the works of edgar allan poe-5-第9章

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as　the　late　hour　brought　forth　every　species　of　infamy　from　its　den；）　but
the　rays　of　the　gas…lamps；　feeble　at　first　in　their　struggle　with　the
dying　day；　had　now　at　length　gained　ascendancy；　and　threw　over　every　thing
a　fitful　and　garish　lustre。　All　was　dark　yet　splendid　…　as　that　ebony　to
which　has　been　likened　the　style　of　Tertullian。

The　wild　effects　of　the　light　enchained　me　to　an　examination　of　individual
faces；　and　although　the　rapidity　with　which　the　world　of　light　flitted
before　the　window；　prevented　me　from　casting　more　than　a　glance　upon　each
visage；　still　it　seemed　that；　in　my　then　peculiar　mental　state；　I　could
frequently　read；　even　in　that　brief　interval　of　a　glance；　the　history　of
long　years。

With　my　brow　to　the　glass；　I　was　thus　occupied　in　scrutinizing　the　mob；
when　suddenly　there　came　into　view　a　countenance　（that　of　a　decrepid　old
man；　some　sixty…five　or　seventy　years　of　age；）　…　a　countenance　which　at
once　arrested　and　absorbed　my　whole　attention；　on　account　of　the　absolute
idiosyncrasy　of　its　expression。　Any　thing　even　remotely　resembling　that
expression　I　had　never　seen　before。　I　well　remember　that　my　first　thought；
upon　beholding　it；　was　that　Retzch；　had　he　viewed　it；　would　have　greatly
preferred　it　to　his　own　pictural　incarnations　of　the　fiend。　As　I
endeavored；　during　the　brief　minute　of　my　original　survey；　to　form　some
analysis　of　the　meaning　conveyed；　there　arose　confusedly　and　paradoxically
within　my　mind；　the　ideas　of　vast　mental　power；　of　caution；　of
penuriousness；　of　avarice；　of　coolness；　of　malice；　of　blood　thirstiness；
of　triumph；　of　merriment；　of　excessive　terror；　of　intense　…　of　supreme
despair。　I　felt　singularly　aroused；　startled；　fascinated。　〃How　wild　a
history；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃is　written　within　that　bosom！〃　Then　came　a
craving　desire　to　keep　the　man　in　view　…　to　know　more　of　him。　Hurriedly
putting　on　an　overcoat；　and　seizing　my　hat　and　cane；　I　made　my　way　into
the　street；　and　pushed　through　the　crowd　in　the　direction　which　I　had　seen
him　take；　for　he　had　already　disappeared。　With　some　little　difficulty　I　at
length　came　within　sight　of　him；　approached；　and　followed　him　closely；　yet
cautiously；　so　as　not　to　attract　his　attention。

I　had　now　a　good　opportunity　of　examining　his　person。　He　was　short　in
stature；　very　thin；　and　apparently　very　feeble。　His　clothes；　generally；
were　filthy　and　ragged；　but　as　he　came；　now　and　then；　within　the　strong
glare　of　a　lamp；　I　perceived　that　his　linen；　although　dirty；　was　of
beautiful　texture；　and　my　vision　deceived　me；　or；　through　a　rent　in　a
closely…buttoned　and　evidently　second…handed　roquelaire　which　enveloped
him；　I　caught　a　glimpse　both　of　a　diamond　and　of　a　dagger。　These
observations　heightened　my　curiosity；　and　I　resolved　to　follow　the
stranger　whithersoever　he　should　go。

It　was　now　fully　night…fall；　and　a　thick　humid　fog　hung　over　the　city；
soon　ending　in　a　settled　and　heavy　rain。　This　change　of　weather　had　an　odd
effect　upon　the　crowd；　the　whole　of　which　was　at　once　put　into　new
commotion；　and　overshadowed　by　a　world　of　umbrellas。　The　waver；　the
jostle；　and　the　hum　increased　in　a　tenfold　degree。　For　my　own　part　I　did
not　much　regard　the　rain　…　the　lurking　of　an　old　fever　in　my　system
rendering　the　moisture　somewhat　too　dangerously　pleasant。　Tying　a
handkerchief　about　my　mouth；　I　kept　on。　For　half　an　hour　the　old　man　held
his　way　with　difficulty　along　the　great　thoroughfare；　and　I　here　walked
close　at　his　elbow　through　fear　of　losing　sight　of　him。　Never　once　turning
his　head　to　look　back；　he　did　not　observe　me。　By　and　bye　he　passed　into　a
cross　street；　which；　although　densely　filled　with　people；　was　not　quite　so
much　thronged　as　the　main　one　he　had　quitted。　Here　a　change　in　his
demeanor　became　evident。　He　walked　more　slowly　and　with　less　object　than
before　…　more　hesitatingly。　He　crossed　and　re…crossed　the　way　repeatedly
without　apparent　aim；　and　the　press　was　still　so　thick　that；　at　every　such
movement；　I　was　obliged　to　follow　him　closely。　The　street　was　a　narrow　and
long　one；　and　his　course　lay　within　it　for　nearly　an　hour；　during　which
the　passengers　had　gradually　diminished　to　about　that　number　which　is
ordinarily　seen　at　noon　in　Broadway　near　the　Park　…　so　vast　a　difference
is　there　between　a　London　populace　and　that　of　the　most　frequented
American　city。　A　second　turn　brought　us　into　a　square；　brilliantly
lighted；　and　overflowing　with　life。　The　old　manner　of　the　stranger
re…appeared。　His　chin　fell　upon　his　breast；　while　his　eyes　rolled　wildly
from　under　his　knit　brows；　in　every　direction；　upon　those　who　hemmed　him
in。　He　urged　his　way　steadily　and　perseveringly。　I　was　surprised；　however；
to　find；　upon　his　having　made　the　circuit　of　the　square；　that　he　turned
and　retraced　his　steps。　Still　more　was　I　astonished　to　see　him　repeat　the
same　walk　several　times　　once　nearly　detecting　me　as　he　came　round　with
a　sudden　movement。

