the works of edgar allan poe-5-第14章

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time；　that　it　was　〃a　singular　expression；　to　say　no　more。〃　This　remark　of
'Old　Charley's；'　too；　had　great　effect　upon　the　crowd；　and　one　of　the
party　was　heard　to　ask；　very　impressively；　〃how　it　happened　that　young　Mr。
Pennifeather　was　so　intimately　cognizant　of　all　the　circumstances
connected　with　his　wealthy　uncle's　disappearance；　as　to　feel　authorized　to
assert；　distinctly　and　unequivocally；　that　his　uncle　was　'a　murdered
man。'〃　Hereupon　some　little　squibbing　and　bickering　occurred　among　various
members　of　the　crowd；　and　especially　between　〃Old　Charley〃　and　Mr。
Pennifeather　　although　this　latter　occurrence　was；　indeed；　by　no　means　a
novelty；　for　no　good　will　had　subsisted　between　the　parties　for　the　last
three　or　four　months；　and　matters　had　even　gone　so　far　that　Mr。
Pennifeather　had　actually　knocked　down　his　uncles　friend　for　some　alleged
excess　of　liberty　that　the　latter　had　taken　in　the　uncle's　house；　of　which
the　nephew　was　an　inmate。　Upon　this　occasion　〃Old　Charley〃　is　said　to　have
behaved　with　exemplary　moderation　and　Christian　charity。　He　arose　from　the
blow；　adjusted　his　clothes；　and　made　no　attempt　at　retaliation　at　all　
merely　muttering　a　few　words　about　〃taking　summary　vengeance　at　the　first
convenient　opportunity；〃　　a　natural　and　very　justifiable　ebullition　of
anger；　which　meant　nothing；　however；　and；　beyond　doubt；　was　no　sooner
given　vent　to　than　forgotten。

However　these　matters　may　be　（which　have　no　reference　to　the　point　now　at
issue）；　it　is　quite　certain　that　the　people　of　Rattleborough；　principally
through　the　persuasion　of　Mr。　Pennifeather；　came　at　length　to　the
determination　of　dispersion　over　the　adjacent　country　in　search　of　the
missing　Mr。　Shuttleworthy。　I　say　they　came　to　this　determination　in　the
first　instance。　After　it　had　been　fully　resolved　that　a　search　should　be
made；　it　was　considered　almost　a　matter　of　course　that　the　seekers　should
disperse　　that　is　to　say；　distribute　themselves　in　parties　　for　the
more　thorough　examination　of　the　region　round　about。　I　forget；　however；　by
what　ingenious　train　of　reasoning　it　was　that　〃Old　Charley〃　finally
convinced　the　assembly　that　this　was　the　most　injudicious　plan　that　could
be　pursued。　Convince　them；　however；　he　did　　all　except　Mr。　Pennifeather；
and；　in　the　end；　it　was　arranged　that　a　search　should　be　instituted；
carefully　and　very　thoroughly；　by　the　burghers　en　masse；　〃Old　Charley〃
himself　leading　the　way。

As　for　the　matter　of　that；　there　could　have　been　no　better　pioneer　than
〃Old　Charley；〃　whom　everybody　knew　to　have　the　eye　of　a　lynx；　but；
although　he　led　them　into　all　manner　of　out…of…the…way　holes　and　corners；
by　routes　that　nobody　had　ever　suspected　of　existing　in　the　neighbourhood；
and　although　the　search　was　incessantly　kept　up　day　and　night　for　nearly　a
week；　still　no　trace　of　Mr。　Shuttleworthy　could　be　discovered。　When　I　say
no　trace；　however；　I　must　not　be　understood　to　speak　literally；　for　trace；
to　some　extent；　there　certainly　was。　The　poor　gentleman　had　been　tracked；
by　his　horses　shoes　（which　were　peculiar）；　to　a　spot　about　three　miles　to
the　east　of　the　borough；　on　the　main　road　leading　to　the　city。　Here　the
track　made　off　into　a　by…path　through　a　piece　of　woodland　　the　path
coming　out　again　into　the　main　road；　and　cutting　off　about　half　a　mile　of
the　regular　distance。　Following　the　shoe…marks　down　this　lane；　the　party
came　at　length　to　a　pool　of　stagnant　water；　half　hidden　by　the　brambles；
to　the　right　of　the　lane；　and　opposite　this　pool　all　vestige　of　the　track
was　lost　sight　of。　It　appeared；　however；　that　a　struggle　of　some　nature
had　here　taken　place；　and　it　seemed　as　if　some　large　and　heavy　body；　much
larger　and　heavier　than　a　man；　had　been　drawn　from　the　by…path　to　the
pool。　This　latter　was　carefully　dragged　twice；　but　nothing　was　found；　and
the　party　was　upon　the　point　of　going　away；　in　despair　of　coming　to　any
result；　when　Providence　suggested　to　Mr。　Goodfellow　the　expediency　of
draining　the　water　off　altogether。　This　project　was　received　with　cheers；
and　many　high　compliments　to　〃Old　Charley〃　upon　his　sagacity　and
consideration。　As　many　of　the　burghers　had　brought　spades　with　them；
supposing　that　they　might　possibly　be　called　upon　to　disinter　a　corpse；
the　drain　was　easily　and　speedily　effected；　and　no　sooner　was　the　bottom
visible；　than　right　in　the　middle　of　the　mud　that　remained　was　discovered
a　black　silk　velvet　waistcoat；　which　nearly　every　one　present　immediately
recognized　as　the　property　of　Mr。　Pennifeather。　This　waistcoat　was　much
torn　and　stained　with　blood；　and　there　were　several　persons　among　the
party　who　had　a　distinct　remembrance　of　its　having　been　worn　by　its　owner
on　the　very　morning　of　Mr。　Shuttleworthy's　departure　for　the　city；　while
there　were　others；　again；　ready　to　testify　upon　oath；　if　required；　that
Mr。　P。　did　not　wear　the　garment　in　question　at　any　period　during　the
remainder　of　that　memorable　day；　nor　could　any　one　be　found　to　say　that　he
had　seen　it　upon　Mr。　P。's　person　at　any　period　at　all　subsequent　to　Mr。
Shuttleworthy's　disappearance。

