memoirs of carwin the biloquist-第4部分

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In　the　Cowslips　bell　I　lie；　On　the　Bat's　back　I　do　fly　。　。　。　After　summer　merrily；　&c。


Their　hearts　palpitated　as　they　listened：　　they　gazed　at　each　other　for　a　solution　of　the　mystery。　　At　length　the　strain　died　away　at　distance；　and　an　interval　of　silence　was　succeded　by　an　earnest　discussion　of　the　cause　of　this　prodigy。　　One　supposition　only　could　be　adopted；　which　was；　that　the　strain　was　uttered　by　human　organs。　　That　the　songster　was　stationed　on　the　roof　of　the　arbour；　and　having　finished　his　melody　had　risen　into　the　viewless　fields　of　air。

I　had　been　invited　to　spend　a　week　at　this　house：　　this　period　was　nearly　expired　when　I　received　information　that　my　aunt　was　suddenly　taken　sick；　and　that　her　life　was　in　imminent　danger。　　I　immediately　set　out　on　my　return　to　the　city；　but　before　my　arrival　she　was　dead。

This　lady　was　entitled　to　my　gratitude　and　esteem；　I　had　received　the　most　essential　benefits　at　her　hand。　　I　was　not　destitute　of　sensibility；　and　was　deeply　affected　by　this　event：　I　will　own；　however；　that　my　grief　was　lessened　by　reflecting　on　the　consequences　of　her　death；　with　regard　to　my　own　condition。　　I　had　been　ever　taught　to　consider　myself　as　her　heir；　and　her　death；　therefore；　would　free　me　from　certain　restraints。

My　aunt　had　a　female　servant；　who　had　lived　with　her　for　twenty　years：　　she　was　married；　but　her　husband；　who　was　an　artizan；　lived　apart　from　her：　　I　had　no　reason　to　suspect　the　woman's　sincerity　and　disinterestedness；　but　my　aunt　was　no　sooner　consigned　to　the　grave　than　a　will　was　produced；　in　which　Dorothy　was　named　her　sole　and　universal　heir。

It　was　in　vain　to　urge　my　expectations　and　my　claims　。　。　。　。　the　instrument　was　legibly　and　legally　drawn　up　。　。　。　。　　Dorothy　was　exasperated　by　my　opposition　and　surmises；　and　vigorously　enforced　her　title。　　In　a　week　after　the　decease　of　my　kinswoman；　I　was　obliged　to　seek　a　new　dwelling。　　As　all　my　property　consisted　in　my　cloths　and　my　papers；　this　was　easily　done。

My　condition　was　now　calamitous　and　forlorn。　　Confiding　in　the　acquisition　of　my　aunt's　patrimony；　I　had　made　no　other　provision　for　the　future；　I　hated　manual　labour；　or　any　task　of　which　the　object　was　gain。　　To　be　guided　in　my　choice　of　occupations　by　any　motive　but　the　pleasure　which　the　occupation　was　qualified　to　produce；　was　intolerable　to　my　proud；　indolent；　and　restive　temper。

This　resource　was　now　cut　off；　the　means　of　immediate　subsistence　were　denied　me：　　If　I　had　determined　to　acquire　the　knowledge　of　some　lucrative　art；　the　acquisition　would　demand　time；　and；　meanwhile；　I　was　absolutely　destitute　of　support。　　My　father's　house　was；　indeed；　open　to　me；　but　I　preferred　to　stifle　myself　with　the　filth　of　the　kennel；　rather　than　to　return　to　it。

Some　plan　it　was　immediately　necessary　to　adopt。　　The　exigence　of　my　affairs；　and　this　reverse　of　fortune；　continually　occupied　my　thoughts；　I　estranged　myself　from　society　and　from　books；　and　devoted　myself　to　lonely　walks　and　mournful　meditation。

One　morning　as　I　ranged　along　the　bank　of　Schuylkill；　I　encountered　a　person；　by　name　Ludloe；　of　whom　I　had　some　previous　knowledge。　　He　was　from　Ireland；　was　a　man　of　some　rank　and　apparently　rich：　　I　had　met　with　him　before；　but　in　mixed　companies；　where　little　direct　intercourse　had　taken　place　between　us。　　Our　last　meeting　was　in　the　arbour　where　Ariel　was　so　unexpectedly　introduced。

