the works of edgar allan poe-3-第47部分

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and　weird　trees　of　vast　age；　and　here　and　there　might　be　seen　a　field
of　rice；　the　thatched　hut　of　a　peasant；　a　tank；　a　stray　temple；　a
gypsy　camp；　or　a　solitary　graceful　maiden　taking　her　way；　with　a
pitcher　upon　her　head；　to　the　banks　of　the　magnificent　river。

〃You　will　say　now；　of　course；　that　I　dreamed；　but　not　so。　What　I　saw
　what　I　heard　　what　I　felt　　what　I　thought　　had　about　it
nothing　of　the　unmistakable　idiosyncrasy　of　the　dream。　All　was
rigorously　self…consistent。　At　first；　doubting　that　I　was　really
awake；　I　entered　into　a　series　of　tests；　which　soon　convinced　me　that
I　really　was。　Now；　when　one　dreams；　and；　in　the　dream；　suspects　that
he　dreams；　the　suspicion　never　fails　to　confirm　itself；　and　the
sleeper　is　almost　immediately　aroused。　Thus　Novalis　errs　not　in
saying　that　'we　are　near　waking　when　we　dream　that　we　dream。'　Had　the
vision　occurred　to　me　as　I　describe　it；　without　my　suspecting　it　as　a
dream；　then　a　dream　it　might　absolutely　have　been；　but；　occurring　as
it　did；　and　suspected　and　tested　as　it　was；　I　am　forced　to　class　it
among　other　phenomena。〃

〃In　this　I　am　not　sure　that　you　are　wrong；〃　observed　Dr。　Templeton；
〃but　proceed。　You　arose　and　descended　into　the　city。〃

〃I　arose；〃　continued　Bedloe；　regarding　the　Doctor　with　an　air　of
profound　astonishment　〃I　arose；　as　you　say；　and　descended　into　the
city。　On　my　way　I　fell　in　with　an　immense　populace；　crowding　through
every　avenue；　all　in　the　same　direction；　and　exhibiting　in　every
action　the　wildest　excitement。　Very　suddenly；　and　by　some
inconceivable　impulse；　I　became　intensely　imbued　with　personal
interest　in　what　was　going　on。　I　seemed　to　feel　that　I　had　an
important　part　to　play；　without　exactly　understanding　what　it　was。
Against　the　crowd　which　environed　me；　however；　I　experienced　a　deep
sentiment　of　animosity。　I　shrank　from　amid　them；　and；　swiftly；　by　a
circuitous　path；　reached　and　entered　the　city。　Here　all　was　the
wildest　tumult　and　contention。　A　small　party　of　men；　clad　in　garments
half…Indian；　half…European；　and　officered　by　gentlemen　in　a　uniform
partly　British；　were　engaged；　at　great　odds；　with　the　swarming　rabble
of　the　alleys。　I　joined　the　weaker　party；　arming　myself　with　the
weapons　of　a　fallen　officer；　and　fighting　I　knew　not　whom　with　the
nervous　ferocity　of　despair。　We　were　soon　overpowered　by　numbers；　and
driven　to　seek　refuge　in　a　species　of　kiosk。　Here　we　barricaded
ourselves；　and；　for　the　present　were　secure。　From　a　loop…hole　near
the　summit　of　the　kiosk；　I　perceived　a　vast　crowd；　in　furious
agitation；　surrounding　and　assaulting　a　gay　palace　that　overhung　the
river。　Presently；　from　an　upper　window　of　this　place；　there　descended
an　effeminate…looking　person；　by　means　of　a　string　made　of　the
turbans　of　his　attendants。　A　boat　was　at　hand；　in　which　he　escaped　to
the　opposite　bank　of　the　river。