Matters　now　wore　a　very　serious　aspect　for　Mr。　Pennifeather；　and　it　was
observed；　as　an　indubitable　confirmation　of　the　suspicions　which　were
excited　against　him；　that　he　grew　exceedingly　pale；　and　when　asked　what　he
had　to　say　for　himself；　was　utterly　incapable　of　saying　a　word。　Hereupon；
the　few　friends　his　riotous　mode　of　living　had　left　him；　deserted　him　at
once　to　a　man；　and　were　even　more　clamorous　than　his　ancient　and　avowed
enemies　for　his　instantaneous　arrest。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　the
magnanimity　of　Mr。　Goodfellow　shone　forth　with　only　the　more　brilliant
lustre　through　contrast。　He　made　a　warm　and　intensely　eloquent　defence　of
Mr。　Pennifeather；　in　which　he　alluded　more　than　once　to　his　own　sincere
forgiveness　of　that　wild　young　gentleman　　〃the　heir　of　the　worthy　Mr。
Shuttleworthy；〃　　for　the　insult　which　he　（the　young　gentleman）　had；　no
doubt　in　the　heat　of　passion；　thought　proper　to　put　upon　him　（Mr。
Goodfellow）。　〃He　forgave　him　for　it；〃　he　said；　〃from　the　very　bottom　of
his　heart；　and　for　himself　（Mr。　Goodfellow）；　so　far　from　pushing　the
suspicious　circumstances　to　extremity；　which　he　was　sorry　to　say；　really
had　arisen　against　Mr。　Pennifeather；　he　（Mr。　Goodfellow）　would　make　every
exertion　in　his　power；　would　employ　all　the　little　eloquence　in　his
possession　to　　to　　to　　soften　down；　as　much　as　he　could
conscientiously　do　so；　the　worst　features　of　this　really　exceedingly
perplexing　piece　of　business。〃

Mr。　Goodfellow　went　on　for　some　half　hour　longer　in　this　strain；　very　much
to　the　credit　both　of　his　head　and　of　his　heart；　but　your　warm…hearted
people　are　seldom　apposite　in　their　observations　　they　run　into　all
sorts　of　blunders；　contre…temps　and　mal　apropos…isms；　in　the
hot…headedness　of　their　zeal　to　serve　a　friend　　thus；　often　with　the
kindest　intentions　in　the　world；　doing　infinitely　more　to　prejudice　his
cause　than　to　advance　it。

So；　in　the　present　instance；　it　turned　out　with　all　the　eloquence　of　〃Old
Charley〃；　for；　although　he　laboured　earnestly　in　behalf　of　the　suspected；
yet　it　so　happened；　somehow　or　other；　that　every　syllable　he　uttered　of
which　the　direct　but　unwitting　tendency　was　not　to　exalt　the　speaker　in
the　good　opinion　of　his　audience；　had　the　effect　to　deepen　the　suspicion
already　attached　to　the　individual　whose　cause　he　pleaded；　and　to　arouse
against　him　the　fury　of　the　mob。

One　of　the　most　unaccountable　errors　committed　by　the　orator　was　his
allusion　to　the　suspected　as　〃the　heir　of　the　worthy　old　gentleman　Mr。
Shuttleworthy。〃　The　people　had　really　never　thought　of　this　before。　They
had　only　remembered　certain　threats　of　disinheritance　uttered　a　year　or
two　previously　by　the　uncle　（who　had　no　living　relative　except　the
nephew）；　and　they　had；　therefore；　always　looked　upon　this　disinheritance
as　a　matter　that　was　settled　　so　single…minded　a　race　of　beings　were　the
Rattleburghers；　but　the　remark　of　〃Old　Charley〃　brought　them　at　once　to　a
consideration　of　this　point；　and　thus　gave　them　to　see　the　possibility　of
the　threats　having　been　nothing　more　than　a　threat。　And　straightway
hereupon；　arose　the　natural　question　of