“Andwhatoneisthat？”askedabystander，overhearinghim。
　　Itwasadark-browedman，whoputthequestion；hehadanevasive
　　eye，which，inthecourseofadozenyears，hadlookednomortal
　　directlyintheface。Therewasanambiguityaboutthisperson’s
　　character-astainuponhisreputation-yetnonecouldtell
　　preciselyofwhatnature；althoughthecity-gossips，maleand
　　female，whisperedthemostatrocioussurmises。Untilarecentperiod
　　hehadfollowedthesea，andwas，infact，theveryship-masterwhom
　　GeorgeHerkimerhadencountered，undersuchsingularcircumstances，in
　　theGrecianArchipelago。
　　“Whatbosom-serpenthasthesharpeststing？”repeatedthisman：but
　　heputthequestionasifbyareluctantnecessity，andgrewpale
　　whilehewasutteringit。
　　“Whyneedyouask？”repliedRoderick，withalookofdark
　　intelligence。“Lookintoyourownbreast！Hark，myserpentbestirs
　　himself！Heacknowledgesthepresenceofamaster-fiend！”
　　Andthen，asthebystandersafterwardsaffirmed，ahissingsound
　　washeard，apparentlyinRoderickElliston’sbreast。Itwassaid，too，
　　thatanansweringhisscamefromthevitalsoftheshipmaster，asifa
　　snakewereactuallylurkingthere，andhadbeenarousedbythecallof
　　itsbrother-reptile。Iftherewereinfactanysuchsound，itmight
　　havebeencausedbyamaliciousexerciseofventriloquism，onthepart
　　ofRoderick。
　　Thus，makinghisownactualserpent-ifaserpentthereactually
　　wasinhisbosom-thetypeofeachman’sfatalerror，orhoarded
　　sin，orunquietconscience，andstrikinghisstingsounremorsefully
　　intothesorestspot，wemaywellimaginethatRoderickbecamethe
　　pestofthecity。Nobodycouldeludehim；nonecouldwithstandhim。He
　　grappledwiththeugliesttruththathecouldlayhishandon，and
　　compelledhisadversarytodothesame。Strangespectacleinhuman
　　life，whereitistheinstinctiveeffortofoneandalltohide
　　thosesadrealities，andleavethemundisturbedbeneathaheapof
　　superficialtopics，whichconstitutethematerialsofintercourse
　　betweenmanandman！ItwasnottobetoleratedthatRoderickElliston
　　shouldbreakthroughthetacitcompact，bywhichtheworldhasdone
　　itsbesttosecurerepose，withoutrelinquishingevil。Thevictims
　　ofhismaliciousremarks，itistrue，hadbrothersenoughtokeepthem
　　incountenance；for，byRoderick’stheory，everymortalbosomharbored
　　eitherabroodofsmallserpents，oroneovergrownmonster，thathad
　　devouredalltherest。Still，thecitycouldnotbearthisnew
　　apostle。Itwasdemandedbynearlyall，andparticularlybythemost
　　respectableinhabitants，thatRoderickshouldnolongerbepermitted
　　toviolatethereceivedrulesofdecorum，byobtrudinghisown
　　bosom-serpenttothepublicgaze，anddraggingthoseofdecent
　　peoplefromtheirlurking-places。
　　Accordingly，hisrelativesinterfered，andplacedhimina
　　privateasylumfortheinsane。Whenthenewswasnoisedabroad，itwas
　　observedthatmanypersonswalkedthestreetswithfreercountenances，
　　andcoveredtheirbreastslesscarefullywiththeirhands。
　　Hisconfinement，however，althoughitcontributednotalittleto
　　thepeaceofthetown，operatedunfavorablyuponRoderickhimself。
　　Insolitude，hismelancholygrewmoreblackandsullen。Hespentwhole
　　days-indeed，itwashissoleoccupation-incommuningwiththe
　　serpent。Aconversationwassustained，inwhich，asitseemed，the
　　hiddenmonsterboreapart，thoughunintelligiblytothelisteners，
　　andinaudible，exceptinahiss。Singularasitmayappear，the
　　suffererhadnowcontractedasortofaffectionforhistormentor；
　　mingled，however，withtheintensestloathingandhorror。Norwere
　　suchdiscordantemotionsincompatible；each，onthecontrary，imparted
　　strengthandpoignancytoitsopposite。Horriblelove-horrible
　　antipathy-embracingoneanotherinhisbosom，andboth
　　concentratingthemselvesuponabeingthathadcreptintohis
　　vitals，orbeenengenderedthere，andwhichwasnourishedwithhis
　　food，andliveduponhislife，andwasasintimatewithhimashisown
