the works of edgar allan poe-5-第18章

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the　company；　they　really　made　no　attempt　at　concealing　the　downright
fright　which　possessed　them。　Doctor　Ponnonner　was　a　man　to　be　pitied。　Mr。
Gliddon；　by　some　peculiar　process；　rendered　himself　invisible。　Mr。　Silk
Buckingham；　I　fancy；　will　scarcely　be　so　bold　as　to　deny　that　he　made　his
way；　upon　all　fours；　under　the　table。

After　the　first　shock　of　astonishment；　however；　we　resolved；　as　a　matter
of　course；　upon　further　experiment　forthwith。　Our　operations　were　now
directed　against　the　great　toe　of　the　right　foot。　We　made　an　incision　over
the　outside　of　the　exterior　_os　sesamoideum　pollicis　pedis；_　and　thus　got
at　the　root　of　the　abductor　muscle。　Readjusting　the　battery；　we　now
applied　the　fluid　to　the　bisected　nerves　　when；　with　a　movement　of
exceeding　life…likeness；　the　Mummy　first　drew　up　its　right　knee　so　as　to
bring　it　nearly　in　contact　with　the　abdomen；　and　then；　straightening　the
limb　with　inconceivable　force；　bestowed　a　kick　upon　Doctor　Ponnonner；
which　had　the　effect　of　discharging　that　gentleman；　like　an　arrow　from　a
catapult；　through　a　window　into　the　street　below。

We　rushed　out　_en　masse_　to　bring　in　the　mangled　remains　of　the　victim；
but　had　the　happiness　to　meet　him　upon　the　staircase；　coming　up　in　an
unaccountable　hurry；　brimful　of　the　most　ardent　philosophy；　and　more　than
ever　impressed　with　the　necessity　of　prosecuting　our　experiment　with　vigor
and　with　zeal。

It　was　by　his　advice；　accordingly；　that　we　made；　upon　the　spot；　a　profound
incision　into　the　tip　of　the　subject's　nose；　while　the　Doctor　himself；
laying　violent　hands　upon　it；　pulled　it　into　vehement　contact　with　the
wire。

Morally　and　physically　　figuratively　and　literally　　was　the　effect
electric。　In　the　first　place；　the　corpse　opened　its　eyes　and　winked　very
rapidly　for　several　minutes；　as　does　Mr。　Barnes　in　the　pantomime；　in　the
second　place；　it　sneezed；　in　the　third；　it　sat　upon　end；　in　the　fourth；　it
shook　its　fist　in　Doctor　Ponnonner's　face；　in　the　fifth；　turning　to
Messieurs　Gliddon　and　Buckingham；　it　addressed　them；　in　very　capital
Egyptian；　thus：

〃I　must　say；　gentlemen；　that　I　am　as　much　surprised　as　I　am　mortified　at
your　behavior。　Of　Doctor　Ponnonner　nothing　better　was　to　be　expected。　He
is　a　poor　little　fat　fool　who　knows　no　better。　I　pity　and　forgive　him。　But
you；　Mr。　Gliddon…　and　you；　Silk　　who　have　travelled　and　resided　in　Egypt
until　one　might　imagine　you　to　the　manner　born　　you；　I　say　who　have　been
so　much　among　us　that　you　speak　Egyptian　fully　as　well；　I　think；　as　you
write　your　mother　tongue　　you；　whom　I　have　always　been　led　to　regard　as
the　firm　friend　of　the　mummies　　I　really　did　anticipate　more　gentlemanly
conduct　from　you。　What　am　I　to　think　of　your　standing　quietly　by　and
seeing　me　thus　unhandsomely　used？　What　am　I　to　suppose　by　your　permitting
Tom；　Dick；　and　Harry　to　strip　me　of　my　coffins；　and　my　clothes；　in　this
wretchedly　cold　climate？　In　what　light　（to　come　to　the　point）　am　I　to
regard　your　aiding　and　abetting　that　miserable　little　villain；　Doctor
Ponnonner；　in　pulling　me　by　the　nose？〃

It　will　be　taken　for　granted；　no　doubt；　that　upon　hearing　this　speech
under　the　circumstances；　we　all　either　made　for　the　door；　or　fell　into
violent　hysterics；　or　went　off　in　a　general　swoon。　One　of　these　three
things　was；　I　say；　to　be　expected。　Indeed　each　and　all　of　these　lines　of
conduct　might　have　been　very　plausibly　pursued。　And；　upon　my　word；　I　am　at
a　loss　to　know　how　or　why　it　was　that　we　pursued　neither　the　one　nor　the
other。　But；　perhaps；　the　true　reason　is　to　be　sought　in　the　spirit　of　the
age；　which　proceeds　by　the　rule　of　contraries　altogether；　and　is　now
usually　admitted　as　the　solution　of　every　thing　in　the　way　of　paradox　and
impossibility。　Or；　perhaps；　after　all；　it　was　only　the　Mummy's　exceedingly
natural　and　matter…of…course　air　that　divested　his　words　of　the　terrible。
However　this　may　be；　the　facts　are　clear；　and　no　member　of　our　party
betrayed　any　very　particular　trepidation；　or　seemed　to　consider　that　any
thing　had　gone　very　especially　wrong。

