the works of edgar allan poe-5-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


court）　was　considered　so　unbroken　and　so　thoroughly　conclusive；　that　the
jury；　without　leaving　their　seats；　returned　an　immediate　verdict　of
〃Guilty　of　murder　in　the　first　degree。〃　Soon　afterward　the　unhappy　wretch
received　sentence　of　death；　and　was　remanded　to　the　county　jail　to　await
the　inexorable　vengeance　of　the　law。

In　the　meantime；　the　noble　behavior　of　〃Old　Charley　Goodfellow；　had　doubly
endeared　him　to　the　honest　citizens　of　the　borough。　He　became　ten　times　a
greater　favorite　than　ever；　and；　as　a　natural　result　of　the　hospitality
with　which　he　was　treated；　he　relaxed；　as　it　were；　perforce；　the　extremely
parsimonious　habits　which　his　poverty　had　hitherto　impelled　him　to
observe；　and　very　frequently　had　little　reunions　at　his　own　house；　when
wit　and　jollity　reigned　supreme…dampened　a　little；　of　course；　by　the
occasional　remembrance　of　the　untoward　and　melancholy　fate　which　impended
over　the　nephew　of　the　late　lamented　bosom　friend　of　the　generous　host。

One　fine　day；　this　magnanimous　old　gentleman　was　agreeably　surprised　at
the　receipt　of　the　following　letter：…

Charles　Goodfellow；　Esq。；　Rattleborough
From　H。F。B。　&　Co。
Chat。　Mar。　A　　No。　1。　6　doz。　bottles　（1/2　Gross）

｛The　above　inscription　lies　vertically　to　the　left　of　the　following　letter
in　the　print　version　Ed。｝

_〃Charles　Goodfellow；　Esquire。_

_〃Dear　Sir　　In　conformity　with　an　order　transmitted　to　our　firm　about
two　months　since；　by　our　esteemed　correspondent；　Mr。　Barnabus
Shuttleworthy；　we　have　the　honor　of　forwarding　this　morning；　to　your
address；　a　double　box　of　Chateau…Margaux　of　the　antelope　brand；　violet
seal。　Box　numbered　and　marked　as　per　margin。_

_〃We　remain；　sir_；　_
_　　　　　　　　_〃Your　most　ob'nt　ser'ts；
_　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　_　_〃HOGGS；　FROGS；　BOGS；　&　CO。

〃City　of　；　June　21；　18。

_〃P。S。　　The　box　will　reach　you　by　wagon；　on　the　day　after　your　receipt
of　this　letter。　Our　respects　to　Mr。　Shuttleworthy。_

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃H。；　F。；　B。；　&　CO。〃

The　fact　is；　that　Mr。　Goodfellow　had；　since　the　death　of　Mr。
Shuttleworthy；　given　over　all　expectation　of　ever　receiving　the　promised
Chateau…Margaux；　and　he；　therefore；　looked　upon　it　now　as　a　sort　of
especial　dispensation　of　Providence　in　his　behalf。　He　was　highly
delighted；　of　course；　and　in　the　exuberance　of　his　joy　invited　a　large
party　of　friends　to　a　petit　souper　on　the　morrow；　for　the　purpose　of
broaching　the　good　old　Mr。　Shuttleworthy's　present。　Not　that　he　said　any
thing　about　〃the　good　old　Mr。　Shuttleworthy〃　when　he　issued　the
invitations。　The　fact　is；　he　thought　much　and　concluded　to　say　nothing　at
all。　He　did　not　mention　to　any　one　　if　I　remember　aright　　that　he　had
received　a　present　of　Chateau…Margaux。　He　merely　asked　his　friends　to　come
and　help　him　drink　some；　of　a　remarkable　fine　quality　and　rich　flavour；
that　he　had　ordered　up　from　the　city　a　couple　of　months　ago；　and　of　which
he　would　be　in　the　receipt　upon　the　morrow。　I　have　often　puzzled　myself　to
imagine　why　it　was　that　〃Old　Charley〃　came　to　the　conclusion　to　say
nothing　about　having　received　the　wine　from　his　old　friend；　but　I　could
never　precisely　understand　his　reason　for　the　silence；　although　he　had
some　excellent　and　very　magnanimous　reason；　no　doubt。

The　morrow　at　length　arrived；　and　with　it　a　very　large　and　highly
respectable　company　at　Mr。　Goodfellow's　house。　Indeed；　half　the　borough
was　there；　　I　myself　among　the　number；　　but；　much　to　the　vexation　of
the　host；　the　Chateau…Margaux　did　not　arrive　until　a　late　hour；　and　when
the　sumptuous　supper　supplied　by　〃Old　Charley〃　had　been　done　very　ample
justice　by　the　guests。　It　came　at　length；　however；　　a　monstrously　big
box　of　it　there　was；　too　　and　as　the　whole　party　were　in　excessively
good　humor；　it　was　decided；　nem。　con。；　that　it　should　be　lifted　upon　the
table　and　its　contents　disembowelled　forthwith。