　　heart，andyetwasthefoulestofallcreatedthings！Butnottheless
　　wasitthetruetypeofamorbidnature。
　　Sometimes，inhismomentsofrageandbitterhatredagainstthe
　　snakeandhimself，Roderickdeterminedtobethedeathofhim，evenat
　　theexpenseofhisownlife。Onceheattempteditbystarvation。
　　But，whilethewretchedmanwasonthepointoffamishing，themonster
　　seemedtofeeduponhisheart，andtothriveandwaxgamesome，asif
　　itwerehissweetestandmostcongenialdiet。Thenheprivilytooka
　　doseofactivepoison，imaginingthatitwouldnotfailtokilleither
　　himself，orthedevilthatpossessedhim，orbothtogether。Another
　　mistake；forifRoderickhadnotyetbeendestroyedbyhisown
　　poisonedheart，northesnakebygnawingit，theyhadlittletofear
　　fromarsenicorcorrosivesublimate。Indeed，thevenomouspest
　　appearedtooperateasanantidoteagainstallotherpoisons。The
　　physicianstriedtosuffocatethefiendwithtobacco-smoke。He
　　breatheditasfreelyasifitwerehisnativeatmosphere。Again，they
　　druggedtheirpatientwithopium，anddrenchedhimwithintoxicating
　　liquors，hopingthatthesnakemightthusbereducedtostupor，and
　　perhapsbeejectedfromthestomach。Theysucceededinrendering
　　Roderickinsensible；but，placingtheirhandsuponhisbreast，they
　　wereinexpressiblyhorror-strickentofeelthemonsterwriggling，
　　twining，anddartingtoandfro，withinhisnarrowlimits，evidently
　　enlivenedbytheopiumoralcohol，andincitedtounusualfeatsof
　　activity。Thenceforth，theygaveupallattemptsatcureor
　　palliation。Thedoomedsufferersubmittedtohisfate，resumedhis
　　formerloathsomeaffectionforthebosom-fiend，andspentwhole
　　miserabledaysbeforealooking-glass，withhismouthwideopen，
　　watching，inhopeandhorror，tocatchaglimpseofthesnake’s
　　head，fardownwithinhisthroat。Itissupposedthathesucceeded；
　　fortheattendantsonceheardafrenziedshout，andrushingintothe
　　room，foundRodericklifelessuponthefloor。
　　Hewaskeptbutlittlelongerunderrestraint。Afterminute
　　investigation，themedicaldirectorsoftheasylumdecidedthathis
　　mentaldiseasedidnotamounttoinsanity，norwouldwarranthis
　　confinement；especiallyasitsinfluenceuponhisspiritswas
　　unfavorable，andmightproducetheevilwhichitwasmeantto
　　remedy。Hiseccentricitiesweredoubtlessgreat-hehadhabitually
　　violatedmanyofthecustomsandprejudicesofsociety；butthe
　　worldwasnot，withoutsurerground，entitledtotreathimasa
　　madman。Onthisdecisionofsuchcompetentauthority，Roderickwas
　　released，andhadreturnedtohisnativecity，theverydaybeforehis
　　encounterwithGeorgeHerkimer。
　　Assoonaspossibleafterlearningtheseparticulars，thesculptor，
　　togetherwithasadandtremulouscompanion，soughtEllistonathis
　　ownhouse。Itwasalarge，sombreedificeofwood，withpilasters
　　andabalcony，andwasdividedfromoneoftheprincipalstreetsby
　　aterraceofthreeelevations，whichwasascendedbysuccessive
　　flightsofstonesteps。Someimmenseoldelmsalmostconcealedthe
　　frontofthemansion。Thisspaciousandoncemagnificent
　　family-residencewasbuiltbyagrandeeoftherace，earlyinthepast
　　century；atwhichepoch，landbeingofsmallcomparativevalue，the
　　gardenandothergroundshadformedquiteanextensivedomain。
　　Althoughaportionoftheancestralheritagehadbeenalienated，there
　　wasstillashadowyenclosureintherearofthemansion，wherea
　　student，oradreamer，oramanofstrickenheart，mightlieallday
　　uponthegrass，amidthesolitudeofmurmuringboughs，andforgetthat
　　acityhadgrownuparoundhim。
　　Intothisretirement，thesculptorandhiscompanionwereushered
　　byScipio，theoldblackservant，whosewrinkledvisagegrewalmost
　　sunnywithintelligenceandjoy，ashepaidhishumblegreetingsto
　　oneofthetwovisitors。
　　“Remaininthearbor，whisperedthesculptortothefigurethat
　　leaneduponhisarm，“youwillknowwhether，andwhen，tomakeyour
　　appearance。”
