stories by modern american authors-第62节

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did；）　inferences　injurious　to　my　character　might　suggest　themselves

to　him。　　In　admitting　them；　he　gave　proofs　of　less　discernment　and

less　candor　than　I　once　ascribed　to　him。〃



〃His　proofs；〃　said　Wieland；　after　a　considerable　pause；　〃are

different。　　That　he　should　be　deceived　is　not　possible。　　That　he

himself　is　not　the　deceiver　could　not　be　believed；　if　his　testimony

were　not　inconsistent　with　yours；　but　the　doubts　which　I

entertained　are　now　removed。　　Your　tale；　some　parts　of　it；　is

marvelous；　the　voice　which　exclaimed　against　your　rashness　in

approaching　the　closet；　your　persisting；　notwithstanding　that

prohibition；　your　belief　that　I　was　the　ruffian；　and　your

subsequent　conduct；　are　believed　by　me；　because　I　have　known　you

from　childhood；　because　a　thousand　instances　have　attested　your

veracity；　and　because　nothing　less　than　my　own　hearing　and　vision

would　convince　me；　in　opposition　to　her　own　assertions；　that　my

sister　had　fallen　into　wickedness　like　this。〃



I　threw　my　arms　around　him　and　bathed　his　cheek　with　my　tears。

〃That；〃　said　I；　〃is　spoken　like　my　brother。　　But　what　are　the

proofs？〃



He　replied；　〃Pleyel　informed　me　that；　in　going　to　your　house；　his

attention　was　attracted　by　two　voices。　　The　persons　speaking　sat

beneath　the　bank；　out　of　sight。　　These　persons；　judging　by　their

voices；　were　Carwin　and　you。　　I　will　not　repeat　the　dialogue。　　If

my　sister　was　the　female；　Pleyel　was　justified　in　concluding　you　to

be　indeed　one　of　the　most　profligate　of　women。　　Hence　his

accusations　of　you；　and　his　efforts　to　obtain　my　concurrence　to　a

plan　by　which　an　eternal　separation　should　be　brought　about　between

my　sister　and　this　man。〃



I　made　Wieland　repeat　this　recital。　　Here　indeed　was　a　tale　to　fill

me　with　terrible　foreboding。　　I　had　vainly　thought　that　my　safety

could　be　sufficiently　secured　by　doors　and　bars；　but　this　is　a　foe

from　whose　grasp　no　power　of　divinity　can　save　me！　　His　artifices

will　ever　lay　my　fame　and　happiness　at　his　mercy。　　How　shall　I

counterwork　his　plots　or　detect　his　coadjutor？　　He　has　taught　some

vile　and　abandoned　female　to　mimic　my　voice。　　Pleyel's　ears　were

the　witnesses　of　my　dishonor。　　This　is　the　midnight　assignation　to

which　he　alluded。　　Thus　is　the　silence　he　maintained　when

attempting　to　open　the　door　of　my　chamber；　accounted　for。　　He

supposed　me　absent；　and　meant；　perhaps；　had　my　apartment　been

accessible；　to　leave　in　it　some　accusing　memorial。







SECOND　PART





I





＇As　this　part　opens；　the　unhappy　Clara　is　describing　her　hurried

return　to　the　same　ill…fated　abode　at　Mettingen。　　Hence　kind

friends　had　borne　her　after　the　catastrophe　of　her　brother

Wieland's　〃transformation。〃　　This　was　the　crowning　horror　of　all：

the　morbid　fanatic；　prepared　by　gloomy　anticipations　of　some

terrible　sacrifice　to　be　demanded　in　the　name　of　religion；　had

found　himself　goaded　to　blind　fury；　by　a　mysterious　compelling

voice；　to　yield　up　to　God　the　lives　of　his　beloved　wife　and　family；

and　had　done　the　awful　deed！



Though　chained　in　his　madhouse；　he　persists　in　his　delusion；

insists　that　it　still　remains　for　him　to　sacrifice　his　sister

Clara；　and　twice　breaks　away　in　wild　efforts　to　find　and　destroy

her。＇





I　took　an　irregular　path　which　led　me　to　my　own　house。　　All　was

vacant　and　forlorn。　　A　small　enclosure　near　which　the　path　led　was

the　burying　ground　belonging　to　the　family。　　This　I　was　obliged　to

pass。　　Once　I　had　intended　to　enter　it；　and　ponder　on　the　emblems

and　inscriptions　which　my　uncle　had　caused　to　be　made　on　the　tombs

of　Catharine　and　her　children；　but　now　my　heart　faltered　as　I

approached；　and　I　hastened　forward　that　distance　might　conceal　it

from　my　view。



When　I　approached　the　recess；　my　heart　again　sunk。　　I　averted　my

eyes；　and　left　it　behind　me　as　quickly　as　possible。　　Silence

reigned　through　my　habitation；　and　a　darkness　which　closed　doors

and　shutters　produced。　　Every　object　was　connected　with　mine　or　my

brother's　history。　　I　passed　the　entry；　mounted　the　stair；　and

unlocked　the　door　of　my　chamber。　　It　was　with　difficulty　that　I

curbed　my　fancy　and　smothered　my　fears。　　Slight　movements　and

casual　sounds　were　transformed　into　beckoning　shadows　and　calling

shapes。



I　proceeded　to　the　closet。　　I　opened　and　looked　round　it　with

fearfulness。　　All　things　were　in　their　accustomed　order。　　I　sought

and　found　the　manuscript　where　I　was　used　to　deposit　it。　　This

