classic mystery and detective stories-第31章

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said　John　involuntarily；　〃the　date　on　the　picture　is　1646。〃　　〃You

have　seen　it；you　have　noticed　it；〃　said　his　uncle。　　〃Well；〃he

rocked　and　nodded　on　his　bolster　for　a　moment；　then；　grasping

John's　hand　with　an　unutterable　look；　he　exclaimed；　〃You　will　see

him　again；　he　is　alive。〃　　Then；　sinking　back　on　his　bolster；　he

fell　into　a　kind　of　sleep　or　stupor；　his　eyes　still　open；　and　fixed

on　John。



The　house　was　now　perfectly　silent；　and　John　had　time　and　space　for

reflection。　　More　thoughts　came　crowding　on　him　than　he　wished　to

welcome；　but　they　would　not　be　repulsed。　　He　thought　of　his　uncle's

habits　and　character；　turned　the　matter　over　and　over　again　in　his

mind；　and　he　said　to　himself；　〃The　last　man　on　earth　to　be

superstitious。　　He　never　thought　of　anything　but　the　price　of

stocks；　and　the　rate　of　exchange；　and　my　college　expenses；　that

hung　heavier　at　his　heart　than　all；　and　such　a　man　to　die　of　a

fright；a　ridiculous　fright；　that　a　man　living　150　years　ago　is

alive　still；　and　yethe　is　dying。〃　　John　paused；　for　facts　will

confute　the　most　stubborn　logician。　　〃With　all　his　hardness　of

mind；　and　of　heart；　he　is　dying　of　a　fright。　　I　heard　it　in　the

kitchen；　I　have　heard　it　from　himself；he　could　not　be　deceived。

If　I　had　ever　heard　he　was　nervous；　or　fanciful；　or　superstitious；

but　a　character　so　contrary　to　all　these　impressions；a　man　that；

as　poor　Butler　says；　in　his　'Remains　of　the　Antiquarian；'　would

have　'sold　Christ　over　again　for　the　numerical　piece　of　silver

which　Judas　got　for　him；'such　a　man　to　die　of　fear！　　Yet　he　IS

dying；〃　said　John；　glancing　his　fearful　eye　on　the　contracted

nostril；　the　glazed　eye；　the　drooping　jaw；　the　whole　horrible

apparatus　of　the　facies　Hippocraticae　displayed；　and　soon　to　cease

its　display。



Old　Melmoth　at　this　moment　seemed　to　be　in　a　deep　stupor；　his　eyes

lost　that　little　expression　they　had　before；　and　his　hands；　that

had　convulsively　been　catching　at　the　blankets；　let　go　their　short

and　quivering　grasp；　and　lay　extended　on　the　bed　like　the　claws　of

some　bird　that　had　died　of　hunger；so　meager；　so　yellow；　so

spread。　　John；　unaccustomed　to　the　sight　of　death；　believed　this　to

be　only　a　sign　that　he　was　going　to　sleep；　and；　urged　by　an　impulse

for　which　he　did　not　attempt　to　account　to　himself；　caught　up　the

miserable　light；　and　once　more　ventured　into　the　forbidden　room；

the　BLUE　CHAMBER　of　the　dwelling。　　The　motion　roused　the　dying

man；he　sat　bolt　upright　in　his　bed。　　This　John　could　not　see；　for

he　was　now　in　the　closet；　but　he　heard　the　groan；　or　rather　the

choked　and　gurgling　rattle　of　the　throat；　that　announces　the

horrible　conflict　between　muscular　and　mental　convulsion。　　He

started；　turned　away；　but；　as　he　turned　away；　he　thought　he　saw　the

eyes　of　the　portrait；　on　which　his　own　was　fixed；　MOVE；　and　hurried

back　to　his　uncle's　bedside。



