the works of edgar allan poe-3-第39章

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than　regal　magnificence　within。　　For　such　follies；　even　in
childhood；　I　had　imbibed　a　taste　and　now　they　came　back　to　me　as　if
in　the　dotage　of　grief。　Alas；　I　feel　how　much　even　of　incipient
madness　might　have　been　discovered　in　the　gorgeous　and　fantastic
draperies；　in　the　solemn　carvings　of　Egypt；　in　the　wild　cornices　and
furniture；　in　the　Bedlam　patterns　of　the　carpets　of　tufted　gold！　I
had　become　a　bounden　slave　in　the　trammels　of　opium；　and　my　labors
and　my　orders　had　taken　a　coloring　from　my　dreams。　But　these
absurdities　must　not　pause　to　detail。　Let　me　speak　only　of　that　one
chamber；　ever　accursed；　whither　in　a　moment　of　mental　alienation；　I
led　from　the　altar　as　my　bride　　as　the　successor　of　the　unforgotten
Ligeia　　the　fair…haired　and　blue…eyed　Lady　Rowena　Trevanion；　of
Tremaine。

There　is　no　individual　portion　of　the　architecture　and　decoration　of
that　bridal　chamber　which　is　not　now　visibly　before　me。　Where　were
the　souls　of　the　haughty　family　of　the　bride；　when；　through　thirst　of
gold；　they　permitted　to　pass　the　threshold　of　an　apartment　so
bedecked；　a　maiden　and　a　daughter　so　beloved？　I　have　said　that　I
minutely　remember　the　details　of　the　chamber　　yet　I　am　sadly
forgetful　on　topics　of　deep　moment　　and　here　there　was　no　system；
no　keeping；　in　the　fantastic　display；　to　take　hold　upon　the　memory。
The　room　lay　in　a　high　turret　of　the　castellated　abbey；　was
pentagonal　in　shape；　and　of　capacious　size。　Occupying　the　whole
southern　face　of　the　pentagon　was　the　sole　window　　an　immense　sheet
of　unbroken　glass　from　Venice　　a　single　pane；　and　tinted　of　a
leaden　hue；　so　that　the　rays　of　either　the　sun　or　moon；　passing
through　it；　fell　with　a　ghastly　lustre　on　the　objects　within。　Over
the　upper　portion　of　this　huge　window；　extended　the　trellice…work　of
an　aged　vine；　which　clambered　up　the　massy　walls　of　the　turret。　The
ceiling；　of　gloomy…looking　oak；　was　excessively　lofty；　vaulted；　and
elaborately　fretted　with　the　wildest　and　most　grotesque　specimens　of
a　semi…Gothic；　semi…Druidical　device。　From　out　the　most　central
recess　of　this　melancholy　vaulting；　depended；　by　a　single　chain　of
gold　with　long　links；　a　huge　censer　of　the　same　metal；　Saracenic　in
pattern；　and　with　many　perforations　so　contrived　that　there　writhed
in　and　out　of　them；　as　if　endued　with　a　serpent　vitality；　a　continual
succession　of　parti…colored　fires。

Some　few　ottomans　and　golden　candelabra；　of　Eastern　figure；　were　in
various　stations　about　　and　there　was　the　couch；　too　　bridal
couch　　of　an　Indian　model；　and　low；　and　sculptured　of　solid　ebony；
with　a　pall…like　canopy　above。　In　each　of　the　angles　of　the　chamber
stood　on　end　a　gigantic　sarcophagus　of　black　granite；　from　the　tombs
of　the　kings　over　against　Luxor；　with　their　aged　lids　full　of
immemorial　sculpture。　But　in　the　draping　of　the　apartment　lay；　alas！
the　chief　phantasy　of　all。　The　lofty　walls；　gigantic　in　height　
even　unproportionably　so　　were　hung　from　summit　to　foot；　in　vast
folds；　with　a　heavy　and　massive…looking　tapestry　　tapestry　of　a
material　which　was　found　alike　as　a　carpet　on　the　floor；　as　a
covering　for　the　ottomans　and　the　ebony　bed；　as　a　canopy　for　the　bed；
and　as　the　gorgeous　volutes　of　the　curtains　which　partially　shaded
the　window。　The　material　was　the　richest　cloth　of　gold。　It　was
spotted　all　over；　at　irregular　intervals；　with　arabesque　figures；
about　a　foot　in　diameter；　and　wrought　upon　the　cloth　in　patterns　of
the　most　jetty　black。　But　these　figures　partook　of　the　true　character
of　the　arabesque　only　when　regarded　from　a　single　point　of　view。　By　a
contrivance　now　common；　and　indeed　traceable　to　a　very　remote　period
of　antiquity；　they　were　made　changeable　in　aspect。　To　one　entering
the　room；　they　bore　the　appearance　of　simple　monstrosities；　but　upon
a　farther　advance；　this　appearance　gradually　departed；　and　step　by
step；　as　the　visitor　moved　his　station　in　the　chamber；　he　saw　himself
surrounded　by　an　endless　succession　of　the　ghastly　forms　which　belong
to　the　superstition　of　the　Norman；　or　arise　in　the　guilty　slumbers　of
the　monk。　The　phantasmagoric　effect　was　vastly　heightened　by　the
artificial　introduction　of　a　strong　continual　current　of　wind　behind
the　draperies　　giving　a　hideous　and　uneasy　animation　to　the　whole。

