classic mystery and detective stories-第42章

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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　stupor；　his　eyes

lost　that　little　expression　they　had　before；　and　his　hands；　that

had　convulsively　been　catching　at　the　blankets；　let　go　their　short

and　quivering　grasp；　and　lay　extended　on　the　bed　like　the　claws　of

some　bird　that　had　died　of　hunger；so　meager；　so　yellow；　so

spread。　　John；　unaccustomed　to　the　sight　of　death；　believed　this　to

be　only　a　sign　that　he　was　going　to　sleep；　and；　urged　by　an　impulse

for　which　he　did　not　attempt　to　account　to　himself；　caught　up　the

miserable　light；　and　once　more　ventured　into　the　forbidden　room；

the　BLUE　CHAMBER　of　the　dwelling。　　The　motion　roused　the　dying

man；he　sat　bolt　upright　in　his　bed。　　This　John　could　not　see；　for

he　was　now　in　the　closet；　but　he　heard　the　groan；　or　rather　the

choked　and　gurgling　rattle　of　the　throat；　that　announces　the

horrible　conflict　between　muscular　and　mental　convulsion。　　He

started；　turned　away；　but；　as　he　turned　away；　he　thought　he　saw　the

eyes　of　the　portrait；　on　which　his　own　was　fixed；　MOVE；　and　hurried

back　to　his　uncle's　bedside。



Old　Melmoth　died　in　the　course　of　that　night；　and　died　as　he　had

lived；　in　a　kind　of　avaricious　delirium。　　John　could　not　have

imagined　a　scene　so　horrible　as　his　last　hours　presented。　　He

cursed　and　blasphemed　about　three　halfpence；　missing；　as　he　said；

some　weeks　before；　in　an　account　of　change　with　his　groom；　about

hay　to　a　starved　horse　that　he　kept。　　Then　he　grasped　John's　hand；

and　asked　him　to　give　him　the　sacrament。　　〃If　I　send　to　the

clergyman；　he　will　charge　me　something　for　it；　which　I　cannot　pay；

I　cannot。　　They　say　I　am　rich；look　at　this　blanket；but　I　would

not　mind　that；　if　I　could　save　my　soul。〃　　And；　raving；　he　added；

〃Indeed；　Doctor；　I　am　a　very　poor　man。　　I　never　troubled　a

clergyman　before；　and　all　I　want　is；　that　you　will　grant　me　two

trifling　requests；　very　little　matters　in　your　way；save　my　soul；

and　（whispering）　make　interest　to　get　me　a　parish　coffin；I　have

not　enough　left　to　bury　me。　　I　always　told　everyone　I　was　poor；　but

the　more　I　told　them　so；　the　less　they　believed　me。〃



John；　greatly　shocked；　retired　from　the　bedside；　and　sat　down　in　a

distant　corner　of　the　room。　　The　women　were　again　in　the　room；

which　was　very　dark。　　Melmoth　was　silent　from　exhaustion；　and　there

was　a　deathlike　pause　for　some　time。　　At　this　moment　John　saw　the

door　open；　and　a　figure　appear　at　it；　who　looked　round　the　room；

and　then　quietly　and　deliberately　retired；　but　not　before　John　had

discovered　in　his　face　the　living　original　of　the　portrait。　　His

first　impulse　was　to　utter　an　exclamation　of　terror；　but　his　breath

felt　stopped。　　He　was　then　rising　to　pursue　the　figure；　but　a

moment's　reflection　checked　him。　　What　could　be　more　absurd；　than

to　be　alarmed　or　amazed　at　a　resemblance　between　a　living　man　and

the　portrait　of　a　dead　one！　　The　likeness　was　doubtless　strong

enough　to　strike　him　even　in　that　darkened　room；　but　it　was

doubtless　only　a　likeness；　and　though　it　might　be　imposing　enough

to　terrify　an　old　man　of　gloomy　and　retired　habits；　and　with　a

broken　constitution；　John　resolved　it　should　not　produce　the　same

effect　on　him。



But　while　he　was　applauding　himself　for　this　resolution；　the　door

opened；　and　the　figure　appeared　at　it；　beckoning　and　nodding　to

him；　with　a　familiarity　somewhat　terrifying。　　John　now　started　up；

determined　to　pursue　it；　but　the　pursuit　was　stopped　by　the　weak

but　shrill　cries　of　his　uncle；　who　was　struggling　at　once　with　the

agonies　of　death　and　his　housekeeper。　　The　poor　woman；　anxious　for

her　master's　reputation　and　her　own；　was　trying　to　put　on　him　a

clean　shirt　and　nightcap；　and　Melmoth；　who　had　just　sensation

enough　to　perceive　they　were　taking　something　from　him；　continued

exclaiming　feebly；　〃They　are　robbing　me；robbing　me　in　my　last

moments；robbing　a　dying　man。　　John；　won't　you　assist　me；I　shall

die　a　beggar；　they　are　taking　my　last　shirt；I　shall　die　a

beggar。〃And　the　miser　died。



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



A　few　days　after　the　funeral；　the　will　was　opened　before　proper

witnesses；　and　John　was　found　to　be　left　sole　heir　to　his　uncle's

property；　which；　though　originally　moderate；　had；　by　his　grasping

habits；　and