Old　Melmoth　died　in　the　course　of　that　night；　and　died　as　he　had

lived；　in　a　kind　of　avaricious　delirium。　　John　could　not　have

imagined　a　scene　so　horrible　as　his　last　hours　presented。　　He

cursed　and　blasphemed　about　three　halfpence；　missing；　as　he　said；

some　weeks　before；　in　an　account　of　change　with　his　groom；　about

hay　to　a　starved　horse　that　he　kept。　　Then　he　grasped　John's　hand；

and　asked　him　to　give　him　the　sacrament。　　〃If　I　send　to　the

clergyman；　he　will　charge　me　something　for　it；　which　I　cannot　pay；

I　cannot。　　They　say　I　am　rich；look　at　this　blanket；but　I　would

not　mind　that；　if　I　could　save　my　soul。〃　　And；　raving；　he　added；

〃Indeed；　Doctor；　I　am　a　very　poor　man。　　I　never　troubled　a

clergyman　before；　and　all　I　want　is；　that　you　will　grant　me　two

trifling　requests；　very　little　matters　in　your　way；save　my　soul；

and　（whispering）　make　interest　to　get　me　a　parish　coffin；I　have

not　enough　left　to　bury　me。　　I　always　told　everyone　I　was　poor；　but

the　more　I　told　them　so；　the　less　they　believed　me。〃



John；　greatly　shocked；　retired　from　the　bedside；　and　sat　down　in　a

distant　corner　of　the　room。　　The　women　were　again　in　the　room；

which　was　very　dark。　　Melmoth　was　silent　from　exhaustion；　and　there

was　a　deathlike　pause　for　some　time。　　At　this　moment　John　saw　the

door　open；　and　a　figure　appear　at　it；　who　looked　round　the　room；

and　then　quietly　and　deliberately　retired；　but　not　before　John　had

discovered　in　his　face　the　living　original　of　the　portrait。　　His

first　impulse　was　to　utter　an　exclamation　of　terror；　but　his　breath

felt　stopped。　　He　was　then　rising　to　pursue　the　figure；　but　a

moment's　reflection　checked　him。　　What　could　be　more　absurd；　than

to　be　alarmed　or　amazed　at　a　resemblance　between　a　living　man　and

the　portrait　of　a　dead　one！　　The　likeness　was　doubtless　strong

enough　to　strike　him　even　in　that　darkened　room；　but　it　was

doubtless　only　a　likeness；　and　though　it　might　be　imposing　enough

to　terrify　an　old　man　of　gloomy　and　retired　habits；　and　with　a

broken　constitution；　John　resolved　it　should　not　produce　the　same

effect　on　him。



But　while　he　was　applauding　himself　for　this　resolution；　the　door

opened；　and　the　figure　appeared　at　it；　beckoning　and　nodding　to

him；　with　a　familiarity　somewhat　terrifying。　　John　now　started　up；

determined　to　pursue　it；　but　the　pursuit　was　stopped　by　the　weak

but　shrill　cries　of　his　uncle；　who　was　struggling　at　once　with　the

agonies　of　death　and　his　housekeeper。　　The　poor　woman；　anxious　for

her　master's　reputation　and　her　own；　was　trying　to　put　on　him　a

clean　shirt　and　nightcap；　and　Melmoth；　who　had　just　sensation

enough　to　perceive　they　were　taking　something　from　him；　continued

exclaiming　feebly；　〃They　are　robbing　me；robbing　me　in　my　last

moments；robbing　a　dying　man。　　John；　won't　you　assist　me；I　shall

die　a　beggar；　they　are　taking　my　last　shirt；I　shall　die　a

beggar。〃And　the　miser　died。



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A　few　days　after　the　funeral；　the　will　was　opened　before　proper