In　halls　such　as　these　　in　a　bridal　chamber　such　as　this　　I
passed；　with　the　Lady　of　Tremaine；　the　unhallowed　hours　of　the　first
month　of　our　marriage　　passed　them　with　but　little　disquietude。
That　my　wife　dreaded　the　fierce　moodiness　of　my　temper　　that　she
shunned　me　and　loved　me　but　little　　I　could　not　help　perceiving；
but　it　gave　me　rather　pleasure　than　otherwise。　I　loathed　her　with　a
hatred　belonging　more　to　demon　than　to　man。　My　memory　flew　back；　（oh；
with　what　intensity　of　regret！）　to　Ligeia；　the　beloved；　the　august；
the　beautiful；　the　entombed。　I　revelled　in　recollections　of　her
purity；　of　her　wisdom；　of　her　lofty；　her　ethereal　nature；　of　her
passionate；　her　idolatrous　love。　Now；　then；　did　my　spirit　fully　and
freely　burn　with　more　than　all　the　fires　of　her　own。　In　the
excitement　of　my　opium　dreams　（for　I　was　habitually　fettered　in　the
shackles　of　the　drug）　I　would　call　aloud　upon　her　name；　during　the
silence　of　the　night；　or　among　the　sheltered　recesses　of　the　glens　by
day；　as　if；　through　the　wild　eagerness；　the　solemn　passion；　the
consuming　ardor　of　my　longing　for　the　departed；　I　could　restore　her
to　the　pathway　she　had　abandoned　　ah；　could　it　be　forever？　　upon
the　earth。

About　the　commencement　of　the　second　month　of　the　marriage；　the　Lady
Rowena　was　attacked　with　sudden　illness；　from　which　her　recovery　was
slow。　The　fever　which　consumed　her　rendered　her　nights　uneasy；　and　in
her　perturbed　state　of　half…slumber；　she　spoke　of　sounds；　and　of
motions；　in　and　about　the　chamber　of　the　turret；　which　I　concluded
had　no　origin　save　in　the　distemper　of　her　fancy；　or　perhaps　in　the
phantasmagoric　influences　of　the　chamber　itself。　She　became　at　length
convalescent　　finally　well。　Yet　but　a　brief　period　elapsed；　ere　a
second　more　violent　disorder　again　threw　her　upon　a　bed　of　suffering；
and　from　this　attack　her　frame；　at　all　times　feeble；　never　altogether
recovered。　Her　illnesses　were；　after　this　epoch；　of　alarming
character；　and　of　more　alarming　recurrence；　defying　alike　the
knowledge　and　the　great　exertions　of　her　physicians。　With　the
increase　of　the　chronic　disease　which　had　thus；　apparently；　taken　too
sure　hold　upon　her　constitution　to　be　eradicated　by　human　means；　I
could　not　fall　to　observe　a　similar　increase　in　the　nervous
irritation　of　her　temperament；　and　in　her　excitability　by　trivial
causes　of　fear。　She　spoke　again；　and　now　more　frequently　and
pertinaciously；　of　the　sounds　　of　the　slight　sounds　　and　of　the
unusual　motions　among　the　tapestries；　to　which　she　had　formerly
alluded。

