the works of edgar allan poe-5-第10章

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those　we　had　hitherto　traversed。　It　was　the　most　noisome　quarter　of
London；　where　every　thing　wore　the　worst　impress　of　the　most　deplorable
poverty；　and　of　the　most　desperate　crime。　By　the　dim　light　of　an
accidental　lamp；　tall；　antique；　worm…eaten；　wooden　tenements　were　seen
tottering　to　their　fall；　in　directions　so　many　and　capricious　that　scarce
the　semblance　of　a　passage　was　discernible　between　them。　The　paving…stones
lay　at　random；　displaced　from　their　beds　by　the　rankly…growing　grass。
Horrible　filth　festered　in　the　dammed…up　gutters。　The　whole　atmosphere
teemed　with　desolation。　Yet；　as　we　proceeded；　the　sounds　of　human　life
revived　by　sure　degrees；　and　at　length　large　bands　of　the　most　abandoned
of　a　London　populace　were　seen　reeling　to　and　fro。　The　spirits　of　the　old
man　again　flickered　up；　as　a　lamp　which　is　near　its　death　hour。　Once　more
he　strode　onward　with　elastic　tread。　Suddenly　a　corner　was　turned；　a　blaze
of　light　burst　upon　our　sight；　and　we　stood　before　one　of　the　huge
suburban　temples　of　Intemperance　…　one　of　the　palaces　of　the　fiend；　Gin。

It　was　now　nearly　day…break；　but　a　number　of　wretched　inebriates　still
pressed　in　and　out　of　the　flaunting　entrance。　With　a　half　shriek　of　joy
the　old　man　forced　a　passage　within；　resumed　at　once　his　original　bearing；
and　stalked　backward　and　forward；　without　apparent　object；　among　the
throng。　He　had　not　been　thus　long　occupied；　however；　before　a　rush　to　the
doors　gave　token　that　the　host　was　closing　them　for　the　night。　It　was
something　even　more　intense　than　despair　that　I　then　observed　upon　the
countenance　of　the　singular　being　whom　I　had　watched　so　pertinaciously。
Yet　he　did　not　hesitate　in　his　career；　but；　with　a　mad　energy；　retraced
his　steps　at　once；　to　the　heart　of　the　mighty　London。　Long　and　swiftly　he
fled；　while　I　followed　him　in　the　wildest　amazement；　resolute　not　to
abandon　a　scrutiny　in　which　I　now　felt　an　interest　all…absorbing。　The　sun
arose　while　we　proceeded；　and；　when　we　had　once　again　reached　that　most
thronged　mart　of　the　populous　town；　the　street　of　the　D　Hotel；　it
presented　an　appearance　of　human　bustle　and　activity　scarcely　inferior　to
what　I　had　seen　on　the　evening　before。　And　here；　long；　amid　the　momently
increasing　confusion；　did　I　persist　in　my　pursuit　of　the　stranger。　But；　as
usual；　he　walked　to　and　fro；　and　during　the　day　did　not　pass　from　out　the
turmoil　of　that　street。　And；　as　the　shades　of　the　second　evening　came　on；
I　grew　wearied　unto　death；　and；　stopping　fully　in　front　of　the　wanderer；
gazed　at　him　steadfastly　in　the　face。　He　noticed　me　not；　but　resumed　his
solemn　walk；　while　I；　ceasing　to　follow；　remained　absorbed　in
contemplation。　〃This　old　man；〃　I　said　at　length；　〃is　the　type　and　the
genius　of　deep　crime。　He　refuses　to　be　alone。　＇page　228：＇　He　is　the　man　of
the　crowd。　It　will　be　in　vain　to　follow；　for　I　shall　learn　no　more　of　him；
nor　of　his　deeds。　The　worst　heart　of　the　world　is　a　grosser　book　than　the
'Hortulus　Anim？'　｛*1｝　and　perhaps　it　is　but　one　of　the　great　mercies　of
God　that　'er　lasst　sich　nicht　lesen。'　〃

