stories by modern american authors-第82节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



but　still　the　hand　held　its　gripe　of　my　garment；　and　I　feared　to

move。　　It　knew　of　my　presence；　then。　　My　brain　reeled；　the　blood

boiled　in　my　ears；　and　my　knees　lost　all　strength；　while　my　heart

panted　like　that　of　a　deer　in　the　wolf's　jaws。　　I　sank　back；　and

the　benumbing　influence　of　excessive　terror　reduced　me　to　a　state

of　stupor。



When　my　full　consciousness　returned　I　was　sitting　on　the　edge　of

the　bed；　shivering　with　cold；　and　barefooted。　　All　was　silent；　but

I　felt　that　my　sleeve　was　still　clutched　by　my　unearthly　visitant。

The　silence　lasted　a　long　time。　　Then　followed　a　chuckling　laugh

that　froze　my　very　marrow；　and　the　gnashing　of　teeth　as　in　demoniac

frenzy；　and　then　a　wailing　moan；　and　this　was　succeeded　by　silence。

Hours　may　have　passednay；　though　the　tumult　of　my　own　heart

prevented　my　hearing　the　clock　strike；　must　have　passedbut　they

seemed　ages　to　me。　　And　how　were　they　passed？　　Hideous　visions

passed　before　the　aching　eyes　that　I　dared　not　close；　but　which

gazed　ever　into　the　dumb　darkness　where　It　laymy　dread　companion

through　the　watches　of　the　night。　　I　pictured　It　in　every　abhorrent

form　which　an　excited　fancy　could　summon　up：　now　as　a　skeleton；

with　hollow　eye…holes　and　grinning；　fleshless　jaws；　now　as　a

vampire；　with　livid　face　and　bloated　form；　and　dripping　mouth　wet

with　blood。　　Would　it　never　be　light！　　And　yet；　when　day　should

dawn　I　should　be　forced　to　see　It　face　to　face。　　I　had　heard　that

specter　and　fiend　were　compelled　to　fade　as　morning　brightened；　but

this　creature　was　too　real；　too　foul　a　thing　of　earth；　to　vanish　at

cock…crow。　　No！　I　should　see　itthe　Horrorface　to　face！　　And

then　the　cold　prevailed；　and　my　teeth　chattered；　and　shiverings　ran

through　me；　and　yet　there　was　the　damp　of　agony　on　my　bursting

brow。　　Some　instinct　made　me　snatch　at　a　shawl　or　cloak　that　lay　on

a　chair　within　reach；　and　wrap　it　round　me。　　The　moan　was　renewed；

and　the　chain　just　stirred。　　Then　I　sank　into　apathy；　like　an

Indian　at　the　stake；　in　the　intervals　of　torture。　　Hours　fled　by；

and　I　remained　like　a　statue　of　ice；　rigid　and　mute。　　I　even　slept；

for　I　remember　that　I　started　to　find　the　cold　gray　light　of　an

early　winter's　day　was　on　my　face；　and　stealing　around　the　room

from　between　the　heavy　curtains　of　the　window。



Shuddering；　but　urged　by　the　impulse　that　rivets　the　gaze　of　the

bird　upon　the　snake；　I　turned　to　see　the　Horror　of　the　night。　　Yes；

it　was　no　fevered　dream；　no　hallucination　of　sickness；　no　airy

phantom　unable　to　face　the　dawn。　　In　the　sickly　light　I　saw　it

lying　on　the　bed；　with　its　grim　head　on　the　pillow。　　A　man？　　Or　a

corpse　arisen　from　its　unhallowed　grave；　and　awaiting　the　demon

that　animated　it？　　There　it　laya　gaunt；　gigantic　form；　wasted　to

a　skeleton；　half…clad；　foul　with　dust　and　clotted　gore；　its　huge

limbs　flung　upon　the　couch　as　if　at　random；　its　shaggy　hair

streaming　over　the　pillows　like　a　lion's　mane。　　His　face　was　toward

