the works of edgar allan poe-5-第20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！


material　called　aimable　…　that　his　sky…blue　cloak；　resembling　in　form　a
dressing…wrapper；　and　richly　bestudded　all　over　with　crimson　devices；
floated　cavalierly　upon　his　shoulders　like　a　mist　of　the　morning　…　and
that　his　tout　ensemble　gave　rise　to　the　remarkable　words　of　Benevenuta；
the　Improvisatrice　of　Florence；　〃that　it　was　difficult　to　say　whether
Pierre　Bon…Bon　was　indeed　a　bird　of　Paradise；　or　rather　a　very　Paradise　of
perfection。〃　I　might；　I　say；　expatiate　upon　all　these　points　if　I　pleased；
…　but　I　forbear；　merely　personal　details　may　be　left　to　historical
novelists；…　they　are　beneath　the　moral　dignity　of　matter…of…fact。

　　　　I　have　said　that　〃to　enter　the　Cafe　in　the　cul…de…sac　Le　Febvre　was　to
enter　the　sanctum　of　a　man　of　genius〃　…　but　then　it　was　only　the　man　of
genius　who　could　duly　estimate　the　merits　of　the　sanctum。　A　sign；
consisting　of　a　vast　folio；　swung　before　the　entrance。　On　one　side　of　the
volume　was　painted　a　bottle；　on　the　reverse　a　pate。　On　the　back　were
visible　in　large　letters　Oeuvres　de　Bon…Bon。　Thus　was　delicately　shadowed
forth　the　two…fold　occupation　of　the　proprietor。

　　　　Upon　stepping　over　the　threshold；　the　whole　interior　of　the　building
presented　itself　to　view。　A　long；　low…pitched　room；　of　antique
construction；　was　indeed　all　the　accommodation　afforded　by　the　Cafe。　In　a
corner　of　the　apartment　stood　the　bed　of　the　metaphysician。　An　army　of
curtains；　together　with　a　canopy　a　la　Grecque；　gave　it　an　air　at　once
classic　and　comfortable。　In　the　corner　diagonary　opposite；　appeared；　in
direct　family　communion；　the　properties　of　the　kitchen　and　the
bibliotheque。　A　dish　of　polemics　stood　peacefully　upon　the　dresser。　Here
lay　an　ovenful　of　the　latest　ethics　…　there　a　kettle　of　dudecimo　melanges。
Volumes　of　German　morality　were　hand　and　glove　with　the　gridiron　…　a
toasting…fork　might　be　discovered　by　the　side　of　Eusebius　…　Plato　reclined
at　his　ease　in　the　frying…pan…　and　contemporary　manuscripts　were　filed
away　upon　the　spit。

　　　　In　other　respects　the　Cafe　de　Bon…Bon　might　be　said　to　differ　little
from　the　usual　restaurants　of　the　period。　A　fireplace　yawned　opposite　the
door。　On　the　right　of　the　fireplace　an　open　cupboard　displayed　a
formidable　array　of　labelled　bottles。

　　　　It　was　here；　about　twelve　o'clock　one　night　during　the　severe　winter
the　comments　of　his　neighbours　upon　his　singular　propensity　…　that　Pierre
Bon…Bon；　I　say；　having　turned　them　all　out　of　his　house；　locked　the　door
upon　them　with　an　oath；　and　betook　himself　in　no　very　pacific　mood　to　the
comforts　of　a　leather…bottomed　arm…chair；　and　a　fire　of　blazing　fagots。

　　　　It　was　one　of　those　terrific　nights　which　are　only　met　with　once　or
twice　during　a　century。　It　snowed　fiercely；　and　the　house　tottered　to　its
centre　with　the　floods　of　wind　that；　rushing　through　the　crannies　in　the
wall；　and　pouring　impetuously　down　the　chimney；　shook　awfully　the　curtains
of　the　philosopher's　bed；　and　disorganized　the　economy　of　his　pate…pans
and　papers。　The　huge　folio　sign　that　swung　without；　exposed　to　the　fury　of
the　tempest；　creaked　ominously；　and　gave　out　a　moaning　sound　from　its
stanchions　of　solid　oak。

　　　　It　was　in　no　placid　temper；　I　say；　that　the　metaphysician　drew　up　his
chair　to　its　customary　station　by　the　hearth。　Many　circumstances　of　a
perplexing　nature　had　occurred　during　the　day；　to　disturb　the　serenity　of
his　meditations。　In　attempting　des　oeufs　a　la　Princesse；　he　had
unfortunately　perpetrated　an　omelette　a　la　Reine；　the　discovery　of　a
principle　in　ethics　had　been　frustrated　by　the　overturning　of　a　stew；　and
last；　not　least；　he　had　been　thwarted　in　one　of　those　admirable　bargains
which　he　at　all　times　took　such　especial　delight　in　bringing　to　a
successful　termination。　But　in　the　chafing　of　his　mind　at　these
unaccountable　vicissitudes；　there　did　not　fail　to　be　mingled　some　degree
of　that　nervous　anxiety　which　the　fury　of　a　boisterous　night　is　so　well
calculated　to　produce。　Whistling　to　his　more　immediate　vicinity　the　large
black　water…dog　we　have　spoken　of　before；　and　settling　himself　uneasily　in
his　chair；　he　could　not　help　casting　a　wary　and　unquiet　eye　toward　those
distant　recesses　of　the　apartment　whose　inexorable　shadows　not　even　the
red　firelight　itself　could　more　than　partially　succeed　in　overcoming。
Having　completed　a　scrutiny　whose　exact　purpose　was　perhaps　unintelligible
to　himself；　he　drew　close　to　his　seat　a　small　table　covered　with　books　and
papers；　and　soon　became　absorbed　in　the　task　of　retouching　a　voluminous
manuscript；　intended　for　publication　on　the　morrow。

