stories by modern american authors-第28节

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

mouffdat　was　de　way。〃



〃And　you　think；　then；　that　your　master　was　really　bitten　by　the

beetle；　and　that　the　bite　made　him　sick？〃



〃I　don't　think　noffin　about　itI　nose　it。　　What　make　him　dream

'bout　de　goole　so　much；　if　'taint　cause　he　bit　by　the　goole…bug？

Ise　heered　'bout　dem　goole…bugs　'fore　dis。〃



〃But　how　do　you　know　he　dreams　about　gold？〃



〃How　I　know？　　why；　'cause　he　talk　about　it　in　he　sleepdat's　how　I

nose。〃



〃Well；　Jup；　perhaps　you　are　right；　but　to　what　fortunate

circumstance　am　I　to　attribute　the　honor　of　a　visit　from　you　to…

day？〃



〃What　de　matter；　massa？〃



〃Did　you　bring　any　message　from　Mr。　Legrand？〃



〃No；　massa；　I　bring　dis　here　pissel；〃　and　here　Jupiter　handed　me　a

note　which　ran　thus：





〃MY　DEAR　



〃Why　have　I　not　seen　you　for　so　long　a　time？　　I　hope　you　have　not

been　so　foolish　as　to　take　offense　at　any　little　brusquerie　of

mine；　but　no；　that　is　improbable。



〃Since　I　saw　you　I　have　had　great　cause　for　anxiety。　　I　have

something　to　tell　you；　yet　scarcely　know　how　to　tell　it；　or　whether

I　should　tell　it　at　all。



〃I　have　not　been　quite　well　for　some　days　past；　and　poor　old　Jup

annoys　me；　almost　beyond　endurance；　by　his　well…meant　attentions。

Would　you　believe　it？he　had　prepared　a　huge　stick；　the　other　day；

with　which　to　chastise　me　for　giving　him　the　slip；　and　spending　the

day；　solus；　among　the　hills　on　the　mainland。　　I　verily　believe　that

my　ill　looks　alone　saved　me　a　flogging。



〃I　have　made　no　addition　to　my　cabinet　since　we　met。　　〃If　you　can；

in　any　way；　make　it　convenient；　come　over　with　Jupiter。　　DO　come。

I　wish　to　see　you　TO…NIGHT；　upon　business　of　importance。　　I　assure

you　that　it　is　of　the　HIGHEST　importance。



〃Ever　yours；



〃WILLIAM　LEGRAND。〃





There　was　something　in　the　tone　of　this　note　which　gave　me　great

uneasiness。　　Its　whole　style　differed　materially　from　that　of

Legrand。　　What　could　he　be　dreaming　of？　　What　new　crotchet

possessed　his　excitable　brain？　　What　〃business　of　the　highest

importance〃　could　HE　possibly　have　to　transact？　　Jupiter's　account

of　him　boded　no　good。　　I　dreaded　lest　the　continued　pressure　of

misfortune　had；　at　length；　fairly　unsettled　the　reason　of　my

friend。　　Without　a　moment's　hesitation；　therefore；　I　prepared　to

accompany　the　negro。



Upon　reaching　the　wharf；　I　noticed　a　scythe　and　three　spades；　all

apparently　new；　lying　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat　in　which　we　were　to

