stories by modern american authors-第67节

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meant　he　thus　to　crown　the　scene；　and　conduct　his　inscrutable　plots

to　this　consummation？



Such　ideas　were　the　fruit　of　subsequent　contemplation。　　This　moment

was　pregnant　with　fate。　　I　had　no　power　to　reason。　　In　the　career

of　my　tempestuous　thoughts；　rent　into　pieces　as　my　mind　was　by

accumulating　horrors；　Carwin　was　unseen　and　unsuspected。　　I　partook

of　Wieland's　credulity；　shook　with　his　amazement；　and　panted　with

his　awe。



Silence　took　place　for　a　moment：　so　much　as　allowed　the　attention

to　recover　its　post。　　Then　new　sounds　were　uttered　from　above：



〃Man　of　errors！　cease　to　cherish　thy　delusion；　not　heaven　or　hell；

but　thy　senses；　have　misled　thee　to　commit　these　acts。　　Shake　off

thy　frenzy；　and　ascend　into　rational　and　human。　　Be　lunatic　no

longer。〃



My　brother　opened　his　lips　to　speak。　　His　tone　was　terrific　and

faint。　　He　muttered　an　appeal　to　heaven。　　It　was　difficult　to

comprehend　the　theme　of　his　inquiries。　　They　implied　doubt　as　to

the　nature　of　the　impulse　that　hitherto　had　guided　him；　and

questioned　whether　he　had　acted　in　consequence　of　insane

perceptions。



To　these　interrogatories　the　voice；　which　now　seemed　to　hover　at

his　shoulder；　loudly　answered　in　the　affirmative。　　Then

uninterrupted　silence　ensued。



Fallen　from　his　lofty　and　heroic　station；　now　finally　restored　to

the　perception　of　truth；　weighed　to　earth　by　the　recollection　of

his　own　deeds；　consoled　no　longer　by　a　consciousness　of　rectitude

for　the　loss　of　offspring　and　wife；a　loss　for　which　he　was

indebted　to　his　own　misguided　hand；Wieland　was　transformed　at

once　into　the　MAN　OF　SORROWS！



He　reflected　not　that　credit　should　be　as　reasonably　denied　to　the

last　as　to　any　former　intimation；　that　one　might　as　justly　be

ascribed　to　erring　or　diseased　senses　as　the　other。　　He　saw　not

that　this　discovery　in　no　degree　affected　the　integrity　of　his

conduct；　that　his　motives　had　lost　none　of　their　claims　to　the

homage　of　mankind；　that　the　preference　of　supreme　good；　and　the

boundless　energy　of　duty；　were　undiminished　in　his　bosom。



It　is　not　for　me　to　pursue　him　through　the　ghastly　changes　of　his

countenance。　　Words　he　had　none。　　Now　he　sat　upon　the　floor；

motionless　in　all　his　limbs；　with　his　eyes　glazed　and　fixed；　a

monument　of　woe。



Anon　a　spirit　of　tempestuous　but　undesigning　activity　seized　him。

He　rose　from　his　place　and　strode　across　the　floor；　tottering　and

at　random。　　His　eyes　were　without　moisture；　and　gleamed　with　the

fire　that　consumed　his　vitals。　　The　muscles　of　his　face　were

agitated　by　convulsions。　　His　lips　moved；　but　no　sound　escaped　him。



That　nature　should　long　sustain　this　conflict　was　not　to　be

believed。　　My　state　was　little　different　from　that　of　my　brother。

I　entered；　as　it　were；　into　his　thoughts。　　My　heart　was　visited　and

rent　by　his　pangs。　　〃Oh　that　thy　frenzy　had　never　been　cured！　that

thy　madness；　with　its　blissful　visions；　would　return！　or；　if　that

must　not　be；　that　thy　scene　would　hasten　to　a　close！that　death

would　cover　thee　with　his　oblivion！



〃What　can　I　wish　for　thee？　　Thou　who　hast　vied　with　the　great

Preacher　of　thy　faith　in　sanctity　of　motives；　and　in　elevation

above　sensual　and　selfish！　　Thou　whom　thy　fate　has　changed　into

parricide　and　savage！　　Can　I　wish　for　the　continuance　of　thy　being？

No。〃



For　a　time　his　movements　seemed　destitute　of　purpose。　　If　he

walked；　if　he　turned；　if　his　fingers　were　entwined　with　each　other；

if　his　hands　were　pressed　against　opposite　sides　of　his　head　with　a

force　sufficient　to　crush　it　into　pieces；　it　was　to　tear　his　mind

from　self…contemplation；　to　waste　his　thoughts　on　external　objects。



Speedily　this　train　was　broken。　　A　beam　appeared　to　be　darted　into

his　mind　which　gave　a　purpose　to　his　efforts。　　An　avenue　to　escape

presented　itself；　and　now　he　eagerly　gazed　about　him。　　When　my

thoughts　became　engaged　by　his　demeanor；　my　fingers　were　stretched

as　by　a　mechanical　force；　and　the　knife；　no　longer　heeded　or　of

use；　escaped　from　my　grasp　and　fell　unperceived　on　the　floor。　　His

eye　now　lighted　upon　it；　he　seized　it　with　the　quickness　of

thought。



I　shrieked　aloud；　but　it　was　too　late。　　He　plunged　it　to　the　hilt

in　his　neck；　and　his　life　instantly　escaped　with　the　stream　that

gushed　from　the　wound。　　He　was　stretched　at　my　feet；　and　my　hands

were　sprinkled　with　his　blood　as　he　fell。



Such　was　thy　last　deed；　my　brother！　　For　a　spectacle　like　this　was

