stories by modern american authors-第51节

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instantly　suggested　itself　as　most　eligible　in　circumstances　so

perilous。　　I　deliberated　not　a　moment；　but；　fear　adding　wings　to　my

speed；　I　leaped　out　of　bed；　and；　scantily　robed　as　I　was；　rushed

out　of　the　chamber；　downstairs；　and　into　the　open　air。　　I　can

hardly　recollect　the　process　of　turning　keys　and　withdrawing　bolts。

My　terrors　urged　me　forward　with　almost　a　mechanical　impulse。　　I

stopped　not　till　I　reached　my　brother's　door。　　I　had　not　gained　the

threshold；　when；　exhausted　by　the　violence　of　my　emotions　and　by　my

speed；　I　sunk　down　in　a　fit。



How　long　I　remained　in　this　situation　I　know　not。　　When　I

recovered；　I　found　myself　stretched　on　a　bed；　surrounded　by　my

sister　and　her　female　servants。　　I　was　astonished　at　the　scene

before　me；　but　gradually　recovered　the　recollection　of　what　had

happened。　　I　answered　their　importunate　inquiries　as　well　as　I　was

able。　　My　brother　and　Pleyel；　whom　the　storm　of　the　preceding　day

chanced　to　detain　here；　informing　themselves　of　every　particular；

proceeded　with　lights　and　weapons　to　my　deserted　habitation。　　They

entered　my　chamber　and　my　closet；　and　found　everything　in　its

proper　place　and　customary　order。　　The　door　of　the　closet　was

locked；　and　appeared　not　to　have　been　opened　in　my　absence。　　They

went　to　Judith's　apartment。　　They　found　her　asleep　and　in　safety。

Pleyel's　caution　induced　him　to　forbear　alarming　the　girl；　and；

finding　her　wholly　ignorant　of　what　had　passed；　they　directed　her

to　return　to　her　chamber。　　They　then　fastened　the　doors　and

returned。



My　friends　were　disposed　to　regard　this　transaction　as　a　dream。

That　persons　should　be　actually　immured　in　this　closet；　to　which；

in　the　circumstances　of　the　time；　access　from　without　or　within　was

apparently　impossible；　they　could　not　seriously　believe。　　That　any

human　beings　had　intended　murder；　unless　it　were　to　cover　a　scheme

of　pillage；　was　incredible；　but　that　no　such　design　had　been　formed

was　evident　from　the　security　in　which　the　furniture　of　the　house

and　the　closet　remained。



I　revolved　every　incident　and　expression　that　had　occurred。　　My

senses　assured　me　of　the　truth　of　them；　and　yet　their　abruptness

and　improbability　made　me；　in　my　turn；　somewhat　incredulous。　　The

adventure　had　made　a　deep　impression　on　my　fancy；　and　it　was　not

till　after　a　week's　abode　at　my　brother's　that　I　resolved　to　resume

the　possession　of　my　own　dwelling。



There　was　another　circumstance　that　enhanced　the　mysteriousness　of

this　event。　　After　my　recovery；　it　was　obvious　to　inquire　by　what

means　the　attention　of　the　family　had　been　drawn　to　my　situation。

I　had　fallen　before　I　had　reached　the　threshold　or　was　able　to　give

any　signal。　　My　brother　related　that；　while　this　was　transacting　in

my　chamber；　he　himself　was　awake；　in　consequence　of　some　slight

indisposition；　and　lay；　according　to　his　custom；　musing　on　some

favorite　topic。　　Suddenly　the　silence；　which　was　remarkably

profound；　was　broken　by　a　voice　of　most　piercing　shrillness；　that

seemed　to　be　uttered　by　one　in　the　hall　below　his　chamber。　　〃Awake！

arise！〃　it　exclaimed；　〃hasten　to　succor　one　that　is　dying　at　your

door！〃



This　summons　was　effectual。　　There　was　no　one　in　the　house　who　was

not　roused　by　it。　　Pleyel　was　the　first　to　obey；　and　my　brother

overtook　him　before　he　reached　the　hall。　　What　was　the　general

astonishment　when　your　friend　was　discovered　stretched　upon　the

grass　before　the　door；　pale；　ghastly；　and　with　every　mark　of　death！



But　how　was　I　to　regard　this　midnight　conversation？　　Hoarse　and

manlike　voices　conferring　on　the　means　of　death；　so　near　my　bed；

and　at　such　an　hour！　　How　had　my　ancient　security　vanished！　　That

dwelling　which　had　hitherto　been　an　inviolate　asylum　was　now　beset

with　danger　to　my　life。　　That　solitude　formerly　so　dear　to　me　could

no　longer　be　endured。　　Pleyel；　who　had　consented　to　reside　with　us

during　the　months　of　spring；　lodged　in　the　vacant　chamber；　in　order

to　quiet　my　alarms。　　He　treated　my　fears　with　ridicule；　and　in　a

short　time　very　slight　traces　of　them　remained；　but；　as　it　was

wholly　indifferent　to　him　whether　his　nights　were　passed　at　my

house　or　at　my　brother's；　this　arrangement　gave　general

satisfaction。





II





I　will　enumerate　the　various　inquiries　and　conjectures　which　these

incidents　occasioned。　　After　all　our　efforts；　we　came　no　nearer　to

dispelling　the　mist　in　which　they　were　involved；　and　time；　instead

