首页 >出版文学> The Works of Edgar Allan Poe>第66章
  remained,untilthecrisisofthediseaserestoredme,suddenly,toperfectsensation。AtothertimesIwasquicklyandimpetuouslysmitten。Igrewsick,andnumb,andchilly,anddizzy,andsofellprostrateatonce。Then,forweeks,allwasvoid,andblack,andsilent,andNothingbecametheuniverse。Totalannihilationcouldbenomore。FromtheselatterattacksIawoke,however,withagradationslowinproportiontothesuddennessoftheseizure。JustasthedaydawnstothefriendlessandhouselessbeggarwhoroamsthestreetsthroughoutthelongdesolatewinternightjustsotardilyjustsowearilyjustsocheerilycamebackthelightoftheSoultome。
  Apartfromthetendencytotrance,however,mygeneralhealthappearedtobegood;norcouldIperceivethatitwasatallaffectedbytheoneprevalentmaladyunless,indeed,anidiosyncrasyinmyordinarysleepmaybelookeduponassuperinduced。Uponawakingfromslumber,Icouldnevergain,atonce,thoroughpossessionofmysenses,andalwaysremained,formanyminutes,inmuchbewildermentandperplexity;thementalfacultiesingeneral,butthememoryinespecial,beinginaconditionofabsoluteabeyance。
  InallthatIenduredtherewasnophysicalsufferingbutofmoraldistressaninfinitude。Myfancygrewcharnel,Italked“ofworms,oftombs,andepitaphs。”Iwaslostinreveriesofdeath,andtheideaofprematureburialheldcontinualpossessionofmybrain。TheghastlyDangertowhichIwassubjectedhauntedmedayandnight。Intheformer,thetortureofmeditationwasexcessiveinthelatter,supreme。WhenthegrimDarknessoverspreadtheEarth,then,witheveryhorrorofthought,Ishookshookasthequiveringplumesuponthehearse。WhenNaturecouldendurewakefulnessnolonger,itwaswithastrugglethatIconsentedtosleepforIshudderedtoreflectthat,uponawaking,Imightfindmyselfthetenantofagrave。Andwhen,finally,Isankintoslumber,itwasonlytorushatonceintoaworldofphantasms,abovewhich,withvast,sable,overshadowingwing,hovered,predominant,theonesepulchralIdea。
  Fromtheinnumerableimagesofgloomwhichthusoppressedmeindreams,Iselectforrecordbutasolitaryvision。MethoughtIwasimmersedinacataleptictranceofmorethanusualdurationandprofundity。Suddenlytherecameanicyhanduponmyforehead,andanimpatient,gibberingvoicewhisperedtheword“Arise!”withinmyear。
  Isaterect。Thedarknesswastotal。Icouldnotseethefigureofhimwhohadarousedme。IcouldcalltomindneithertheperiodatwhichIhadfallenintothetrance,northelocalityinwhichIthenlay。WhileIremainedmotionless,andbusiedinendeavorstocollectmythought,thecoldhandgraspedmefiercelybythewrist,shakingitpetulantly,whilethegibberingvoicesaidagain:
  “Arise!didInotbidtheearise?”
  “Andwho。”Idemanded,“artthou?”
  “IhavenonameintheregionswhichIinhabit。”repliedthevoice,mournfully;“Iwasmortal,butamfiend。Iwasmerciless,butampitiful。ThoudostfeelthatIshudder。MyteethchatterasI
  speak,yetitisnotwiththechillinessofthenightofthenightwithoutend。Butthishideousnessisinsufferable。Howcanstthoutranquillysleep?Icannotrestforthecryofthesegreatagonies。
  ThesesightsaremorethanIcanbear。Gettheeup!ComewithmeintotheouterNight,andletmeunfoldtotheethegraves。Isnotthisaspectacleofwoe?Behold!”
  Ilooked;andtheunseenfigure,whichstillgraspedmebythewrist,hadcausedtobethrownopenthegravesofallmankind,andfromeachissuedthefaintphosphoricradianceofdecay,sothatIcouldseeintotheinnermostrecesses,andthereviewtheshroudedbodiesintheirsadandsolemnslumberswiththeworm。Butalas!therealsleeperswerefewer,bymanymillions,thanthosewhoslumberednotatall;andtherewasafeeblestruggling;andtherewasageneralsadunrest;andfromoutthedepthsofthecountlesspitstherecameamelancholyrustlingfromthegarmentsoftheburied。Andofthosewhoseemedtranquillytorepose,Isawthatavastnumberhadchanged,inagreaterorlessdegree,therigidanduneasypositioninwhichtheyhadoriginallybeenentombed。AndthevoiceagainsaidtomeasIgazed:
  “Isitnotoh!isitnotapitifulsight?”but,beforeIcouldfindwordstoreply,thefigurehadceasedtograspmywrist,thephosphoriclightsexpired,andthegraveswereclosedwithasuddenviolence,whilefromoutthemaroseatumultofdespairingcries,sayingagain:“IsitnotO,God,isitnotaverypitifulsight?”