it　my　fate　to　be　reserved！　　Thy　eyes　were　closedthy　face　ghastly

with　deaththy　arms；　and　the　spot　where　thou　lyedst；　floated　in

thy　life's　blood！　　These　images　have　not　for　a　moment　forsaken　me。

Till　I　am　breathless　and　cold；　they　must　continue　to　hover　in　my

sight。



Carwin；　as　I　said；　had　left　the　room；　but　he　still　lingered　in　the

house。　　My　voice　summoned　him　to　my　aid；　but　I　scarcely　noticed　his

reentrance；　and　now　faintly　recollect　his　terrified　looks；　his

broken　exclamations；　his　vehement　avowals　of　innocence；　the

effusions　of　his　pity　for　me；　and　his　offers　of　assistance。



I　did　not　listenI　answered　him　notI　ceased　to　upbraid　or

accuse。　　His　guilt　was　a　point　to　which　I　was　indifferent。　　Ruffian

or　devil；　black　as　hell　or　bright　as　angels；　thenceforth　he　was

nothing　to　me。　　I　was　incapable　of　sparing　a　look　or　a　thought　from

the　ruin　that　was　spread　at　my　feet。



When　he　left　me；　I　was　scarcely　conscious　of　any　variation　in　the

scene。　　He　informed　the　inhabitants　of　the　hut　of　what　had　passed；

and　they　flew　to　the　spot。　　Careless　of　his　own　safety；　he　hasted

to　the　city　to　inform　my　friends　of　my　condition。



My　uncle　speedily　arrived　at　the　house。　　The　body　of　Wieland　was

removed　from　my　presence；　and　they　supposed　that　I　would　follow　it；

but　no；　my　home　is　ascertained；　here　I　have　taken　up　my　rest；　and

never　will　I　go　hence；　till；　like　Wieland；　I　am　borne　to　my　grave。



Importunity　was　tried　in　vain。　　They　threatened　to　remove　me　by

violence；nay；　violence　was　used；　but　my　soul　prizes　too　dearly

this　little　roof　to　endure　to　be　bereaved　of　it。　　Force　should　not

prevail　when　the　hoary　locks　and　supplicating　tears　of　my　uncle

were　ineffectual。　　My　repugnance　to　move　gave　birth　to

ferociousness　and　frenzy　when　force　was　employed；　and　they　were

obliged　to　consent　to　my　return。



They　besought　methey　remonstratedthey　appealed　to　every　duty

that　connected　me　with　Him　that　made　me　and　with　my　fellow…menin

vain。　　While　I　live　I　will　not　go　hence。　　Have　I　not　fulfilled　my

destiny？



Why　will　ye　torment　me　with　your　reasonings　and　reproofs？　　Can　ye

restore　to　me　the　hope　of　my　better　days？　　Can　ye　give　me　back

Catharine　and　her　babes？　　Can　ye　recall　to　life　him　who　died　at　my

feet？



I　will　eatI　will　drinkI　will　lie　down　and　rise　upat　your

bidding；　all　I　ask　is　the　choice　of　my　abode。　　What　is　there

unreasonable　in　this　demand？　　Shortly　will　I　be　at　peace。　　This　is

the　spot　which　I　have　chosen　in　which　to　breathe　my　last　sigh。

Deny　me　not；　I　beseech　you；　so　slight　a　boon。



Talk　not　to　me；　O　my　reverend　friend！　of　Carwin。　　He　has　told　thee

his　tale；　and　thou　exculpatest　him　from　all　direct　concern　in　the

fate　of　Wieland。　　This　scene　of　havoc　was　produced　by　an　illusion

of　the　senses。　　Be　it　so；　I　care　not　from　what　source　these

disasters　have　flowed；　it　suffices　that　they　have　swallowed　up　our

hopes　and　our　existence。



What　his　agency　began；　his　agency　conducted　to　a　close。　　He

intended；　by　the　final　effort　of　his　power；　to　rescue　me　and　to

banish　his　illusions　from　my　brother。　　Such　is　his　tale；　concerning

the　truth　of　which　I　care　not。　　Henceforth　I　foster　but　one　wish：　I

ask　only　quick　deliverance　from　life　and　all　the　ills　that　attend

it。



Go；　wretch！　torment　me　not　with　thy　presence　and　thy　prayers。

Forgive　thee？　　Will　that　avail　thee　when　thy　fateful　hour　shall

arrive？　　Be　thou　acquitted　at　thy　own　tribunal；　and　thou　needest

not　fear　the　verdict　of　others。　　If　thy　guilt　be　capable　of　blacker

hues；　if　hitherto　thy　conscience　be　without　stain；　thy　crime　will

be　made　more　flagrant　by　thus　violating　my　retreat。　　Take　thyself

away　from　my　sight　if　thou　wouldst　not　behold　my　death！



Thou　art　gone！　murmuring　and　reluctant！　　And　now　my　repose　is

comingmy　work　is　done！







Fitzjames　O'Brien



The　Golden　Ingot





I　had　just　retired　to　rest；　with　my　eyes　almost　blind　with　the

study　of　a　new　work　on　physiology　by　M。　Brown…Sequard；　when　the

night　bell　was　pulled　violently。



It　was　winter；　and　I　confess　I　grumbled　as　I　rose　and　went

downstairs　to　open　the　door。　　Twice　that　week　I　had　been　aroused

long　after　midnight　for　the　most　trivial　causes。　　Once；　to　attend

upon　the　son　and　heir　of　a　wealthy　family；　who　had　cut　his　thumb

with　a　penknife；　which；　it　seems；　he　insisted　on　taking　to　bed　with

him；　and　once；　to　restore　a　young　gentleman　to　consciousness；　who

had　been　found　by　his　horrified　parent　stretched　insensible　on　the

staircase。　　D