the works of edgar allan poe-5-第21章

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person；　he　shook　him　cordially　by　the　hand；　and　conducted　him　to　a　seat。

　　　　There　would　however　be　a　radical　error　in　attributing　this
instantaneous　transition　of　feeling　in　the　philosopher；　to　any　one　of
those　causes　which　might　naturally　be　supposed　to　have　had　an　influence。
Indeed；　Pierre　Bon…Bon；　from　what　I　have　been　able　to　understand　of　his
disposition；　was　of　all　men　the　least　likely　to　be　imposed　upon　by　any
speciousness　of　exterior　deportment。　It　was　impossible　that　so　accurate　an
observer　of　men　and　things　should　have　failed　to　discover；　upon　the
moment；　the　real　character　of　the　personage　who　had　thus　intruded　upon　his
hospitality。　To　say　no　more；　the　conformation　of　his　visiter's　feet　was
sufficiently　remarkable　…　he　maintained　lightly　upon　his　head　an
inordinately　tall　hat　…　there　was　a　tremulous　swelling　about　the　hinder
part　of　his　breeches　…　and　the　vibration　of　his　coat　tail　was　a　palpable
fact。　Judge；　then；　with　what　feelings　of　satisfaction　our　hero　found
himself　thrown　thus　at　once　into　the　society　of　a　person　for　whom　he　had
at　all　times　entertained　the　most　unqualified　respect。　He　was；　however；
too　much　of　the　diplomatist　to　let　escape　him　any　intimation　of　his
suspicions　in　regard　to　the　true　state　of　affairs。　It　was　not　his　cue　to
appear　at　all　conscious　of　the　high　honor　he　thus　unexpectedly　enjoyed；
but；　by　leading　his　guest　into　the　conversation；　to　elicit　some　important
ethical　ideas；　which　might；　in　obtaining　a　place　in　his　contemplated
publication；　enlighten　the　human　race；　and　at　the　same　time　immortalize
himself　…　ideas　which；　I　should　have　added；　his　visitor's　great　age；　and
well…known　proficiency　in　the　science　of　morals；　might　very　well　have
enabled　him　to　afford。

　　　　Actuated　by　these　enlightened　views；　our　hero　bade　the　gentleman　sit
down；　while　he　himself　took　occasion　to　throw　some　fagots　upon　the　fire；
and　place　upon　the　now　re…established　table　some　bottles　of　Mousseux。
Having　quickly　completed　these　operations；　he　drew　his　chair　vis…a…vis　to
his　companion's；　and　waited　until　the　latter　should　open　the　conversation。
But　plans　even　the　most　skilfully　matured　are　often　thwarted　in　the　outset
of　their　application　…　and　the　restaurateur　found　himself　nonplussed　by
the　very　first　words　of　his　visiter's　speech。

　　　　〃I　see　you　know　me；　Bon…Bon；〃　said　he；　〃ha！　ha！　ha！　…　he！　he！　he！　…
hi！　hi！　hi！　…　ho！　ho！　ho！　…　hu！　hu！　hu！〃　…　and　the　devil；　dropping　at　once
the　sanctity　of　his　demeanor；　opened　to　its　fullest　extent　a　mouth　from
ear　to　ear；　so　as　to　display　a　set　of　jagged　and　fang…like　teeth；　and；
throwing　back　his　head；　laughed　long；　loudly；　wickedly；　and　uproariously；
while　the　black　dog；　crouching　down　upon　his　haunches；　joined　lustily　in
the　chorus；　and　the　tabby　cat；　flying　off　at　a　tangent；　stood　up　on　end；
and　shrieked　in　the　farthest　corner　of　the　apartment。

　　　　Not　so　the　philosopher；　he　was　too　much　a　man　of　the　world　either　to
laugh　like　the　dog；　or　by　shrieks　to　betray　the　indecorous　trepidation　of
the　cat。　It　must　be　confessed；　he　felt　a　little　astonishment　to　see　the
white　letters　which　formed　the　words　〃Rituel　Catholique〃　on　the　book　in
his　guest's　pocket；　momently　changing　both　their　color　and　their　import；
and　in　a　few　seconds；　in　place　of　the　original　title　the　words　Regitre　des
Condamnes　blazed　forth　in　characters　of　red。　This　startling　circumstance；
when　Bon…Bon　replied　to　his　visiter's　remark；　imparted　to　his　manner　an
air　of　embarrassment　which　probably　might；　not　otherwise　have　been
observed。

　　　　〃Why　sir；〃　said　the　philosopher；　〃why　sir；　to　speak　sincerely　…　I　I
imagine　…　I　have　some　faint　…　some　very　faint　idea　…　of　the　remarkable
honor…〃

　　　　〃Oh！　…　ah！　…　yes！　…　very　well！〃　interrupted　his　Majesty；　〃say　no　more
…　I　see　how　it　is。〃　And　hereupon；　taking　off　his　green　spectacles；　he
wiped　the　glasses　carefully　with　the　sleeve　of　his　coat；　and　deposited
them　in　his　pocket。

