the notch on the ax and on being found out-第40章

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figure'？〃　exclaimed　many　a　surprised　reader。　　Few　had　perusedfew
know　at　this　daythe　terrible　story　of　Melmoth　the　Wanderer；　half
man；　half　devil；　who　has　bartered　away　his　soul　for　the　glory　of
power　and　knowledge；　and；　repenting　of　his　bargain；　tries　again　and
again　to　persuade　some　desperate　human　to　change　places　with　him
penetrates　to　the　refuge　of　misery；　the　death　chamber；　even　the
madhouse；　seeking　one　in　such　utter　agony　as　to　accept　his　help；
and　take　his　cursebut　ever　fails。

Why　this　extraordinary　tale；　told　with　wild　and　compelling　sweep；
has　remained　so　deep　in　oblivion；　appears　immediately　on　a　glance
at　the　original。　　The　author；　Charles　Robert　Maturin；　a　needy；
eccentric　Irish　clergyman　of　1780…1824；　could　cause　intense
suspense　and　horrorcould　read　keenly　into　human　motivescould
teach　an　awful　moral　lesson　in　the　guise　of　fascinating　fiction；
but　he　could　not　stick　to　a　long　story　with　simplicity。　　His　dozens
of　shifting　scenes；　his　fantastic　coils　of　〃tales　within　tales〃
sadly　perplex　the　reader　of　〃Melmoth〃　in　the　first　version。　　It　is
hoped；　however；　that　the　present　selection；　by　its　directness　and
the　clearness　of　the　story　thread；　may　please　the　modern　reader
better　than　the　involved　original；　and　bring　before　a　wider　public
some　of　the　most　gripping　descriptions　ever　penned　in　English。

In　Volume　IV　of　these　stories　comes　a　tale；　〃Melmoth　Reconciled；〃
which　Balzac　himself　wrote；　while　under　the　spell　of　Maturin's
〃great　allegorical　figure。〃　　Here　the　unhappy　being　succeeds　in　his
purpose。　　The　story　takes　place　in　mocking；　careless　Paris；　〃that
branch　establishment　of　hell〃；　a　cashier；　on　the　eve　of
embezzlement　and　detection；　cynically　accedes　to　Melmoth's　terms；
and　accepts　his　helpwith　what　unlooked…for　results；　the　reader
may　see。



Charles　Robert　Maturin


Melmoth　the　Wanderer


John　Melmoth；　student　at　Trinity　College；　Dublin；　having　journeyed
to　County　Wicklow　for　attendance　at　the　deathbed　of　his　miserly
uncle；　finds　the　old　man；　even　in　his　last　moments；　tortured　by
avarice；　and　by　suspicion　of　all　around　him。　　He　whispers　to　John：


〃I　want　a　glass　of　wine；　it　would　keep　me　alive　for　some　hours；　but
there　is　not　one　I　can　trust　to　get　it　for　me；they'd　steal　a
bottle；　and　ruin　me。〃　　John　was　greatly　shocked。　　〃Sir；　for　God's
sake；　let　ME　get　a　glass　of　wine　for　you。〃　　〃Do　you　know　where？〃
said　the　old　man；　with　an　expression　in　his　face　John　could　not
understand。　　〃No；　Sir；　you　know　I　have　been　rather　a　stranger　here；
Sir。〃　　〃Take　this　key；〃　said　old　Melmoth；　after　a　violent　spasm；
〃take　this　key；　there　is　wine　in　that　closet；Madeira。　　I　always
told　them　there　was　nothing　there；　but　they　did　not　believe　me；　or
I　should　not　have　been　robbed　as　I　have　been。　　At　one　time　I　said
it　was　whisky；　and　then　I　fared　worse　than　ever；　for　they　drank
twice　as　much　of　it。〃

