stories by modern american authors-第54节

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their　ideas　are　drawn　from　the　same　fountains　of　literature；　and

they　speak　dialects　of　the　same　tongue；　their　government　and　laws

have　more　resemblances　than　differences；　they　were　formerly

provinces　of　the　same　civil；　and；　till　lately；　of　the　same

religious；　empire。



As　to　the　motives　which　induce　men　to　change　the　place　of　their

abode；　these　must　unavoidably　be　fleeting　and　mutable。　　If　not

bound　to　one　spot　by　conjugal　or　parental　ties；　or　by　the　nature　of

that　employment　to　which　we　are　indebted　for　subsistence；　the

inducements　to　change　are　far　more　numerous　and　powerful　than

opposite　inducements。



He　spoke　as　if　desirous　of　showing　that　he　was　not　aware　of　the

tendency　of　Pleyel's　remarks；　yet　certain　tokens　were　apparent　that

proved　him　by　no　means　wanting　in　penetration。　　These　tokens　were

to　be　read　in　his　countenance；　and　not　in　his　words。　　When　anything

was　said　indicating　curiosity　in　us；　the　gloom　of　his　countenance

was　deepened；　his　eyes　sunk　to　the　ground；　and　his　wonted　air　was

not　resumed　without　visible　struggle。　　Hence；　it　was　obvious　to

infer　that　some　incidents　of　his　life　were　reflected　on　by　him　with

regret；　and　that；　since　these　incidents　were　carefully　concealed；

and　even　that　regret　which　flowed　from　them　laboriously　stifled；

they　had　not　been　merely　disastrous。　　The　secrecy　that　was　observed

appeared　not　designed　to　provoke　or　baffle　the　inquisitive；　but　was

prompted　by　the　shame　or　by　the　prudence　of　guilt。



These　ideas；　which　were　adopted　by　Pleyel　and　my　brother　as　well　as

myself；　hindered　us　from　employing　more　direct　means　for

accomplishing　our　wishes。　　Questions　might　have　been　put　in　such

terms　that　no　room　should　be　left　for　the　pretense　of　misapprehension；

and；　if　modesty　merely　had　been　the　obstacle；　such　questions　would

not　have　been　wanting；　but　we　considered　that；　if　the　disclosure

were　productive　of　pain　or　disgrace；　it　was　inhuman　to　extort　it。



Amidst　the　various　topics　that　were　discussed　in　his　presence；

allusions　were；　of　course；　made　to　the　inexplicable　events　that　had

lately　happened。　　At　those　times　the　words　and　looks　of　this　man

were　objects　of　my　particular　attention。　　The　subject　was

extraordinary；　and　anyone　whose　experience　or　reflections　could

throw　any　light　upon　it　was　entitled　to　my　gratitude。　　As　this　man

was　enlightened　by　reading　and　travel；　I　listened　with　eagerness　to

the　remarks　which　he　should　make。



At　first　I　entertained　a　kind　of　apprehension　that　the　tale　would

be　heard　by　him　with　incredulity　and　secret　ridicule。　　I　had

formerly　heard　stories　that　resembled　this　in　some　of　their

mysterious　circumstances；　but　they　were　commonly　heard　by　me　with

contempt。　　I　was　doubtful　whether　the　same　impression　would　not　now

be　made　on　the　mind　of　our　guest；　but　I　was　mistaken　in　my　fears。



He　heard　them　with　seriousness；　and　without　any　marks　either　of

surprise　or　incredulity。　　He　pursued　with　visible　pleasure　that

kind　of　disquisition　which　was　naturally　suggested　by　them。　　His

fancy　was　eminently　vigorous　and　prolific；　and；　if　he　did　not

persuade　us　that　human　beings　are　sometimes　admitted　to　a　sensible

intercourse　with　the　Author　of　nature；　he　at　least　won　over　our

inclination　to　the　cause。　　He　merely　deduced；　from　his　own

reasonings；　that　such　intercourse　was　probable；　but　confessed　that；

though　he　was　acquainted　with　many　instances　somewhat　similar　to

those　which　had　been　related　by　us；　none　of　them　were　perfectly

exempted　from　the　suspicion　of　human　agency。



On　being　requested　to　relate　these　instances；　he　amused　us　with

many　curious　details。　　His　narratives　were　constructed　with　so　much

skill；　and　rehearsed　with　so　much　energy；　that　all　the　effects　of　a

dramatic　exhibition　were　frequently　produced　by　them。　　Those　that

were　most　coherent　and　most　minute；　and；　of　consequence；　least

entitled　to　credit；　were　yet　rendered　probable　by　the　exquisite　art

of　this　rhetorician。　　For　every　difficulty　that　was　suggested　a

ready　and　plausible　solution　was　furnished。　　Mysterious　voices　had

always　a　share　in　producing　the　catastrophe；　but　they　were　always

to　be　explained　on　some　known　principles；　either　as　reflected　into

a　focus　or　communicated　through　a　tube。　　I　could　not　but　remark

that　his　narratives；　however　complex　or　marvelous；　contained　no

instance　sufficiently　parallel　to　those　that　had　befallen

ourselves；　and　in　which　the　solution　was　applicable　to　our　own

