the notch on the ax and on being found out-第13章

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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　cha