　　“Godwillteachme。”wasthereply。“Mayhesupportmetoo！”
　　Roderickwasrecliningonthemarginofafountain，whichgushed
　　intothefleckeredsunshinewiththesameclearsparkle，andthe
　　samevoiceofairyquietude，aswhentreesofprimevalgrowthflung
　　theirshadowsacrossitsbosom。Howstrangeisthelifeofafountain，
　　bornateverymoment，yetofanagecoevalwiththerocks，andfar
　　surpassingthevenerableantiquityofaforest！
　　“Youarecome！Ihaveexpectedyou。”saidElliston，whenhe
　　becameawareofthesculptor’spresence。
　　Hismannerwasverydifferentfromthatoftheprecedingday-
　　quiet，courteous，and，asHerkimerthought，watchfulbothoverhis
　　guestandhimself。Thisunnaturalrestraintwasalmosttheonly
　　traitthatbetokenedanythingamiss。Hehadjustthrownabookupon
　　thegrass，whereitlayhalfopened，thusdisclosingitselftobea
　　naturalhistoryoftheserpent-tribe，illustratedbylife-likeplates。
　　Nearitlaythatbulkyvolume，theDuctorDubitantiumofJeremy
　　Taylor，fullofcasesofconscience，andinwhichmostmen，
　　possessedofaconscience，mayfindsomethingapplicabletotheir
　　purpose。
　　“Yousee。”observedElliston，pointingtothebookofserpents，
　　whileasmilegleameduponhislips，“Iammakinganeffortto
　　becomebetteracquaintedwithmybosom-friend。ButIfindnothing
　　satisfactoryinthisvolume。IfImistakenot，hewillprovetobesui
　　generis，andakintonootherreptileincreation。”
　　“Whencecamethisstrangecalamity？”inquiredthesculptor。
　　“Mysablefriend，Scipio，hasastory。”repliedRoderick，“ofa
　　snakethathadlurkedinthisfountain-pureandinnocentasit
　　looks-eversinceitwasknowntothefirstsettlers。This
　　insinuatingpersonageoncecreptintothevitalsofmy
　　great-grandfather，anddwelttheremanyyears，tormentingtheold
　　gentlemanbeyondmortalendurance。Inshort，itisafamily
　　peculiarity。But，totellyouthetruth，Ihavenofaithinthis
　　ideaofthesnake’sbeinganheir-loom。Heismyownsnake，andno
　　man’selse。”
　　“Butwhatwashisorigin？”demandedHerkimer。
　　“Oh！thereispoisonousstuffinanyman’sheart，sufficientto
　　generateabroodofserpents。”saidElliston，withahollowlaugh。
　　“Youshouldhaveheardmyhomiliestothegoodtownspeople。
　　Positively，Ideemmyselffortunateinhavingbredbutasingle
　　serpent。You，however，havenoneinyourbosom，andthereforecannot
　　sympathizewiththerestoftheworld。Itgnawsme！Itgnawsme！”
　　Withthisexclamation，Rodericklosthisself-controlandthrew
　　himselfuponthegrass，testifyinghisagonybyintricatewrithings，
　　inwhichHerkimercouldnotbutfancyaresemblancetothemotions
　　ofasnake。Then，likewise，washeardthatfrightfulhiss，whichoften
　　ranthroughthesufferer’sspeech，andcreptbetweenthewordsand
　　syllables，withoutinterruptingtheirsuccession。
　　“Thisisawfulindeed！”exclaimedthesculptor-“anawful
　　infliction，whetheritbeactualorimaginary！Tellme，Roderick
　　Elliston，isthereanyremedyforthisloathsomeevil？”
　　“Yes，butanimpossibleone。”mutteredRoderick，ashelay
　　wallowingwithhisfaceinthegrass。“CouldI，foroneinstant，
　　forgetmyself，theserpentmightnotabidewithinme。Itismy
　　diseasedself-contemplationthathasengenderedandnourishedhim！”
　　“Thenforgetyourself，myhusband。”saidagentlevoiceabove
　　him-“forgetyourselfintheideaofanother！”
　　Rosinahademergedfromthearbor，andwasbendingoverhim，with
　　theshadowofhisanguishreflectedinhercountenance，yetsomingled
　　withhopeandunselfishlove，thatallanguishseemedbutanearthly
　　shadowandadream。ShetouchedRoderickwithherhand。Atremor
　　shiveredthroughhisframe。Atthatmoment，ifreportbe
　　trustworthy，thesculptorbeheldawavingmotionthroughthegrass，
　　andheardatinklingsound，asifsomethinghadplungedintothe
　　fountain。Bethetruthasitmight，itiscertainthatRoderick
　　Ellistonsatup，likeamanrenewed，restoredtohisrightmind，and
　　rescuedfromthefiend，whichhadsomiserablyovercomehiminthe
　　battlefieldofhisownbreast。