of　facilitating　a　solution；　only　accumulated　our　doubts。



In　the　midst　of　thoughts　excited　by　these　events；　I　was　not

unmindful　of　my　interview　with　the　stranger。　　I　related　the

particulars；　and　showed　the　portrait　to　my　friends。　　Pleyel

recollected　to　have　met　with　a　figure　resembling　my　description　in

the　city；　but　neither　his　face　or　garb　made　the　same　impression

upon　him　that　it　made　upon　me。　　It　was　a　hint　to　rally　me　upon　my

prepossessions；　and　to　amuse　us　with　a　thousand　ludicrous　anecdotes

which　he　had　collected　in　his　travels。　　He　made　no　scruple　to

charge　me　with　being　in　love；　and　threatened　to　inform　the　swain；

when　he　met　him；　of　his　good　fortune。



Pleyel's　temper　made　him　susceptible　of　no　durable　impressions。

His　conversation　was　occasionally　visited　by　gleams　of　his　ancient

vivacity；　but；　though　his　impetuosity　was　sometimes　inconvenient；

there　was　nothing　to　dread　from　his　malice。　　I　had　no　fear　that　my

character　or　dignity　would　suffer　in　his　hands；　and　was　not

heartily　displeased　when　he　declared　his　intention　of　profiting　by

his　first　meeting　with　the　stranger　to　introduce　him　to　our

acquaintance。



Some　weeks　after　this　I　had　spent　a　toilsome　day；　and；　as　the　sun

declined；　found　myself　disposed　to　seek　relief　in　a　walk。　　The

river　bank　is；　at　this　part　of　it　and　for　some　considerable　space

upward；　so　rugged　and　steep　as　not　to　be　easily　descended。　　In　a

recess　of　this　declivity；　near　the　southern　verge　of　my　little

demesne；　was　placed　a　slight　building；　with　seats　and　lattices。

From　a　crevice　of　the　rock　to　which　this　edifice　was　attached　there

burst　forth　a　stream　of　the　purest　water；　which；　leaping　from　ledge

to　ledge　for　the　space　of　sixty　feet；　produced　a　freshness　in　the

air；　and　a　murmur；　the　most　delicious　and　soothing　imaginable。

These；　added　to　the　odors　of　the　cedars　which　embowered　it；　and　of

the　honeysuckle　which　clustered　among　the　lattices；　rendered　this

my　favorite　retreat　in　summer。



On　this　occasion　I　repaired　hither。　　My　spirits　drooped　through　the

fatigue　of　long　attention；　and　I　threw　myself　upon　a　bench；　in　a

state；　both　mentally　and　personally；　of　the　utmost　supineness。　　The

lulling　sounds　of　the　waterfall；　the　fragrance；　and　the　dusk；

combined　to　becalm　my　spirits；　and；　in　a　short　time；　to　sink　me

into　sleep。　　Either　the　uneasiness　of　my　posture；　or　some　slight

indisposition；　molested　my　repose　with　dreams　of　no　cheerful　hue。

After　various　incoherences　had　taken　their　turn　to　occupy　my　fancy；

I　at　length　imagined　myself　walking；　in　the　evening　twilight；　to　my

brother's　habitation。　　A　pit；　methought；　had　been　dug　in　the　path　I

had　taken；　of　which　I　was　not　aware。　　As　I　carelessly　pursued　my

walk；　I　thought　I　saw　my　brother　standing　at　some　distance　before

me；　beckoning　and　calling　me　to　make　haste。　　He　stood　on　the

opposite　edge　of　the　gulf。　　I　mended　my　pace；　and　one　step　more

would　have　plunged　me　into　this　abyss；　had　not　some　one　from　behind

caught　suddenly　my　arm；　and　exclaimed；　in　a　voice　of　eagerness　and

terror；　〃Hold！　hold！〃



The　sound　broke　my　sleep；　and　I　found　myself；　at　the　next　moment；

standing　on　my　feet；　and　surrounded　by　the　deepest　darkness。

Images　so　terrific　and　forcible　disabled　me　for　a　time　from

distinguishing　between　sleep　and　wakefulness；　and　withheld　from　me

the　knowledge　of　my　actual　condition。　　My　first　panic　was　succeeded

by　the　perturbations　of　surprise　to　find　myself　alone　in　the　open

air　and　immersed　in　so　deep　a　gloom。　　I　slowly　recollected　the

incidents　of　the　afternoon；　and　how　I　came　hither。　　I　could　not

estimate　the　time；　but　saw　the　propriety　of　returning　with　speed　to

the　house。　　My　faculties　were　still　too　confused；　and　the　darkness

too　intense；　to　allow　me　immediately　to　find　my　way　up　the　steep。

I　sat　down；　therefore；　to　recover　myself；　and　to　reflect　upon　my

situation。



This　was　no　sooner　done；　than　a　low　voice　was　heard　from　behind　the

lattice；　on　the　side　where　I　sat。　　Between　the　rock　and　the　lattice

was　a　chasm　not　wide　enough　to　admit　a　human　body；　yet　in　this

chasm　he　that　spoke　appeared　to　be　stationed。　　〃Attend！　attend！　but

be　not　terrified。〃



I　started；　and　exclaimed；　〃Good　heavens！　what　is　that？　　Who　are

you？〃



〃A　friend；　one　come　not　to　injure　but　to　save　you：　fear　nothing。〃



This　voice　was　immediately　recognized　to　be　the　same　with　one　of

those　which　I　had　heard　in　the　closet；　it　was　the　voice　of　him　who

had　proposed　to　shoot　rather　than　to　strangle　his　victim。　　My

terr