the works of edgar allan poe-5-第10章

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called　Charles。

Now；　〃Old　Charley　Goodfellow；〃　although　he　had　been　in　Rattleborough　not
longer　than　six　months　or　thereabouts；　and　although　nobody　knew　any　thing
about　him　before　he　came　to　settle　in　the　neighborhood；　had　experienced　no
difficulty　in　the　world　in　making　the　acquaintance　of　all　the　respectable
people　in　the　borough。　Not　a　man　of　them　but　would　have　taken　his　bare
word　for　a　thousand　at　any　moment；　and　as　for　the　women；　there　is　no
saying　what　they　would　not　have　done　to　oblige　him。　And　all　this　came　of
his　having　been　christened　Charles；　and　of　his　possessing；　in　consequence；
that　ingenuous　face　which　is　proverbially　the　very　〃best　letter　of
recommendation。〃

I　have　already　said　that　Mr。　Shuttleworthy　was　one　of　the　most　respectable
and；　undoubtedly；　he　was　the　most　wealthy　man　in　Rattleborough；　while　〃Old
Charley　Goodfellow〃　was　upon　as　intimate　terms　with　him　as　if　he　had　been
his　own　brother。　The　two　old　gentlemen　were　next…door　neighbours；　and；
although　Mr。　Shuttleworthy　seldom；　if　ever；　visited　〃Old　Charley；〃　and
never　was　known　to　take　a　meal　in　his　house；　still　this　did　not　prevent
the　two　friends　from　being　exceedingly　intimate；　as　I　have　just　observed；
for　〃Old　Charley〃　never　let　a　day　pass　without　stepping　in　three　or　four
times　to　see　how　his　neighbour　came　on；　and　very　often　he　would　stay　to
breakfast　or　tea；　and　almost　always　to　dinner；　and　then　the　amount　of　wine
that　was　made　way　with　by　the　two　cronies　at　a　sitting；　it　would　really　be
a　difficult　thing　to　ascertain。　〃Old　Charleys〃　favorite　beverage　was
Chateau…Margaux；　and　it　appeared　to　do　Mr。　Shuttleworthy's　heart　good　to
see　the　old　fellow　swallow　it；　as　he　did；　quart　after　quart；　so　that；　one
day；　when　the　wine　was　in　and　the　wit　as　a　natural　consequence；　somewhat
out；　he　said　to　his　crony；　as　he　slapped　him　upon　the　back　　〃I　tell　you
what　it　is；　'Old　Charley；'　you　are；　by　all　odds；　the　heartiest　old　fellow
I　ever　came　across　in　all　my　born　days；　and；　since　you　love　to　guzzle　the
wine　at　that　fashion；　I'll　be　darned　if　I　don't　have　to　make　thee　a
present　of　a　big　box　of　the　Chateau…Margaux。　Od　rot　me；〃　　（Mr。
Shuttleworthy　had　a　sad　habit　of　swearing；　although　he　seldom　went　beyond
〃Od　rot　me；〃　or　〃By　gosh；〃　or　〃By　the　jolly　golly；〃）　　〃Od　rot　me；〃　says
he；　〃if　I　don't　send　an　order　to　town　this　very　afternoon　for　a　double　box
of　the　best　that　can　be　got；　and　I'll　make　ye　a　present　of　it；　I　will！　
ye　needn't　say　a　word　now　　I　will；　I　tell　ye；　and　there's　an　end　of　it；
so　look　out　for　it　　it　will　come　to　hand　some　of　these　fine　days；
precisely　when　ye　are　looking　for　it　the　least！〃　I　mention　this　little　bit
of　liberality　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Shuttleworthy；　just　by　way　of　showing　you
how　very　intimate　an　understanding　existed　between　the　two　friends。

Well；　on　the　Sunday　morning　in　question；　when　it　came　to　be　fairly
understood　that　Mr。　Shuttleworthy　had　met　with　foul　play；　I　never　saw　any
one　so　profoundly　affected　as　〃Old　Charley　Goodfellow。〃　When　he　first
heard　that　the　horse　had　come　home　without　his　master；　and　without　his
master's　saddle…bags；　and　all　bloody　from　a　pistol…shot；　that　had　gone
clean　through　and　through　the　poor　animal's　chest　without　quite　killing
him；　when　he　heard　all　this；　he　turned　as　pale　as　if　the　missing　man　had
been　his　own　dear　brother　or　father；　and　shivered　and　shook　all　over　as　if
he　had　had　a　fit　of　the　ague。