  Phantasiessuchasthese,presentingthemselvesatnight,extendedtheirterrificinfluencefarintomywakinghours。Mynervesbecamethoroughlyunstrung,andIfellapreytoperpetualhorror。I
  hesitatedtoride,ortowalk,ortoindulgeinanyexercisethatwouldcarrymefromhome。Infact,Inolongerdaredtrustmyselfoutoftheimmediatepresenceofthosewhowereawareofmypronenesstocatalepsy,lest,fallingintooneofmyusualfits,Ishouldbeburiedbeforemyrealconditioncouldbeascertained。Idoubtedthecare,thefidelityofmydearestfriends。Idreadedthat,insometranceofmorethancustomaryduration,theymightbeprevailedupontoregardmeasirrecoverable。Ievenwentsofarastofearthat,asIoccasionedmuchtrouble,theymightbegladtoconsideranyveryprotractedattackassufficientexcuseforgettingridofmealtogether。Itwasinvaintheyendeavoredtoreassuremebythemostsolemnpromises。Iexactedthemostsacredoaths,thatundernocircumstancestheywouldburymeuntildecompositionhadsomateriallyadvancedastorenderfartherpreservationimpossible。
  And,eventhen,mymortalterrorswouldlistentonoreasonwouldacceptnoconsolation。Ienteredintoaseriesofelaborateprecautions。Amongotherthings,Ihadthefamilyvaultsoremodelledastoadmitofbeingreadilyopenedfromwithin。Theslightestpressureuponalongleverthatextendedfarintothetombwouldcausetheironportaltoflyback。Therewerearrangementsalsoforthefreeadmissionofairandlight,andconvenientreceptaclesforfoodandwater,withinimmediatereachofthecoffinintendedformyreception。Thiscoffinwaswarmlyandsoftlypadded,andwasprovidedwithalid,fashionedupontheprincipleofthevault-door,withtheadditionofspringssocontrivedthatthefeeblestmovementofthebodywouldbesufficienttosetitatliberty。Besidesallthis,therewassuspendedfromtheroofofthetomb,alargebell,theropeofwhich,itwasdesigned,shouldextendthroughaholeinthecoffin,andsobefastenedtooneofthehandsofthecorpse。But,alas?whatavailsthevigilanceagainsttheDestinyofman?Noteventhesewell-contrivedsecuritiessufficedtosavefromtheuttermostagoniesoflivinginhumation,awretchtotheseagoniesforedoomed!
  TherearrivedanepochasoftenbeforetherehadarrivedinwhichIfoundmyselfemergingfromtotalunconsciousnessintothefirstfeebleandindefinitesenseofexistence。Slowlywithatortoisegradationapproachedthefaintgraydawnofthepsychalday。Atorpiduneasiness。Anapatheticenduranceofdullpain。Nocarenohopenoeffort。Then,afteralonginterval,aringingintheears;then,afteralapsestilllonger,apricklingortinglingsensationintheextremities;thenaseeminglyeternalperiodofpleasurablequiescence,duringwhichtheawakeningfeelingsarestrugglingintothought;thenabriefre-sinkingintonon-entity;
  thenasuddenrecovery。Atlengththeslightquiveringofaneyelid,andimmediatelythereupon,anelectricshockofaterror,deadlyandindefinite,whichsendsthebloodintorrentsfromthetemplestotheheart。Andnowthefirstpositiveefforttothink。Andnowthefirstendeavortoremember。Andnowapartialandevanescentsuccess。Andnowthememoryhassofarregaineditsdominion,that,insomemeasure,Iamcognizantofmystate。IfeelthatIamnotawakingfromordinarysleep。IrecollectthatIhavebeensubjecttocatalepsy。Andnow,atlast,asifbytherushofanocean,myshudderingspiritisoverwhelmedbytheonegrimDangerbytheonespectralandever-prevalentidea。
  Forsomeminutesafterthisfancypossessedme,Iremainedwithoutmotion。Andwhy?Icouldnotsummoncouragetomove。Idarednotmaketheeffortwhichwastosatisfymeofmyfateandyettherewassomethingatmyheartwhichwhisperedmeitwassure。Despairsuchasnootherspeciesofwretchednessevercallsintobeingdespairaloneurgedme,afterlongirresolution,touplifttheheavylidsofmyeyes。Iupliftedthem。Itwasdarkalldark。Iknewthatthefitwasover。Iknewthatthecrisisofmydisorderhadlongpassed。
  IknewthatIhadnowfullyrecoveredtheuseofmyvisualfacultiesandyetitwasdarkalldarktheintenseandutterraylessnessoftheNightthatendurethforevermore。
  Iendeavoredtoshriek-,andmylipsandmyparchedtonguemovedconvulsivelytogetherintheattemptbutnovoiceissuedfromthecavernouslungs,whichoppressedasifbytheweightofsomeincumbentmountain,gaspedandpalpitated,withtheheart,ateveryelaborateandstrugglinginspiration。
