the works of edgar allan poe-5-第7章

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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　the　worst　impress　of　the　most　deplorable
poverty；　and　of　the　most　desperate　crime。　By　the　dim　light　of　an
accidental　lamp；　tall；　antique；　worm…eaten；　wooden　tenements　were　seen
tottering　to　their　fall；　in　directions　so　many　and　capricious　that　scarce
the　semblance　of　a　passage　was　discernible　between　them。　The　paving…stones
lay　at　random；　displaced　from　their　beds　by　the　rankly…growing　grass。
Horrible　filth　festered　in　the　dammed…up　gutters。　The　whole　atmosphere
teemed　with　desolation。　Yet；　as　we　proceeded；　the　sounds　of　human　life
revived　by　sure　degrees；　and　at　length　large　bands　of　the　most　abandoned
of　a　London　populace　were　seen　reeling　to　and　fro。　The　spirits　of　the　old
man　again　flickered　up；　as　a　lamp　which　is　near　its　death　hour。　Once　more
he　strode　onward　with　elastic　tread。　Suddenly　a　corner　was　turned；　a　blaze
of　light　burst　upon　our　sight；　and　we　stood　before　one　of　the　huge
suburban　temples　of　Intemperance　…　one　of　the　palaces　of　the　fiend；　Gin。

It　was　now　nearly　day…break；　but　a　number　of　wretched　inebriates　still
pressed　in　and　out　of　the　flaunting　entrance。　With　a　half　shriek　of　joy
the　old　man　forced　a　passage　within；　resumed　at　once　his　original　bearing；
and　stalked　backward　and　forward；　without　apparent　object；　among　the
throng。　He　had　not　been　thus　long　occupied；　however；　before　a　rush　to　the
doors　gave　token　that　the　host　was　closing　them　for　the　night。　It　was
something　even　more　intense　than　despair　that　I　then　observed　upon　the
countenance　of　the　singular　being　whom　I　had　watched　so　pertinaciously。
Yet　he　did　not　hesitate　in　his　career；　but；　with　a　mad　energy；　retraced
his　steps　at　once；　to　the　heart　of　the　mighty　London。　Long　and　swiftly　he
fled；　while　I　followed　him　in　the　wildest　amazement；　resolute　not　to
abandon　a　scrutiny　in　which　I　now　felt　an　interest　all…absorbing。　The　sun
arose　while　we　proceeded；　and；　when　we　had　once　again　reached　that　most
thronged　mart　of　the　populous　town；　the　street　of　the　D　Hotel；　it
presented　an　appearance　of　human　bustle　and　activity　scarcely　inferior　to
what　I　had　seen　on　the　evening　before。　And　here；　long；　amid　the　momently
increasing　confusion；　did　I　persist　in　my　pursuit　of　the　stranger。　But；　as
usual；　he　walked　to　and　fro；　and　during　the　day　did　not　pass　from　out　the
turmoil　of　that　street。　And；　as　the　shades　of　the　second　evening　came　on；
I　grew　wearied　unto　death；　and；　stopping　fully　in　front　of　the　wanderer；
gazed　at　him　steadfastly　in　the　face。　He　noticed　me　not；　but　resumed　his
solemn　walk；　while　I；　ceasing　to　follow；　remained　absorbed　in
contemplation。　〃This　old　man；〃　I　said　at　length；　〃is　the　type　and　the
genius　of　deep　crime。　He　refuses　to　be　alone。　＇page　228：＇　He　is　the　man　of
the　crowd。　It　will　be　in　vain　to　follow；　for　I　shall　learn　no　more　of　him；
nor　of　his　deeds。　The　worst　heart　of　the　world　is　a　grosser　book　than　the
'Hortulus　Anim？'　｛*1｝　and　perhaps　it　is　but　one　of　the　great　mercies　of
God　that　'er　lasst　sich　nicht　lesen。'　〃

｛*1｝　The　〃_Hortulus　Anim？cum　Oratiunculis　Aliquibus　Superadditis_〃　of
Gr黱ninger

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



Never　Bet　the　Devil　Your　Head

A　Tale　With　a　Moral。

〃_CON　tal　que　las　costumbres　de　un　autor_；〃　says　Don　Thomas　de　las　Torres；
in　the　preface　to　his　〃Amatory　Poems〃　_〃sean　puras　y　castas；　importo　muy
poco　que　no　sean　igualmente　severas　sus　obras〃_　　meaning；　in　plain
English；　that；　provided　the　morals　of　an　author　are　pure　personally；　it
signifies　nothing　what　are　the　morals　of　his　books。　We　presume　that　Don
Thomas　is　now　in　Purgatory　for　the　assertion。　It　would　be　a　clever　thing；
too；　in　the　way　of　poetical　justice；　to　keep　him　there　until　his　〃Amatory
Poems〃　get　out　of　print；　or　are　laid　definitely　upon　the　shelf　through
lack　of　readers。　Every　fiction　should　have　a　moral；　and；　what　is　more　to
the　purpose；　the　critics　have　discovered　that　every　fiction　has。　Philip
Melanchthon；　some　time　ago；　wrote　a　commentary　upon　the
〃Batrachomyomachia；〃　and　proved　that　the　poet's　object　was　to　excite　a
distaste　for　sedition。　Pierre　la　Seine；　going　a　step　farther；　shows　that
the　intention　was　to　recommend　to　young　men　temperance　in　eating　and
drinking。　Just　so；　too；　Jacobus　Hugo　has　satisfied　himself　that；　by
Euenis；　Homer　meant　to　insinuate　John　Calvin；　by　Antinous；　Martin　Luther；
by　the　Lotophagi；　Protestants　in　general；　and；　by　the　Harpies；　the　Dutch。
Our　more　modern　Scholiasts　are　equally　acute。　These　fellows　demonstrate　a
hidden　meaning　in　〃The　Antediluvians；〃　a　parable　in　Powhatan；〃　new　views
in　〃Cock　Robin；〃　and　transcendentalism　in　〃Hop　O'　My　Thumb。〃　In　short；　it
has　been　shown　that　no　man　can　sit　down　to　write　without　a　very　profound
design。　Thus　to　authors　in　general　much　trouble　is　spared。　A　novelist；　for
example；　need　have　no　care　of　his　moral。　It　is　there　　that　is　to　say；　it
is　somewhere　　and　the　moral　and　the　critics　can　take　care　of　themselves。
When　the　proper　time　arrives；　all　that　the　gentleman　intended；　and　all
that　he　did　not　intend；　will　be　brought　to　light；　in　the　〃Dial；〃　or　the
〃Down…Easter；〃　together　with　all　that　he　ought