the masque of the red death-第2章

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maskers　who　venture；　for　the　night　is　waning　away；　and　there　flows

a　ruddier　light　through　the　blood…coloured　panes；　and　the　blackness

of　the　sable　drapery　appals；　and　to　him　whose　foot　falls　upon　the

sable　carpet；　there　comes　from　the　near　clock　of　ebony　a　muffled

peal　more　solemnly　emphatic　than　any　which　reaches　　their　ears

who　indulged　in　the　more　remote　gaieties　of　the　other　apartments。



But　these　other　apartments　were　densely　crowded；　and　in　them

beat　feverishly　the　heart　of　life。　　And　the　revel　went　whirlingly

on；　until　at　length　there　commenced　the　sounding　of　midnight　upon

the　clock。　　And　then　the　music　ceased；　as　I　have　told；　and　the

evolutions　of　the　waltzers　were　quieted；　and　there　was　an　uneasy

cessation　of　all　things　as　before。　　But　now　there　were　twelve

strokes　to　be　sounded　by　the　bell　of　the　clock；　and　thus　it

happened；　perhaps；　that　more　of　thought　crept；　with　more　of　time；

into　the　meditations　of　the　thoughtful　among　those　who　revelled。　

And　thus　too；　it　happened；　perhaps；　that　before　the　last　echoes　of

the　last　chime　had　utterly　sunk　into　silence；　there　were　many

individuals　in　the　crowd　who　had　found　leisure　to　become　aware　of

the　presence　of　a　masked　figure　which　had　arrested　the　　

attention　of　no　single　individual　before。　　And　the　rumour　of　this

new　presence　having　spread　itself　whisperingly　around；　there　arose

at　length　from　the　whole　company　a　buzz；　or　murmur；　expressive　of

disapprobation　and　surprisethen；　finally；　of　terror；　of　horror；

and　of　disgust。



In　an　assembly　of　phantasms　such　as　I　have　painted；　it　may

well　be　supposed　that　no　ordinary　appearance　could　have　excited

such　sensation。　　In　truth　the　masquerade　licence　of　the　night　was

nearly　unlimited；　but　the　figure　in　question　had　out…Heroded　Herod；

and　gone　beyond　the　bounds　of　even　the　prince's　indefinite　decorum。　

There　are　chords　in　the　hearts　of　the　most　reckless　which　cannot　be

touched　without　emotion。　　Even　with　the　utterly　lost；　to　whom　life

and　death　are　equally　jests；　there　are　matters　of　which　no　jest　can

be　made。　　The　whole　company；　indeed；　seemed　now　deeply　to　feel　that

in　the　costume　and　bearing　of　the　stranger　neither　wit　nor

propriety　existed。　　The　figure　was　tall　and　gaunt；　and　shrouded

from　head　to　foot　in　the　habiliments　of　the　grave。　　The　mask　which

concealed　the　visage　was　made　so　nearly　to　resemble　the　countenance

of　a　stiffened　corpse　that　the　closest　scrutiny　must　have　had

difficulty　in　detecting　the　cheat。　　And　yet　all　this　might　have

been　endured；　if　not　approved；　by　the　mad　revellers　around。　　But

the　mummer　had　gone　so　far　as　to　assume　the　type　of　the　Red　Death。　

His　vesture　was　dabbled　in　　bloodand　his　broad　brow；　with　all

the　features　of　the　face；　was　besprinkled　with　the　scarlet　horror。



When　the　eyes　of　the　Prince　Prospero　fell　upon　this　spectral

image　（which；　with　a　slow　and　solemn　movement；　as　if　more　fully　to

sustain　its　　role；　stalked　to　and　fro　among　the　waltzers）　he　was

seen　to　be　convulsed；　in　the　first　moment　with　a　strong　shudder

either　of　terror　or　distaste；　but；　in　the　next；　his　brow　reddened

with　rage。



〃Who　dares；〃he　demanded　hoarsely　of　the　courtiers　who　stood

near　him〃who　dares　insult　us　with　this　blasphemous　mockery？　

Seize　him　and　unmask　himthat　we　may　know　whom　we　have　to　hang；　at

sunrise；　from　the　battlements！〃



It　was　in　the　eastern　or　blue　chamber　in　which　stood　the

Prince　Prospero　as　he　uttered　these　words。　　They　rang　throughout

the　seven　rooms　loudly　and　clearly；　for　the　prince　was　a　bold　and

robust　man；　and　the　music　had　become　hushed　at　the　waving　of　his

hand。



It　was　in　the　blue　room　where　stood　the　prince；　with　a　group

of　　pale　courtiers　by　his　side。　　At　first；　as　he　spoke；

there　was　a　slight　rushing　movement　of　this　group　in　the　direction

of　the　intruder；　who　at　the　moment　was　also　near　at　hand；　and　now；

with　deliberate　and　stately　step；　made　closer　approach　to　the

speaker。　　But　from　a　certain　nameless　awe　with　which　the　mad

assumptions　of　the　mummer　had　inspired　the　whole　party；　there　were

found　none　who　put　forth　hand　to　seize　him；　so　that；　unimpeded；　he

passed　within　a　yard　of　the　prince's　person；　and；　while　the　vast

assembly；　as　if　with　one　impulse；　shrank　from　the　centres　of　the

rooms　to　the　walls；　he　made　his　way　uninterruptedly；　but　with　the

same　solemn　and　measured　step　which　had　distinguished　him　from　the

first；　through　the　blue　chamber　to　the　purplethrough　the　purple

to　the　greenthrough　the　green　to　the　orangethrough　this　again

to　the　whiteand　even　thence　to　the　violet；　ere　a　decided　movement

had　been　made　to　arrest　him。　　It　was　then；　however；　that　the　Prince

Prospero；　maddening　with　rage　and　the　shame　of　his　own　momentary

cowardice；　rushed　hurriedly　through　the　six　chambers；　while　none

followed　him　on　account　of　a　deadly　terror　that　had　seized　upon

all。　　He　bore　aloft　a　drawn　dagger；　and　had　approached；　in　rapid

impetuosity；　to　within　three　or　four　feet　of　the　retreating　figure；

when　the　latter；　having　attained　the　extremity　of　the　velvet

apartment；　turned　suddenly　and　confronted　his　pursuer。　　There　was

a　sharp　cryand　the　dagger　dropped　gleaming　upon　the　sable　carpet；

upon　which；　instantly　afterwards；　fell　prostrate　in　death　the

Prince　Prospero。　　Then；　summoning　the　wild　courage　of　despair；　a

throng　of　the　revellers　at　once　threw　themselves　into　the　black

apartment；　and；　seizing　the　mummer；　whose　tall　figure　stood　erect

and　motionless　within　the　shadow　of　the　ebony　clock；　gasped　in

unutterable　horror　at　finding　the　grave　cerements　and　corpse…like

mask；　which　they　handled　with　so　violent　a　rudeness；　untenanted　by

any　tangible　form。



And　now　was　acknowledged　the　presence　of　the　Red　Death。　　He

had　come　like　a　thief　in　the　night。　　And　one　by　one　dropped　the

revellers　in　the　blood…bedewed　halls　of　their　revel；　and　died　each

in　the　despairing　posture　of　his　fall。　　And　the　life　of　the　ebony

clock　went　out　with　that　of　the　last　of　the　gay。　　And　the　flames　of

the　tripods　expired。　　And　Darkness　and　Decay　and　the　Red　Death　held

illimitable　dominion　over　all。









End