stories by modern american authors-第81节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



extinguished；　but　the　firelight　was　amply　sufficient　to　guide　me。

I　gained　the　door。　　There　was　a　lock；　but　it　was　rusty　or　hampered；

my　utmost　strength　could　not　turn　the　key。　　The　bolt　was　broken　and

worthless。　　Balked　of　my　intention；　I　consoled　myself　by

remembering　that　I　had　never　had　need　of　fastenings　yet；　and

returned　to　my　bed。　　I　lay　awake　for　a　good　while；　watching　the　red

glow　of　the　burning　coals　in　the　grate。　　I　was　quiet　now；　and　more

composed。　　Even　the　light　gossip　of　the　maid；　full　of　petty　human

cares　and　joys；　had　done　me　gooddiverted　my　thoughts　from

brooding。　　I　was　on　the　point　of　dropping　asleep；　when　I　was　twice

disturbed。　　Once；　by　an　owl；　hooting　in　the　ivy　outsideno

unaccustomed　sound；　but　harsh　and　melancholy；　once；　by　a　long　and

mournful　howling　set　up　by　the　mastiff；　chained　in　the　yard　beyond

the　wing　I　occupied。　　A　long…drawn；　lugubrious　howling　was　this

latter；　and　much　such　a　note　as　the　vulgar　declare　to　herald　a

death　in　the　family。　　This　was　a　fancy　I　had　never　shared；　but　yet

I　could　not　help　feeling　that　the　dog's　mournful　moans　were　sad；

and　expressive　of　terror；　not　at　all　like　his　fierce；　honest　bark

of　anger；　but　rather　as　if　something　evil　and　unwonted　were　abroad。

But　soon　I　fell　asleep。



How　long　I　slept　I　never　knew。　　I　awoke　at　once　with　that　abrupt

start　which　we　all　know　well；　and　which　carries　us　in　a　second　from

utter　unconsciousness　to　the　full　use　of　our　faculties。　　The　fire

was　still　burning；　but　was　very　low；　and　half　the　room　or　more　was

in　deep　shadow。　　I　knew；　I　felt；　that　some　person　or　thing　was　in

the　room；　although　nothing　unusual　was　to　be　seen　by　the　feeble

light。　　Yet　it　was　a　sense　of　danger　that　had　aroused　me　from

slumber。　　I　experienced；　while　yet　asleep；　the　chill　and　shock　of

sudden　alarm；　and　I　knew；　even　in　the　act　of　throwing　off　sleep

like　a　mantle；　WHY　I　awoke；　and　that　some　intruder　was　present。

Yet；　though　I　listened　intently；　no　sound　was　audible；　except　the

faint　murmur　of　the　firethe　dropping　of　a　cinder　from　the　bars

the　loud；　irregular　beatings　of　my　own　heart。　　Notwithstanding　this

silence；　by　some　intuition　I　knew　that　I　had　not　been　deceived　by　a

dream；　and　felt　certain　that　I　was　not　alone。　　I　waited。　　My　heart

beat　on；　quicker；　more　sudden　grew　its　pulsations；　as　a　bird　in　a

cage　might　flutter　in　presence　of　the　hawk。　　And　then　I　heard　a

sound；　faint；　but　quite　distinct；　the　clank　of　iron；　the　rattling

of　a　chain！　　I　ventured　to　lift　my　head　from　the　pillow。　　Dim　and

uncertain　as　the　light　was；　I　saw　the　curtains　of　my　bed　shake；　and

caught　a　glimpse　of　something　beyond；　a　darker　spot　in　the

darkness。　　This　confirmation　of　my　fears　did　not　surprise　me　so

much　as　it　shocked　me。　　I　strove　to　cry　aloud；　but　could　not　utter

a　word。　　The　chain　rattled　again；　and　this　time　the　noise　was

louder　and　clearer。　　But　though　I　strained　my　eyes；　they　could　not

penetrate　the　obscurity　that　shrouded　the　other　end　of　the　chamber

whence　came　the　sullen　clanking。　　In　a　moment　several　distinct

trains　of　thought；　like　many…colored　strands　of　thread　twining　into

one；　became　palpable　to　my　mental　vision。　　Was　it　a　robber？　　Could

it　be　a　supernatural　visitant？　　Or　was　I　the　victim　of　a　cruel

trick；　such　as　I　had　heard　of；　and　which　some　thoughtless　persons

love　to　practice　on　the　timid；　reckless　of　its　dangerous　results？

And　then　a　new　idea；　with　some　ray　of　comfort　in　it；　suggested

itself。　　There　was　a　fine　young　dog　of　the　Newfoundland　breed；　a

favorite　of　my　father's；　which　was　usually　chained　by　night　in　an

outhouse。　　Neptune　might　have　broken　loose；　found　his　way　to　my

room；　and；　finding　the　door　imperfectly　closed；　have　pushed　it　open

and　entered。　　I　breathed　more　freely　as　this　harmless

interpretation　of　the　noise　forced　itself　upon　me。　　It　wasit　must

bethe　dog；　and　I　was　distressing　myself　uselessly。　　I　resolved　to

call　to　him；　I　strove　to　utter　his　name〃Neptune；　Neptune；〃　but　a

secret　apprehension　restrained　me；　and　I　was　mute。



Then　the　chain　clanked　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　bed；　and　presently