At　first　he　was　too　much　overpowered　with　grief　to　be　able　to　do　any　thing
at　all；　or　to　concert　upon　any　plan　of　action；　so　that　for　a　long　time　he
endeavored　to　dissuade　Mr。　Shuttleworthy's　other　friends　from　making　a
stir　about　the　matter；　thinking　it　best　to　wait　awhile　　say　for　a　week
or　two；　or　a　month；　or　two　　to　see　if　something　wouldn't　turn　up；　or　if
Mr。　Shuttleworthy　wouldn't　come　in　the　natural　way；　and　explain　his
reasons　for　sending　his　horse　on　before。　I　dare　say　you　have　often
observed　this　disposition　to　temporize；　or　to　procrastinate；　in　people　who
are　labouring　under　any　very　poignant　sorrow。　Their　powers　of　mind　seem　to
be　rendered　torpid；　so　that　they　have　a　horror　of　any　thing　like　action；
and　like　nothing　in　the　world　so　well　as　to　lie　quietly　in　bed　and　〃nurse
their　grief；〃　as　the　old　ladies　express　it　　that　is　to　say；　ruminate
over　the　trouble。

The　people　of　Rattleborough　had；　indeed；　so　high　an　opinion　of　the　wisdom
and　discretion　of　〃Old　Charley；〃　that　the　greater　part　of　them　felt
disposed　to　agree　with　him；　and　not　make　a　stir　in　the　business　〃until
something　should　turn　up；〃　as　the　honest　old　gentleman　worded　it；　and　I
believe　that；　after　all　this　would　have　been　the　general　determination；
but　for　the　very　suspicious　interference　of　Mr。　Shuttleworthy's　nephew；　a
young　man　of　very　dissipated　habits；　and　otherwise　of　rather　bad
character。　This　nephew；　whose　name　was　Pennifeather；　would　listen　to
nothing　like　reason　in　the　matter　of　〃lying　quiet；〃　but　insisted　upon
making　immediate　search　for　the　〃corpse　of　the　murdered　man。　　This　was
the　expression　he　employed；　and　Mr。　Goodfellow　acutely　remarked　at　the
time；　that　it　was　〃a　singular　expression；　to　say　no　more。〃　This　remark　of
'Old　Charley's；'　too；　had　great　effect　upon　the　crowd；　and　one　of　the
party　was　heard　to　ask；　very　impressively；　〃how　it　happened　that　young　Mr。
Pennifeather　was　so　intimately　cognizant　of　all　the　circumstances
connected　with　his　wealthy　uncle's　disappearance；　as　to　feel　authorized　to
assert；　distinctly　and　unequivocally；　that　his　uncle　was　'a　murdered
man。'〃　Hereupon　some　little　squibbing　and　bickering　occurred　among　various
members　of　the　crowd；　and　especially　between　〃Old　Charley〃　and　Mr。
Pennifeather　　although　this　latter　occurrence　was；　indeed；　by　no　means　a
novelty；　for　no　good　will　had　subsisted　between　the　parties　for　the　last
three　or　four　months；　and　matters　had　even　gone　so　far　that　Mr。
Pennifeather　had　actually　knocked　down　his　uncles　friend　for　some　alleged
excess　of　liberty　that　the　latter　had　taken　in　the　uncle's　house；　of　which
the　nephew　was　an　inmate。　Upon　this　occasion　〃Old　Charley〃　is　said　to　have
behaved　with　exemplary　moderation　and　Christian　charity。　He　arose　from　the
blow；　adjusted　his　clothes；　and　made　no　attempt　at　retaliation　at　all　
merely　muttering　a　few　words　about　〃taking　summary　vengeance　at　the　first
convenient　opportunity；〃　　a　natural　and　very　justifiable　ebullition　of
anger；　which　meant　nothing；　however；　and；　beyond　doubt；　was　no　sooner
given　vent　to　than　forgotten。

However　these　matters　may　be　（which　have　no　reference　to　the　point　now　at
issue）；　it　is　quite　certain　that　the　people　of　Rattleborough；　principally
through　the　persuasion　of　Mr。　Pennifeather；　came　at　length　to　the
determination　of　dispersion　over　the　adjacent　country　in　search　of　the
missing　Mr。　Shuttleworthy。　I　say　they　came　to　this　determination　in　the
first　instance。　After　it　had　been　fully　resolved　that　a　search　should　be
made；　it　was　considered　almost　a　matter　of　course　that　the　seekers　should
disperse　　that　is　to　say；　distribute　themselves　in　parties　　for　the
more　thorough　examination　of　the　region　round　about。　I　forget；　however；　by
what　ingenious　train　of　reasoning　it　was　that　〃Old　Charley〃　finally
convinced　the　assembly　that　this　was　the　most　injudicious　plan　that　could
be　pursued。　Convince　them；　however；　he　did　　all　except　Mr。　Pennifeather；
and；　in　the　end；　it　was　arranged　that　a　search　should　be　instituted；
carefully　and　very　thoroughly；　by　the　burghers　en　masse；　〃Old　Charley〃
himself　leading　the　way。

