stories by modern american authors-第57节

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with　one　examination。　　He　that　hitherto　refused　to　be　seen　might

change　his　purpose；　and　on　the　next　survey　be　clearly

distinguishable。



Solitude　imposes　least　restraint　upon　the　fancy。　　Dark　is　less

fertile　of　images　than　the　feeble　luster　of　the　moon。　　I　was　alone；

and　the　walls　were　checkered　by　shadowy　forms。　　As　the　moon　passed

behind　a　cloud　and　emerged；　these　shadows　seemed　to　be　endowed　with

life；　and　to　move。　　The　apartment　was　open　to　the　breeze；　and　the

curtain　was　occasionally　blown　from　its　ordinary　position。　　This

motion　was　not　unaccompanied　with　sound。　　I　failed　not　to　snatch　a

look　and　to　listen　when　this　motion　and　this　sound　occurred。　　My

belief　that　my　monitor　was　posted　near　was　strong；　and　instantly

converted　these　appearances　to　tokens　of　his　presence；　and　yet　I

could　discern　nothing。



When　my　thoughts　were　at　length　permitted　to　revert　to　the　past；

the　first　idea　that　occurred　was　the　resemblance　between　the　words

of　the　voice　which　I　had　just　heard　and　those　which　had　terminated

my　dream　in　the　summer…house。　　There　are　means　by　which　we　are　able

to　distinguish　a　substance　from　a　shadow；　a　reality　from　the

phantom　of　a　dream。　　The　pit；　my　brother　beckoning　me　forward；　the

seizure　of　my　arm；　and　the　voice　behind；　were　surely　imaginary。

That　these　incidents　were　fashioned　in　my　sleep　is　supported　by　the

same　indubitable　evidence　that　compels　me　to　believe　myself　awake

at　present；　yet　the　words　and　the　voice　were　the　same。　　Then；　by

some　inexplicable　contrivance；　I　was　aware　of　the　danger；　while　my

actions　and　sensations　were　those　of　one　wholly　unacquainted　with

it。　　Now；　was　it　not　equally　true　that　my　actions　and　persuasions

were　at　war？　　Had　not　the　belief　that　evil　lurked　in　the　closet

gained　admittance；　and　had　not　my　actions　betokened　an

unwarrantable　security？　　To　obviate　the　effects　of　my　infatuation；

the　same　means　had　been　used。



In　my　dream；　he　that　tempted　me　to　my　destruction　was　my　brother。

Death　was　ambushed　in　my　path。　　From　what　evil　was　I　now　rescued？

What　minister　or　implement　of　ill　was　shut　up　in　this　recess？　　Who

was　it　whose　suffocating　grasp　I　was　to　feel　should　I　dare　to　enter

it？　　What　monstrous　conception　is　this？　　My　brother？



No；　protection；　and　not　injury；　is　his　province。　　Strange　and

terrible　chimera！　　Yet　it　would　not　be　suddenly　dismissed。　　It　was

surely　no　vulgar　agency　that　gave　this　form　to　my　fears。　　He　to

whom　all　parts　of　time　are　equally　present；　whom　no　contingency

approaches；　was　the　author　of　that　spell　which　now　seized　upon　me。

Life　was　dear　to　me。　　No　consideration　was　present　that　enjoined　me

to　relinquish　it。　　Sacred　duty　combined　with　every　spontaneous

sentiment　to　endear　to　me　my　being。　　Should　I　not　shudder　when　my

being　was　endangered？　　But　what　emotion　should　possess　me　when　the

arm　lifted　against　me　was　Wieland's？



Ideas　exist　in　our　minds　that　can　be　accounted　for　by　no

established　laws。　　Why　did　I　dream　that　my　brother　was　my　foe？　　Why

but　because　an　omen　of　my　fate　was　ordained　to　be　communicated？

Yet　what　salutary　end　did　it　serve？　　Did　it　arm　me　with　caution　to

elude　or　fortitude　to　bear　the　evils　to　which　I　was　reserved？　　My

present　thoughts　were；　no　doubt；　indebted　for　their　hue　to　the

similitude　existing　between　these　incidents　and　those　of　my　dream。

Surely　it　was　frenzy　that　dictated　my　deed。　　That　a　ruffian　was

hidden　in　the　closet　was　an　idea　the　genuine　tendency　of　which　was

to　urge　me　to　flight。　　Such　had　been　the　effect　formerly　produced。

Had　my　mind　been　simply　occupied　with　this　thought　at　present；　no

doubt　the　same　impulse　would　have　been　experienced；　but　now　it　was

my　brother　whom　I　was　irresistibly　persuaded　to　regard　as　the

contriver　of　that　ill　of　which　I　had　been　forewarned。　　This

persuasion　did　not　extenuate　my　fears　or　my　danger。　　Why　then　did　I

again　approach　the　closet　and　withdraw　the　bolt？　　My　resolution　was

instantly　conceived；　and　executed　without　faltering。



The　door　was　formed　of　light　materials。　　The　lock；　of　simple

structure；　easily　forewent　its　hold。　　It　opened　into　the　room；　and

commonly　moved　upon　its　hinges；　after　being　unfastened；　without　any

effort　of　mine。　　This　effort；　however；　was　bestowed　upon　the

present　occasion。　　It　was　my　purpose　to　open　it　with　quickness；　but

the　exertion　which　I　made　was　ineffectual。　　It　refused　to　open。



At　another　time；　this　circumstance　would　not　have　looked　with　a