For　my　part　I　was　convinced　it　was　all　right；　and　merely　stepped　aside；
out　of　the　range　of　the　Egyptian's　fist。　Doctor　Ponnonner　thrust　his　hands
into　his　breeches'　pockets；　looked　hard　at　the　Mummy；　and　grew　excessively
red　in　the　face。　Mr。　Glidden　stroked　his　whiskers　and　drew　up　the　collar
of　his　shirt。　Mr。　Buckingham　hung　down　his　head；　and　put　his　right　thumb
into　the　left　corner　of　his　mouth。

The　Egyptian　regarded　him　with　a　severe　countenance　for　some　minutes　and
at　length；　with　a　sneer；　said：

〃Why　don't　you　speak；　Mr。　Buckingham？　Did　you　hear　what　I　asked　you；　or
not？　Do　take　your　thumb　out　of　your　mouth！〃

Mr。　Buckingham；　hereupon；　gave　a　slight　start；　took　his　right　thumb　out　of
the　left　corner　of　his　mouth；　and；　by　way　of　indemnification　inserted　his
left　thumb　in　the　right　corner　of　the　aperture　above…mentioned。

Not　being　able　to　get　an　answer　from　Mr。　B。；　the　figure　turned　peevishly
to　Mr。　Gliddon；　and；　in　a　peremptory　tone；　demanded　in　general　terms　what
we　all　meant。

Mr。　Gliddon　replied　at　great　length；　in　phonetics；　and　but　for　the
deficiency　of　American　printing…offices　in　hieroglyphical　type；　it　would
afford　me　much　pleasure　to　record　here；　in　the　original；　the　whole　of　his
very　excellent　speech。

I　may　as　well　take　this　occasion　to　remark；　that　all　the　subsequent
conversation　in　which　the　Mummy　took　a　part；　was　carried　on　in　primitive
Egyptian；　through　the　medium　（so　far　as　concerned　myself　and　other
untravelled　members　of　the　company）　　through　the　medium；　I　say；　of
Messieurs　Gliddon　and　Buckingham；　as　interpreters。　These　gentlemen　spoke
the　mother　tongue　of　the　Mummy　with　inimitable　fluency　and　grace；　but　I
could　not　help　observing　that　（owing；　no　doubt；　to　the　introduction　of
images　entirely　modern；　and；　of　course；　entirely　novel　to　the　stranger）
the　two　travellers　were　reduced；　occasionally；　to　the　employment　of
sensible　forms　for　the　purpose　of　conveying　a　particular　meaning。　Mr。
Gliddon；　at　one　period；　for　example；　could　not　make　the　Egyptian
comprehend　the　term　〃politics；〃　until　he　sketched　upon　the　wall；　with　a
bit　of　charcoal　a　little　carbuncle…nosed　gentleman；　out　at　elbows；
standing　upon　a　stump；　with　his　left　leg　drawn　back；　right　arm　thrown
forward；　with　his　fist　shut；　the　eyes　rolled　up　toward　Heaven；　and　the
mouth　open　at　an　angle　of　ninety　degrees。　Just　in　the　same　way　Mr。
Buckingham　failed　to　convey　the　absolutely　modern　idea　〃wig；〃　until　（at
Doctor　Ponnonner's　suggestion）　he　grew　very　pale　in　the　face；　and
consented　to　take　off　his　own。

It　will　be　readily　understood　that　Mr。　Gliddon's　discourse　turned　chiefly
upon　the　vast　benefits　accruing　to　science　from　the　unrolling　and
disembowelling　of　mummies；　apologizing；　upon　this　score；　for　any
disturbance　that　might　have　been　occasioned　him；　in　particular；　the
individual　Mummy　called　Allamistakeo；　and　concluding　with　a　mere　hint　（for
it　could　scarcely　be　considered　more）　that；　as　these　little　matters　were
now　explained；　it　might　be　as　well　to　proceed　with　the　investigation
intended。　Here　Doctor　Ponnonner　made　ready　his　instruments。

In　regard　to　the　latter　suggestions　of　the　orator；　it　appears　that
Allamistakeo　had　certain　scruples　of　conscience；　the　nature　of　which　I　did
not　distinctly　learn；　but　he　expressed　himself　satisfied　with　the
apologies　tendered；　and；　getting　down　from　the　table；　shook　hands　with　the
company　all　round。

