the notch on the ax and on being found out-第33章
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that was not enough； he must relate all he knew。
。 。 。 。 。
〃Why did you testify such horror at the funeral of Father
Olavida？〃〃Everyone testified horror and grief at the death of
that venerable ecclesiastic； who died in the odor of sanctity。 Had
I done otherwise； it might have been reckoned a proof of my guilt。〃
〃Why did you interrupt the preacher with such extraordinary
exclamations？〃To this no answer。 〃Why do you refuse to explain
the meaning of those exclamations？〃No answer。 〃Why do you
persist in this obstinate and dangerous silence？ Look； I beseech
you； brother； at the cross that is suspended against this wall；〃
and the Inquisitor pointed to the large black crucifix at the back
of the chair where he sat； 〃one drop of the blood shed there can
purify you from all the sin you have ever committed； but all that
blood； combined with the intercession of the Queen of Heaven； and
the merits of all its martyrs； nay； even the absolution of the
Pope； cannot deliver you from the curse of dying in unrepented
sin。〃〃What sin； then； have I committed？〃〃The greatest of all
possible sins； you refuse answering the questions put to you at the
tribunal of the most holy and merciful Inquisition；you will not
tell us what you know concerning the death of Father Olavida。〃〃I
have told you that I believe he perished in consequence of his
ignorance and presumption。〃 〃What proof can you produce of that？〃
〃He sought the knowledge of a secret withheld from man。〃 〃What
was that？〃〃The secret of discovering the presence or agency of
the evil power。〃 〃Do you possess that secret？〃After much
agitation on the part of the prisoner； he said distinctly； but very
faintly； 〃My master forbids me to disclose it。〃 〃If your master
were Jesus Christ； he would not forbid you to obey the commands； or
answer the questions of the Inquisition。〃〃I am not sure of that。〃
There was a general outcry of horror at these words。 The
examination then went on。 〃If you believed Olavida to be guilty of
any pursuits or studies condemned by our mother the church； why did
you not denounce him to the Inquisition？〃〃Because I believed him
not likely to be injured by such pursuits； his mind was too weak；
he died in the struggle；〃 said the prisoner with great emphasis。
〃You believe； then； it requires strength of mind to keep those
abominable secrets； when examined as to their nature and
tendency？〃〃No； I rather imagine strength of body。〃 〃We shall try
that presently；〃 said an Inquisitor； giving a signal for the
torture。
。 。 。 。 。
The prisoner underwent the first and second applications with
unshrinking courage； but on the infliction of the water…torture；
which is indeed insupportable to humanity； either to suffer or
relate； he exclaimed in the gasping interval； he would disclose
everything。 He was released； refreshed； restored； and the
following day uttered the following remarkable confession。 。 。 。
。 。 。 。 。
The old Spanish woman further confessed to Stanton； that。 。 。 。
。 。 。 。 。
and that the Englishman certainly had been seen in the neighborhood
since；seen； as she had heard； that very night。 〃Great Gd！〃
exclaimed Stanton； as he recollected the stranger whose demoniac
laugh had so appalled him； while gazing on the lifeless bodies of
the lovers； whom the lightning had struck and blasted。
As the manuscript； after a few blotted and illegible pages； became
more distinct； Melmoth read on； perplexed and unsatisfied； not
knowing what connection this Spanish story could have with his
ancestor； whom； however； he recognized under the title of the
Englishman； and wondering how Stanton could have thought it worth
his while to follow him to Ireland； write a long manuscript about
an event that occurred in Spain； and leave it in the hands of his
family； to 〃verify untrue things；〃 in the language of Dogberry；
his wonder was diminished； though his curiosity was still more
inflamed； by the perusal of the next lines； which he made out with
some difficulty。 It seems Stanton was now in England。
。 。 。 。 。
About the year 1677； Stanton was in London； his mind still full of
his mysterious countryman。 This constant subject of his
contemplations had produced a visible change in his exterior；his
walk was what Sallust tells us of Catiline's；his were； too； the
〃faedi oculi。〃 He said to himself every moment； 〃If I could but
trace that being； I will not call him man；〃and the next moment he
said； 〃and what if I could？〃 In this state of mind； it is singular
enough that he mixed constantly in public amusements； but it is
true。 When one fierce passion is devouring the soul； we feel more
than ever the necessity of external excitement； and our dependence
on the world for temporary relief increases in direct proportion to
our contempt of the world and all its works。 He went frequently to
the theaters； THEN fashionable； when
〃The fair sat panting at a courtier's play；
And not a mask went unimproved away。〃
。 。 。 。 。
It was that memorable night； when； according to the history of the
veteran Betterton；* Mrs。 Barry； who personated Roxana； had a green…
room squabble with Mrs。 Bowtell； the representative of Statira；
about a veil； which the partiality of the property man adjudged to
the latter。 Roxana suppressed her rage till the fifth act； when；
stabbing Statira； she aimed the blow with such force as to pierce