As　for　the　matter　of　that；　there　could　have　been　no　better　pioneer　than
〃Old　Charley；〃　whom　everybody　knew　to　have　the　eye　of　a　lynx；　but；
although　he　led　them　into　all　manner　of　out…of…the…way　holes　and　corners；
by　routes　that　nobody　had　ever　suspected　of　existing　in　the　neighbourhood；
and　although　the　search　was　incessantly　kept　up　day　and　night　for　nearly　a
week；　still　no　trace　of　Mr。　Shuttleworthy　could　be　discovered。　When　I　say
no　trace；　however；　I　must　not　be　understood　to　speak　literally；　for　trace；
to　some　extent；　there　certainly　was。　The　poor　gentleman　had　been　tracked；
by　his　horses　shoes　（which　were　peculiar）；　to　a　spot　about　three　miles　to
the　east　of　the　borough；　on　the　main　road　leading　to　the　city。　Here　the
track　made　off　into　a　by…path　through　a　piece　of　woodland　　the　path
coming　out　again　into　the　main　road；　and　cutting　off　about　half　a　mile　of
the　regular　distance。　Following　the　shoe…marks　down　this　lane；　the　party
came　at　length　to　a　pool　of　stagnant　water；　half　hidden　by　the　brambles；
to　the　right　of　the　lane；　and　opposite　this　pool　all　vestige　of　the　track
was　lost　sight　of。　It　appeared；　however；　that　a　struggle　of　some　nature
had　here　taken　place；　and　it　seemed　as　if　some　large　and　heavy　body；　much
larger　and　heavier　than　a　man；　had　been　drawn　from　the　by…path　to　the
pool。　This　latter　was　carefully　dragged　twice；　but　nothing　was　found；　and
the　party　was　upon　the　point　of　going　away；　in　despair　of　coming　to　any
result；　when　Providence　suggested　to　Mr。　Goodfellow　the　expediency　of
draining　the　water　off　altogether。　This　project　was　received　with　cheers；
and　many　high　compliments　to　〃Old　Charley〃　upon　his　sagacity　and
consideration。　As　many　of　the　burghers　had　brought　spades　with　them；
supposing　that　they　might　possibly　be　called　upon　to　disinter　a　corpse；
the　drain　was　easily　and　speedily　effected；　and　no　sooner　was　the　bottom
visible；　than　right　in　the　middle　of　the　mud　that　remained　was　discovered
a　black　silk　velvet　waistcoat；　which　nearly　every　one　present　immediately
recognized　as　the　property　of　Mr。　Pennifeather。　This　waistcoat　was　much
torn　and　stained　with　blood；　and　there　were　several　persons　among　the
party　who　had　a　distinct　remembrance　of　its　having　been　worn　by　its　owner
on　the　very　morning　of　Mr。　Shuttleworthy's　departure　for　the　city；　while
there　were　others；　again；　ready　to　testify　upon　oath；　if　required；　that
Mr。　P。　did　not　wear　the　garment　in　question　at　any　period　during　the
remainder　of　that　memorable　day；　nor　could　any　one　be　found　to　say　that　he
had　seen　it　upon　Mr。　P。's　person　at　any　period　at　all　subsequent　to　Mr。
Shuttleworthy's　disappearance。

Matters　now　wore　a　very　serious　aspect　for　Mr。　Pennifeather；　and　it　was
observed；　as　an　indubitable　confirmation　of　the　suspicions　which　were
excited　against　him；　that　he　grew　exceedingly　pale；　and　when　asked　what　he
had　to　say　for　himself；　was　utterly　incapable　of　saying　a　word。　Hereupon；
the　few　friends　his　riotous　mode　of　living　had　left　him；　deserted　him　at
once　to　a　man；　and　were　even　more　clamorous　than　his　ancient　and　avowed
enemies　for　his　instantaneous　arrest。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　the
magnanimity　of　Mr。　Goodfellow　shone　forth　with　only　the　more　brilliant
lustre　through　contrast。　He　made　a　warm　and　intensely　eloquent　defence　of
Mr。　Pennifeather；　in　which　he　alluded　more　than　once　to　his　own　sincere
forgiveness　of　that　wild　young　gentleman　　〃the　heir　of　the　worthy　Mr。
Shuttleworthy；〃　　for　the　insult　which　he　（the　young　gentleman）　had；　no
doubt　in　the　heat　of　passion；　thought　proper　to　put　upon　him　（Mr。
Goodfellow）。　〃He　forgave　him　for　it；〃　he　said；　〃from　the　very　bottom　of
his　heart；　and　for　himself　（Mr。　Goodfellow）；　so　far　from　pushing　the
suspicious　circumstan