappeared。　　Yet　he　seemed

not　so　much　sulky　as　abstracted。　　As　the　evening　wore　away　he

became　more　and　more　absorbed　in　reverie；　from　which　no　sallies　of

mine　could　arouse　him。　　It　had　been　my　intention　to　pass　the　night

at　the　hut；　as　I　had　frequently　done　before；　but；　seeing　my　host　in

this　mood；　I　deemed　it　proper　to　take　leave。　　He　did　not　press　me

to　remain；　but；　as　I　departed；　he　shook　my　hand　with　even　more　than

his　usual　cordiality。



It　was　about　a　month　after　this　（and　during　the　interval　I　had　seen

nothing　of　Legrand）　when　I　received　a　visit；　at　Charleston；　from

his　man；　Jupiter。　　I　had　never　seen　the　good　old　negro　look　so

dispirited；　and　I　feared　that　some　serious　disaster　had　befallen　my

friend。



〃Well；　Jup；〃　said　I；　〃what　is　the　matter　now？how　is　your　master？〃



〃Why；　to　speak　the　troof；　massa；　him　not　so　berry　well　as　mought

be。〃



〃Not　well！　　I　am　truly　sorry　to　hear　it。　　What　does　he　complain


of？〃



〃Dar！　dot's　it！him　neber　'plain　of　notin'but　him　berry　sick　for

all　dat。〃



〃VERY　sick；　Jupiter！why　didn't　you　say　so　at　once？　　Is　he

confined　to　bed？〃



〃No；　dat　he　aint！he　aint　'fin'd　nowhardat's　just　whar　de　shoe

pinchmy　mind　is　got　to　be　berry　hebby　'bout　poor　Massa　Will。〃



〃Jupiter；　I　should　like　to　understand　what　it　is　you　are　talking

about。　　You　say　your　master　is　sick。　　Hasn't　he　told　you　what　ails

him？〃



〃Why；　massa；　'taint　worf　while　for　to　git　mad　about　de　matter

Massa　Will　say　noffin　at　all　aint　de　matter　wid　himbut　den　what

make　him　go　about　looking　dis　here　way；　wid　he　head　down　and　he

soldiers　up；　and　as　white　as　a　goose？　　And　den　he　keep　a　syphon　all

de　time〃



〃Keeps　a　what；　Jupiter？〃



〃Keeps　a　syphon　wid　de　figgurs　on　de　slatede　queerest　figgurs　I

ebber　did　see。　　Ise　gittin'　to　be　skeered；　I　tell　you。　　Hab　for　to

keep　mighty　tight　eye　'pon　him　'noovers。　　Todder　day　he　gib　me　slip

'fore　de　sun　up　and　was　gone　de　whole　ob　de　blessed　day。　　I　had　a

big　stick　ready　cut　for　to　gib　him　deuced　good　beating　when　he　did

comebut　Ise　sich　a　fool　dat　I　hadn't　de　heart　arter　allhe

looked　so　berry　poorly。〃



〃Eh？what？ah　yes！upon　the　whole　I　think　you　had　better　not　be

too　severe　with　the　poor　fellowdon't　flog　him；　Jupiterhe　can't

very　well　stand　itbut　can　you　form　no　idea　of　what　has　occasioned

this　illness；　or　rather　this　change　of　conduct？　　Has　anything

unpleasant　happened　since　I　saw　you？〃



〃No；　massa；　dey　aint　bin　noffin　onpleasant　SINCE　den'twas　'FORE

den　I'm　feared'twas　de　berry　day　you　was　dare。〃



〃How？　what　do　you　mean。〃



〃Why；　massa；　I　mean　de　bugdare　now。〃



〃The　what？〃



〃De　bugI'm　berry　sartin　dat　Massa　Will　bin　bit　somewhere　'bout　de

head　by　dat　goole…bug。〃



〃And　what　cause　have　you；　Jupiter；　for　such　a　supposition？〃



〃Claws　enuff；　massa；　and　mouff；　too。　　I　nebber　did　see　sich　a

deuced　bughe　kick　and　he　bite　eberyting　what　cum　near　him。　　Massa

Will　cotch　him　fuss；　but　had　for　to　let　him　go　'gin　mighty　quick；　I

tell　youden　was　de　time　he　must　ha'　got　de　bite。　　I　didn't　like

de　look　ob　de　bug　mouff；　myself；　nohow；　so　I　wouldn't　take　hold　oh

him　wid　my　finger；　but　I　cotch　him　wid　a　piece　oh　paper　dat　I

found。　　I　rap　him　up　in　de　paper　and　stuff　a　piece　of