Our　acquaintance　merely　justified　a　transient　salutation；　but　he　did　not　content　himself　with　noticing　me　as　I　passed；　but　joined　me　in　my　walk　and　entered　into　conversation。　　It　was　easy　to　advert　to　the　occasion　on　which　we　had　last　met；　and　to　the　mysterious　incident　which　then　occurred。　　I　was　solicitous　to　dive　into　his　thoughts　upon　this　head　and　put　some　questions　which　tended　to　the　point　that　I　wished。

I　was　somewhat　startled　when　he　expressed　his　belief；　that　the　performer　of　this　mystic　strain　was　one　of　the　company　then　present；　who　exerted；　for　this　end；　a　faculty　not　commonly　possessed。　　Who　this　person　was　he　did　not　venture　to　guess；　and　could　not　discover；　by　the　tokens　which　he　suffered　to　appear；　that　his　suspicions　glanced　at　me。　　He　expatiated　with　great　profoundness　and　fertility　of　ideas；　on　the　uses　to　which　a　faculty　like　this　might　be　employed。　　No　more　powerful　engine；　he　said；　could　be　conceived；　by　which　the　ignorant　and　credulous　might　be　moulded　to　our　purposes；　managed　by　a　man　of　ordinary　talents；　it　would　open　for　him　the　straightest　and　surest　avenues　to　wealth　and　power。

His　remarks　excited　in　my　mind　a　new　strain　of　thoughts。　　I　had　not　hitherto　considered　the　subject　in　this　light；　though　vague　ideas　of　the　importance　of　this　art　could　not　fail　to　be　occasionally　suggested：　　I　ventured　to　inquire　into　his　ideas　of　the　mode；　in　which　an　art　like　this　could　be　employed；　so　as　to　effect　the　purposes　he　mentioned。

He　dealt　chiefly　in　general　representations。　　Men；　he　said；　believed　in　the　existence　and　energy　of　invisible　powers；　and　in　the　duty　of　discovering　and　conforming　to　their　will。　　This　will　was　supposed　to　be　sometimes　made　known　to　them　through　the　medium　of　their　senses。　　A　voice　coming　from　a　quarter　where　no　attendant　form　could　be　seen　would；　in　most　cases；　be　ascribed　to　supernal　agency；　and　a　command　imposed　on　them；　in　this　manner；　would　be　obeyed　with　religious　scrupulousness。　　Thus　men　might　be　imperiously　directed　in　the　disposal　of　their　industry；　their　property；　and　even　of　their　lives。　　Men；　actuated　by　a　mistaken　sense　of　duty；　might；　under　this　influence；　be　led　to　the　commission　of　the　most　flagitious；　as　well　as　the　most　heroic　acts：　If　it　were　his　desire　to　accumulate　wealth；　or　institute　a　new　sect；　he　should　need　no　other　instrument。

I　listened　to　this　kind　of　discourse　with　great　avidity；　and　regretted　when　he　thought　proper　to　introduce　new　topics。　　He　ended　by　requesting　me　to　visit　him；　which　I　eagerly　consented　to　do。　When　left　alone；　my　imagination　was　filled　with　the　images　suggested　by　this　conversation。　　The　hopelessness　of　better　fortune；　which　I　had　lately　harboured；　now　gave　place　to　cheering　confidence。　　Those　motives　of　rectitude　which　should　deter　me　from　this　species　of　imposture；　had　never　been　vivid　or　stable；　and　were　still　more　weakened　by　the　artifices　of　which　I　had　already　been　guilty。　　The　utility　or　harmlessness　of　the　end；　justified；　in　my　eyes；　the　means。

No　event　had　been　more　unexpected；　by　me；　than　the　bequest　of　my　aunt　to　her　servant。　　The　will；　under　which　the　latter　claimed；　was　dated　prior　to　my　coming　to　the　city。　　I　was　not　surprised；　therefore；　that　it　had　once　been　made；　but　merely　that　it　had　never　been　cancelled　or　superseded　by　a　later　instrument。　　My　wishes　inclined　me　to　suspect　the　existence　of　a　later　will；　but　I　had　conceived　that；　to　ascertain　its　existence；　was　beyond　my　power。

