stories by modern american authors-第64节

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tell　me　a　horrid　tale　of　Wieland　being　led　to　the　destruction　of

his　wife　and　children　by　some　mysterious　agent。　　You　charge　me　with

the　guilt　of　this　agency；　but　I　repeat　that　the　amount　of　my　guilt

has　been　truly　stated。　　The　perpetrator　of　Catharine's　death　was

unknown　to　me　till　now；　nay；　it　is　still　unknown　to　me。〃



At　that　moment；　the　closing　of　a　door　in　the　kitchen　was　distinctly

heard　by　us。　　Carwin　started　and　paused。　　〃There　is　some　one

coming。　　I　must　not　be　found　here　by　my　enemies；　and　need　not；

since　my　purpose　is　answered。〃



I　had　drunk　in；　with　the　most　vehement　attention；　every　word　that

he　had　uttered。　　I　had　no　breath　to　interrupt　his　tale　by

interrogations　or　comments。　　The　power　that　he　spoke　of　was

hitherto　unknown　to　me；　its　existence　was　incredible；　it　was

susceptible　of　no　direct　proof。



He　owns　that　his　were　the　voice　and　face　which　I　heard　and　saw。　　He

attempts　to　give　a　human　explanation　of　these　phantasms　but　it　is

enough　that　he　owns　himself　to　be　the　agent：　his　tale　is　a　lie；　and

his　nature　devilish。　　As　he　deceived　me；　he　likewise　deceived　my

brother；　and　now　do　I　behold　the　author　of　all　our　calamities！



Such　were　my　thoughts　when　his　pause　allowed　me　to　think。　　I　should

have　bade　him　begone　if　the　silence　had　not　been　interrupted；　but

now　I　feared　no　more　for　myself；　and　the　milkiness　of　my　nature　was

curdled　into　hatred　and　rancor。　　Some　one　was　near；　and　this　enemy

of　God　and　man　might　possibly　be　brought　to　justice。　　I　reflected

not　that　the　preternatural　power　which　he　had　hitherto　exerted

would　avail　to　rescue　him　from　any　toils　in　which　his　feet　might　be

entangled。　　Meanwhile；　looks；　and　not　words；　of　menace　and

abhorrence；　were　all　that　I　could　bestow。



He　did　not　depart。　　He　seemed　dubious　whether　by　passing　out　of　the

house；　or　by　remaining　somewhat　longer　where　he　was；　he　should　most

endanger　his　safety。　　His　confusion　increased　when　steps　of　one

barefoot　were　heard　upon　the　stairs。　　He　threw　anxious　glances

sometimes　at　the　closet；　sometimes　at　the　window；　and　sometimes　at

the　chamber　door；　yet　he　was　detained　by　some　inexplicable

fascination。　　He　stood　as　if　rooted　to　the　spot。



As　to　me；　my　soul　was　bursting　with　detestation　and　revenge。　　I　had

no　room　for　surmises　and　fears　respecting　him　that　approached。　　It

was　doubtless　a　human　being；　and　would　befriend　me　so　far　as　to　aid

me　in　arresting　this　offender。



The　stranger　quickly　entered　the　room。　　My　eyes　and　the　eyes　of

Carwin　were　at　the　same　moment　darted　upon　him。　　A　second　glance

was　not　needed　to　inform　us　who　he　was。　　His　locks　were　tangled；

and　fell　confusedly　over　his　forehead　and　ears。　　His　shirt　was　of

coarse　stuff；　and　open　at　the　neck　and　breast。　　His　coat　was　once

of　bright　and　fine　texture；　but　now　torn　and　tarnished　with　dust。

His　feet；　his　legs；　and　his　arms；　were　bare。　　His　features　were　the

seat　of　a　wild　and　tranquil　solemnity；　but　his　eyes　bespoke

inquietude　and　curiosity。



He　advanced　with　a　firm　step；　and　looking　as　in　search　of　some　one。

He　saw　me　and　stopped。　　He　bent　his　sight　on　the　floor；　and；

clenching　his　hands；　appeared　suddenly　absorbed　in　meditation。

Such　were　the　figure　and　deportment　of　Wieland！　　Such；　in　his

fallen　state；　were　the　aspect　and　guise　of　my　brother！



Carwin　did　not　fail　to　recognize　the　visitant。　　Care　for　his　own

safety　was　apparently　swallowed　up　in　the　amazement　which　this

spectacle　produced。　　His　station　was　conspicuous；　and　he　could　not

have　escaped　the　roving　glances　of　Wieland；　yet　the　latter　seemed

totally　unconscious　of　his　presence。



Grief　at　this　scene　of　ruin　and　blast　was　at　first　the　only

sentiment　of　which　I　was　conscious。　　A　fearful　stillness　ensued。

At　length　Wieland；　lifting　his　hands；　which　were　locked　in　each

other；　to　his　breast；　exclaimed；　〃Father！　I　thank　thee。　　This　is

thy　guidance。　　Hither　thou　hast　led　me；　that　I　might　perform　thy

will。　　Yet　let　me　not　err；　let　me　hear　again　thy　messenger！〃



He　stood　for　a　minute　as　if　listening；　but；　recovering　from　his

attitude；　he　continued；　〃It　is　not　needed。　　Dastardly　wretch！　thus

eternally　questioning　the　behests　of　thy　Maker！　weak　in　resolution；

wayward　in　faith！〃



He　advanced　to　me；　and；　after　another　pause；　resumed：〃Poor　girl！

a　dismal　fate　has　set　its　mark　upon　thee。　　Thy　life　is　demanded　as

a　sacrifice。　　Prepare　thee　to　die。　　Make　not　my　office　difficult　by

