the works of edgar allan poe-3-第58章

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or　jingling　sound；　as　if　of　a　bunch　of　large　keys；　and　upon　the
instant　a　dusky…visaged　and　half…naked　man　rushed　past　me　with　a
shriek。　He　came　so　close　to　my　person　that　I　felt　his　hot　breath　upon
my　face。　He　bore　in　one　hand　an　instrument　composed　of　an　assemblage
of　steel　rings；　and　shook　them　vigorously　as　he　ran。　Scarcely　had　he
disappeared　in　the　mist　before；　panting　after　him；　with　open　mouth
and　glaring　eyes；　there　darted　a　huge　beast。　I　could　not　be　mistaken
in　its　character。　It　was　a　hyena。

〃The　sight　of　this　monster　rather　relieved　than　heightened　my　terrors
　for　I　now　made　sure　that　I　dreamed；　and　endeavored　to　arouse
myself　to　waking　consciousness。　I　stepped　boldly　and　briskly　forward。
I　rubbed　my　eyes。　I　called　aloud。　I　pinched　my　limbs。　A　small　spring
of　water　presented　itself　to　my　view；　and　here；　stooping；　I　bathed　my
hands　and　my　head　and　neck。　This　seemed　to　dissipate　the　equivocal
sensations　which　had　hitherto　annoyed　me。　I　arose；　as　I　thought；　a
new　man；　and　proceeded　steadily　and　complacently　on　my　unknown　way。

〃At　length；　quite　overcome　by　exertion；　and　by　a　certain　oppressive
closeness　of　the　atmosphere；　I　seated　myself　beneath　a　tree。
Presently　there　came　a　feeble　gleam　of　sunshine；　and　the　shadow　of
the　leaves　of　the　tree　fell　faintly　but　definitely　upon　the　grass。　At
this　shadow　I　gazed　wonderingly　for　many　minutes。　Its　character
stupefied　me　with　astonishment。　I　looked　upward。　The　tree　was　a　palm。

〃I　now　arose　hurriedly；　and　in　a　state　of　fearful　agitation　　for
the　fancy　that　I　dreamed　would　serve　me　no　longer。　I　saw　　I　felt
that　I　had　perfect　command　of　my　senses　　and　these　senses　now
brought　to　my　soul　a　world　of　novel　and　singular　sensation。　The　heat
became　all　at　once　intolerable。　A　strange　odor　loaded　the　breeze。　A
low；　continuous　murmur；　like　that　arising　from　a　full；　but　gently
flowing　river；　came　to　my　ears；　intermingled　with　the　peculiar　hum　of
multitudinous　human　voices。

〃While　I　listened　in　an　extremity　of　astonishment　which　I　need　not
attempt　to　describe；　a　strong　and　brief　gust　of　wind　bore　off　the
incumbent　fog　as　if　by　the　wand　of　an　enchanter。

〃I　found　myself　at　the　foot　of　a　high　mountain；　and　looking　down　into
a　vast　plain；　through　which　wound　a　majestic　river。　On　the　margin　of
this　river　stood　an　Eastern…looking　city；　such　as　we　read　of　in　the
Arabian　Tales；　but　of　a　character　even　more　singular　than　any　there
described。　From　my　position；　which　was　far　above　the　level　of　the
town；　I　could　perceive　its　every　nook　and　corner；　as　if　delineated　on
a　map。　The　streets　seemed　innumerable；　and　crossed　each　other
irregularly　in　all　directions；　but　were　rather　long　winding　alleys
than　streets；　and　absolutely　swarmed　with　inhabitants。　The　houses
were　wildly　picturesque。　On　every　hand　was　a　wilderness　of　balconies；
of　verandas；　of　minarets；　of　shrines；　and　fantastically　carved
oriels。　Bazaars　abounded；　and　in　these　were　displayed　rich　wares　in
infinite　variety　and　profusion　　silks；　muslins；　the　most　dazzling
cutlery；　the　most　magnificent　jewels　and　gems。　Besides　these　things；
were　seen；　on　all　sides；　banners　and　palanquins；　litters　with　stately
dames　close　veiled；　elephants　gorgeously　caparisoned；　idols
grotesquely　hewn；　drums；　banners；　and　gongs；　spears；　silver　and
gilded　maces。　And　amid　the　crowd；　and　the　clamor；　and　the　general
intricacy　and　confusion…　amid　the　million　of　black　and　yellow　men；
turbaned　and　robed；　and　of　flowing　beard；　there　roamed　a　countless
multitude　of　holy　filleted　bulls；　while　vast　legions　of　the　filthy
but　sacred　ape　clambered；　chattering　and　shrieking；　about　the
cornices　of　the　mosques；　or　clung　to　the　minarets　and　oriels。　From
the　swarming　streets　to　the　banks　of　the　river；　there　descended
innumerable　flights　of　steps　leading　to　bathing　places；　while　the
river　itself　seemed　to　force　a　passage　with　difficulty　through　the
vast　fleets　of　deeply　　burthened　ships　that　far　and　wide
encountered　its　surface。　Beyond　the　limits　of　the　city　arose；　in
frequent　majestic　groups；　the　palm　and　the　cocoa；　with　other　gigantic
and　weird　trees　of　vast　age；　and　here　and　there　might　be　seen　a　field
of　rice；　the　thatched　hut　of　a　peasant；　a　tank；　a　stray　temple；　a
gypsy　camp；　or　a　solitary　graceful　maiden　taking　her　way；　with　a
pitcher　upon　her　head；　to　the　banks　of　the　magnificent　river。