being　secured；　there　was　nothing　to　detain　me；　yet　I　stood　and

contemplated　awhile　the　furniture　and　walls　of　my　chamber。　　I

remembered　how　long　this　apartment　had　been　a　sweet　and　tranquil

asylum；　I　compared　its　former　state　with　its　present　dreariness；

and　reflected　that　I　now　beheld　it　for　the　last　time。



Here　it　was　that　the　incomprehensible　behavior　of　Carwin　was

witnessed；　this　the　stage　on　which　that　enemy　of　man　showed　himself

for　a　moment　unmasked。　　Here　the　menaces　of　murder　were　wafted　to

my　ear；　and　here　these　menaces　were　executed。



These　thoughts　had　a　tendency　to　take　from　me　my　self…command。　　My

feeble　limbs　refused　to　support　me；　and　I　sunk　upon　a　chair。

Incoherent　and　half…articulate　exclamations　escaped　my　lips。　　The

name　of　Carwin　was　uttered　and　eternal　woeswoes　like　that　which

his　malice　had　entailed　upon　uswere　heaped　upon　him。　　I　invoked

all…seeing　heaven　to　drag　to　light　and　punish　this　betrayer；　and

accused　its　providence　for　having　thus　long　delayed　the　retribution

that　was　due　to　so　enormous　a　guilt。



I　have　said　that　the　window　shutters　were　closed。　　A　feeble　light；

however；　found　entrance　through　the　crevices。　　A　small　window

illuminated　the　closet；　and；　the　door　being　closed；　a　dim　ray

streamed　through　the　keyhole。　　A　kind　of　twilight　was　thus　created；

sufficient　for　the　purposes　of　vision；　but；　at　the　same　time；

involving　all　minuter　objects　in　obscurity。



This　darkness　suited　the　color　of　my　thoughts。　　I　sickened　at　the

remembrance　of　the　past。　　The　prospect　of　the　future　excited　my

loathing。　　I　muttered；　in　a　low　voice；　〃Why　should　I　live　longer？

Why　should　I　drag　a　miserable　being？　　All　for　whom　I　ought　to　live

have　perished。　　Am　I　not　myself　hunted　to　death？〃



At　that　moment　my　despair　suddenly　became　vigorous。　　My　nerves　were

no　longer　unstrung。　　My　powers；　that　had　long　been　deadened；　were

revived。　　My　bosom　swelled　with　a　sudden　energy；　and　the　conviction

darted　through　my　mind；　that　to　end　my　torments　was；　at　once；

practicable　and　wise。



I　knew　how　to　find　way　to　the　recesses　of　life。　　I　could　use　a

lancet　with　some　skill；　and　could　distinguish　between　vein　and

artery。　　By　piercing　deep　into　the　latter；　I　should　shun　the　evils

which　the　future　had　in　store　for　me；　and　take　refuge　from　my　woes

in　quiet　death。



I　started　on　my　feet；　for　my　feebleness　was　gone；　and　hasted　to　the

closet。　　A　lancet　and　other　small　instruments　were　preserved　in　a

case　which　I　had　deposited　here。　　Inattentive　as　I　was　to　foreign

considerations；　my　ears　were　still　open　to　any　sound　of　mysterious

import　that　should　occur。　　I　thought　I　heard　a　step　in　the　entry。

My　purpose　was　suspended；　and　I　cast　an　eager　glance　at　my　chamber

door；　which　was　open。　　No　one　appeared；　unless　the　shadow　which　I

discerned　upon　the　floor　was　the　outline　of　a　man。　　If　it　were；　I

was　authorized　to　suspect　that　some　one　was　posted　close　to　the

entrance；　who　possibly　had　overheard　my　exclamations。



My　teeth　chattered；　and　a　wild　confusion　took　the　place　of　my

momentary　calm。　　Thus　it　was　when　a　terrific　visage　had　disclosed

itself　on　a　former　night。　　Thus　it　was　when　the　evil　destiny　of

Wieland　assumed　the　lineaments　of　something　human。　　What　horrid

apparition　was　preparing　to　blast　my　sight？



Still　I　listened　and　gazed。　　Not　long；　for　the　shadow　moved；　a

foot；　unshapely　and　huge；　was　thrust　forward；　a　form　advanced　from

its　concealment；　and　stalked　into　the　room。　　It　was　Carwin！



While　I　had　breath；　I　shrieked。　　While　I　had　power　over　my　muscles；

I　motioned　with　my　hand　that　he　should　vanish。　　My　exertions　could

not　last　long：　I　sunk　into　a　fit。



Oh　that　this　grateful　oblivion　had　lasted　forever！　　Too　quickly　I

recovered　my　senses。　　The　power　of　distinct　vision　was　no　sooner

restored　to　me；　than　this　hateful　form　again　presented　itself；　and

I　once　more　relapsed。



A　second　time；　untoward　nature　recalled　me　from　the　sleep　of　death。

I　found　myself　stretched　upon　the　bed。　　When　I　had　power　to　look

up；　I　remembered　only　that　I　had　cause　to　fear。　　My　distempered

fancy　fashioned　to　itself　no　distinguishable　image。　　I　threw　a

languid　glance　round　me：　once　more　my　eyes　lighted　upon　Carwin。



He　was　seated　on　the　floor；　his　back　rested　against　the　wall；　his

knees　were　drawn　up；　and　his　face　was　buried　in　his　hands。　　That

his　station　was　at　some　distance；　that　his　attitude　was　not

menacing；　that　his　ominous　visage　was　concealed；　may　account　for　my

now　escaping　a