me。　　Oh；　the　wild　hideousness　of　that　face；　even　in　sleep！　　In

features　it　was　human；　even　through　its　horrid　mask　of　mud　and

half…dried　bloody　gouts；　but　the　expression　was　brutish　and

savagely　fierce；　the　white　teeth　were　visible　between　the　parted

lips；　in　a　malignant　grin；　the　tangled　hair　and　beard　were　mixed　in

leonine　confusion；　and　there　were　scars　disfiguring　the　brow。

Round　the　creature's　waist　was　a　ring　of　iron；　to　which　was

attached　a　heavy　but　broken　chainthe　chain　I　had　heard　clanking。

With　a　second　glance　I　noted　that　part　of　the　chain　was　wrapped　in

straw　to　prevent　its　galling　the　wearer。　　The　creatureI　cannot

call　it　a　manhad　the　marks　of　fetters　on　its　wrists；　the　bony　arm

that　protruded　through　one　tattered　sleeve　was　scarred　and　bruised；

the　feet　were　bare；　and　lacerated　by　pebbles　and　briers；　and　one　of

them　was　wounded；　and　wrapped　in　a　morsel　of　rag。　　And　the　lean

hands；　one　of　which　held　my　sleeve；　were　armed　with　talons　like　an

eagle's。　　In　an　instant　the　horrid　truth　flashed　upon　meI　was　in

the　grasp　of　a　madman。　　Better　the　phantom　that　scares　the　sight

than　the　wild　beast　that　rends　and　tears　the　quivering　fleshthe

pitiless　human　brute　that　has　no　heart　to　be　softened；　no　reason　at

whose　bar　to　plead；　no　compassion；　naught　of　man　save　the　form　and

the　cunning。　　I　gasped　in　terror。　　Ah！　the　mystery　of　those

ensanguined　fingers；　those　gory；　wolfish　jaws！　that　face；　all

besmeared　with　blackening　blood；　is　revealed！



The　slain　sheep；　so　mangled　and　rentthe　fantastic　butcherythe

print　of　the　naked　footall；　all　were　explained；　and　the　chain；

the　broken　link　of　which　was　found　near　the　slaughtered　animalsit

came　from　his　broken　chainthe　chain　he　had　snapped；　doubtless；　in

his　escape　from　the　asylum　where　his　raging　frenzy　had　been

fettered　and　bound；　in　vain！　in　vain！　　Ah　me！　how　had　this　grisly

Samson　broken　manacles　and　prison　barshow　had　he　eluded　guardian

and　keeper　and　a　hostile　world；　and　come　hither　on　his　wild　way；

hunted　like　a　beast　of　prey；　and　snatching　his　hideous　banquet　like

a　beast　of　prey；　too！　　Yes；　through　the　tatters　of　his　mean　and

ragged　garb　I　could　see　the　marks　of　the　seventies；　cruel　and

foolish；　with　which　men　in　that　time　tried　to　tame　the　might　of

madness。　　The　scourgeits　marks　were　there；　and　the　scars　of　the

hard　iron　fetters；　and　many　a　cicatrice　and　welt；　that　told　a

dismal　tale　of　hard　usage。　　But　now　he　was　loose；　free　to　play　the

brutethe　baited；　tortured　brute　that　they　had　made　himnow

without　the　cage；　and　ready　to　gloat　over　the　victims　his　strength

should　overpower。　　Horror！　horror！　　I　was　the　preythe　victim

already　in　the　tiger's　clutch；　and　a　deadly　sickness　came　over　me；

and　the　iron　entered　into　my　soul；　and　I　longed　to　scream；　and　was

dumb！　　I　died　a　thousand　deaths　as　that　morning　wore　on。　　I　DARED

NOT　faint。　　But　words　cannot　paint　what　I　suffered　as　I　waited

waited　till　the　moment　when　he　should　open　his　eyes　and　be　aware　of

