stories by modern american authors-第23节

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neither　sound　nor　motion；　but　its　eyes　were　two　dazzling　suns。　　The

reptile　itself　was　wholly　concealed　by　them。　　They　gave　off

enlarging　rings　of　rich　and　vivid　colors；　which　at　their　greatest

expansion　successively　vanished　like　soap　bubbles；　they　seemed　to

approach　his　very　face；　and　anon　were　an　immeasurable　distance

away。　　He　heard；　somewhere；　the　continual　throbbing　of　a　great

drum；　with　desultory　bursts　of　far　music；　inconceivably　sweet；　like

the　tones　of　an　aeolian　harp。　　He　knew　it　for　the　sunrise　melody　of

Memnon's　statue；　and　thought　he　stood　in　the　Nileside　reeds；

hearing；　with　exalted　sense；　that　immortal　anthem　through　the

silence　of　the　centuries。



The　music　ceased；　rather；　it　became　by　insensible　degrees　the

distant　roll　of　a　retreating　thunderstorm。　　A　landscape；　glittering

with　sun　and　rain；　stretched　before　him；　arched　with　a　vivid

rainbow；　framing　in　its　giant　curve　a　hundred　visible　cities。　　In

the　middle　distance　a　vast　serpent；　wearing　a　crown；　reared　its

head　out　of　its　voluminous　convolutions　and　looked　at　him　with　his

dead　mother's　eyes。　　Suddenly　this　enchanting　landscape　seemed　to

rise　swiftly　upward；　like　the　drop　scene　at　a　theater；　and　vanished

in　a　blank。　　Something　struck　him　a　hard　blow　upon　the　face　and

breast。　　He　had　fallen　to　the　floor；　the　blood　ran　from　his　broken

nose　and　his　bruised　lips。　　For　a　moment　he　was　dazed　and　stunned；

and　lay　with　closed　eyes；　his　face　against　the　door。　　In　a　few

moments　he　had　recovered；　and　then　realized　that　his　fall；　by

withdrawing　his　eyes；　had　broken　the　spell　which　held　him。　　He　felt

that　now；　by　keeping　his　gaze　averted；　he　would　be　able　to　retreat。

But　the　thought　of　the　serpent　within　a　few　feet　of　his　head；　yet

unseenperhaps　in　the　very　act　of　springing　upon　him　and　throwing

its　coils　about　his　throatwas　too　horrible。　　He　lifted　his　head；

stared　again　into　those　baleful　eyes；　and　was　again　in　bondage。



The　snake　had　not　moved；　and　appeared　somewhat　to　have　lost　its

power　upon　the　imagination；　the　gorgeous　illusions　of　a　few　moments

before　were　not　repeated。　　Beneath　that　flat　and　brainless　brow　its

black；　beady　eyes　simply　glittered；　as　at　first；　with　an　expression

unspeakably　malignant。　　It　was　as　if　the　creature；　knowing　its

triumph　assured；　had　determined　to　practice　no　more　alluring　wiles。



Now　ensued　a　fearful　scene。　　The　man；　prone　upon　the　floor；　within

a　yard　of　his　enemy；　raised　the　upper　part　of　his　body　upon　his

elbows；　his　head　thrown　back；　his　legs　extended　to　their　full

length。　　His　face　was　white　between　its　gouts　of　blood；　his　eyes

were　strained　open　to　their　uttermost　expansion。　　There　was　froth

upon　his　lips；　it　dropped　off　in　flakes。　　Strong　convulsions　ran

through　his　body；　making　almost　serpentine　undulations。　　He　bent

himself　at　the　waist；　shifting　his　legs　from　side　to　side。　　And

every　movement　left　him　a　little　nearer　to　the　snake。　　He　thrust

his　hands　forward　to　brace　himself　back；　yet　constantly　advanced

upon　his　elbows。





IV





Dr。　Druring　and　his　wife　sat　in　the　library。　　The　scientist　was　in

rare　good　humor。



〃I　have　just　obtained；　by　exchange　with　another　collector；〃　he

said；　〃a　splendid　specimen　of　the　Ophiophagus。〃



〃And　what　may　that　be？〃　the　lady　inquired　with　a　somewhat　languid

interest。



〃Why；　bless　my　soul；　what　profound　ignorance！　　My　dear；　a　man　who

ascertains　after　marriage　that　his　wife　does　not　know　Greek；　is

entitled　to　a　divorce。　　The　Ophiophagus　is　a　snake　which　eats　other

snakes。〃



〃I　hope　it　will　eat　all　yours；〃　she　said；　absently　shifting　the

lamp。　　〃But　how　does　it　get　the　other　snakes？　　By　charming　them；　I

suppose。〃



〃That　is　just　like　you；　dear；〃　said　the　doctor；　with　an　affectation

of　petulance。　　〃You　know　how　irritating　to　me　is　any　allusion　to

that　vulgar　superstition　about　the　snake's　power　of　fascination。〃



The　conversation　was　interrupted　by　a　mighty　cry　which　rang　through

the　silent　house　like　the　voice　of　a　demon　shouting　in　a　tomb。

Again　and　yet　again　it　sounded；　with　terrible　distinctness。　　They

sprang　to　their　feet；　the　man　confused；　the　lady　pale　and

speechless　with　fright。　　Almost　before　the　echoes　of　the　last　cry

had　died　away　the　doctor　was　out　of　the　room；　springing　up　the

staircase　two　steps　at　a　time。　　In　the　corridor；　in　front　of

Brayton's　chamber；　he　met　some　servants　who　had　come　from　the　upper