fruitless　opposition。　　Thy　prayers　might　subdue　stones；　but　none

but　he　who　enjoined　my　purpose　can　shake　it。〃



These　words　were　a　sufficient　explication　of　the　scene。　　The　nature

of　his　frenzy；　as　described　by　my　uncle；　was　remembered。　　I；　who

had　sought　death；　was　now　thrilled　with　horror　because　it　was　near。

Death　in　this　form；　death　from　the　hand　of　a　brother；　was　thought

upon　with　indescribable　repugnance。



In　a　state　thus　verging　upon　madness；　my　eye　glanced　upon　Carwin。

His　astonishment　appeared　to　have　struck　him　motionless　and　dumb。

My　life　was　in　danger；　and　my　brother's　hand　was　about　to　be

imbrued　in　my　blood。　　I　firmly　believed　that　Carwin's　was　the

instigation。　　I　could　rescue　myself　from　this　abhorred　fate；　I

could　dissipate　this　tremendous　illusion；　I　could　save　my　brother

from　the　perpetration　of　new　horrors；　by　pointing　out　the　devil　who

seduced　him。　　To　hesitate　a　moment　was　to　perish。　　These　thoughts

gave　strength　to　my　limbs　and　energy　to　my　accents；　I　started　on　my

feet：



〃Oh；　brother！　spare　me！　spare　thyself！　　There　is　thy　betrayer。　　He

counterfeited　the　voice　and　face　of　an　angel；　for　the　purpose　of

destroying　thee　and　me。　　He　has　this　moment　confessed　it。　　He　is

able　to　speak　where　he　is　not。　　He　is　leagued　with　hell；　but　will

not　avow　it；　yet　he　confesses　that　the　agency　was　his。〃



My　brother　turned　slowly　his　eyes；　and　fixed　them　upon　Carwin。

Every　joint　in　the　frame　of　the　latter　trembled。　　His　complexion

was　paler　than　a　ghost's。　　His　eye　dared　not　meet　that　of　Wieland；

but　wandered　with　an　air　of　distraction　from　one　space　to　another。



〃Man；〃　said　my　brother；　in　a　voice　totally　unlike　that　which　he　had

used　to　me；　〃what　art　thou？　　The　charge　has　been　made。　　Answer　it。

The　visagethe　voiceat　the　bottom　of　these　stairsat　the　hour

of　elevento　whom　did　they　belong？　　To　thee？〃



Twice　did　Carwin　attempt　to　speak；　but　his　words　died　away　upon　his

lips。　　My　brother　resumed；　in　a　tone　of　greater　vehemence：



〃Thou　falterest。　　Faltering　is　ominous。　　Say　yes　or　no；　one　word

will　suffice；　but　beware　of　falsehood。　　Was　it　a　stratagem　of　hell

to　overthrow　my　family？　　Wast　thou　the　agent？〃



I　now　saw　that　the　wrath　which　had　been　prepared　for　me　was　to　be

heaped　upon　another。　　The　tale　that　I　heard　from　him；　and　his

present　trepidations；　were　abundant　testimonies　of　his　guilt。　　But

what　if　Wieland　should　be　undeceived！　　What　if　he　shall　find　his

act　to　have　proceeded　not　from　a　heavenly　prompter；　but　from　human

treachery！　　Will　not　his　rage　mount　into　whirlwind？　　Will　not　he

tear　limb　from　limb　this　devoted　wretch？



Instinctively　I　recoiled　from　this　image；　but　it　gave　place　to

another。　　Carwin　may　be　innocent；　but　the　impetuosity　of　his　judge

may　misconstrue　his　answers　into　a　confession　of　guilt。　　Wieland

knows　not　that　mysterious　voices　and　appearances　were　likewise

witnessed　by　me。　　Carwin　may　be　ignorant　of　those　which　misled　my

brother。　　Thus　may　his　answers　unwarily　betray　himself　to　ruin。



Such　might　be　the　consequences　of　my　frantic　precipitation；　and

these　it　was　necessary；　if　possible；　to　prevent。　　I　attempted　to

speak；　but　Wieland；　turning　suddenly　upon　me；　commanded　silence；　in

a　tone　furious　and　terrible。　　My　lips　closed；　and　my　tongue　refused

its　office。



〃What　art　thou？〃　he　resumed；　addressing　himself　to　Carwin。　　〃Answer

me：　whose　formwhose　voice；was　it　thy　contrivance？　　Answer　me。〃



The　answer　was　now　given；　but　confusedly　and　scarcely　articulated。

〃I　meant　nothingI　intended　no　illif　I　understandif　I　do　not

mistake　youit　is　too　trueI　did　appearin　the　entrydid　speak。

The　contrivance　was　mine；　but〃



These　words　were　no　sooner　uttered；　than　my　brother　ceased　to　wear

the　same　aspect。　　His　eyes　were　downcast；　he　was　motionless；　his

respiration　became　hoarse；　like　that　of　a　man　in　the　agonies　of

death。　　Carwin　seemed　unable　to　say　more。　　He　might　have　easily

escaped；　but　the　thought　which　occupied　him　related　to　what　was

horrid　and　unintelligible　in　this　scene；　and　not　to　his　own　danger。



Presently　the　faculties　of　Wieland；　which；　for　a　time；　were　chained

up；　were　seized　with　restlessness　and　trembling。　　He　broke　silence。

The　stoutest　heart　would　have　been　appalled　by　the　tone　in　which　he

spoke。　　He　addressed　himself　to　Carwin：



〃Why　art　thou　here？　　Who　detains　thee？　　Go　and　learn　better。　　I

will　meet　thee；　but　it　must　be　at　the　bar　of　thy　Maker。　　There

shall　I　bear　witness　against　thee。〃



Perceiving　that　Carwin　did　not　obey；　he　continued；　〃