embark。



〃What　is　the　meaning　of　all　this；　Jup？〃　I　inquired。



〃Him　syfe；　massa；　and　spade。〃



〃Very　true；　but　what　are　they　doing　here？〃



〃Him　de　syfe　and　de　spade　what　Massa　Will　sis　'pon　my　buying　for

him　in　de　town；　and　de　debbil's　own　lot　of　money　I　had　to　gib　for

em。〃



〃But　what；　in　the　name　of　all　that　is　mysterious；　is　your　'Massa

Will'　going　to　do　with　scythes　and　spades？〃



〃Dat's　more　dan　I　know；　and　debbil　take　me　if　I　don't　b'lieve　'tis

more　dan　he　know　too。　　But　it's　all　cum　ob　de　bug。〃



Finding　that　no　satisfaction　was　to　be　obtained　of　Jupiter；　whose

whole　intellect　seemed　to　be　absorbed　by　〃de　bug；〃　I　now　stepped

into　the　boat；　and　made　sail。　　With　a　fair　and　strong　breeze　we

soon　ran　into　the　little　cove　to　the　northward　of　Fort　Moultrie；

and　a　walk　of　some　two　miles　brought　us　to　the　hut。　　It　was　about

three　in　the　afternoon　when　we　arrived。　　Legrand　had　been　awaiting

us　in　eager　expectation。　　He　grasped　my　hand　with　a　nervous

empressement　which　alarmed　me　and　strengthened　the　suspicions

already　entertained。　　His　countenance　was　pale　even　to　ghastliness；

and　his　deep…set　eyes　glared　with　unnatural　luster。　　After　some

inquiries　respecting　his　health；　I　asked　him；　not　knowing　what

better　to　say；　if　he　had　yet　obtained　the　scarabaeus　from

Lieutenant　G。



〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　replied；　coloring　violently；　〃I　got　it　from　him　the