case。



My　brother　was　a　much　more　sanguine　reasoner　than　our　guest。　　Even

in　some　of　the　facts　which　were　related　by　Carwin；　he　maintained

the　probability　of　celestial　interference；　when　the　latter　was

disposed　to　deny　it；　and　had　found；　as　he　imagined；　footsteps　of　a

human　agent。　　Pleyel　was　by　no　means　equally　credulous。　　He

scrupled　not　to　deny　faith　to　any　testimony　but　that　of　his　senses；

and　allowed　the　facts　which　had　lately　been　supported　by　this

testimony　not　to　mold　his　belief；　but　merely　to　give　birth　to

doubts。



It　was　soon　observed　that　Carwin　adopted；　in　some　degree；　a　similar

distinction。　　A　tale　of　this　kind；　related　by　others；　he　would

believe；　provided　it　was　explicable　upon　known　principles；　but　that

such　notices　were　actually　communicated　by　beings　of　a　higher　order

he　would　believe　only　when　his　own　ears　were　assailed　in　a　manner

which　could　not　be　otherwise　accounted　for。　　Civility　forbade　him

to　contradict　my　brother　or　myself；　but　his　understanding　refused

to　acquiesce　in　our　testimony。　　Besides；　he　was　disposed　to

question　whether　the　voices　were　not　really　uttered　by　human

organs。　　On　this　supposition　he　was　desired　to　explain　how　the

effect　was　produced。



He　answered　that　the　cry　for　help；　heard　in　the　hall　on　the　night

of　my　adventure；　was　to　be　ascribed　to　a　human　creature；　who

actually　stood　in　the　hall　when　he　uttered　it。　　It　was　of　no

moment；　he　said；　that　we　could　not　explain　by　what　motives　he　that

made　the　signal　was　led　hither。　　How　imperfectly　acquainted　were　we

with　the　condition　and　designs　of　the　beings　that　surrounded　us！

The　city　was　near　at　hand；　and　thousands　might　there　exist　whose

powers　and　purposes　might　easily　explain　whatever　was　mysterious　in

this　transaction。　　As　to　the　closet　dialogue；　he　was　obliged　to

adopt　one　of　two　suppositions；　and　affirm　either　that　it　was

fashioned　in　my　own　fancy；　or　that　it　actually　took　place　between

two　persons　in　the　closet。



Such　was　Carwin's　mode　of　explaining　these　appearances。　　It　is

such；　perhaps；　as　would　commend　itself　as　most　plausible　to　the

most　sagacious　minds；　but　it　was　insufficient　to　impart　conviction

to　us。　　As　to　the　treason　that　was　meditated　against　me；　it　was

doubtless　just　to　conclude　that　it　was　either　real　or　imaginary；

but　that　it　was　real　was　attested　by　the　mysterious　warning　in　the

summer…house；　the　secret　of　which　I　had　hitherto　locked　up　in　my

own　breast。



A　month　passed　away　in　this　kind　of　intercourse。　　As　to　Carwin；　our

ignorance　was　in　no　degree　enlightened　respecting　his　genuine

character　and　views。　　Appearances　were　uniform。　　No　man　possessed　a

larger　store　of　knowledge；　or　a　greater　degree　of　skill　in　the

communication　of　it　to　others；　hence　he　was　regarded　as　an

inestimable　addition　to　our　society。　　Considering　the　distance　of

my　brother's　house　from　the　city；　he　was　frequently　prevailed　upon

to　pass　the　night　where　he　spent　the　evening。　　Two　days　seldom

elapsed　without　a　visit　from　him；　hence　he　was　regarded　as　a　kind

of　inmate　of　the　house。　　He　entered　and　departed　without　ceremony。

When　he　arrived　he　received　an　unaffected　welcome；　and　when　he

chose　to　retire　no　importunities　were　used　to　induce　him　to　remain。



Carwin　never　parted　with　his　gravity。　　The　inscrutableness　of　his

character；　and　the　uncertainty　whether　his　fellowship　tended　to

good　or　to　evil；　were　seldom　absent　from　our　minds。　　This

circumstance　powerfully　contributed　to　sadden　us。



My　heart　was　the　seat　of　growing　disquietudes。　　This　change　in　one

who　had　formerly　been　characterized　by　all　the　exuberances　of　soul

could　not　fail　to　be　remarked　by　my　friends。　　My　brother　was　always

a　pattern　of　solemnity。　　My　sister　was　clay；　molded　by　the

circumstances　in　which　she　happened　to　be　placed。　　There　was　but

one　whose　deportment　remains　to　be　described　as　being　of　importance

to　our　happiness。　　Had　Pleyel　likewise　dismissed　his　vivacity？



He　was　as　whimsical　and　jestful　as　ever；　but　he　was　not　happy。　　The

truth　in　this　respect　was　of　too　much　importance　to　me　not　to　make

me　a　vigilant　observer。　　His　mirth　was　easily　perceived　to　be　the

fruit　of　exertion。　　When　his　thoughts　wandered　from　the　company；　an

air　of　dissatisfaction　and　impatience　stole　across　his　features。

Even　the　punctuality　and　frequency　of　his　visits　were　somewhat

lessened。　　It　may　be　supposed　that　my　own　uneasiness　was　heightened

by　these　tokens；　but；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　I　found；　in　the

present　state　of　my　mind；　no　relie