John　took　the　key　from　his　uncle's　hand；　the　dying　man　pressed　it
as　he　did　so；　and　John；　interpreting　this　as　a　mark　of　kindness；
returned　the　pressure。　　He　was　undeceived　by　the　whisper　that
followed；〃John；　my　lad；　don't　drink　any　of　that　wine　while　you
are　there。〃　　〃Good　God！〃　said　John；　indignantly　throwing　the　key　on
the　bed；　then；　recollecting　that　the　miserable　being　before　him　was
no　object　of　resentment；　he　gave　the　promise　required；　and　entered
the　closet；　which　no　foot　but　that　of　old　Melmoth　had　entered　for
nearly　sixty　years。　　He　had　some　difficulty　in　finding　out　the
wine；　and　indeed　stayed　long　enough　to　justify　his　uncle's
suspicions；but　his　mind　was　agitated；　and　his　hand　unsteady。　　He
could　not　but　remark　his　uncle's　extraordinary　look；　that　had　the
ghastliness　of　fear　superadded　to　that　of　death；　as　he　gave　him
permission　to　enter　his　closet。　　He　could　not　but　see　the　looks　of
horror　which　the　women　exchanged　as　he　approached　it。　　And；
finally；　when　he　was　in　it；　his　memory　was　malicious　enough　to
suggest　some　faint　traces　of　a　story；　too　horrible　for　imagination；
connected　with　it。　　He　remembered　in　one　moment　most　distinctly；
that　no　one　but　his　uncle　had　ever　been　known　to　enter　it　for　many
years。

Before　he　quitted　it；　he　held　up　the　dim　light；　and　looked　around
him　with　a　mixture　of　terror　and　curiosity。　　There　was　a　great　deal
of　decayed　and　useless　lumber；　such　as　might　be　supposed　to　be
heaped　up　to　rot　in　a　miser's　closet；　but　John's　eyes　were　in　a
moment；　and　as　if　by　magic；　riveted　on　a　portrait　that　hung　on　the
wall；　and　appeared；　even　to　his　untaught　eye；　far　superior　to　the
tribe　of　family　pictures　that　are　left　to　molder　on　the　walls　of　a
family　mansion。　　It　represented　a　man　of　middle　age。　　There　was
nothing　remarkable　in　the　costume；　or　in　the　countenance；　but　THE
EYES；　John　felt；　were　such　as　one　feels　they　wish　they　had　never
seen；　and　feels　they　can　never　forget。　　Had　he　been　acquainted　with
the　poetry　of　Southey；　he　might　have　often　exclaimed　in　his　after…
life；


　　　　　〃Only　the　eyes　had　life；
　　　　　　They　gleamed　with　demon　light。〃THALABA。


From　an　impulse　equally　resistless　and　painful；　he　approached　the
portrait；　held　the　candle　toward　it；　and　could　distinguish　the
words　on　the　border　of　the　painting；Jno。　Melmoth；　anno　1646。
John　was　neither　timid　by　nature；　nor　nervous　by　constitution；　nor
superstitious　from　habit；　yet　he　continued　to　gaze　in　stupid　horror
on　this　singular　picture；　till；　aroused　by　his　uncle's　cough；　he
hurried　into　his　room。　　The　old　man　swallowed　the　wine。　　He
appeared　a　little　revived；　it　was　long　since　he　had　tasted　such　a
cordial；his　heart　appeared　to　expand　to　a　momentary　confidence。
〃John；　what　did　you　see　in　that　room？〃　　〃Nothing；　Sir。〃　　〃That's　a
lie；　everyone　wants　to　cheat　or　to　rob　me。〃　　〃Sir；　I　don't　want　to
do　either。〃　　〃Well；　what　did　you　see　that　youyou　took　notice　of？〃
〃Only　a　picture；　Sir。〃　　〃A　picture；　Sir！the　original　is　still
alive。〃　　John；　though　under　the　impression　of　his　recent　feelings；
could　not　but　look　incredulous。　　〃John；〃　whispered　his　uncle；
〃John；　they　say　I　am　dying　of　this　and　that；　and　one　says　it　is　for
want　of　nourishment；　and　one　says　it　is　for　want　of　medicine；but；
John；〃　and　his　face　looked　hideously　ghastly；　〃I　am　dying　of　a
fright。　　That　man；〃　and　he　extended　his　meager　arm　toward　the
closet；　as　if　he　was　pointing　to　a　living　being；　〃that　man；　I　have
good　reason　to　know；　is　alive　still。〃　　〃How　is　that　possible；　Sir？〃
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　stup