〃And　now　a　new　object　took　possession　of　my　soul。　I　spoke　a　few
hurried　but　energetic　words　to　my　companions；　and；　having　succeeded
in　gaining　over　a　few　of　them　to　my　purpose　made　a　frantic　sally　from
the　kiosk。　We　rushed　amid　the　crowd　that　surrounded　it。　They
retreated；　at　first；　before　us。　They　rallied；　fought　madly；　and
retreated　again。　In　the　mean　time　we　were　borne　far　from　the　kiosk；
and　became　bewildered　and　entangled　among　the　narrow　streets　of　tall；
overhanging　houses；　into　the　recesses　of　which　the　sun　had　never　been
able　to　shine。　The　rabble　pressed　impetuously　upon　us；　harrassing　us
with　their　spears；　and　overwhelming　us　with　flights　of　arrows。　These
latter　were　very　remarkable；　and　resembled　in　some　respects　the
writhing　creese　of　the　Malay。　They　were　made　to　imitate　the　body　of　a
creeping　serpent；　and　were　long　and　black；　with　a　poisoned　barb。　One
of　them　struck　me　upon　the　right　temple。　I　reeled　and　fell。　An
instantaneous　and　dreadful　sickness　seized　me。　I　struggled　　I
gasped　　I　died。〃　〃You　will　hardly　persist　now；〃　said　I　smiling；
〃that　the　whole　of　your　adventure　was　not　a　dream。　You　are　not
prepared　to　maintain　that　you　are　dead？〃

When　I　said　these　words；　I　of　course　expected　some　lively　sally　from
Bedloe　in　reply；　but；　to　my　astonishment；　he　hesitated；　trembled；
became　fearfully　pallid；　and　remained　silent。　I　looked　toward
Templeton。　He　sat　erect　and　rigid　in　his　chair　　his　teeth
chattered；　and　his　eyes　were　starting　from　their　sockets。　〃Proceed！〃
he　at　length　said　hoarsely　to　Bedloe。

〃For　many　minutes；〃　continued　the　latter；　〃my　sole　sentiment　　my
sole　feeling　　was　that　of　darkness　and　nonentity；　with　the
consciousness　of　death。　At　length　there　seemed　to　pass　a　violent　and
sudden　shock　through　my　soul；　as　if　of　electricity。　With　it　came　the
sense　of　elasticity　and　of　light。　This　latter　I　felt　　not　saw。　In
an　instant　I　seemed　to　rise　from　the　ground。　But　I　had　no　bodily；　no
visible；　audible；　or　palpable　presence。　The　crowd　had　departed。　The
tumult　had　ceased。　The　city　was　in　comparative　repose。　Beneath　me　lay
my　corpse；　with　the　arrow　in　my　temple；　the　whole　head　greatly
swollen　and　disfigured。　But　all　these　things　I　felt　　not　saw。　I
took　interest　in　nothing。　Even　the　corpse　seemed　a　matter　in　which　I
had　no　concern。　Volition　I　had　none；　but　appeared　to　be　impelled　into
motion；　and　flitted　buoyantly　out　of　the　city；　retracing　the
circuitous　path　by　which　I　had　entered　it。　When　I　had　attained　that
point　of　the　ravine　in　the　mountains　at　which　I　had　encountered　the
hyena；　I　again　experienced　a　shock　as　of　a　galvanic　battery；　the
sense　of　weight；　of　volition；　of　substance；　returned。　I　became　my
original　self；　and　bent　my　steps　eagerly　homeward　　but　the　past　had
not　lost　the　vividness　of　the　real　　and　not　now；　even　for　an
instant；　can　I　compel　my　understanding　to　regard　it　as　a　dream。〃

〃Nor　was　it；〃　said　Templeton；　with　an　air　of　deep　solemnity；　〃yet　it
would　be　difficult　to　say　how　otherwise　it　should　be　termed。　Let　us
suppose　only；　that　the　soul　of　the　man　of　to…day　is　upon　the　verge　of
some　stupendous　psychal　discoveries。　Let　us　content　ourselves　with
this　supposition。　For　the　rest　I　have　some　explanation　to　make。　Here
is　a　watercolor　drawing；　which　I　should　have　shown　you　before；　but
which　an　unaccountable　sentiment　of　horror　has　hitherto　prevented　me
from　showing。〃

We　looked　at　the　picture　which　he　presented。　I　saw　nothing　in　it　of
an　extraordinary　character；　but　its　effect　upon　Bedloe　was
prodigious。　He　nearly　fainted　as　he　gazed。　And　yet　it　was　but　a
miniature　portrait　　a　miraculously　accurate　one；　to　be　sure　　of
his　own　very　remarkable　features。　At　least　this　was　my　thought　as　I
regarded　it。