｛*1｝　The　〃_Hortulus　Anim？cum　Oratiunculis　Aliquibus　Superadditis_〃　of
Gr黱ninger

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



Never　Bet　the　Devil　Your　Head

A　Tale　With　a　Moral。

〃_CON　tal　que　las　costumbres　de　un　autor_；〃　says　Don　Thomas　de　las　Torres；
in　the　preface　to　his　〃Amatory　Poems〃　_〃sean　puras　y　castas；　importo　muy
poco　que　no　sean　igualmente　severas　sus　obras〃_　　meaning；　in　plain
English；　that；　provided　the　morals　of　an　author　are　pure　personally；　it
signifies　nothing　what　are　the　morals　of　his　books。　We　presume　that　Don
Thomas　is　now　in　Purgatory　for　the　assertion。　It　would　be　a　clever　thing；
too；　in　the　way　of　poetical　justice；　to　keep　him　there　until　his　〃Amatory
Poems〃　get　out　of　print；　or　are　laid　definitely　upon　the　shelf　through
lack　of　readers。　Every　fiction　should　have　a　moral；　and；　what　is　more　to
the　purpose；　the　critics　have　discovered　that　every　fiction　has。　Philip
Melanchthon；　some　time　ago；　wrote　a　commentary　upon　the
〃Batrachomyomachia；〃　and　proved　that　the　poet's　object　was　to　excite　a
distaste　for　sedition。　Pierre　la　Seine；　going　a　step　farther；　shows　that
the　intention　was　to　recommend　to　young　men　temperance　in　eating　and
drinking。　Just　so；　too；　Jacobus　Hugo　has　satisfied　himself　that；　by
Euenis；　Homer　meant　to　insinuate　John　Calvin；　by　Antinous；　Martin　Luther；
by　the　Lotophagi；　Protestants　in　general；　and；　by　the　Harpies；　the　Dutch。
Our　more　modern　Scholiasts　are　equally　acute。　These　fellows　demonstrate　a
hidden　meaning　in　〃The　Antediluvians；〃　a　parable　in　Powhatan；〃　new　views
in　〃Cock　Robin；〃　and　transcendentalism　in　〃Hop　O'　My　Thumb。〃　In　short；　it
has　been　shown　that　no　man　can　sit　down　to　write　without　a　very　profound
design。　Thus　to　authors　in　general　much　trouble　is　spared。　A　novelist；　for
example；　need　have　no　care　of　his　moral。　It　is　there　　that　is　to　say；　it
is　somewhere　　and　the　moral　and　the　critics　can　take　care　of　themselves。
When　the　proper　time　arrives；　all　that　the　gentleman　intended；　and　all
that　he　did　not　intend；　will　be　brought　to　light；　in　the　〃Dial；〃　or　the
〃Down…Easter；〃　together　with　all　that　he　ought　to　have　intended；　and　the
rest　that　he　clearly　meant　to　intend：　　so　that　it　will　all　come　very
straight　in　the　end。

There　is　no　just　ground；　therefore；　for　the　charge　brought　against　me　by
certain　ignoramuses　　that　I　have　never　written　a　moral　tale；　or；　in　more
precise　words；　a　tale　with　a　moral。　They　are　not　the　critics　predestined
to　bring　me　out；　and　develop　my　morals：　　that　is　the　secret。　By　and　by
the　〃North　American　Quarterly　Humdrum〃　will　make　them　ashamed　of　their
stupidity。　In　the　meantime；　by　way　of　staying　execution　　by　way　of
mitigating　the　accusations　against　me　　I　offer　the　sad　history　appended；
　a　history　about　whose　obvious　moral　there　can　be　no　question　whatever；
since　he　who　runs　may　read　it　in　the　large　capitals　which　form　the　title
of　the　tale。　I　should　have　credit　for　this　arrangement　　a　far　wiser　one
than　that　of　La　Fontaine　and　others；　who　reserve　the　impression　to　be
conveyed　until　the　last　moment；　and　thus　sneak　it　in　at　the　fag　end　of
their　fables。

Defuncti　injuria　ne　afficiantur　was　a　law　of　the　twelve　tables；　and　De
mortuis　nil　nisi　bonum　is　an　excellent　injunction　　even　if　the　dead　in
question　be　nothing　but　dead　small　beer。　It　is　not　my　design；　therefore；
to　vituperate　my　deceased　friend；　Toby　Dammit。　He　was　a　sad　dog；　it　is
true；　and　a　dog's　death　it　was　that　he　died；　but　he　himself　was　not　to
blame　for　his　vices。　They　grew　out　of　a　personal　defect　in　his　mother。　She
did　her　best　in　the　way　of　flogging　him　while　an　infant　　for　duties　to
her　well　　regulated　mind　were　always　pleasures；　and　babies；　like　tough
steaks；　or　the　modern　Greek　olive　trees；　are　invariably　the　better　for
beating　　but；　poor　woman！　she　had　the　misfortune　to　be　left…handed；　and
a　child　flogged　left…handedly　had　better　be　left　unflogged。　The　world
revolves　from　right　to　left。　It　will　not　do　to　whip　a　baby　from　left　to
right。　If　each　blow　in　the　proper　direction　drives　an　evil　propensity　out；
it　follows　that　every　thump　in　an　opposite　one　knocks　its　quota　of
wickedness　in。　I　was　often　present　at　Toby's　chastisements；　and；　even　by
the　way　in　which　he　kicked；　I　could　perceive　that　he　was　getting　worse　and
worse　every　day。　At　last　I　saw；　through　the　tears　in　my　eyes；　that　there
was　no　hope　of　the　villain　at　all；　and　one　day　when　he　had　been　cuffed
until　he　grew　so　black　in　the　face　that　one　might　have　mistaken　him　for　a
little　African；　and　no　effect　had　been　produced　beyond　that　of　making　him
wriggle　himself　into　a　fit；　I　could　stand　it　no　longer；　but　went　down　upon
my　knees　forthwith；　and；　uplifting　my　voice；　made　prophecy　of　his　ruin。

The　fact　is　that　his　precocity　in　vice　was　awful。　At　five　months　of　age　he
used　to　get　into　such　passions　that　he　was　unable　to　articulate。　At　six
months；　I　caught　him　gnawing　a　pack　of　cards。　At　seven　months　he　was　in
the　constant　habit　of　catching　and　kissing　the　female　babies。　At　eight
months　he　peremptorily　refused　to　put　his　signature　to　the　Temperance
pledge。　Thus　he　went　on　increasing　in　iniquity；　month　after　month；　until；
at　the　close　of　th