〃You　will　say　now；　of　course；　that　I　dreamed；　but　not　so。　What　I　saw
　what　I　heard　　what　I　felt　　what　I　thought　　had　about　it
nothing　of　the　unmistakable　idiosyncrasy　of　the　dream。　All　was
rigorously　self…consistent。　At　first；　doubting　that　I　was　really
awake；　I　entered　into　a　series　of　tests；　which　soon　convinced　me　that
I　really　was。　Now；　when　one　dreams；　and；　in　the　dream；　suspects　that
he　dreams；　the　suspicion　never　fails　to　confirm　itself；　and　the
sleeper　is　almost　immediately　aroused。　Thus　Novalis　errs　not　in
saying　that　'we　are　near　waking　when　we　dream　that　we　dream。'　Had　the
vision　occurred　to　me　as　I　describe　it；　without　my　suspecting　it　as　a
dream；　then　a　dream　it　might　absolutely　have　been；　but；　occurring　as
it　did；　and　suspected　and　tested　as　it　was；　I　am　forced　to　class　it
among　other　phenomena。〃

〃In　this　I　am　not　sure　that　you　are　wrong；〃　observed　Dr。　Templeton；
〃but　proceed。　You　arose　and　descended　into　the　city。〃

〃I　arose；〃　continued　Bedloe；　regarding　the　Doctor　with　an　air　of
profound　astonishment　〃I　arose；　as　you　say；　and　descended　into　the
city。　On　my　way　I　fell　in　with　an　immense　populace；　crowding　through
every　avenue；　all　in　the　same　direction；　and　exhibiting　in　every
action　the　wildest　excitement。　Very　suddenly；　and　by　some
inconceivable　impulse；　I　became　intensely　imbued　with　personal
interest　in　what　was　going　on。　I　seemed　to　feel　that　I　had　an
important　part　to　play；　without　exactly　understanding　what　it　was。
Against　the　crowd　which　environed　me；　however；　I　experienced　a　deep
sentiment　of　animosity。　I　shrank　from　amid　them；　and；　swiftly；　by　a
circuitous　path；　reached　and　entered　the　city。　Here　all　was　the
wildest　tumult　and　contention。　A　small　party　of　men；　clad　in　garments
half…Indian；　half…European；　and　officered　by　gentlemen　in　a　uniform
partly　British；　were　engaged；　at　great　odds；　with　the　swarming　rabble
of　the　alleys。　I　joined　the　weaker　party；　arming　myself　with　the
weapons　of　a　fallen　officer；　and　fighting　I　knew　not　whom　with　the
nervous　ferocity　of　despair。　We　were　soon　overpowered　by　numbers；　and
driven　to　seek　refuge　in　a　species　of　kiosk。　Here　we　barricaded
ourselves；　and；　for　the　present　were　secure。　From　a　loop…hole　near
the　summit　of　the　kiosk；　I　perceived　a　vast　crowd；　in　furious
agitation；　surrounding　and　assaulting　a　gay　palace　that　overhung　the
river。　Presently；　from　an　upper　window　of　this　place；　there　descended
an　effeminate…looking　person；　by　means　of　a　string　made　of　the
turbans　of　his　attendants。　A　boat　was　at　hand；　in　which　he　escaped　to
the　opposite　bank　of　the　river。

〃And　now　a　new　object　took　possession　of　my　soul。　I　spoke　a　few
hurried　but　energetic　words　to　my　companions；　and；　having　succeeded
in　gaining　over　a　few　of　them　to　my　purpose　made　a　frantic　sally　from
the　kiosk。　We　rushed　amid　the　crowd　that　surrounded　it。　They
retreated；　at　first；　before　us。　They　rallied；　fought　madly；　and
retreated　again。　In　the　mean　time　we　were　borne　far　from　the　kiosk；
and　became　bewildered　and　entangled　among　the　narrow　streets　of　tall；
overhanging　houses；　into　the　recesses　of　which　the　sun　had　never　been
able　to　shine。　The　rabble　pressed　impetuously　upon　us；　harrassing　us
with　their　spears；　and　overwhelming　us　with　flights　of　arrows。　These
latter　were　very　remarkable；　and　resembled　in　some　respects　the
writhing　creese　of　the　Malay。　They　were　made　to　imitate　the　body　of　a
creeping　serpent；　and　were　long　and　black；　with　a　poisoned　barb。　One
of　them　struck　me　upon　the　right　temple。　I　reeled　and　fell。　An
instantaneous　and　dreadful　sickness　seized　me。　I　struggled　　I
gasped　　I　died。〃　〃You　will　hardly　persist　now；〃　said　I　smiling；
〃that　the　whole　of　your　adventure　was　not　a　dream。　You　are　not
prepared　to　maintain　that　you　are　dead？〃

When　I　said　these　words；　I　of　course　expected　some　lively　sally　from
Bedloe　in　reply；　but；　to　my　aston