I　saw　a　dusky；　shapeless　mass　appear　between　the　curtains　on　the

opposite　side　to　where　I　was　lying。　　How　I　longed　to　hear　the　whine

of　the　poor　animal　that　I　hoped　might　be　the　cause　of　my　alarm。

But　no；　I　heard　no　sound　save　the　rustle　of　the　curtains　and　the

clash　of　the　iron　chains。　　Just　then　the　dying　flame　of　the　fire

leaped　up；　and　with　one　sweeping；　hurried　glance　I　saw　that　the

door　was　shut；　and；　horror！　it　is　not　the　dog！　it　is　the　semblance

of　a　human　form　that　now　throws　itself　heavily　on　the　bed；　outside

the　clothes；　and　lies　there；　huge　and　swart；　in　the　red　gleam　that

treacherously　died　away　after　showing　so　much　to　affright；　and

sinks　into　dull　darkness。　　There　was　now　no　light　left；　though　the

red　cinders　yet　glowed　with　a　ruddy　gleam　like　the　eyes　of　wild

beasts。　　The　chain　rattled　no　more。　　I　tried　to　speak；　to　scream

wildly　for　help；　my　mouth　was　parched；　my　tongue　refused　to　obey。

I　could　not　utter　a　cry；　and；　indeed；　who　could　have　heard　me；

alone　as　I　was　in　that　solitary　chamber；　with　no　living　neighbor；

and　the　picture…gallery　between　me　and　any　aid　that　even　the

loudest；　most　piercing　shriek　could　summon。　　And　the　storm　that

howled　without　would　have　drowned　my　voice；　even　if　help　had　been

at　hand。　　To　call　aloudto　demand　who　was　therealas！　how

useless；　how　perilous！　　If　the　intruder　were　a　robber；　my　outcries

would　but　goad　him　to　fury；　but　what　robber　would　act　thus？　　As　for

a　trick；　that　seemed　impossible。　　And　yet；　WHAT　lay　by　my　side；　now

wholly　unseen？　　I　strove　to　pray　aloud　as　there　rushed　on　my　memory

a　flood　of　weird　legendsthe　dreaded　yet　fascinating　lore　of　my

childhood。　　I　had　heard　and　read　of　the　spirits　of　the　wicked　men

forced　to　revisit　the　scenes　of　their　earthly　crimesof　demons

that　lurked　in　certain　accursed　spotsof　the　ghoul　and　vampire　of

the　east；　stealing　amidst　the　graves　they　rifled　for　their　ghostly

banquets；　and　then　I　shuddered　as　I　gazed　on　the　blank　darkness

where　I　knew　it　lay。　　It　stirredit　moaned　hoarsely；　and　again　I

heard　the　chain　clank　close　beside　meso　close　that　it　must　almost

have　touched　me。　　I　drew　myself　from　it；　shrinking　away　in　loathing

and　terror　of　the　evil　thingwhat；　I　knew　not；　but　felt　that

something　malignant　was　near。



And　yet；　in　the　extremity　of　my　fear；　I　dared　not　speak；　I　was

strangely　cautious　to　be　silent；　even　in　moving　farther　off；　for　I

had　a　wild　hope　that　itthe　phantom；　the　creature；　whichever　it