One　night；　near　the　closing　in　of　September；　she　pressed　this
distressing　subject　with　more　than　usual　emphasis　upon　my　attention。
She　had　just　awakened　from　an　unquiet　slumber；　and　I　had　been
watching；　with　feelings　half　of　anxiety；　half　of　vague　terror；　the
workings　of　her　emaciated　countenance。　I　sat　by　the　side　of　her　ebony
bed；　upon　one　of　the　ottomans　of　India。　She　partly　arose；　and　spoke；
in　an　earnest　low　whisper；　of　sounds　which　she　then　heard；　but　which
I　could　not　hear　　of　motions　which　she　then　saw；　but　which　I　could
not　perceive。　The　wind　was　rushing　hurriedly　behind　the　tapestries；
and　I　wished　to　show　her　（what；　let　me　confess　it；　I　could　not　all
believe）　that　those　almost　inarticulate　breathings；　and　those　very
gentle　variations　of　the　figures　upon　the　wall；　were　but　the　natural
effects　of　that　customary　rushing　of　the　wind。　But　a　deadly　pallor；
overspreading　her　face；　had　proved　to　me　that　my　exertions　to
reassure　her　would　be　fruitless。　She　appeared　to　be　fainting；　and　no
attendants　were　within　call。　I　remembered　where　was　deposited　a
decanter　of　light　wine　which　had　been　ordered　by　her　physicians；　and
hastened　across　the　chamber　to　procure　it。　But；　as　I　stepped　beneath
the　light　of　the　censer；　two　circumstances　of　a　startling　nature
attracted　my　attention。　I　had　felt　that　some　palpable　although
invisible　object　had　passed　lightly　by　my　person；　and　I　saw　that
there　lay　upon　the　golden　carpet；　in　the　very　middle　of　the　rich
lustre　thrown　from　the　censer；　a　shadow　　a　faint；　indefinite　shadow
of　angelic　aspect　　such　as　might　be　fancied　for　the　shadow　of　a
shade。　But　I　was　wild　with　the　excitement　of　an　immoderate　dose　of
opium；　and　heeded　these　things　but　little；　nor　spoke　of　them　to
Rowena。　Having　found　the　wine；　I　recrossed　the　chamber；　and　poured
out　a　gobletful；　which　I　held　to　the　lips　of　the　fainting　lady。　She
had　now　partially　recovered；　however；　and　took　the　vessel　herself；
while　I　sank　upon　an　ottoman　near　me；　with　my　eyes　fastened　upon　her
person。　It　was　then　that　I　became　distinctly　aware　of　a　gentle
footfall　upon　the　carpet；　and　near　the　couch；　and　in　a　second
thereafter；　as　Rowena　was　in　the　act　of　raising　the　wine　to　her　lips；
I　saw；　or　may　have　dreamed　that　I　saw；　fall　within　the　goblet；　as　if
from　some　invisible　spring　in　the　atmosphere　of　the　room；　three　or
four　large　drops　of　a　brilliant　and　ruby　colored　fluid。　If　this　I　saw
　not　so　Rowena。　She　swallowed　the　wine　unhesitatingly；　and　I
forbore　to　speak　to　her　of　a　circumstance　which　must；　after　all；　I
considered；　have　been　but　the　suggestion　of　a　vivid　imagination；
rendered　morbidly　active　by　the　terror　of　the　lady；　by　the　opium；　and
by　the　hour。

Yet　I　cannot　conceal　it　from　my　own　perception　that；　immediately
subsequent　to　the　fall　of　the　ruby…drops；　a　rapid　change　for　the
worse　took　place　in　the　disorder　of　my　wife；　so　that；　on　the　third
subsequent　night；　the　hands　of　her　menials　prepared　her　for　the　tomb；
and　on　the　fourth；　I　sat　alone；　with　her　shrouded　body；　in　that
fantastic　chamber　which　had　received　her　as　my　bride。　　Wild
visions；　opium…engendered；　flitted；　shadow…like；　before　me。　I　gazed
with　unquiet　eye　upon　the　sarcophagi　in　the　angles　of　the　room；　upon
the　varying　figures　of　the　drapery；　and　upon　the　writhing　of　the
parti…colored　fires　in　the　censer　overhead。　My　eyes　then　fell；　as　I
called　to　mind　the　circumstances　of　a　former　night；　to　the　spot
beneath　the　glare　of　the　censer　where　I　had　seen　the　faint　traces　of
the　shadow。　It　was　there；　however；　no　longer；　and　breathing　with
greater　freedom；　I　turned　my　glances　to　the　pallid　and　rigid　figure
upon　the　bed。　Then　rushed　upon　me　a　thousand　memories　of　Ligeia　
and　then　came　back　upon　my　heart；　with　the　turbulent　violence　of　a
flood；　the　whole　of　that　unutterable　wo　with　which　I　had　regarded　her
thus　enshrouded。　The　night　waned；　and　still；　with　a　bosom　full　of
bitter　thoughts　of　the　one　only　and　supremely　beloved；　I　remained
gazing　upon　the　body　of　Rowena。

It　might　have　been　midnight；　or　perhaps　earlier；　or　later；　for　I　had
taken　no　note　of　time；　when　a　sob；　low；　gentle；　but　very　distinct；
startled　me　from　my　revery。　　I　felt　that　it　came　from　the　bed　of
ebony　　the　bed　of　death。　I　listened　in　an　agony　of　superstitious
terror　　but　there　was　no　repetition　of　the　sound。　I　strained　my
vision　to　detect　any　motion　in　the　corpse　　but　there　was　not　the
slightest　perceptible。　Yet　I　could　not　have　been　dec