the works of edgar allan poe-1-第23章

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hut；　which　he　occupied　when　I　first；　by　mere　accident；　made　his　
acquaintance。　This　soon　ripened　into　friendship　…　for　there　was　much　
in　the　recluse　to　excite　interest　and　esteem。　I　found　him　well　
educated；　with　unusual　powers　of　mind；　but　infected　with　misanthropy；　
and　subject　to　perverse　moods　of　alternate　enthusiasm　and　melancholy。　
He　had　with　him　many　books；　but　rarely　employed　them。　His　chief　
amusements　were　gunning　and　fishing；　or　sauntering　along　the　beach　
and　through　the　myrtles；　in　quest　of　shells　or　entomological　
specimens；　…　his　collection　of　the　latter　might　have　been　envied　by　a　
Swammerdamm。　In　these　excursions　he　was　usually　accompanied　by　an　old　
negro；　called　Jupiter；　who　had　been　manumitted　before　the　reverses　of　
the　family；　but　who　could　be　induced；　neither　by　threats　nor　by　
promises；　to　abandon　what　he　considered　his　right　of　attendance　upon　
the　footsteps　of　his　young　〃Massa　Will。〃　It　is　not　improbable　that　
the　relatives　of　Legrand；　conceiving　him　to　be　somewhat　unsettled　in　
intellect；　had　contrived　to　instil　this　obstinacy　into　Jupiter；　with　
a　view　to　the　supervision　and　guardianship　of　the　wanderer。

　　　　The　winters　in　the　latitude　of　Sullivan's　Island　are　seldom　very　
severe；　and　in　the　fall　of　the　year　it　is　a　rare　event　indeed　when　a　
fire　is　considered　necessary。　About　the　middle　of　October；　18…；　there　
occurred；　however；　a　day　of　remarkable　chilliness。　Just　before　sunset　
I　scrambled　my　way　through　the　evergreens　to　the　hut　of　my　friend；　
whom　I　had　not　visited　for　several　weeks　…　my　residence　being；　at　
that　time；　in　Charleston；　a　distance　of　nine　miles　from　the　Island；　
while　the　facilities　of　passage　and　re…passage　were　very　far　behind　
those　of　the　present　day。　Upon　reaching　the　hut　I　rapped；　as　was　my　
custom；　and　getting　no　reply；　sought　for　the　key　where　I　knew　it　was　
secreted；　unlocked　the　door　and　went　in。　A　fine　fire　was　blazing　upon　
the　hearth。　It　was　a　novelty；　and　by　no　means　an　ungrateful　one。　I　
threw　off　an　overcoat；　took　an　arm…chair　by　the　crackling　
logs；　and　awaited　patiently　the　arrival　of　my　hosts。

　　　　Soon　after　dark　they　arrived；　and　gave　me　a　most　cordial　welcome。　
Jupiter；　grinning　from　ear　to　ear；　bustled　about　to　prepare　some　
marsh…hens　for　supper。　Legrand　was　in　one　of　his　fits　…　how　else　
shall　I　term　them？　…　of　enthusiasm。　He　had　found　an　unknown　bivalve；　
forming　a　new　genus；　and；　more　than　this；　he　had　hunted　down　and　
secured；　with　Jupiter's　assistance；　a　scarab鎢s　which　he　believed　to　
be　totally　new；　but　in　respect　to　which　he　wished　to　have　my　opinion　
on　the　morrow。

　　　　〃And　why　not　to…night？〃　I　asked；　rubbing　my　hands　over　the　blaze；　
and　wishing　the　whole　tribe　of　scarab鎖　at　the　devil。

　　　　〃Ah；　if　I　had　only　known　you　were　here！〃　said　Legrand；　〃but　it's　
so　long　since　I　saw　you；　and　how　could　I　foresee　that　you　would　pay　
me　a　visit　this　very　night　of　all　others？　As　I　was　coming　home　I　met　
Lieutenant　G；　from　the　fort；　and；　very　foolishly；　I　lent　him　the　
bug；　so　it　will　be　impossible　for　you　to　see　it　until　the　morning。　
Stay　here　to…night；　and　I　will　send　Jup　down　for　it　at　sunrise。　It　is　
the　loveliest　thing　in　creation！〃

　　　　〃What？　…　sunrise？〃

　　　　〃Nonsense！　no！　…　the　bug。　It　is　of　a　brilliant　gold　color　…　about　
the　size　of　a　large　hickory…nut　…　with　two　jet　black　spots　near　one　
extremity　of　the　back；　and　another；　somewhat　longer；　at　the　other。　
The　antenn？are　…　〃

　　　　〃Dey　aint　no　tin　in　him；　Massa　Will；　I　keep　a　tellin　on　you；〃　
here　interrupted　Jupiter；　〃de　bug　is　a　goole　bug；　solid；　ebery　bit　of　
him；　inside　and　all；　sep　him　wing　…　neber　feel　half　so　hebby　a　bug　in　
my　life。〃

　　　　〃Well；　suppose　it　is；　Jup；〃　replied　Legrand；　somewhat　more　
earnestly；　it　seemed　to　me；　than　the　case　demanded；　〃is　that　any　
reason　for　your　letting　the　birds　burn？　The　color〃　…　here　he　turned　
to　me　…　〃is　really　almost　enough　to　warrant　Jupiter's　idea。　You　never　
saw　a　more　brilliant　metallic　lustre　than　the　scales　emit　…　but　of　
this　you　cannot　judge　till　tomorrow。　In　the　mean　time　I　can　give　you　
some　idea　of　the　shape。〃　Saying　this；　he　seated　himself　at　a　small　
table；　on　which　were　a　pen　and　ink；　but　no　paper。　He　looked　for　some　
in　a　drawer；　but　found　none。

