the notch on the ax and on being found out-第12章

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！


proceeded　cautiously　into　the　interior　chamber。　　I　encountered
nothing　to　justify　my　servant's　terror。　　I　again　carefully　examined
the　walls；　to　see　if　there　were　any　concealed　door。　　I　could　find
no　trace　of　one；not　even　a　seam　in　the　dull…brown　paper　with
which　the　room　was　hung。　　How；　then；　had　the　THING；　whatever　it
was；　which　had　so　scared　him；　obtained　ingress　except　though　my　own
chamber？

I　returned　to　my　room；　shut　and　locked　the　door　that　opened　upon
the　interior　one；　and　stood　on　the　hearth；　expectant　and　prepared。
I　now　perceived　that　the　dog　had　slunk　into　an　angle　of　the　wall；
and　was　pressing　himself　close　against　it；　as　if　literally　striving
to　force　his　way　into　it。　　I　approached　the　animal　and　spoke　to　it；
the　poor　brute　was　evidently　beside　itself　with　terror。　　It　showed
all　its　teeth；　the　slaver　dropping　from　its　jaws；　and　would
certainly　have　bitten　me　if　I　had　touched　it。　　It　did　not　seem　to
recognize　me。　　Whoever　has　seen　at　the　Zoological　Gardens　a　rabbit；
fascinated　by　a　serpent；　cowering　in　a　corner；　may　form　some　idea
of　the　anguish　which　the　dog　exhibited。　　Finding　all　efforts　to
soothe　the　animal　in　vain；　and　fearing　that　his　bite　might　be　as
venomous　in　that　state　as　in　the　madness　of　hydrophobia；　I　left　him
alone；　placed　my　weapons　on　the　table　beside　the　fire；　seated
myself；　and　recommenced　my　Macaulay。

Perhaps；　in　order　not　to　appear　seeking　credit　for　a　courage；　or
rather　a　coolness；　which　the　reader　may　conceive　I　exaggerate；　I
may　be　pardoned　if　I　pause　to　indulge　in　one　or　two　egotistical
remarks。

As　I　hold　presence　of　mind；　or　what　is　called　courage；　to　be
precisely　proportioned　to　familiarity　with　the　circumstances　that
lead　to　it；　so　I　should　say　that　I　had　been　long　sufficiently
familiar　with　all　experiments　that　appertain　to　the　marvelous。　　I
had　witnessed　many　very　extraordinary　phenomena　in　various　parts　of
the　world；phenomena　that　would　be　either　totally　disbelieved　if　I
stated　them；　or　ascribed　to　supernatural　agencies。　　Now；　my　theory
is　that　the　supernatural　is　the　impossible；　and　that　what　is　called
supernatural　is　only　a　something　in　the　laws　of　Nature　of　which　we
have　been　hitherto　ignorant。　　Therefore；　if　a　ghost　rise　before　me；
I　have　not　the　right　to　say；　〃So；　then；　the　supernatural　is
possible；〃　but　rather；　〃So；　then；　the　apparition　of　a　ghost　is；
contrary　to　received　opinion；　within　the　laws　of　Nature；that　is；
not　supernatural。〃

Now；　in　all　that　I　had　hitherto　witnessed；　and　indeed　in　all　the
wonders　which　the　amateurs　of　mystery　in　our　age　record　as　facts；　a
material　living　agency　is　always　required。　　On　the　Continent　you
will　find　still　magicians　who　assert　that　they　can　raise　spirits。
Assume　for　the　moment　that　they　assert　truly；　still　the　living
material　form　of　the　magician　is　present；　and　he　is　the　material
agency　by　which；　from　some　constitutional　peculiarities；　certain
strange　phenomena　are　represented　to　your　natural　senses。

Accept；　again；　as　truthful；　the　tales　of　spirit　manifestation　in
America；musical　or　other　sounds；　writings　on　paper；　produced　by
no　discernible　hand；　articles　of　furniture　moved　without　apparent
human　agency；　or　the　actual　sight　and　touch　of　hands；　to　which　no
bodies　seem　to　belong；still　there　must　be　found　the　MEDIUM；　or
living　being；　with　constitutional　peculiarities　capable　of
obtaining　these　signs。　　In　fine；　in　all　such　marvels；　supposing
even　that　there　is　no　imposture；　there　must　be　a　human　being　like
ourselves　by　whom；　or　through　whom；　the　effects　presented　to　human
beings　are　produced。　　It　is　so　with　the　now　familiar　phenomena　of
mesmerism　or　electro…biology；　the　mind　of　the　person　operated　on　is
affected　through　a　material　living　agent。　　Nor；　supposing　it　true
that　a　mesmerized　patient　can　respond　to　the　will　or　passes　of　a
mesmerizer　a　hundred　miles　distant；　is　the　response　less　occasioned
by　a　material　being；　it　may　be　through　a　material　fluidcall　it
Electric；　call　it　Odic；　call　it　what　you　willwhich　has　the　power
of　traversing　space　and　passing　obstacles；　that　the　material　effect
is　communicated　from　one　to　the　other。　　Hence；　all　that　I　had
hitherto　witnessed；　or　expected　to　witness；　in　this　strange　house；
I　believed　to　be　occasioned　through　some　agency　or　medium　as　mortal
as　myself；　and　this　idea　necessarily　prevented　the　awe　with　which
those　who　regard　as　supernatural　things　that　are　not　within　the
ordinary　operations　of　Nature；　might　have　been　impressed　by　the
adventures　of　that　memorable　night。