through her stays； and inflict a severe though not dangerous wound。
Mrs。 Bowtell fainted； the performance was suspended； and； in the
commotion which this incident caused in the house； many of the
audience rose； and Stanton among them。 It was at this moment that；
in a seat opposite to him； he discovered the object of his search
for four years；the Englishman whom he had met in the plains of
Valencia； and whom he believed the same with the subject of the
extraordinary narrative he had heard there。
* Vide Betterton's History of the Stage。
He was standing up。 There was nothing particular or remarkable in
his appearance； but the expression of his eyes could never be
mistaken or forgotten。 The heart of Stanton palpitated with
violence；a mist overspread his eye；a nameless and deadly
sickness； accompanied with a creeping sensation in every pore； from
which cold drops were gushing； announced the。 。 。 。
。 。 。 。 。
Before he had well recovered； a strain of music； soft； solemn； and
delicious； breathed round him； audibly ascending from the ground；
and increasing in sweetness and power till it seemed to fill the
whole building。 Under the sudden impulse of amazement and
pleasure； he inquired of some around him from whence those
exquisite sounds arose。 But； by the manner in which he was
answered； it was plain that those he addressed considered him
insane； and； indeed； the remarkable change in his expression might
well justify the suspicion。 He then remembered that night in
Spain； when the same sweet and mysterious sounds were heard only by
the young bridegroom and bride； of whom the latter perished on that
very night。 〃And am I then to be the next victim？〃 thought
Stanton； 〃and are those celestial sounds； that seem to prepare us
for heaven； only intended to announce the presence of an incarnate
fiend； who mocks the devoted with 'airs from heaven；' while he
prepares to surround them with 'blasts from hell'？〃 It is very
singular that at this moment； when his imagination had reached its
highest pitch of elevation；when the object he had pursued so long
and fruitlessly； had in one moment become as it were tangible to
the grasp both of mind and body；when this spirit； with whom he
had wrestled in darkness； was at last about to declare its name；
that Stanton began to feel a kind of disappointment at the futility
of his pursuits； like Bruce at discovering the source of the Nile；
or Gibbon on concluding his History。 The feeling which he had
dwelt on so long； that he had actually converted it into a duty；
was after all mere curiosity； but what passion is more insatiable；
or more capable of giving a kind of romantic grandeur to all its
wanderings and eccentricities？ Curiosity is in one respect like
love； it always compromises between the object and the feeling； and
provided the latter possesses sufficient energy； no matter how
contemptible the former may be。 A child might have smiled at the
agitation of Stanton； caused as it was by the accidental appearance
of a stranger； but no man； in the full energy of his passions； was
there； but must have trembled at the horrible agony of emotion with
which he felt approaching； with sudden and irresistible velocity；
the crisis of his destiny。
When the play was over； he stood for some moments in the deserted
streets。 It was a beautiful moonlight night； and he saw near him a
figure； whose shadow； projected half across the street （there were
no flagged ways then； chains and posts were the only defense of the
foot passenger）； appeared to him of gigantic magnitude。 He had
been so long accustomed to contend with these phantoms of the
imagination； that he took a kind of stubborn delight in subduing
them。 He walked up to the object； and observing the shadow only
was magnified； and the figure was the ordinary height of man； he
approached it； and discovered the very object of his search；the
man whom he had seen for a moment in Valencia； and； after a search
of four years； recognized at the theater。
。 。 。 。 。
〃You were in quest of me？〃〃I was。〃 〃Have you anything to inquire
of me？〃〃Much。〃 〃Speak； then。〃〃This is no place。〃 〃No place！
poor wretch； I am independent of time and place。 Speak； if you
have anything to ask or to learn。〃〃I have many things to ask； but
nothing to learn； I hope； from you。〃 〃You deceive yourself； but
you will be undeceived when next we meet。〃〃And when shall that
be？〃 said Stanton； grasping his arm； 〃name your hour and your
place。〃 〃The hour shall be midday；〃 answered the stranger； with a
horrid and unintelligible smile； 〃and the place shall be the bare
walls of a madhouse； where you shall rise rattling in your chains；
and rustling from your straw； to greet me；yet still you shall
have THE CURSE OF SANITY； and of memory。 My voice shall ring in
your ears till then； and the glance of these eyes shall be
reflected from every object； animate or inanimate； till you behold
them again。〃〃Is it under circumstances so horrible we are to meet
again？〃 said Stanton； shrinking under the full…lighted blaze of
those demon eyes。 〃I never；〃 said the stranger； in an emphatic
tone；〃I never desert my friends in misfortune。 When they are
plunged in the lowest abyss of human calamity； they are sure to be
visited by me。〃
。 。 。 。 。
The narrative； when Melmoth was again able to trace its
continuation； described Stanton； some years after； plunged in a
state the most deplorable。
He had been always reckoned of a singular turn of mind； and the
belief of this； aggr