When　this　ceremony　was　at　an　end；　we　immediately　busied　ourselves　in
repairing　the　damages　which　our　subject　had　sustained　from　the　scalpel。　We
sewed　up　the　wound　in　his　temple；　bandaged　his　foot；　and　applied　a　square
inch　of　black　plaster　to　the　tip　of　his　nose。

It　was　now　observed　that　the　Count　（this　was　the　title；　it　seems；　of
Allamistakeo）　had　a　slight　fit　of　shivering　　no　doubt　from　the　cold。　The
Doctor　immediately　repaired　to　his　wardrobe；　and　soon　returned　with　a
black　dress　coat；　made　in　Jennings'　best　manner；　a　pair　of　sky…blue　plaid
pantaloons　with　straps；　a　pink　gingham　chemise；　a　flapped　vest　of　brocade；
a　white　sack　overcoat；　a　walking　cane　with　a　hook；　a　hat　with　no　brim；
patent…leather　boots；　straw…colored　kid　gloves；　an　eye…glass；　a　pair　of
whiskers；　and　a　waterfall　cravat。　Owing　to　the　disparity　of　size　between
the　Count　and　the　doctor　（the　proportion　being　as　two　to　one）；　there　was
some　little　difficulty　in　adjusting　these　habiliments　upon　the　person　of
the　Egyptian；　but　when　all　was　arranged；　he　might　have　been　said　to　be
dressed。　Mr。　Gliddon；　therefore；　gave　him　his　arm；　and　led　him　to　a
comfortable　chair　by　the　fire；　while　the　Doctor　rang　the　bell　upon　the
spot　and　ordered　a　supply　of　cigars　and　wine。

The　conversation　soon　grew　animated。　Much　curiosity　was；　of　course；
expressed　in　regard　to　the　somewhat　remarkable　fact　of　Allamistakeo's
still　remaining　alive。

〃I　should　have　thought；〃　observed　Mr。　Buckingham；　〃that　it　is　high　time
you　were　dead。〃

〃Why；〃　replied　the　Count；　very　much　astonished；　〃I　am　little　more　than
seven　hundred　years　old！　My　father　lived　a　thousand；　and　was　by　no　means
in　his　dotage　when　he　died。〃

Here　ensued　a　brisk　series　of　questions　and　computations；　by　means　of
which　it　became　evident　that　the　antiquity　of　the　Mummy　had　been　grossly
misjudged。　It　had　been　five　thousand　and　fifty　years　and　some　months　since
he　had　been　consigned　to　the　catacombs　at　Eleithias。

〃But　my　remark；〃　resumed　Mr。　Buckingham；　〃had　no　reference　to　your　age　at
the　period　of　interment　（I　am　willing　to　grant；　in　fact；　that　you　are
still　a　young　man）；　and　my　illusion　was　to　the　immensity　of　time　during
which；　by　your　own　showing；　you　must　have　been　done　up　in　asphaltum。〃

〃In　what？〃　said　the　Count。

〃In　asphaltum；〃　persisted　Mr。　B。

〃Ah；　yes；　I　have　some　faint　notion　of　what　you　mean；　it　might　be　made　to
answer；　no　doubt　　but　in　my　time　we　employed　scarcely　any　thing　else
than　the　Bichloride　of　Mercury。〃

〃But　what　we　are　especially　at　a　loss　to　understand；〃　said　Doctor
Ponnonner；　〃is　how　it　happens　that；　having　been　dead　and　buried　in　Egypt
five　thousand　years　ago；　you　are　here　to…day　all　alive　and　looking　so
delightfully　well。〃

〃Had　I　been；　as　you　say；　dead；〃　replied　the　Count；　〃it　is　more　than
probable　that　dead；　I　should　still　be；　for　I　perceive　you　are　yet　in　the
infancy　of　Calvanism；　and　cannot　accomplish　with　it　what　was　a　common
thing　among　us　in　the　old　days。　But　the　fact　is；　I　fell　into　catalepsy；
and　it　was　considered　by　my　best　friends　that　I　was　either　dead　or　should
be；　they　accordingly　embalmed　me　at　once　　I　presume　you　are　aware　of　the
chief　principle　of　the　embalming　process？〃

〃Why　not　altogether。〃

〃Why；　I　perceive　　a　deplorable　condition　of　ignorance！　Well　I　cannot
enter　into　details　just　now：　but　it　is　necessary　to　explain　that　to　embalm
（properly　speaking）；　in　Egypt；　was　to　arrest　indefinitely　all　the　animal
functions　subjected　to　the　process。　I　use　the　word　'animal'　in　its　widest
sense；　as　including　the　physical　not　more　than　the　moral　and　vital　being。
I　repeat　that　the　leading　principle　of　embalmment　consisted；　with　us；　in
the　immediately　arresting；　and　holding　in　perpetual　abeyance；　all　the
animal　functions　subjected　to　the　process。　To　be　brief；　in　w