witnesses；　and　John　was　found　to　be　left　sole　heir　to　his　uncle's

property；　which；　though　originally　moderate；　had；　by　his　grasping

habits；　and　parsimonious　life；　become　very　considerable。



As　the　attorney　who　read　the　will　concluded；　he　added；　〃There　are

some　words　here；　at　the　corner　of　the　parchment；　which　do　not

appear　to　be　part　of　the　will；　as　they　are　neither　in　the　form　of　a

codicil；　nor　is　the　signature　of　the　testator　affixed　to　them；　but；

to　the　best　of　my　belief；　they　are　in　the　handwriting　of　the

deceased。〃　　As　he　spoke　he　showed　the　lines　to　Melmoth；　who

immediately　recognized　his　uncle's　hand　（that　perpendicular　and

penurious　hand；　that　seems　determined　to　make　the　most　of　the　very

paper；　thriftily　abridging　every　word；　and　leaving　scarce　an　atom

of　margin）；　and　read；　not　without　some　emotion；　the　following

words：　〃I　enjoin　my　nephew　and　heir；　John　Melmoth；　to　remove；

destroy；　or　cause　to　be　destroyed；　the　portrait　inscribed　J。

Melmoth；　1646；　hanging　in　my　closet。　　I　also　enjoin　him　to　search

for　a　manuscript；　which　I　think　he　will　find　in　the　third　and

lowest　left…hand　drawer　of　the　mahogany　chest　standing　under　that

portrait；it　is　among　some　papers　of　no　value；　such　as　manuscript

sermons；　and　pamphlets　on　the　improvement　of　Ireland；　and　such

stuff；　he　will　distinguish　it　by　its　being　tied　round　with　a　black

tape；　and　the　paper　being　very　moldy　and　discolored。　　He　may　read

it　if　he　will；I　think　he　had　better　not。　　At　all　events；　I　adjure

him；　if　there　be　any　power　in　the　adjuration　of　a　dying　man；　to

burn　it。〃



After　reading　this　singular　memorandum；　the　business　of　the　meeting

was　again　resumed；　and　as　old　Melmoth's　will　was　very　clear　and

legally　worded；　all　was　soon　settled；　the　party　dispersed；　and　John

Melmoth　was　left　alone。



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He　resolutely　entered　the　closet；　shut　the　door；　and　proceeded　to

search　for　the　manuscript。　　It　was　soon　found；　for　the　directions

of　old　Melmoth　were　forcibly　written；　and　strongly　remembered。　　The

manuscript；　old；　tattered；　and　discolored；　was　taken　from　the　very

drawer　in　which　it　was　mentioned　to　be　laid。　　Melmoth's　hands　felt

as　cold　as　those　of　his　dead　uncle；　when　he　drew　the　blotted　pages

from　their　nook。　　He　sat　down　to　read；there　was　a　dead　silence

through　the　house。　　Melmoth　looked　wistfully　at　the　candles；

snuffed　them；　and　still　thought　they　looked　dim；　（perchance　he

thought　they　burned　blue；　but　such　thought　he　kept　to　himself）。

Certain　it　is；　he　often　changed　his　posture；　and　would　have　changed

his　chair；　had　there　been　more　than　one　in　the　apartment。



He　sank　for　a　few　moments　into　a　fit　of　gloomy　abstraction；　till

the　sound　of　the　clock　striking　twelve　made　him　start；it　was　the

only　sound　he　had　heard　for　some　hours；　and　the　sounds　produced　by

inanimate　things；　while　all　living　beings　around　are　as　dead；　have

at　such　an　hour　an　effect　indescribably　awful。　　John　looked　at　his

manuscript　with　some　reluctance；　opened　it；　paused　over　the　first

lines；　and　as　the　wind　sighed　round　the　desolate　apartment；　and　the

rain　pattered　with　a　mournful　sound　against　the　dismantled　window；

wishedwhat　did　he　wish　for？he　wished　the　sound　of　the　wind　less

dismal；　and　the　dash　of　the　rain　less　monotonous。He　may　be

forgiven；　it　was　past　midnight；　and　there　was　not　a　human　being

awake　but　himself　within　ten　miles　when　he　began　to　read。



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The　manuscript　was　discolored；　obliterated；　and　mutilated　beyond

any　that　had　ever　before　exercised　the　patience　of　a　reader。

Michaelis　himself；　scrutinizing　into　the　pretended　autograph　of　St。

Mark　at　Venice；　never　had　a　harder　time　of　it。Melmoth　could　make

out　only　a　sentence　here　and　there。　　The　writer；　it　appeared；　was

an　Englishman　of　the　name　of　Stanton；　who　had　traveled　abroad

shortly　after　the　Restoration。　　Traveling　was　not　then　attended

with　the　facilities　which　modern　improvement　has　introduced；　and

scholars　and　literati；　the　intelligent；　the　idle；　and　the　curious；

wandered　over　the　Continent　for　years；　like　Tom　Corvat；　though　they

had　the　modesty；　on　their　return；　to　entitle　the　result　of　their

multiplied　observations　and　labors　only　〃crudities。〃



Stanton；　about　the　year　1676；　was　in　Spain；　he　was；　like　most　of

the　travelers　of　that　age；　a　man　of　literature；　intelligence；　and

curiosity；　but　ignorant　of　the　language　of　the　country；　and

fighting　his　way　at　times　from　convent　to　convent；　in　quest　of　what

was　called　〃Hospitality；〃　that　is；　obtaining　board　and　lodging　on

the　condition　of　holding　a　debate　in　Latin；　on　some　point

theological　or　metaphysical；　with　any　monk　who　would　become　the

champion　of　the　strife。　　Now；　as　the　theology　was　Catholic；　and　the

metaphysics　Aristotelian；　Stanton　sometimes　wished　himself　at　the

miserable　Posada　from　whose　filth　and　famine　he　had　been　fighting

his　escape；　but　though　his　reverend　antagonists　always　denounced

his　creed；　and　comforted　themselves；　even　in　defeat；　with　the

assurance