　　　　He　had　been　thus　occupied　for　some　minutes　when　〃I　am　in　no　hurry；
Monsieur　Bon…Bon；〃　suddenly　whispered　a　whining　voice　in　the　apartment。

　　　　〃The　devil！〃　ejaculated　our　hero；　starting　to　his　feet；　overturning
the　table　at　his　side；　and　staring　around　him　in　astonishment。

　　　　〃Very　true；〃　calmly　replied　the　voice。

　　　　〃Very　true！　…　what　is　very　true？　…　how　came　you　here？〃　vociferated　the
metaphysician；　as　his　eye　fell　upon　something　which　lay　stretched　at　full
length　upon　the　bed。

　　　　〃I　was　saying；〃　said　the　intruder；　without　attending　to　the
interrogatives；　…　〃I　was　saying　that　I　am　not　at　all　pushed　for　time　…
that　the　business　upon　which　I　took　the　liberty　of　calling；　is　of　no
pressing　importance　…　in　short；　that　I　can　very　well　wait　until　you　have
finished　your　Exposition。〃

　　　　〃My　Exposition！　…　there　now！　…　how　do　you　know？　…　how　came　you　to
understand　that　I　was　writing　an　Exposition？　…　good　God！〃

　　　　〃Hush！〃　replied　the　figure；　in　a　shrill　undertone；　and；　arising
quickly　from　the　bed；　he　made　a　single　step　toward　our　hero；　while　an　iron
lamp　that　depended　over…head　swung　convulsively　back　from　his　approach。

　　　　The　philosopher's　amazement　did　not　prevent　a　narrow　scrutiny　of　the
stranger's　dress　and　appearance。　The　outlines　of　his　figure；　exceedingly
lean；　but　much　above　the　common　height；　were　rendered　minutely　distinct；
by　means　of　a　faded　suit　of　black　cloth　which　fitted　tight　to　the　skin；
but　was　otherwise　cut　very　much　in　the　style　of　a　century　ago。　These
garments　had　evidently　been　intended　for　a　much　shorter　person　than　their
present　owner。　His　ankles　and　wrists　were　left　naked　for　several　inches。
In　his　shoes；　however；　a　pair　of　very　brilliant　buckles　gave　the　lie　to
the　extreme　poverty　implied　by　the　other　portions　of　his　dress。　His　head
was　bare；　and　entirely　bald；　with　the　exception　of　a　hinder　part；　from
which　depended　a　queue　of　considerable　length。　A　pair　of　green　spectacles；
with　side　glasses；　protected　his　eyes　from　the　influence　of　the　light；　and
at　the　same　time　prevented　our　hero　from　ascertaining　either　their　color
or　their　conformation。　About　the　entire　person　there　was　no　evidence　of　a
shirt；　but　a　white　cravat；　of　filthy　appearance；　was　tied　with　extreme
precision　around　the　throat　and　the　ends　hanging　down　formally　side　by
side　gave　（although　I　dare　say　unintentionally）　the　idea　of　an
ecclesiastic。　Indeed；　many　other　points　both　in　his　appearance　and
demeanor　might　have　very　well　sustained　a　conception　of　that　nature。　Over
his　left　ear；　he　carried；　after　the　fashion　of　a　modern　clerk；　an
instrument　resembling　the　stylus　of　the　ancients。　In　a　breast…pocket　of
his　coat　appeared　conspicuously　a　small　black　volume　fastened　with　clasps
of　steel。　This　book；　whether　accidentally　or　not；　was　so　turned　outwardly
from　the　person　as　to　discover　the　words　〃Rituel　Catholique〃　in　white
letters　upon　the　back。　His　entire　physiognomy　was　interestingly　saturnine
…　even　cadaverously　pale。　The　forehead　was　lofty；　and　deeply　furrowed　with
the　ridges　of　contemplation。　The　corners　of　the　mouth　were　drawn　down　into
an　expression　of　the　most　submissive　humility。　There　was　also　a　clasping
of　the　hands；　as　he　stepped　toward　our　hero　…　a　deep　sigh　…　and　altogether
a　look　of　such　utter　sanctity　as　could　not　have　failed　to　be　unequivocally
preposessing。　Every　shadow　of　anger　faded　from　the　countenance　of　the
metaphysician；　as；　having　completed　a　satisfactory　survey　of　his　visiter's
person；　he　shook　him　cordially　by　the　hand；　and　conducted　him　to　a　seat。

　　　　There　would　however　be　a　radical　error　in　attributing　this
instant