next　morning。　　Nothing　should　tempt　me　to　part　with　that

scarabaeus。　　Do　you　know　that　Jupiter　is　quite　right　about　it？〃



〃In　what　way？〃　I　asked；　with　a　sad　foreboding　at　heart。



〃In　supposing　it　to　be　a　bug　of　REAL　GOLD。〃　　He　said　this　with　an

air　of　profound　seriousness；　and　I　felt　inexpressibly　shocked。



〃This　bug　is　to　make　my　fortune；〃　he　continued；　with　a　triumphant

smile；　〃to　reinstate　me　in　my　family　possessions。　　Is　it　any

wonder；　then；　that　I　prize　it？　　Since　Fortune　has　thought　fit　to

bestow　it　upon　me；　I　have　only　to　use　it　properly；　and　I　shall

arrive　at　the　gold　of　which　it　is　the　index。　　Jupiter；　bring　me

that　scarabaeus！〃



〃What！　de　bug；　massa？　　I'd　rudder　not　go　fer　trubble　dat　bug；　you

mus'　git　him　for　your　own　self。〃　　Hereupon　Legrand　arose；　with　a

grave　and　stately　air；　and　brought　me　the　beetle　from　a　glass　case

in　which　it　was　enclosed。　　It　was　a　beautiful　scarabaeus；　and；　at

that　time；　unknown　to　naturalistsof　course　a　great　prize　in　a

scientific　point　of　view。　　There　were　two　round　black　spots　near

one　extremity　of　the　back；　and　a　long　one　near　the　other。　　The

scales　were　exceedingly　hard　and　glossy；　with　all　the　appearance　of

burnished　gold。　　The　weight　of　the　insect　was　very　remarkable；　and；

taking　all　things　into　consideration；　I　could　hardly　blame　Jupiter

for　his　opinion　respecting　it；　but　what　to　make　of　Legrand's

concordance　with　that　opinion；　I　could　not；　for　the　life　of　me；

tell。



〃I　sent　for　you；〃　said　he；　in　a　grandiloquent　tone；　when　I　had

completed　my　examination　of　the　beetle；　〃I　sent　for　you　that　I

might　have　your　counsel　and　assistance　in　furthering　the　views　of

Fate　and　of　the　bug〃



〃My　dear　Legrand；〃　I　cried；　interrupting　him；　〃you　are　certainly

unwell；　and　had　better　use　some　little　precautions。　　You　shall　go

to　bed；　and　I　will　remain　with　you　a　few　days；　until　you　get　over

this。　　You　are　feverish　and〃



〃Feel　my　pulse；〃　said　he。



I　felt　it；　and；　to　say　the　truth；　found　not　the　slightest

indication　of　fever。



〃But　you　may　be　ill　and　yet　have　no　fever。　　Allow　me　this　once　to

prescribe　for　you。　　In　the　first　place　go　to　bed。　　In　the　next〃



〃You　are　mistaken；〃　he　interposed；　〃I　am　as　well　as　I　can　expect　to

be　under　the　excitement　which　I　suffer。　　If　you　really　wish　me

well；　you　will　relieve　this　excitement。〃



〃And　how　is　this　to　be　done？〃



〃Very　easily。　　Jupiter　and　myself　are　going　upon　an　expedition　into

the　hills；　upon　the　mainland；　and；　in　this　expedition；　we　shall

need　the　aid　of　some　person　in　whom　we　can　confide。　　You　are　the

only　one　we　can　trust。　　Whether　we　succeed　or　fail；　the　excitement

which　you　now　perceive　in　me　will　be　equally　allayed。〃



〃I　am　anxious　to　oblige　you　in　any　way；〃　I　replied；　〃but　do　you

mean　to　say　that　this　infernal　beetle　has　any　connection　with　your

expedition　into　the　hills？〃



〃It　has。〃



〃Then；　Legrand；　I　can　become　a　party　to　no　such　absurd　proceeding。〃



〃I　am　sorryvery　sorryfor　we　shall　have　to　try　it　by　ourselves。〃



〃Try　it　by　yourselves！　　The　man　is　surely　mad！but　stay！how　long

do　you　propose　to　be　absent？〃



〃Probably　all　night。　　We　shall　start　immediately；　and　be　back；　at

all　events；　by　sunrise。〃



〃And　will　you　promise　me；　upon　your　honor；　that　when　this　freak　of

yours　is　over；　and　the　bug　business　（good　God！）　settled　to　your

satisfaction；　you　will　then　return　home　and　follow　my　advice

implicitly；　as　that　of　your　physician？〃



〃Yes；　I　promise；　and　now　let　us　be　off；　for　we　have　no　time　to

lose。〃



With　a　heavy　heart　I　accompanied　my　friend。　　We　started　about　four

o'clockLegrand；　Jupiter；　the　dog；　and　myself。　　Jupiter　had　with

him　the　scythe　and　spadesthe　whole　of　which　he　insisted　upon

carryingmore　through　fear；　it　seemed　to　me；　of　trusting　either　of

the　implements　within　reach　of　his　master；　than　from　any　excess　of

industry　or　complaisance。　　His　demeanor　was　dogged　in　the　extreme；

and　〃dat　deuced　bug〃　were　the　sole　words　which　escaped　his　lips

during　the　journey。　　For　my　own　part；　I　had　charge　of　a　couple　of

dark　lanterns；　while　Legrand　contented　himself　with　the　scarabaeus；

which　he　carried　attached　to　the　end　of　a　bit　of　whipcord；　twirling

it　to　and　fro；　with　the　air　of　a　conjurer；　as　he　went。　　When　I

observed　this　last；　plain　evidence　of　my　friend's　aberration　of

mind；　I　could　scarcely　refrain　from　tears。　　I　thought　it　best；

however；　to　humor　his　fancy；　at　least　for　the　present；　or　until　I

could　adopt　some　more　energetic　measures　with　a　chance　of　success。

In　the　meantime　I　endeavored；　but　all　in　vain；　to　sound　him　in

regard　to　the　object　of　the　expedition。　　Having　succeeded　in

inducing　me　to　accompany　him；　he　seemed　unwilling　to　hold

conversation　upon　any　topic　of　minor　importance；　and　to　all　my

questions　vouchsafed　no　other　reply　than　〃we　shall　see！〃



We　crossed　the　creek　at　the　head　of　the　island　by　means　of　a　skiff；

and；　ascending　the　high　grounds　on　the　shore　of　the　mainland；

proceeded　in　a　northwesterly　direction；　through　a　tract　of　country

excessiv