the works of edgar allan poe-5-第8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！


vivid　yet　candid　reason　of　Leibnitz；　the　mad　and　flimsy　rhetoric　of
Gorgias。　Merely　to　breathe　was　enjoyment；　and　I　derived　positive　pleasure
even　from　many　of　the　legitimate　sources　of　pain。　I　felt　a　calm　but
inquisitive　interest　in　every　thing。　With　a　cigar　in　my　mouth　and　a
newspaper　in　my　lap；　I　had　been　amusing　myself　for　the　greater　part　of　the
afternoon；　now　in　poring　over　advertisements；　now　in　observing　the
promiscuous　company　in　the　room；　and　now　in　peering　through　the　smoky
panes　into　the　street。

This　latter　is　one　of　the　principal　thoroughfares　of　the　city；　and　had
been　very　much　crowded　during　the　whole　day。　But；　as　the　darkness　came　on；
the　throng　momently　increased；　and；　by　the　time　the　lamps　were　well
lighted；　two　dense　and　continuous　tides　of　population　were　rushing　past
the　door。　At　this　particular　period　of　the　evening　I　had　never　before　been
in　a　similar　situation；　and　the　tumultuous　sea　of　human　heads　filled　me；
therefore；　with　a　delicious　novelty　of　emotion。　I　gave　up；　at　length；　all
care　of　things　within　the　hotel；　and　became　absorbed　in　contemplation　of
the　scene　without。

At　first　my　observations　took　an　abstract　and　generalizing　turn。　I　looked
at　the　passengers　in　masses；　and　thought　of　them　in　their　aggregate
relations。　Soon；　however；　I　descended　to　details；　and　regarded　with　minute
interest　the　innumerable　varieties　of　figure；　dress；　air；　gait；　visage；
and　expression　of　countenance。

By　far　the　greater　number　of　those　who　went　by　had　a　satisfied
business…like　demeanor；　and　seemed　to　be　thinking　only　of　making　their　way
through　the　press。　Their　brows　were　knit；　and　their　eyes　rolled　quickly；
when　pushed　against　by　fellow…wayfarers　they　evinced　no　symptom　of
impatience；　but　adjusted　their　clothes　and　hurried　on。　Others；　still　a
numerous　class；　were　restless　in　their　movements；　had　flushed　faces；　and
talked　and　gesticulated　to　themselves；　as　if　feeling　in　solitude　on
account　of　the　very　denseness　of　the　company　around。　When　impeded　in　their
progress；　these　people　suddenly　ceased　muttering；　but　re…doubled　their
gesticulations；　and　awaited；　with　an　absent　and　overdone　smile　upon　the
lips；　the　course　of　the　persons　impeding　them。　If　jostled；　they　bowed
profusely　to　the　jostlers；　and　appeared　overwhelmed　with　confusion。　…
There　was　nothing　very　distinctive　about　these　two　large　classes　beyond
what　I　have　noted。　Their　habiliments　belonged　to　that　order　which　is
pointedly　termed　the　decent。　They　were　undoubtedly　noblemen；　merchants；
attorneys；　tradesmen；　stock…jobbers　…　the　Eupatrids　and　the　common…places
of　society　…　men　of　leisure　and　men　actively　engaged　in　affairs　of　their
own　…　conducting　business　upon　their　own　responsibility。　They　did　not
greatly　excite　my　attention。

The　tribe　of　clerks　was　an　obvious　one　and　here　I　discerned　two　remarkable
divisions。　There　were　the　junior　clerks　of　flash　houses　…　young　gentlemen
with　tight　coats；　bright　boots；　well…oiled　hair；　and　supercilious　lips。
Setting　aside　a　certain　dapperness　of　carriage；　which　may　be　termed
deskism　for　want　of　a　better　word；　the　manner　of　these　persons　seemed　to
me　an　exact　fac…simile　of　what　had　been　the　perfection　of　bon　ton　about
twelve　or　eighteen　months　before。　They　wore　the　cast…off　graces　of　the
gentry；　…　and　this；　I　believe；　involves　the　best　definition　of　the　class。

The　division　of　the　upper　clerks　of　staunch　firms；　or　of　the　〃steady　old
fellows；〃　it　was　not　possible　to　mistake。　These　were　known　by　their　coats
and　pantaloons　of　black　or　brown；　made　to　sit　comfortably；　with　white
cravats　and　waistcoats；　broad　solid…looking　shoes；　and　thick　hose　or
gaiters。　…　They　had　all　slightly　bald　heads；　from　which　the　right　ears；
long　used　to　pen…holding；　had　an　odd　habit　of　standing　off　on　end。　I
observed　that　they　always　removed　or　settled　their　hats　with　both　hands；
and　wore　watches；　with　short　gold　chains　of　a　substantial　and　ancient
pattern。　Theirs　was　the　affectation　of　respectability；　…　if　indeed　there
be　an　affectation　so　honorable。