〃You　will　perceive；〃　said　Templeton；　〃the　date　of　this　picture　　it
is　here；　scarcely　visible；　in　this　corner　　1780。　In　this　year　was
the　portrait　taken。　It　is　the　likeness　of　a　dead　friend　　a　Mr。
Oldeb　　to　whom　I　became　much　attached　at　Calcutta；　during　the
administration　of　Warren　Hastings。　I　was　then　only　twenty　years　old。
When　I　first　saw　you；　Mr。　Bedloe；　at　Saratoga；　it　was　the　miraculous
similarity　which　existed　between　yourself　and　the　painting　which
induced　me　to　accost　you；　to　seek　your　friendship；　and　to　bring　about
those　arrangements　which　resulted　in　my　becoming　your　constant
companion。　In　accomplishing　this　point；　I　was　urged　partly；　and
perhaps　principally；　by　a　regretful　memory　of　the　deceased；　but　also；
in　part；　by　an　uneasy；　and　not　altogether　horrorless　curiosity
respecting　yourself。

〃In　your　detail　of　the　vision　which　presented　itself　to　you　amid　the
hills；　you　have　described；　with　the　minutest　accuracy；　the　Indian
city　of　Benares；　upon　the　Holy　River。　The　riots；　the　combat；　the
massacre；　were　the　actual　events　of　the　insurrection　of　Cheyte　Sing；
which　took　place　in　1780；　when　Hastings　was　put　in　imminent　peril　of
his　life。　The　man　escaping　by　the　string　of　turbans　was　Cheyte　Sing
himself。　The　party　in　the　kiosk　were　sepoys　and　British　officers；
headed　by　Hastings。　Of　this　party　I　was　one；　and　did　all　I　could　to
prevent　the　rash　and　fatal　sally　of　the　officer　who　fell；　in　the
crowded　alleys；　by　the　poisoned　arrow　of　a　Bengalee。　That　officer　was
my　dearest　friend。　It　was　Oldeb。　You　will　perceive　by　these
manuscripts；〃　（here　the　speaker　produced　a　note…book　in　which　several
pages　appeared　to　have　been　freshly　written；）　〃that　at　the　very
period　in　which　you　fancied　these　things　amid　the　hills；　I　was
engaged　in　detailing　them　upon　paper　here　at　home。〃

In　about　a　week　after　this　conversation；　the　following　paragraphs
appeared　in　a　Charlottesville　paper：

〃We　have　the　painful　duty　of　announcing　the　death　of　Mr。　Augustus
Bedlo；　a　gentleman　whose　amiable　manners　and　many　virtues　have　long
endeared　him　to　the　citizens　of　Charlottesville。

〃Mr。　B。；　for　some　years　past；　has　been　subject　to　neuralgia；　which
has　often　threatened　to　terminate　fatally；　but　this　can　be　regarded
only　as　the　mediate　cause　of　his　decease。　The　proximate　cause　was　one
of　especial　singularity。　In　an　excursion　to　the　Ragged　Mountains；　a
few　days　since；　a　slight　cold　and　fever　were　contracted；　attended
with　great　determination　of　blood　to　the　head。　To　relieve　this；　Dr。
Templeton　resorted　to　topical　bleeding。　Leeches　were　applied　to　the
temples。　In　a　fearfully　brief　period　the　patient　died；　when　it
appeared　that　in　the　jar　containing　the　leeches；　had　been　introduced；
by　accident；　one　of　the　venomous　vermicular　sangsues　which　are　now
and　then　found　in　the　neighboring　ponds。　This　creature　fastened
itself　upon　a　small　artery　in　the　right　temple。　Its　close　resemblance
to　the　medicinal　leech　caused　the　mistake　to　be　overlooked　until　too
late。

〃N。　B。　The　poisonous　sangsue　of　Charlottesville　may　always　be
distinguished　from　the　medicinal　leech　by　its　blackness；　and
especially　by　its　writhing　or　vermicular　motions；　which　very　nearly
resemble　those　of　a　snake。〃

I　was　speaking　with　the　editor　of　the　paper　in　question；　upon　the
topic　of　this　remarkable　accident；　when　it　occurred　to　me　to　ask　how
it　happened　that　the　name　of　the　deceased　had　been　given　as　Bedlo。

〃I　presume；〃　I　said；　〃you　have　authority　for　this　spelling；　but　I
have　always　supposed　the　name　to　be　written　with　an　e　at　the　end。〃

〃Authority？　　no；〃　he　replied。　〃It　is　a　mere　typographical　error。
The　name　is　Bedlo　with　an　e；　all　the　world　over；