washad　not　discovered　my　presence　in　the　room。　　And　then　I

remembered　all　the　events　of　the　nightLady　Speldhurst's　ill…

omened　vaticinations；　her　half…warnings；　her　singular　look　as　we

parted；　my　sister's　persuasions；　my　terror　in　the　gallery；　the

remark　that　〃this　was　the　room　nurse　Sherrard　used　to　talk　of。〃

And　then　memory；　stimulated　by　fear；　recalled　the　long…forgotten

past；　the　ill…repute　of　this　disused　chamber；　the　sins　it　had

witnessed；　the　blood　spilled；　the　poison　administered　by　unnatural

hate　within　its　walls；　and　the　tradition　which　called　it　haunted。

The　green　roomI　remembered　now　how　fearfully　the　servants　avoided

ithow　it　was　mentioned　rarely；　and　in　whispers；　when　we　were

children；　and　how　we　had　regarded　it　as　a　mysterious　region；　unfit

for　mortal　habitation。　　Was　Itthe　dark　form　with　the　chaina

creature　of　this　world；　or　a　specter？　　And　againmore　dreadful

stillcould　it　be　that　the　corpses　of　wicked　men　were　forced　to

rise　and　haunt　in　the　body　the　places　where　they　had　wrought　their

evil　deeds？　　And　was　such　as　these　my　grisly　neighbor？　　The　chain

faintly　rattled。　　My　hair　bristled；　my　eyeballs　seemed　starting

from　their　sockets；　the　damps　of　a　great　anguish　were　on　my　brow。

My　heart　labored　as　if　I　were　crushed　beneath　some　vast　weight。

Sometimes　it　appeared　to　stop　its　frenzied　beatings；　sometimes　its

pulsations　were　fierce　and　hurried；　my　breath　came　short　and　with

extreme　difficulty；　and　I　shivered　as　if　with　cold；　yet　I　feared　to

stir。　　IT　moved；　it　moaned；　its　fetters　clanked　dismally；　the　couch

creaked　and　shook。　　This　was　no　phantom；　thenno　air…drawn

specter。　　But　its　very　solidity；　its　palpable　presence；　were　a

thousand　times　more　terrible。　　I　felt　that　I　was　in　the　very　grasp

of　what　could　not　only　affright　but　harm；　of　something　whose

contact　sickened　the　soul　with　deathly　fear。　　I　made　a　desperate

resolve：　I　glided　from　the　bed；　I　seized　a　warm　wrapper；　threw　it

around　me；　and　tried　to　grope；　with　extended　hands；　my　way　to　the

door。　　My　heart　beat　high　at　the　hope　of　escape。　　But　I　had

scarcely　taken　one　step　before　the　moaning　was　renewedit　changed

into　a　threatening　growl　that　would　have　suited　a　wolf's　throat；

and　a　hand　clutched　at　my　sleeve。　　I　stood　motionless。　　The

muttering　growl　sank　to　a　moan　again；　the　chain　sounded　no　more；

but　still　the　hand　held　its　gripe　of　my　garment；　and　I　feared　to

move。　　It　knew　of　my　presence；　then。　　My