There　were　many　individuals　of　dashing　appearance；　whom　I　easily
understood　as　belonging　to　the　race　of　swell　pick…pockets　with　which　all
great　cities　are　infested。　I　watched　these　gentry　with　much
inquisitiveness；　and　found　it　difficult　to　imagine　how　they　should　ever　be
mistaken　for　gentlemen　by　gentlemen　themselves。　Their　voluminousness　of
wristband；　with　an　air　of　excessive　frankness；　should　betray　them　at　once。

The　gamblers；　of　whom　I　descried　not　a　few；　were　still　more　easily
recognisable。　They　wore　every　variety　of　dress；　from　that　of　the　desperate
thimble…rig　bully；　with　velvet　waistcoat；　fancy　neckerchief；　gilt　chains；
and　filagreed　buttons；　to　that　of　the　scrupulously　inornate　clergyman；
than　which　nothing　could　be　less　liable　to　suspicion。　Still　all　were
distinguished　by　a　certain　sodden　swarthiness　of　complexion；　a　filmy
dimness　of　eye；　and　pallor　and　compression　of　lip。　There　were　two　other
traits；　moreover；　by　which　I　could　always　detect　them；　…　a　guarded　lowness
of　tone　in　conversation；　and　a　more　than　ordinary　extension　of　the　thumb
in　a　direction　at　right　angles　with　the　fingers。　…　Very　often；　in　company
with　these　sharpers；　I　observed　an　order　of　men　somewhat　different　in
habits；　but　still　birds　of　a　kindred　feather。　They　may　be　defined　as　the
gentlemen　who　live　by　their　wits。　They　seem　to　prey　upon　the　public　in　two
battalions　…　that　of　the　dandies　and　that　of　the　military　men。　Of　the
first　grade　the　leading　features　are　long　locks　and　smiles；　of　the　second
frogged　coats　and　frowns。

Descending　in　the　scale　of　what　is　termed　gentility；　I　found　darker　and
deeper　themes　for　speculation。　I　saw　Jew　pedlars；　with　hawk　eyes　flashing
from　countenances　whose　every　other　feature　wore　only　an　expression　of
abject　humility；　sturdy　professional　street　beggars　scowling　upon
mendicants　of　a　better　stamp；　whom　despair　alone　had　driven　forth　into　the
night　for　charity；　feeble　and　ghastly　invalids；　upon　whom　death　had　placed
a　sure　hand；　and　who　sidled　and　tottered　through　the　mob；　looking　every
one　beseechingly　in　the　face；　as　if　in　search　of　some　chance　consolation；
some　lost　hope；　modest　young　girls　returning　from　long　and　late　labor　to　a
cheerless　home；　and　shrinking　more　tearfully　than　indignantly　from　the
glances　of　ruffians；　whose　direct　contact；　even；　could　not　be　avoided；
women　of　the　town　of　all　kinds　and　of　all　ages　…　the　unequivocal　beauty　in
the　prime　of　her　womanhood；　putting　one　in　mind　of　the　statue　in　Lucian；
with　the　surface　of　Parian　marble；　and　the　interior　filled　with　filth　…
the　loathsome　and　utterly　lost　leper　in　rags　…　the　wrinkled；　bejewelled
and　paint…begrimed　beldame；　making　a　last　effort　at　youth　…　the　mere　child
of　immature　form；　yet；　from　long　association；　an　adept　in　the　dreadful
coquetries　of　her　trade；　and　burning　with　a　rabid　ambition　to　be　ranked
the　equal　of　her　elders　in　vice；　drunkards　innumerable　and　indescribable　…
some　in　shreds　and　patches；　reeling；　inarticulate；　with　bruised　visage　and
lack…lustre　eyes　…　some　in　whole　although　filthy　garments；　with　a　slightly
unsteady　swagger；　thick　sensual　lips；　and　hearty…looking　rubicund　faces　…
others　clothed　in　materials　which　had　once　been　good；　and　which　even　now
were　scrupulously　well　brushed　…　men　who　walked　with　a　more　than　naturally
firm　and　springy　step；　but　whose　countenances　were　fearfully　pale；　whose
eyes　hideously　wild　and　red；　and　who　clutched　with　quivering　fingers；　as
they　strode　through　the　crowd；　at　every　object　which　came　within　their
reach；　beside　these；　pie…men；　porters；　coal…　heavers；　sweeps；
organ…grinders；　monkey…exhibiters　and　ballad　mongers；　those　who　vended
with　those　who　sang；　ragged　artizans　and　exhausted　laborers　of　every
description；　and　all　full　of　a　noisy　and　inordinate　vivacity　which　jarred
discordantly　upon　the　ear；　and　gave　an　aching　sensation　to　the　eye。

As　the　night　deepened；　so　deepened　to　me　the　interest　of　the　scene；　for
not　only　did　the　general　character　of　the　crowd　materially　alter　（its
gentler　features　retiring　in　the　gradual　withdrawal　of　the　more　orderly
portion　of　the　people；　and　its　harsher　ones　coming　out　into　bolder　relief；
as　the　late　hour　brought　forth　ev