classic mystery and detective stories-第13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！



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　through　it。　　I　found

voice；　though　the　voice　was　a　shriek。　　I　remember　that　I　broke

forth　with　words　like　these；　〃I　do　not　fear；　my　soul　does　not

fear〃；　and　at　the　same　time　I　found　strength　to　rise。　　Still　in

that　profound　gloom　I　rushed　to　one　of　the　windows；　tore　aside　the

curtain；　flung　open　the　shutters；　my　first　thought　wasLIGHT。　　And

when　I　saw　the　moon　high；　clear；　and　calm；　I　felt　a　joy　that　almost

compensated　for　the　previous　terror。　　There　was　the　moon；　there　was

also　the　light　from　the　gas　lamps　in　the　deserted　slumberous

street。　　I　turned　to　look　back　into　the　room；　the　moon　penetrated

its　shadow　very　palely　and　partiallybut　still　there　was　light。

The　dark　Thing；　whatever　it　might　be；　was　gone；except　that　I

could　yet　see　a　dim　shadow；　which　seemed　the　shadow　of　that　shade；

against　the　opposite　wall。



My　eye　now　rested　on　the　table；　and　from　under　the　table　（which　was

without　cloth　or　cover；an　old　mahogany　round　table）　there　rose　a

hand；　visible　as　far　as　the　wrist。　　It　was　a　hand；　seemingly；　as

much　of　flesh　and　blood　as　my　own；　but　the　hand　of　an　aged　person；

lean；　wrinkled；　small　too；a　woman's　hand。　　That　hand　very　softly

closed　on　the　two　letters　that　lay　on　the　table；　hand　and　letters

both　vanished。　　There　then　came　the　same　three　loud；　measured

knocks　I　had　heard　at　the　bed　head　before　this　extraordinary　drama

had　commenced。



As　those　sounds　slowly　ceased；　I　felt　the　whole　room　vibrate

sensibly；　and　at　the　far　end　there　rose；　as　from　the　floor；　sparks

or　globules　like　bubbles　of　light；　many　colored；green；　yellow；

fire…red；　azure。　　Up　and　down；　to　and　fro；　hither；　thither　as　tiny

Will…o'…the…Wisps；　the　sparks　moved；　slow　or　swift；　each　at　its　own

caprice。　　A　chair　（as　in　the　drawing…room　below）　was　now　advanced

from　the　wall　without　apparent　agency；　and　placed　at　the　opposite

side　of　the　table。　　Suddenly；　as　forth　from　the　chair；　there　grew　a

shape；a　woman's　shape。　　It　was　distinct　as　a　shape　of　life；

ghastly　as　a　shape　of　death。　　The　face　was　that　of　youth；　with　a

strange；　mournful　beauty；　the　throat　and　shoulders　were　bare；　the

rest　of　the　form　in　a　loose　robe　of　cloudy　white。　　It　began

sleeking　its　long；　yellow　hair；　which　fell　over　its　shoulders；　its

eyes　were　not　turned　toward　me；　but　to　the　door；　it　seemed

listening；　watching；　waiting。　　The　shadow　of　the　shade　in　the

background　grew　darker；　and　again　I　thought　I　beheld　the　eyes

gleaming　out　from　the　summit　of　the　shadow；eyes　fixed　upon　that

shape。



As　if　from　the　door；　though　it　did　not　open；　there　grew　out　another

shape；　equally　distinct；　equally　ghastly；a　man's　shape；　a　young

man's。　　It　was　in　the　dress　of　the　last　century；　or　rather　in　a

likeness　of　such　dress　（for　both　the　male　shape　and　the　female；

though　defined；　were　evidently　unsubstantial；　impalpable；

simulacra；　phantasms）；　and　there　was　something　incongruous；

grotesque；　yet　fearful；　in　the　contrast　between　the　elaborate

finery；　the　courtly　precision　of　that　old…fashioned　garb；　with　its

ruffles　and　lace　and　buckles；　and　the　corpselike　aspect　and

ghostlike　stillness　of　the　flitting　wearer。　　Just　as　the　male　shape

approached　the　female；　the　dark　Shadow　started　from　the　wall；　all

three　for　a　moment　wrapped　in　darkness。　　When　the　pale　light

returned；　the　two　phantoms　were　as　if　in　the　grasp　of　the　Shadow

that　towered　between　them；　and　there　was　a　blood　stain　on　the

breast　of　the　female；　and　the　phantom　male　was　leaning　on　its

phantom　sword；　and　blood　seemed　trickling　fast　from　the　ruffles

from　the　lace；　and　the　darkness　of　the　intermediate　Shadow

swallowed　them　up；they　were　gone。　　And　again　the　bubbles　of　light

shot；　and　sailed；　and　undulated；　growing　thicker　and　thicker　and

more　wildly　confused　in　their　movements。



The　closet　door　to　the　right　of　the　fireplace　now　opened；　and　from

the　aperture　there　came　the　form　of　an　aged　woman。　　In　her　hand　she

held　letters；the　very　letters　over　which　I　had　seen　THE　Hand

close；