No　sooner　said　than　done。　I　lent　a　helping　hand；　and；　in　a　trice　we　had
the　box　upon　the　table；　in　the　midst　of　all　the　bottles　and　glasses；　not　a
few　of　which　were　demolished　in　the　scuffle。　〃Old　Charley；〃　who　was　pretty
much　intoxicated；　and　excessively　red　in　the　face；　now　took　a　seat；　with
an　air　of　mock　dignity；　at　the　head　of　the　board；　and　thumped　furiously
upon　it　with　a　decanter；　calling　upon　the　company　to　keep　order　〃during
the　ceremony　of　disinterring　the　treasure。〃

After　some　vociferation；　quiet　was　at　length　fully　restored；　and；　as　very
often　happens　in　similar　cases；　a　profound　and　remarkable　silence　ensued。
Being　then　requested　to　force　open　the　lid；　I　complied；　of　course；　〃with
an　infinite　deal　of　pleasure。〃　I　inserted　a　chisel；　and　giving　it　a　few
slight　taps　with　a　hammer；　the　top　of　the　box　flew　suddenly　off；　and　at
the　same　instant；　there　sprang　up　into　a　sitting　position；　directly　facing
the　host；　the　bruised；　bloody；　and　nearly　putrid　corpse　of　the　murdered
Mr。　Shuttleworthy　himself。　It　gazed　for　a　few　seconds；　fixedly　and
sorrowfully；　with　its　decaying　and　lack…lustre　eyes；　full　into　the
countenance　of　Mr。　Goodfellow；　uttered　slowly；　but　clearly　and
impressively；　the　words　　〃Thou　art　the　man！〃　and　then；　falling　over　the
side　of　the　chest　as　if　thoroughly　satisfied；　stretched　out　its　limbs
quiveringly　upon　the　table。

The　scene　that　ensued　is　altogether　beyond　description。　The　rush　for　the
doors　and　windows　was　terrific；　and　many　of　the　most　robust　men　in　the
room　fainted　outright　through　sheer　horror。　But　after　the　first　wild；
shrieking　burst　of　affright；　all　eyes　were　directed　to　Mr。　Goodfellow。　If
I　live　a　thousand　years；　I　can　never　forget　the　more　than　mortal　agony
which　was　depicted　in　that　ghastly　face　of　his；　so　lately　rubicund　with
triumph　and　wine。　For　several　minutes　he　sat　rigidly　as　a　statue　of
marble；　his　eyes　seeming；　in　the　intense　vacancy　of　their　gaze；　to　be
turned　inward　and　absorbed　in　the　contemplation　of　his　own　miserable；
murderous　soul。　At　length　their　expression　appeared　to　flash　suddenly　out
into　the　external　world；　when；　with　a　quick　leap；　he　sprang　from　his
chair；　and　falling　heavily　with　his　head　and　shoulders　upon　the　table；　and
in　contact　with　the　corpse；　poured　out　rapidly　and　vehemently　a　detailed
confession　of　the　hideous　crime　for　which　Mr。　Pennifeather　was　then
imprisoned　and　doomed　to　die。

What　he　recounted　was　in　substance　this：　　He　followed　his　victim　to　the
vicinity　of　the　pool；　there　shot　his　horse　with　a　pistol；　despatched　its
rider　with　the　butt　end；　possessed　himself　of　the　pocket…book；　and；
supposing　the　horse　dead；　dragged　it　with　great　labour　to　the　brambles　by
the　pond。　Upon　his　own　beast　he　slung　the　corpse　of　Mr。　Shuttleworthy；　and
thus　bore　it　to　a　secure　place　of　concealment　a　long　distance　off　through
the　woods。

The　waistcoat；　the　knife；　the　pocket…book；　and　bullet；　had　been　placed　by
himself　where　found；　with　the　view　of　avenging　himself　upon　Mr。
Pennifeather。　He　had　also　contrived　the　discovery　of　the　stained
handkerchief　and　shirt。

Towards　the　end　of　the　blood…churning　recital　the　words　of　the　guilty
wretch　faltered　and　grew　hollow。　When　the　record　was　finally　exhausted；　he
arose；　staggered　backward　from　the　table；　and　fell…dead。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The　means　by　which　this　happily…timed　confession　was　extorted；　although
efficient；　were　simple　indeed。　Mr。　Goodfellow's　excess　of　frankness　had
disgusted　me；　and　excited　my　suspicions　from　the　first。　I　was　present　when
Mr。　Pennifeather　had　struck　him；　and　the　fiendish　expression　which　then
arose　upon　his　countenance；　although　momentary；　assured　me　that　his　threat
of　vengeance　would；　if　possible；　be　rigidly　fulfilled。　I　was　thus　prepared
to　view　the　manoeuvering　of　〃Old　Charley〃　in　a　very　different　light　from
that　in　which　it　was　regarded　by　the　good　citizens　of　Rattleborough。　I　saw
at　once　that　all　the　criminating　discoveries　arose；　either　directly　or
indirectly；　from　himself。　But　the　fact　which　clearly　opened　my　eyes　to　the
true　state　of　the　case；　was　the　affair　of　the　bullet；　found　by　Mr。　G。　in
the　carcass　of　the　horse。　I　had　not　forgotten；　although　the　Rattleburghers
had；　that　there　was　a　hole　where　the　ball　had　entered　the　horse；　and
another　where　it　went　out。　If　it　were　found　in　the　animal　then；　after
having　made　its　exit；　I　sa