face　of　mystery。　　I　should　have　supposed　some　casual　obstruction

and　repeated　my　efforts　to　surmount　it。　　But　now　my　mind　was

accessible　to　no　conjecture　but　one。　　The　door　was　hindered　from

opening　by　human　force。　　Surely；　here　was　a　new　cause　for　affright。

This　was　confirmation　proper　to　decide　my　conduct。　　Now　was　all

ground　of　hesitation　taken　away。　　What　could　be　supposed　but　that　I

deserted　the　chamber　and　the　house？　that　I　at　least　endeavored　no

longer　to　withdraw　the　door？



Have　I　not　said　that　my　actions　were　dictated　by　frenzy？　　My　reason

had　forborne；　for　a　time；　to　suggest　or　to　sway　my　resolves。　　I

reiterated　my　endeavors。　　I　exerted　all　my　force　to　overcome　the

obstacle；　but　in　vain。　　The　strength　that　was　exerted　to　keep　it

shut　was　superior　to　mine。



A　casual　observer　might；　perhaps；　applaud　the　audaciousness　of　this

conduct。　　Whence；　but　from　a　habitual　defiance　of　danger；　could　my

perseverance　arise？　　I　have　already　assigned；　as　distinctly　as　I　am

able；　the　cause　of　it。　　The　frantic　conception　that　my　brother　was

within；　that　the　resistance　made　to　my　design　was　exerted　by　him；

had　rooted　itself　in　my　mind。　　You　will　comprehend　the　height　of

this　infatuation；　when　I　tell　you　that；　finding　all　my　exertions

vain；　I　betook　myself　to　exclamations。　　Surely　I　was　utterly　bereft

of　understanding。



Now　I　had　arrived　at　the　crisis　of　my　fate。　　〃Oh；　hinder　not　the

door　to　open；〃　I　exclaimed；　in　a　tone　that　had　less　of　fear　than　of

grief　in　it。　　〃I　know　you　well。　　Come　forth；　but　harm　me　not。　　I

beseech　you；　come　forth。〃



I　had　taken　my　hand　from　the　lock　and　removed　to　a　small　distance

from　the　door。　　I　had　scarcely　uttered　these　words；　when　the　door

swung　upon　its　hinges　and　displayed　to　my　view　the　interior　of　the

closet。　　Whoever　was　within　was　shrouded　in　darkness。　　A　few

seconds　passed　without　interruption　of　the　silence。　　I　knew　not

what　to　expect　or　to　fear。　　My　eyes　would　not　stray　from　the

recess。　　Presently；　a　deep　sigh　was　heard。　　The　quarter　from　which

it　came　heightened　the　eagerness　of　my　gaze。　　Some　one　approached

from　the　farther　end。　　I　quickly　perceived　the　outlines　of　a　human

figure。　　Its　steps　were　irresolute　and　slow。　　I　recoiled　as　it

advanced。



By　coming　at　length　within　the　verge　of　the　room；　his　form　was

clearly　distinguishable。　　I　had　prefigured　to　myself　a　very

different　personage。　　The　face　that　presented　itself　was　the　last

that　I　should　desire　to　meet　at　an　hour　and　in　a　place　like　this。

My　wonder　was　stifled　by　my　fears。　　Assassins　had　lurked　in　this

recess。　　Some　divine　voice　warned　me　of　danger　that　at　this　moment

awaited　me。　　I　had　spurned　the　intimation；　and　challenged　my

adversary。



I　recalled　the　mysterious　countenance　and　dubious　character　of

Carwin。　　What　motive　but　atrocious　ones　could　guide　his　steps

hither？　　I　was　alone。　　My　habit　suited　the　hour；　and　the　place；　and

the　warmth　of　the　season。　　All　succor　was　remote。　　He　had　placed

himself　between　me　and　the　door。　　My　frame　shook　with　the　vehemence

of　my　apprehensions。



Yet　I　was　not　wholly　lost　to　myself；　I　vigilantly　marked　his

demeanor。　　His　looks　were　grave；　but　not　without　perturbation。

What　species　of　inquietude　it　betrayed　the　light　was　not　strong

enough　to　enable　me　to　discover。　　He　stood　still；　but　his　eyes

wandered　from　one　object　to　another。　　When　these　powerful　organs

were　fixed　upon　me；　I　shrunk　into　myself。　　At　length　he　broke

silence。　　Earnestness；　and　not　embarrassment；　was　in　his　tone。　　He

advanced　close　to　me　while　he　spoke：



〃What　voice　was　that　which　lately　addressed　you？〃



He　paused　for　an　answer；　but；　observing　my　trepidation；　he　resumed；

with　undiminished　solemnity；　〃Be　not　terrified。　　Whoever　he　was；　he

has　done　you　an　important　service。　　I　need　not　ask　you　if　it　were

the　voice　of　a　companion。　　That　sound　was　beyond　the　compass　of

human　organs。　　The　knowledge　that　enabled　him　to　tell　you　who　was

in　the　closet　was　obtained　by　incomprehensible　means。



〃You　knew　that　Carwin　was　there。　　Were　you　not　apprised　of　his

intents？　　The　same　power　could　impart　the　one　as　well　as　the　other。

Yet；　knowing　these；　you　persisted。　　Audacious　girl！　　But　perhaps

you　confided　in　his　guardianship。　　Your　confidence　was　just。　　With

succor　like　this　at　hand　you　may　safely　defy　me。



〃He　is　my　eternal　foe；　the　baffler　of　my　best…concerted　schemes。

Twice　have　you　been　saved　by　his　accursed　interposition。　　But　for

him　I　should　long　ere　now　have　borne　away　the　spoils　o