  Themovementofthejaws,inthisefforttocryaloud,showedmethattheywereboundup,asisusualwiththedead。Ifelt,too,thatI
  layuponsomehardsubstance,andbysomethingsimilarmysideswere,also,closelycompressed。Sofar,IhadnotventuredtostiranyofmylimbsbutnowIviolentlythrewupmyarms,whichhadbeenlyingatlength,withthewristscrossed。Theystruckasolidwoodensubstance,whichextendedabovemypersonatanelevationofnotmorethansixinchesfrommyface。IcouldnolongerdoubtthatIreposedwithinacoffinatlast。
  Andnow,amidallmyinfinitemiseries,camesweetlythecherubHopeforIthoughtofmyprecautions。Iwrithed,andmadespasmodicexertionstoforceopenthelid:itwouldnotmove。Ifeltmywristsforthebell-rope:itwasnottobefound。AndnowtheComforterfledforever,andastillsternerDespairreignedtriumphant;forIcouldnothelpperceivingtheabsenceofthepaddingswhichIhadsocarefullypreparedandthen,too,therecamesuddenlytomynostrilsthestrongpeculiarodorofmoistearth。Theconclusionwasirresistible。Iwasnotwithinthevault。Ihadfallenintoatrancewhileabsentfromhome-whileamongstrangerswhen,orhow,Icouldnotrememberanditwastheywhohadburiedmeasadognailedupinsomecommoncoffinandthrustdeep,deep,andforever,intosomeordinaryandnamelessgrave。
  Asthisawfulconvictionforceditself,thus,intotheinnermostchambersofmysoul,Ionceagainstruggledtocryaloud。AndinthissecondendeavorIsucceeded。Along,wild,andcontinuousshriek,oryellofagony,resoundedthroughtherealmsofthesubterraneanNight。
  “Hillo!hillo,there!”saidagruffvoice,inreply。
  “Whatthedevil’sthematternow!”saidasecond。
  “Getouto’that!”saidathird。
  “Whatdoyoumeanbyyowlinginthaterekindofstyle,likeacattymount?”saidafourth;andhereuponIwasseizedandshakenwithoutceremony,forseveralminutes,byajuntoofveryrough-lookingindividuals。Theydidnotarousemefrommyslumber
  forIwaswideawakewhenIscreamedbuttheyrestoredmetothefullpossessionofmymemory。
  ThisadventureoccurrednearRichmond,inVirginia。Accompaniedbyafriend,Ihadproceeded,uponagunningexpedition,somemilesdownthebanksoftheJamesRiver。Nightapproached,andwewereovertakenbyastorm。Thecabinofasmallslooplyingatanchorinthestream,andladenwithgardenmould,affordedustheonlyavailableshelter。
  Wemadethebestofit,andpassedthenightonboard。Isleptinoneoftheonlytwoberthsinthevesselandtheberthsofasloopofsixtyortwentytonsneedscarcelybedescribed。ThatwhichI
  occupiedhadnobeddingofanykind。Itsextremewidthwaseighteeninches。Thedistanceofitsbottomfromthedeckoverheadwaspreciselythesame。Ifounditamatterofexceedingdifficultytosqueezemyselfin。Nevertheless,Isleptsoundly,andthewholeofmyvisionforitwasnodream,andnonightmarearosenaturallyfromthecircumstancesofmypositionfrommyordinarybiasofthoughtandfromthedifficulty,towhichIhavealluded,ofcollectingmysenses,andespeciallyofregainingmymemory,foralongtimeafterawakingfromslumber。Themenwhoshookmewerethecrewofthesloop,andsomelaborersengagedtounloadit。Fromtheloaditselfcametheearthlysmell。ThebandageaboutthejawswasasilkhandkerchiefinwhichIhadboundupmyhead,indefaultofmycustomarynightcap。
  Thetorturesendured,however,wereindubitablyquiteequalforthetime,tothoseofactualsepulture。Theywerefearfullytheywereinconceivablyhideous;butoutofEvilproceededGood;fortheirveryexcesswroughtinmyspiritaninevitablerevulsion。Mysoulacquiredtoneacquiredtemper。Iwentabroad。Itookvigorousexercise。I
  breathedthefreeairofHeaven。IthoughtuponothersubjectsthanDeath。Idiscardedmymedicalbooks。“Buchan“Iburned。Ireadno“NightThoughts“nofustianaboutchurchyardsnobugabootalessuchasthis。Inshort,Ibecameanewman,andlivedaman’slife。Fromthatmemorablenight,Idismissedforevermycharnelapprehensions,andwiththemvanishedthecatalepticdisorder,ofwhich,perhaps,theyhadbeenlesstheconsequencethanthecause。
  Therearemomentswhen,eventothesobereyeofReason,theworldofoursadHumanitymayassumethesemblanceofaHellbuttheimaginationofmanisnoCarathis,toexplorewithimpunityitseverycavern。Alas!thegrimlegionofsepulchralterrorscannotberegardedasaltogetherfancifulbut,liketheDemonsinwhosecompanyAfrasiabmadehisvoyagedowntheOxus,theymustsleep,ortheywilldevourustheymustbesufferedtoslumber,orweperish。