　　　　〃Never　mind；〃　said　he　at　length；　〃this　will　answer；〃　and　he　
drew　from　his　waistcoat　pocket　a　scrap　of　what　I　took　to　be　very　
dirty　foolscap；　and　made　upon　it　a　rough　drawing　with　the　pen。　While　
he　did　this；　I　retained　my　seat　by　the　fire；　for　I　was　still　chilly。　
When　the　design　was　complete；　he　handed　it　to　me　without　rising。　As　I　
received　it；　a　loud　growl　was　heard；　succeeded　by　a　scratching　at　the　
door。　Jupiter　opened　it；　and　a　large　Newfoundland；　belonging　to　
Legrand；　rushed　in；　leaped　upon　my　shoulders；　and　loaded　me　with　
caresses；　for　I　had　shown　him　much　attention　during　previous　visits。　
When　his　gambols　were　over；　I　looked　at　the　paper；　and；　to　speak　the　
truth；　found　myself　not　a　little　puzzled　at　what　my　friend　had　
depicted。

　　　　〃Well！〃　I　said；　after　contemplating　it　for　some　minutes；　〃this　is　
a　strange　scarab鎢s；　I　must　confess：　new　to　me：　never　saw　anything　
like　it　before　…　unless　it　was　a　skull；　or　a　death's…head　…　which　it　
more　nearly　resembles　than　anything　else　that　has　come　under　my　
observation。〃

　　　　〃A　death's…head！〃　echoed　Legrand　…〃Oh　…　yes　…　well；　it　has　
something　of　that　appearance　upon　paper；　no　doubt。　The　two　upper　
black　spots　look　like　eyes；　eh？　and　the　longer　one　at　the　bottom　like　
a　mouth　…　and　then　the　shape　of　the　whole　is　oval。〃

　　　　〃Perhaps　so；〃　said　I；　〃but；　Legrand；　I　fear　you　are　no　artist。　I　
must　wait　until　I　see　the　beetle　itself；　if　I　am　to　form　any　idea　of　
its　personal　appearance。〃

　　　　〃Well；　I　don't　know；〃　said　he；　a　little　nettled；　〃I　draw　
tolerably　…　should　do　it　at　least　…　have　had　good　masters；　and　
flatter　myself　that　I　am　not　quite　a　blockhead。〃

　　　　〃But；　my　dear　fellow；　you　are　joking　then；〃　said　I；　〃this　is　a　
very　passable　skull　…　indeed；　I　may　say　that　it　is　a　very　excellent　
skull；　according　to　the　vulgar　notions　about　such　specimens　of　
physiology　…　and　your　scarab鎢s　must　be　the　queerest　scarab鎢s　in　the　
world　if　it　resembles　it。　Why；　we　may　get　up　a　very　thrilling　bit　of　
superstition　upon　this　hint。　I　presume　you　will　call　the　bug　
scarab鎢s　caput　hominis；　or　something　of　that　kind　…　there　are　many　
similar　titles　in　the　Natural　Histories。　But　where　are　the　antenn？
you　spoke　of？〃

　　　　〃The　antenn？〃　said　Legrand；　who　seemed　to　be　getting　
unaccountably　warm　upon　the　subject；　〃I　am　sure　you　must　see　the　
antenn？　I　made　them　as　distinct　as　they　are　in　the　original　insect；　
and　I　presume　that　is　sufficient。〃

　　　　〃Well；　well；〃　I　said；　〃perhaps　you　have　…　still　I　don't　see　
them；〃　and　I　handed　him　the　paper　without　additional　remark；　not　
wishing　to　ruffle　his　temper；　but　I　was　much　surprised　at　the　turn　
affairs　had　taken；　his　ill　humor　puzzled　me　…　and；　as　for　the　drawing　
of　the　beetle；　there　were　positively　no　antenn？visible；　and　the　
whole　did　bear　a　very　close　resemblance　to　the　ordinary　cuts　of　a　
death's…head。

　　　　He　received　the　paper　very　peevishly；　and　was　about　to　crumple　
it；　apparently　to　throw　it　in　the　fire；　when　a　casual　glance　at　the　
design　seemed　suddenly　to　rivet　his　attention。　In　an　instant　his　face　
grew　violently　red　…　in　another　as　excessively　pale。　For　some　minutes　
he　continued　to　scrutinize　the　drawing　minutely　where　he　sat。　At　
length　he　arose；　took　a　candle　from　the　table；　and　proceeded　to　seat　
himself　upon　a　sea…chest　in　the　farthest　corner　of　the　room。　Here　
again　he　made　an　anxious　examination　of　the　paper；　turning　it　in　all　
directions。　He　said　nothing；　however；　and　his　conduct　greatly　
astonished　me；　yet　I　thought　it　prudent　not　to　exacerbate　the　growing　
moodiness　of　his　temper　by　any　comment。　Presently　he　took　from　his　
coat　pocket　a　wallet；　placed　the　paper　carefully　in　it；　and　deposited　
both　in　a　writing…desk；　which　he　locked。　He　now　grew　more　composed　in　
his　demeanor；　but　his　original　air　of　enthusiasm　had　quite　
disappeared。　Yet　he　seemed　not　so　much　sulky　as　abstracted。　As　the　
evening　wore　away　he　became　more　and　more　absorbed　in　rever