floor。　　Together　they　rushed　at　the　door　without　knocking。　　It　was

unfastened；　and　gave　way。　　Brayton　lay　upon　his　stomach　on　the

floor；　dead。　　His　head　and　arms　were　partly　concealed　under　the

foot　rail　of　the　bed。　　They　pulled　the　body　away；　turning　it　upon

the　back。　　The　face　was　daubed　with　blood　and　froth；　the　eyes　were

wide　open；　staringa　dreadful　sight！



〃Died　in　a　fit；〃　said　the　scientist；　bending　his　knee　and　placing

his　hand　upon　the　heart。　　While　in　that　position　he　happened　to

glance　under　the　bed。　　〃Good　God！〃　he　added；　〃how　did　this　thing

get　in　here？〃



He　reached　under　the　bed；　pulled　out　the　snake；　and　flung　it；　still

coiled；　to　the　center　of　the　room；　whence；　with　a　harsh；　shuffling

sound；　it　slid　across　the　polished　floor　till　stopped　by　the　wall；

where　it　lay　without　motion。　　It　was　a　stuffed　snake；　its　eyes　were

two　shoe　buttons。





From　〃Tales　of　Soldiers　and　Civilians；〃　by　Ambrose　Bierce。

Copyright；　1891；　by　E。　L。　G。　Steele。







Edgar　Allan　Poe



The　Oblong　Box





Some　years　ago；　I　engaged　passage　from　Charleston；　S。　C；　to　the

city　of　New　York；　in　the　fine　packet…ship　〃Independence；〃　Captain

Hardy。　　We　were　to　sail　on　the　fifteenth　of　the　month　（June）；

weather　permitting；　and　on　the　fourteenth；　I　went　on　board　to

arrange　some　matters　in　my　stateroom。



I　found　that　we　were　to　have　a　great　many　passengers；　including　a

more　than　usual　number　of　ladies。　　On　the　list　were　several　of　my

acquaintances；　and　among　other　names；　I　was　rejoiced　to　see　that　of

Mr。　Cornelius　Wyatt；　a　young　artist；　for　whom　I　entertained

feelings　of　warm　friendship。　　He　had　been　with　me　a　fellow…student

at　C　University；　where　we　were　very　much　together。　　He　had　the

ordinary　temperament　of　genius；　and　was　a　compound　of　misanthropy；

sensibility；　and　enthusiasm。　　To　these　qualities　he　united　the

warmest　and　truest　heart　which　ever　beat　in　a　human　bosom。



I　observed　that　his　name　was　carded　upon　THREE　state…rooms；　and；

upon　again　referring　to　the　list　of　passengers；　I　found　that　he　had

engaged　passage　for　himself；　wife；　and　two　sistershis　own。　　The

state…rooms　were　sufficiently　roomy；　and　each　had　two　berths；　one

above　the　other。　　These　berths；　to　be　sure；　were　so　exceedingly

narrow　as　to　be　insufficient　for　more　than　one　person；　still；　I

could　not　comprehend　why　there　were　THREE　staterooms　for　these　four

persons。　　I　was；　just　at　that　epoch；　in　one　of　those　moody　frames

of　mind　which　make　a　man　abnormally　inquisitive　about　trifles：　and

I　confess；　with　shame；　that　I　busied　myself　in　a　variety　of　ill…

bred　and　preposterous　conjectures　about　this　matter　of　the

supernumerary　stateroom。　　It　was　no　business　of　mine；　to　be　sure；

but　with　none　the　less　pertinacity　did　I　occupy　myself　in　attempts

to　resolve　the　enigma。　　At　last　I　reached　a　conclusion　which

wrought　in　me　great　wonder　why　I　had　not　arrived　at　it　before。　　〃It

is　a　servant　of　course；〃　I　said；　〃what　a　fool　I　am；　not　sooner　to

have　thought　of　so　obvious　a　solution！〃　　And　then　I　again　repaired

to　the　listbut　here　I　saw　distinctly　that　NO　servant　was　to　come

with　the　party；　although；　in　fact；　it　had　been　the　original　design

to　bring　onefor　the　words　〃and　servant〃　had　been　first　written

and　then　over…scored。　　〃Oh；　extra　baggage；　to　be　sure；〃　I　now　said

to　myself〃something　he　wishes　not　to　be　put　in　the　hold

something　to　be　kept　under　his　own　eyeah；　I　have　ita　painting

or　soand　this　is　what　he　has　been　bargaining　about　with　Nicolino；

the　Italian　Jew。〃　　This　idea　satisfied　me；　and　I　dismissed　my

curiosity　for　the　nonce。



Wyatt's　two　sisters　I　knew　very　well；　and　most　amiable　and　clever

girls　they　were。　　His　wife　he　had　newly　married；　and　I　had　never

yet　seen　her。　　He　had　often　talked　about　her　in　my　presence；

however；　and　in　his　usual　style　of　enthusiasm。　　He　described　her　as

of　surpassing　beauty；　wit；　and　accomplishment。　　I　was；　therefore；

quite　anxious　to　make　her　acquaintance。



On　the　day　in　which　I　visited　the　ship　（the　fourteenth）；　Wyatt　and

party　were　also　to　visit　itso　the　captain　informed　meand　I

waited　on　board　an　hour　longer　than　I　had　designed；　in　hope　of

being　presented　to　the　bride；　but　then　an　apology　came。　　〃Mrs。　W。

was　a　little　indisposed；　and　would　decline　coming　on　board　until

to…morrow；　at　the　hour　of　sailing。〃



The　morrow　having　arrived；　I　was　going　from　my　hotel　to　the　wharf；

when　Captain　Hardy　met　me　and　said　that；　〃owing　to　circumstances〃

（a　stupid　but　convenient　phrase）；　〃he　rather　thought　the

'Independence'　would　not　sail　for　a　day