Now；　however；　a　different　opinion　began　to　be　entertained。　This　woman　like　those　of　her　sex　and　class　was　unlettered　and　superstitious。　　Her　faith　in　spells　and　apparitions；　was　of　the　most　lively　kind。　　Could　not　her　conscience　be　awakened　by　a　voice　from　the　grave！　　Lonely　and　at　midnight；　my　aunt　might　be　introduced；　upbraiding　her　for　her　injustice；　and　commanding　her　to　attone　for　it　by　acknowledging　the　claim　of　the　rightful　proprietor。

True　it　was；　that　no　subsequent　will　might　exist；　but　this　was　the　fruit　of　mistake；　or　of　negligence。　　She　probably　intended　to　cancel　the　old　one；　but　this　act　might；　by　her　own　weakness；　or　by　the　artifices　of　her　servant；　be　delayed　till　death　had　put　it　out　of　her　power。　　In　either　case　a　mandate　from　the　dead　could　scarcely　fail　of　being　obeyed。

I　considered　this　woman　as　the　usurper　of　my　property。　　Her　husband　as　well　as　herself；　were　laborious　and　covetous；　their　good　fortune　had　made　no　change　in　their　mode　of　living；　but　they　were　as　frugal　and　as　eager　to　accumulate　as　ever。　　In　their　hands；　money　was　inert　and　sterile；　or　it　served　to　foster　their　vices。　To　take　it　from　them　would；　therefore；　be　a　benefit　both　to　them　and　to　myself；　not　even　an　imaginary　injury　would　be　inflicted。　Restitution；　if　legally　compelled　to　it；　would　be　reluctant　and　painful；　but　if　enjoined　by　Heaven　would　be　voluntary；　and　the　performance　of　a　seeming　duty　would　carry　with　it；　its　own　reward。

These　reasonings；　aided　by　inclination；　were　sufficient　to　determine　me。　　I　have　no　doubt　but　their　fallacy　would　have　been　detected　in　the　sequel；　and　my　scheme　have　been　productive　of　nothing　but　confusion　and　remorse。　　From　these　consequences；　however；　my　fate　interposed；　as　in　the　former　instance；　to　save　me。

Having　formed　my　resolution；　many　preliminaries　to　its　execution　were　necessary　to　be　settled。　　These　demanded　deliberation　and　delay；　meanwhile　I　recollected　my　promise　to　Ludlow；　and　paid　him　a　visit。　　I　met　a　frank　and　affectionate　reception。　　It　would　not　be　easy　to　paint　the　delight　which　I　experienced　in　this　man's　society。　　I　was　at　first　oppressed　with　the　sense　of　my　own　inferiority　in　age；　knowledge　and　rank。　　Hence　arose　numberless　reserves　and　incapacitating　diffidences；　but　these　were　speedily　dissipated　by　the　fascinations　of　this　man's　address。　His　superiority　was　only　rendered；　by　time；　more　conspicuous；　but　this　superiority；　by　appearing　never　to　be　present　to　his　own　mind；　ceased　to　be　uneasy　to　me。　　My　questions　required　to　be　frequently　answered；　and　my　mistakes　to　be　rectified；　but　my　keenest　scrutiny；　could　detect　in　his　manner；　neither　arrogance　nor　contempt。　　He　seemed　to　talk　merely　from　the　overflow　of　his　ideas；　or　a　benevolent　desire　of　imparting　information。



Chapter　IV。


My　visits　gradually　became　more　frequent。　　Meanwhile　my　wants　increased；　and　the　necessity　of　some　change　in　my　condition　became　daily　more　urgent。　　This　incited　my　reflections　on　the　scheme　which　I　had　formed。　　The　time　and　place　suitable　to　my　design；　were　not　selected　without　much　anxious　inquiry　and　frequent　waverings　of　purpose。　　These　being　at　length　fixed；　the　interval　to　elapse；　before　the　carrying　of　my　design　into　effect；　was　not　without　perturbation　and　suspense。　　These　could　not　be　concealed　from　my　new　friend　and　at　length　prompted　him　to　inquire　into　the　cause。

It　was　not　possible　to　communicate　the　whole　truth；　but