As；　then；　it　was　my　conjecture　that　all　that　was　presented；　or
would　be　presented　to　my　senses；　must　originate　in　some　human　being
gifted　by　constitution　with　the　power　so　to　present　them；　and
having　some　motive　so　to　do；　I　felt　an　interest　in　my　theory　which；
in　its　way；　was　rather　philosophical　than　superstitious。　　And　I　can
sincerely　say　that　I　was　in　as　tranquil　a　temper　for　observation　as
any　practical　experimentalist　could　be　in　awaiting　the　effects　of
some　rare；　though　perhaps　perilous；　chemical　combination。　　Of
course；　the　more　I　kept　my　mind　detached　from　fancy；　the　more　the
temper　fitted　for　observation　would　be　obtained；　and　I　therefore
riveted　eye　and　thought　on　the　strong　daylight　sense　in　the　page　of
my　Macaulay。

I　now　became　aware　that　something　interposed　between　the　page　and
the　light；the　page　was　overshadowed。　　I　looked　up；　and　I　saw　what
I　shall　find　it　very　difficult；　perhaps　impossible；　to　describe。

It　was　a　Darkness　shaping　itself　forth　from　the　air　in　very
undefined　outline。　　I　cannot　say　it　was　of　a　human　form；　and　yet　it
had　more　resemblance　to　a　human　form；　or　rather　shadow；　than　to
anything　else。　　As　it　stood；　wholly　apart　and　distinct　from　the　air
and　the　light　around　it；　its　dimensions　seemed　gigantic；　the　summit
nearly　touching　the　ceiling。　　While　I　gazed；　a　feeling　of　intense
cold　seized　me。　　An　iceberg　before　me　could　not　more　have　chilled
me；　nor　could　the　cold　of　an　iceberg　have　been　more　purely
physical。　　I　feel　convinced　that　it　was　not　the　cold　caused　by
fear。　　As　I　continued　to　gaze；　I　thoughtbut　this　I　cannot　say
with　precisionthat　I　distinguished　two　eyes　looking　down　on　me
from　the　height。　　One　moment　I　fancied　that　I　distinguished　them
clearly；　the　next　they　seemed　gone；　but　still　two　rays　of　a　pale…
blue　light　frequently　shot　through　the　darkness；　as　from　the　height
on　which　I　half　believed；　half　doubted；　that　I　had　encountered　the
eyes。

I　strove　to　speak；my　voice　utterly　failed　me；　I　could　only　think
to　myself；　〃Is　this　fear？　　It　is　NOT　fear！〃　　I　strove　to　rise；in
vain；　I　felt　as　if　weighed　down　by　an　irresistible　force。　　Indeed；
my　impression　was　that　of　an　immense　and　overwhelming　Power　opposed
to　my　volition；that　sense　of　utter　inadequacy　to　cope　with　a
force　beyond　man's；　which　one　may　feel　PHYSICALLY　in　a　storm　at
sea；　in　a　conflagration；　or　when　confronting　some　terrible　wild
beast；　or　rather；　perhaps；　the　shark　of　the　ocean；　I　felt　MORALLY。
Opposed　to　my　will　was　another　will；　as　far　superior　to　its
strength　as　storm；　fire；　and　shark　are　superior　in　material　force
to　the　force　of　man。

And　now；　as　this　impression　grew　on　me；now　came；　at　last；　horror；
horror　to　a　degree　that　no　words　can　convey。　　Still　I　retained
pride；　if　not　courage；　and　in　my　own　mind　I　said；　〃This　is　horror；
but　it　is　not　fear；　unless　I　fear　I　cannot　be　harmed；　my　reason
rejects　this　thing；　it　is　an　illusion；I　do　not　fear。〃　　With　a
violent　effort　I　succeeded　at　last　in　stretching　out　my　hand　toward
the　weapon　on　the　table；　as　I　did　so；　on　the　arm　and　shoulder　I
received　a　strange　shock；　and　my　arm　fell　to　my　side　powerless。
And　now；　to　add　to　my　horror；　the　light　began　slowly　to　wane　from
the　candles；they　were　not；　as　it　were；　extinguished；　but　their
flame　seemed　very　gradually　withdrawn；　it　was　the　same　with　the
fire；the　light　was　extracted　from　the　fuel；　in　a　few　minutes　the
room　was　in　utter　darkness。　　The　dread　that　came　over　me；　to　be
thus　in　the　dark　with　that　dark　Thing；　whose　power　was　so　intensely
felt；　brought　a　reaction　of　nerve。　　In　fact；　terror　had　reached
that　climax；　that　either　my　senses　must　have　deserted　me；　or　I　must
have　burst　through　the　spell。　　I　did　burst　t