In　this　exercise　he　spent　another　hour；　at　the　end　of　which　we　met　with
far　less　interruption　from　passengers　than　at　first。　The　rain　fell　fast；
the　air　grew　cool；　and　the　people　were　retiring　to　their　homes。　With　a
gesture　of　impatience；　the　wanderer　passed　into　a　bye…street　comparatively
deserted。　Down　this；　some　quarter　of　a　mile　long；　he　rushed　with　an
activity　I　could　not　have　dreamed　of　seeing　in　one　so　aged；　and　which　put
me　to　much　trouble　in　pursuit。　A　few　minutes　brought　us　to　a　large　and
busy　bazaar；　with　the　localities　of　which　the　stranger　appeared　well
acquainted；　and　where　his　original　demeanor　again　became　apparent；　as　he
forced　his　way　to　and　fro；　without　aim；　among　the　host　of　buyers　and
sellers。

During　the　hour　and　a　half；　or　thereabouts；　which　we　passed　in　this　place；
it　required　much　caution　on　my　part　to　keep　him　within　reach　without
attracting　his　observation。　Luckily　I　wore　a　pair　of　caoutchouc
over…shoes；　and　could　move　about　in　perfect　silence。　At　no　moment　did　he
see　that　I　watched　him。　He　entered　shop　after　shop；　priced　nothing；　spoke
no　word；　and　looked　at　all　objects　with　a　wild　and　vacant　stare。　I　was　now
utterly　amazed　at　his　behavior；　and　firmly　resolved　that　we　should　not
part　until　I　had　satisfied　myself　in　some　measure　respecting　him。

A　loud…toned　clock　struck　eleven；　and　the　company　were　fast　deserting　the
bazaar。　A　shop…keeper；　in　putting　up　a　shutter；　jostled　the　old　man；　and
at　the　instant　I　saw　a　strong　shudder　come　over　his　frame。　He　hurried　into
the　street；　looked　anxiously　around　him　for　an　instant；　and　then　ran　with
incredible　swiftness　through　many　crooked　and　people…less　lanes；　until　we
emerged　once　more　upon　the　great　thoroughfare　whence　we　had　started　　the
street　of　the　D　Hotel。　It　no　longer　wore；　however；　the　same　aspect。　It
was　still　brilliant　with　gas；　but　the　rain　fell　fiercely；　and　there　were
few　persons　to　be　seen。　The　stranger　grew　pale。　He　walked　moodily　some
paces　up　the　once　populous　avenue；　then；　with　a　heavy　sigh；　turned　in　the
direction　of　the　river；　and；　plunging　through　a　great　variety　of　devious
ways；　came　out；　at　length；　in　view　of　one　of　the　principal　theatres。　It
was　about　being　closed；　and　the　audience　were　thronging　from　the　doors。　I
saw　the　old　man　gasp　as　if　for　breath　while　he　threw　himself　amid　the
crowd；　but　I　thought　that　the　intense　agony　of　his　countenance　had；　in
some　measure；　abated。　His　head　again　fell　upon　his　breast；　he　appeared　as
I　had　seen　him　at　first。　I　observed　that　he　now　took　the　course　in　which
had　gone　the　greater　number　of　the　audience　…　but；　upon　the　whole；　I　was
at　a　loss　to　comprehend　the　waywardness　of　his　actions。

As　he　proceeded；　the　company　grew　more　scattered；　and　his　old　uneasiness
and　vacillation　were　resumed。　For　some　time　he　followed　closely　a　party　of
some　ten　or　twelve　roisterers；　but　from　this　number　one　by　one　dropped
off；　until　three　only　remained　together；　in　a　narrow　and　gloomy　lane
little　frequented。　The　stranger　paused；　and；　for　a　moment；　seemed　lost　in
thought；　then；　with　every　mark　of　agitation；　pursued　rapidly　a　route　which
brought　us　to　the　verge　of　the　city；　amid　regions　very　different　from
those　we　had　hitherto　traversed。　It　was　the　most　noisome　quarter　of
London；　where　every　thing　wore