the works of edgar allan poe-5-第25章

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we　all　meant。

Mr。　Gliddon　replied　at　great　length；　in　phonetics；　and　but　for　the
deficiency　of　American　printing…offices　in　hieroglyphical　type；　it　would
afford　me　much　pleasure　to　record　here；　in　the　original；　the　whole　of　his
very　excellent　speech。

I　may　as　well　take　this　occasion　to　remark；　that　all　the　subsequent
conversation　in　which　the　Mummy　took　a　part；　was　carried　on　in　primitive
Egyptian；　through　the　medium　（so　far　as　concerned　myself　and　other
untravelled　members　of　the　company）　　through　the　medium；　I　say；　of
Messieurs　Gliddon　and　Buckingham；　as　interpreters。　These　gentlemen　spoke
the　mother　tongue　of　the　Mummy　with　inimitable　fluency　and　grace；　but　I
could　not　help　observing　that　（owing；　no　doubt；　to　the　introduction　of
images　entirely　modern；　and；　of　course；　entirely　novel　to　the　stranger）
the　two　travellers　were　reduced；　occasionally；　to　the　employment　of
sensible　forms　for　the　purpose　of　conveying　a　particular　meaning。　Mr。
Gliddon；　at　one　period；　for　example；　could　not　make　the　Egyptian
comprehend　the　term　〃politics；〃　until　he　sketched　upon　the　wall；　with　a
bit　of　charcoal　a　little　carbuncle…nosed　gentleman；　out　at　elbows；
standing　upon　a　stump；　with　his　left　leg　drawn　back；　right　arm　thrown
forward；　with　his　fist　shut；　the　eyes　rolled　up　toward　Heaven；　and　the
mouth　open　at　an　angle　of　ninety　degrees。　Just　in　the　same　way　Mr。
Buckingham　failed　to　convey　the　absolutely　modern　idea　〃wig；〃　until　（at
Doctor　Ponnonner's　suggestion）　he　grew　very　pale　in　the　face；　and
consented　to　take　off　his　own。

It　will　be　readily　understood　that　Mr。　Gliddon's　discourse　turned　chiefly
upon　the　vast　benefits　accruing　to　science　from　the　unrolling　and
disembowelling　of　mummies；　apologizing；　upon　this　score；　for　any
disturbance　that　might　have　been　occasioned　him；　in　particular；　the
individual　Mummy　called　Allamistakeo；　and　concluding　with　a　mere　hint　（for
it　could　scarcely　be　considered　more）　that；　as　these　little　matters　were
now　explained；　it　might　be　as　well　to　proceed　with　the　investigation
intended。　Here　Doctor　Ponnonner　made　ready　his　instruments。

In　regard　to　the　latter　suggestions　of　the　orator；　it　appears　that
Allamistakeo　had　certain　scruples　of　conscience；　the　nature　of　which　I　did
not　distinctly　learn；　but　he　expressed　himself　satisfied　with　the
apologies　tendered；　and；　getting　down　from　the　table；　shook　hands　with　the
company　all　round。

When　this　ceremony　was　at　an　end；　we　immediately　busied　ourselves　in
repairing　the　damages　which　our　subject　had　sustained　from　the　scalpel。　We
sewed　up　the　wound　in　his　temple；　bandaged　his　foot；　and　applied　a　square
inch　of　black　plaster　to　the　tip　of　his　nose。

It　was　now　observed　that　the　Count　（this　was　the　title；　it　seems；　of
Allamistakeo）　had　a　slight　fit　of　shivering　　no　doubt　from　the　cold。　The
Doctor　immediately　repaired　to　his　wardrobe；　and　soon　returned　with　a
black　dress　coat；　made　in　Jennings'　best　manner；　a　pair　of　sky…blue　plaid
pantaloons　with　straps；　a　pink　gingham　chemise；　a　flapped　vest　of　brocade；
a　white　sack　overcoat；　a　walking　cane　with　a　hook；　a　hat　with　no　brim；
patent…leather　boots；　straw…colored　kid　gloves；　an　eye…glass；　a　pair　of
whiskers；　and　a　waterfall　cravat。　Owing　to　the　disparity　of　size　between
the　Count　and　the　doctor　（the　proportion　being　as　two　to　one）；　there　was
some　little　difficulty　in　adjusting　these　habiliments　upon　the　person　of
the　Egyptian；　but　when　all　was　arranged；　he　might　have　been　said　to　be
dressed。　Mr。　Gliddon；　therefore；　gave　him　his　arm；　and　led　him　to　a
comfortable　chair　by　the　fire；　while　the　Doctor　rang　the　bell　upon　the
spot　and　ordered　a　supply　of　cigars　and　wine。

The　conversation　soon　grew　animated。　Much　curiosity　was；　of　course；
expressed　in　regard　to　the　somewhat　remarkable　fact　of　Allamistakeo's
still　remaining　alive。

〃I　should　have　thought；〃　observed　Mr。　Buckingham；　〃that　it　is　high　time
you　were　dead。〃

〃Why；〃　replied　the　Count；　very　much　astonished；　〃I　am　little　more　than
seven　hundred　years　old！　My　father　lived　a　thousand；　and　was　by　no　means
in　his　dotage　when　he　died。〃