my　presence；　for　I　was　assured　he　knew　it　not。　　He　had　entered　the

chamber　as　a　lair；　when　weary　and　gorged　with　his　horrid　orgy；　and

he　had　flung　himself　down　to　sleep　without　a　suspicion　that　he　was

not　alone。　　Even　his　grasping　my　sleeve　was　doubtless　an　act　done

betwixt　sleeping　and　waking；　like　his　unconscious　moans　and

laughter；　in　some　frightful　dream。



Hours　went　on；　then　I　trembled　as　I　thought　that　soon　the　house

would　be　astir；　that　my　maid　would　come　to　call　me　as　usual；　and

awake　that　ghastly　sleeper。　　And　might　he　not　have　time　to　tear　me；

as　he　tore　the　sheep；　before　any　aid　could　arrive？　　At　last　what　I

dreaded　came　to　passa　light　footstep　on　the　landingthere　is　a

tap　at　the　door。　　A　pause　succeeds；　and　then　the　tapping　is

renewed；　and　this　time　more　loudly。　　Then　the　madman　stretched　his

limbs；　and　uttered　his　moaning　cry；　and　his　eyes　slowly　opened

very　slowly　opened　and　met　mine。　　The　girl　waited　a　while　ere　she

knocked　for　the　third　time。　　I　trembled　lest　she　should　open　the

door　unbiddensee　that　grim　thing；　and　bring　about　the　worst。



I　saw　the　wondering　surprise　in　his　haggard；　bloodshot　eyes；　I　saw

him　stare　at　me　half　vacantly；　then　with　a　crafty　yet　wondering

look；　and　then　I　saw　the　devil　of　murder　begin　to　peep　forth　from

those　hideous　eyes；　and　the　lips　to　part　as　in　a　sneer；　and　the

wolfish　teeth　to　bare　themselves。　　But　I　was　not　what　I　had　been。

Fear　gave　me　a　new　and　a　desperate　composurea　courage　foreign　to

my　nature。　　I　had　heard　of　the　best　method　of　managing　the　insane；

I　could　but　try；　I　DID　try。　　Calmly；　wondering　at　my　own　feigned

calm；　I　fronted　the　glare　of　those　terrible　eyes。　　Steady　and

undaunted　was　my　gazemotionless　my　attitude。　　I　marveled　at

myself；　but　in　that　agony　of　sickening　terror　I　was　OUTWARDLY　firm。

They　sink；　they　quail；　abashed；　those　dreadful　eyes；　before　the

gaze　of　a　helpless　girl；　and　the　shame　that　is　never　absent　from

insanity　bears　down　the　pride　of　strength；　the　bloody　cravings　of

the　wild　beast。　　The　lunatic　moaned　and　drooped　his　shaggy　head

between　his　gaunt；　squalid　hands。



I　lost　not　an　instant。　　I　rose；　and　with　one　spring　reached　the

door；　tore　it　open；　and；　with　a　shriek；　rushed　through；　caught　the

wondering　girl　by　the　arm；　and　crying　to　her　to　run　for　her　life；

rushed　like　the　wind　along　the　gallery；　down　the　corridor；　down　the

stairs。　　Mary's　screams　filled　the　house　as　she　fled　beside　me。　　I

heard　a　long…drawn；　raging　cry；　the　roar　of　a　wild　animal　mocked　of

its　prey；　and　I　knew　what　was　behind　me。　　I　never　turned　my　headI

flew　rather　than　ran。　　I　was　in　the　hall　already；　there　was　a　rush

of　many　feet；　an　outcry　of　many　voices；　a　sound　of　scuffling　feet；

and　brutal　yells；　and　oaths；　and　heavy　blows；　and　I　fell　to　the

ground　crying；　〃Save　me！〃　and　lay　in　a　swoon。　　I　awoke　from　a

delirious　trance。　　Kind　faces　were　around　my　bed；　loving　looks　were

bent　on　me　by　all；　by　my　dear　father　and　dear　sisters；　but　I

scarcely　saw　them　before　I　swooned　again。



When　I　recovered　from　tha