classic mystery and detective stories-第10章

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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flame　seemed　very　gradually　withdrawn；　it　was　the　same　with　the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；　and　behind　her　I　heard　a　footstep。　　She　turned　round　as　if

to　listen；　and　then　she　opened　the　letters　and　seemed　to　read；　and

over　her　shoulder　I　saw　a　livid　face；　the　face　as　of　a　man　long

drowned；bloated；　bleached；　seaweed　tangled　in　its　dripping　hair；

and　at　her　feet　lay　a　form　as　of　a　corpse；　and　beside　the　corpse

there　cowered　a　child；　a　miserable；　squalid　child；　with　famine　in

its　cheeks　and　fear　in　its　eyes。　　And　as　I　looked　in　the　old

woman's　face；　the　wrinkles　and　lines　vanished；　and　it　became　a　face

of　youth；hard…eyed；　stony；　but　still　youth；　and　the　Shadow　darted

forth；　and　darkened　over　these　phantoms　as　it　had　darkened　over　the

last。



Nothing　now　was　left　but　the　Shadow；　and　on　that　my　eyes　were

intently　fixed；　till　again　eyes　grew　out　of　the　Shadow；malignant；

serpent　eyes。　　And　the　bubbles　of　light　again　rose　and　fell；　and　in

their　disordered；　irregular；　turbulent　maze；　mingled　with　the　wan

moonlight。　　And　now　from　these　globules　themselves；　as　from　the

shell　of　an　egg；　monstrous　things　burst　out；　the　air　grew　filled

with　them：　larvae　so　bloodless　and　so　hideous　that　I　can　in　no　way

describe　them　except　to　remind　the　reader　of　the　swarming　life

which　the　solar　microscope　brings　before　his　eyes　in　a　drop　of

water；things　transparent；　supple；　agile；　chasing　each　other；

devouring　each　other；　forms　like　naught　ever　beheld　by　the　naked

eye。　　As　the　shapes　were　without　symmetry；　so　their　movements　were

without　order。　　In　their　very　vagrancies　there　was　no　sport；　they

came　round　me　and　round；　thicker　and　faster　and　swifter；　swarming

over　my　head；　crawling　over　my　right　arm；　which　was　outstretched　in

involuntary　command　against　all　evil　beings。　　Sometimes　I　felt

myself　touched；　but　not　by　them；　invisible　hands　touched　me。　　Once

I　felt　the　clutch　as　of　cold；　soft　fingers　at　my　throat。　　I　was

still　equally　conscious　that　if　I　gave　way　to　fear　I　should　be　in

bodily　peril；　and　I　concentered　all　my　faculties　in　the　single

focus　of　resisting　stubborn　will。　　And　I　turned　my　sight　from　the

Shadow；　above　all；　from　those　strange　serpent　eyes；eyes　that　had

now　become　distinctly　visible。　　For　there；　though　in　naught　else

around　me；　I　was　aware　that　there　was　a　WILL；　and　will　of　intense；

creative；　working　evil；　which　might　crush　down　my　own。



The　pale　atmosphere　in　the　room　began　now　to　redden　as　if　in　the

air　of　some　near　conflagration。　　The　larvae　grew　lurid　as　things

that　live　in　fire。　　Again　the　room　vibrated；　again　were　heard　the

three　measured　knocks；　and　again　all　things　were　swallowed　up　in

the　darkness　of　the　dark　Shadow；　as　if　out　of　that　darkness　all　had

come；　into　that　darkness　all　returned。



As　the　gloom　receded；　the　Shadow　was　wholly　gone。　　Slowly；　as　it

had　been　withdrawn；　the　flame　grew　again　into　the　candles　on　the

table；　again　into　the　fuel　in　the　grate。　　The　whole　room　came　once

more　calmly；　healthfully　into　sight。



The　two　doors　were　still　closed；　the　door　communicating　with　the

servant's　room　still　locked。　　In　the　corner　of　the　wall；　into　which

he　had　so　convulsively　niched　himself；　lay　the　dog。　　I　called　to

him；no　movement；　I　approached；the　animal　was　dead：　his　eyes

protruded；　his　tongue　out　of　his　mouth；　the　froth　gathered　round

his　jaws。　　I　took　him　in　my　arms；　I　brought　him　to　the　fire。　　I

felt　acute　grief　for　the　loss　of　my　poor　favorite；acute　self…

reproach；　I　accused　myself　of　his　death；　I　imagined　he　had　died　of

fright。　　But　what　was　my　surprise　on　finding　that　his　neck　was

actually　broken。　　Had　this　been　done　in　the　dark？　　Must　it　not　have

been　by　a　hand　human　as　mine；　must　there　not　have　been　a　human

agency　all　the　while　in　that　room？　　Good　cause　to　suspect　it。　　I

cannot　tell。　　I　cannot　do　more　than　state　the　fact　fairly；　the

reader　may　draw　his　own　inference。



Another　surprising　circumstance；my　watch　was　restored　to　the

table　from　which　it　had　been　so　mysteriously　withdrawn；　but　it　had

stopped　at　the　very　moment　it　was　so　withdrawn；　nor；　despite　all

the　skill　of　the　watchmaker；　has　it　ever　gone　since；that　is；　it

will　go　in　a　strange；　erratic　way　for　a　few　hours；　and　then　come　to

a　dead　stop；　it　is　worthless。



Nothing　more　chanced　for　the　rest　of　the　night。　　Nor；　indeed；　had　I

long　to　wait　before　the　dawn　broke。　　Not　till　it　was　broad　daylight

did　I　quit　the　haunted　house。　　Before　I　did　so；　I　revisited　the

little　blind　room　in　which　my　servant　and　myself　had　been　for　a

time　imprisoned。　　I　had　a　strong　impressionfor　which　I　could　not

accountthat　from　that　room　had　originated　the　mechanism　of　the

phenomena；　if　I　may　use　the　term；　which　had　been　experienced　in　my

chamber。　　And　though　I　entered　it　now　in　the　clear　day；　with　the

sun　peering　through　the　filmy　window；　I　still　felt；　as　I　stood　on

its　floors；　the　creep　of　the　horror　which　I　had　first　there

experienced　the　night　before；　and　which　had　been　so　aggravated　by

what　had　passed　in　my　own　chamber。　　I　could　not；　indeed；　bear　to

stay　more　than　half　a　minute　within　those　walls。　　I　descended　the

stairs；　and　again　I　heard　the　footfall　before　me；　and　when　I　opened

the　street　door；　I　thought　I　could　distinguish　a　very　low　laugh。　　I

gained　my　own　home；　expecting　to　find　my　runaway　servant　there；　but

he　had　not　presented　himself；　nor　did　I　hear　more　of　him　for　three

days；　when　I　received　a　letter　from　him；　dated　from　Liverpool　to

this　effect：





〃HONORED　SIR；I　humbly　entreat　your　pardon；　though　I　can　scarcely

hope　that　you　will　think　that　I　deserve　it；　unlesswhich　Heaven

forbid！you　saw　what　I　did。　　I　feel　that　it　will　be　years　before　I

can　recover　myself；　and　as　to　being　fit　for　service；　it　is　out　of

the　question。　　I　am　therefore　going　to　my　brother…in…law　at

Melbourne。　　The　ship　sails　to…morrow。　　Perhaps　the　long　voyage　may

set　me　up。　　I　do　nothing　now　but　start　and　tremble；　and　fancy　it　is

behind　me。　　I　humbly　beg　you；　honored　sir；　to　order　my　clothes；　and

whatever　wages　are　due　to　me；　to　be　sent　to　my　m