Here　ensued　a　brisk　series　of　questions　and　computations；　by　means　of
which　it　became　evident　that　the　antiquity　of　the　Mummy　had　been　grossly
misjudged。　It　had　been　five　thousand　and　fifty　years　and　some　months　since
he　had　been　consigned　to　the　catacombs　at　Eleithias。

〃But　my　remark；〃　resumed　Mr。　Buckingham；　〃had　no　reference　to　your　age　at
the　period　of　interment　（I　am　willing　to　grant；　in　fact；　that　you　are
still　a　young　man）；　and　my　illusion　was　to　the　immensity　of　time　during
which；　by　your　own　showing；　you　must　have　been　done　up　in　asphaltum。〃

〃In　what？〃　said　the　Count。

〃In　asphaltum；〃　persisted　Mr。　B。

〃Ah；　yes；　I　have　some　faint　notion　of　what　you　mean；　it　might　be　made　to
answer；　no　doubt　　but　in　my　time　we　employed　scarcely　any　thing　else
than　the　Bichloride　of　Mercury。〃

〃But　what　we　are　especially　at　a　loss　to　understand；〃　said　Doctor
Ponnonner；　〃is　how　it　happens　that；　having　been　dead　and　buried　in　Egypt
five　thousand　years　ago；　you　are　here　to…day　all　alive　and　looking　so
delightfully　well。〃

〃Had　I　been；　as　you　say；　dead；〃　replied　the　Count；　〃it　is　more　than
probable　that　dead；　I　should　still　be；　for　I　perceive　you　are　yet　in　the
infancy　of　Calvanism；　and　cannot　accomplish　with　it　what　was　a　common
thing　among　us　in　the　old　days。　But　the　fact　is；　I　fell　into　catalepsy；
and　it　was　considered　by　my　best　friends　that　I　was　either　dead　or　should
be；　they　accordingly　embalmed　me　at　once　　I　presume　you　are　aware　of　the
chief　principle　of　the　embalming　process？〃

〃Why　not　altogether。〃

〃Why；　I　perceive　　a　deplorable　condition　of　ignorance！　Well　I　cannot
enter　into　details　just　now：　but　it　is　necessary　to　explain　that　to　embalm
（properly　speaking）；　in　Egypt；　was　to　arrest　indefinitely　all　the　animal
functions　subjected　to　the　process。　I　use　the　word　'animal'　in　its　widest
sense；　as　including　the　physical　not　more　than　the　moral　and　vital　being。
I　repeat　that　the　leading　principle　of　embalmment　consisted；　with　us；　in
the　immediately　arresting；　and　holding　in　perpetual　abeyance；　all　the
animal　functions　subjected　to　the　process。　To　be　brief；　in　whatever
condition　the　individual　was；　at　the　period　of　embalmment；　in　that
condition　he　remained。　Now；　as　it　is　my　good　fortune　to　be　of　the　blood　of
the　Scarabaeus；　I　was　embalmed　alive；　as　you　see　me　at　present。〃

〃The　blood　of　the　Scarabaeus！〃　exclaimed　Doctor　Ponnonner。

〃Yes。　The　Scarabaeus　was　the　insignium　or　the　'arms；'　of　a　very
distinguished　and　very　rare　patrician　family。　To　be　'of　the　blood　of　the
Scarabaeus；'　is　merely　to　be　one　of　that　family　of　which　the　Scarabaeus　is
the　insignium。　I　speak　figuratively。〃

〃But　what　has　this　to　do　with　you　being　alive？〃

〃Why；　it　is　the　general　custom　in　Egypt　to　deprive　a　corpse；　before
embalmment；　of　its　bowels　and　brains；　the　race　of　the　Scarabaei　alone　did
not　coincide　with　the　custom。　Had　I　not　been　a　Scarabeus；　therefore；　I
should　have　been　without　bowels　and　brains；　and　without　either　it　is
inconvenient　to　live。〃

〃I　perceive　that；〃　said　Mr。　Buckingham；　〃and　I　presume　that　all　the　entire
mummies　that　come　to　hand　are　of　the　race　of　Scarabaei。〃

〃Beyond　doubt。〃

〃I　thought；〃　said　Mr。　Gliddon；　very　meekly；　〃that　the　Scarabaeus　was　one
of　the　Egyptian　gods。〃

〃One　of　the　Egyptian　_what？〃_　exclaimed　the　Mummy；　starting　to　its　feet。

〃Gods！〃　repeated　the　traveller。

〃Mr。　Gliddon；　I　really　am　astonished　to　hear　you　talk　in　this　style；〃　said
the　Count；　resuming　his　chair。　〃No　nation　upon　the　face　of　the　earth　has
ever　acknowledged　more　than　one　god。　The　Scarabaeus；　the　Ibis；　etc。；　were
with　us　（as　similar　creatures　have　been　with　others）　the　symbols；　or
media；　through　which　we　offered　worship　to　the　Creator　too　august　to　be
more　directly　approached。〃

There　was　here　a　pause。　At　length　the　colloquy　was　renewed　by　Doctor
Ponnonner。

〃It　is　not　improbable；　then；　from　what　you　have　explained；〃　said　he；　〃that
among　the　catacombs　near　the　Nile　there　may　exist　other　mummies　of　the
Scarabaeus　tribe；　in　a　condition　of　vitality？〃

〃There　can　be　no　question　of　it；〃　replied　the　Count；　〃all　the　Scarabaei
embalm