　　　　If　Bon…Bon　had　been　astonished　at　the　incident　of　the　book；　his
amazement　was　now　much　increased　by　the　spectacle　which　here　presented
itself　to　view。　In　raising　his　eyes；　with　a　strong　feeling　of　curiosity　to
ascertain　the　color　of　his　guest's；　he　found　them　by　no　means　black；　as　he
had　anticipated　…　nor　gray；　as　might　have　been　imagined　…　nor　yet　hazel
nor　blue　…　nor　indeed　yellow　nor　red　…　nor　purple　…　nor　white　…　nor　green
…　nor　any　other　color　in　the　heavens　above；　or　in　the　earth　beneath；　or　in
the　waters　under　the　earth。　In　short；　Pierre　Bon…Bon　not　only　saw　plainly
that　his　Majesty　had　no　eyes　whatsoever；　but　could　discover　no　indications
of　their　having　existed　at　any　previous　period　…　for　the　space　where　eyes
should　naturally　have　been　was；　I　am　constrained　to　say；　simply　a　dead
level　of　flesh。

　　　　It　was　not　in　the　nature　of　the　metaphysician　to　forbear　making　some
inquiry　into　the　sources　of　so　strange　a　phenomenon；　and　the　reply　of　his
Majesty　was　at　once　prompt；　dignified；　and　satisfactory。

　　　　〃Eyes！　my　dear　Bon…Bon　…　eyes！　did　you　say？　…　oh！　…　ah！　…　I　perceive！
The　ridiculous　prints；　eh；　which　are　in；　circulation；　have　given　you　a
false　idea　of　my　personal　appearance？　Eyes！　…　true。　Eyes；　Pierre　Bon…Bon；
are　very　well　in　their　proper　place　…　that；　you　would　say；　is　the　head？　…
right　…　the　head　of　a　worm。　To　you；　likewise；　these　optics　are
indispensable　…　yet　I　will　convince　you　that　my　vision　is　more　penetrating
than　your　own。　There　is　a　cat　I　see　in　the　corner　…　a　pretty　cat…　look　at
her　…　observe　her　well。　Now；　Bon…Bon；　do　you　behold　the　thoughts　…　the
thoughts；　I　say；　…　the　ideas　…　the　reflections　…　which　are　being
engendered　in　her　pericranium？　There　it　is；　now　…　you　do　not！　She　is
thinking　we　admire　the　length　of　her　tail　and　the　profundity　of　her　mind。
She　has　just　concluded　that　I　am　the　most　distinguished　of　ecclesiastics；
and　that　you　are　the　most　superficial　of　metaphysicians。　Thus　you　see　I　am
not　altogether　blind；　but　to　one　of　my　profession；　the　eyes　you　speak　of
would　be　merely　an　incumbrance；　liable　at　any　time　to　be　put　out　by　a
toasting…iron；　or　a　pitchfork。　To　you；　I　allow；　these　optical　affairs　are
indispensable。　Endeavor；　Bon…Bon；　to　use　them　well；　…　my　vision　is　the
soul。〃

　　　　Hereupon　the　guest　helped　himself　to　the　wine　upon　the　table；　and
pouring　out　a　bumper　for　Bon…Bon；　requested　him　to　drink　it　without
scruple；　and　make　himself　perfectly　at　home。

　　　　〃A　clever　book　that　of　yours；　Pierre；〃　resumed　his　Majesty；　tapping
our　friend　knowingly　upon　the　shoulder；　as　the　latter　put　down　his　glass
after　a　thorough　compliance　with　his　visiter's　injunction。　〃A　clever　book
that　of　yours；　upon　my　honor。　It's　a　work　after　my　own　heart。　Your
arrangement　of　the　matter；　I　think；　however；　might　be　improved；　and　many
of　your　notions　remind　me　of　Aristotle。　That　philosopher　was　one　of　my
most　intimate　acquaintances。　I　liked　him　as　much　for　his　terrible　ill
temper；　as　for　his　happy　knack　at　making　a　blunder。　There　is　only　one
solid　truth　in　all　that　he　has　written；　and　for　that　I　gave　him　the　hint
out　of　pure　compassion　for　his　absurdity。　I　suppose；　Pierre　Bon…Bon；　you
very　well　know　to　what　divine　moral　truth　I　am　alluding？〃

　　　　〃Cannot　say　that　I　…〃

　　　　〃Indeed！　…　why　it　was　I　who　told　Aristotle　that　by　sneezing；　men
expelled　superfluous　ideas　through　the　proboscis。〃

〃Which　is　…　hiccup！　…　undoubtedly　the　case；〃　said　the　metaphysician；　while
he　poured　out　for　himself　another　bumper　of　Mousseux；　and　offered　his
snuff…box　to　the　fingers　of　his　visiter。

　　　　〃There　was　Plato；　too；〃　continued　his　Majesty；　modestly　declining　the
snuff…box　and　the　compliment　it　implied　…　〃there　was　Plato；　too；　for　whom
I；　at　one　time；　felt　all　the　affection　of　a　friend。　You　knew　Plato；
Bon…Bon？　…　ah；　no；　I　beg　a　thousand　pardons。　He　met　me　at　Athens；　one　day；
in　the　Parthenon；　and　told　me　he　was　distressed　for　an　idea。　I　bade　him
write；　down　that　o　nous　estin　aulos。　He　said　that　he　would　do　so；　and　went
home；　while　I　stepped　over　to　the　pyramids。　But　my　conscience　smote　me　for
having　uttered　a　truth；　even　to　aid　a　friend；　and　hastening　back　to
Athens；　I　arrived　behind　the　philosopher's　chair　as　he　was　inditing　the
'aulos。'〃

　　　　〃Giving　the　lambda　a　fillip　wit