第67章死亡诊断安布(1)
ADiagnosisofDeath
安布罗斯·比尔斯AmbroseBierce
安布罗斯·比尔斯(AmbroseBierce,1842—1914),美国恐怖、灵异小说家,生于俄亥俄州梅格斯县的一个贫苦农民家庭。参加过南北战争,这段不平凡的经历为他后来的文学创作打下了坚实的基础。战争结束后,他开始了一个编辑兼作家的忙碌生涯。他的人生观比较悲观,早期的作品主要是随笔和讽刺性短诗,也包括一些小说,被人们称为“辛辣比尔斯”。
"Iamnotsosuperstitiousassomeofyourphysiofsce,asyouarepleasedtobecalled,"saidHawver,replyingtoanathathadnotbee;Someofyou—onlyafew,Ifess—believeialityofthesoul,andinapparitionswhichyouhaveytocallghosts。Igohanathattheliviimesseeheyarenot,buthavebeeheyhavelivedsolong,perhapssoiohavelefttheirimpressaboutthem。Ikone'semaybesoaffee'spersonalityastoyield,longafterward,animageofone'sselftotheeyesofalesstheimpressiyhasthtkiyasthepergeyeshavethtkindofeyes—mine,forexample。"
"Yes,therightkindofeyes,gsensationstkindofbrains,"saidDr。Frayley,smiling。
"Thankyou;oohaveaioisaboutthereplythatIsupposedyouwouldhavethecivilitytomake。"
"Pardoyousaythatyouknow。Thatisagooddealtosay,don'tyouthink?Perhapsyouwillnotmiroubleofsayinghowyoulear;
"Youwillhallu,"Hawversaid,"butthatdoes;Ahestory。
"LastsummerIwent,asyouknow,topassthehotweathertermiowherelativeatwhosehouseIhadiaywasill,soIsoughtotherquarters。AftersomedifficultyIsurentingavatdwellingthathadbeenoccupiedbyaricdoctorwiththename,whohadgoneawayyearsbefore,noonekeve。Hehadbuiltthehousehimselfandhadlivedinitwithaforabouttenyears。Hispraeververyexteerafewyearsbeeirely。Notonlyso,buthehadwithdrawaltogetherfromsociallifeandbeearecluse。Iwastoldbythevillagedoctor,abouttheohwhomheheldaions,thatdurihehaddevotedhimselftoasiudy,theresultofwhichhehadexpoundedinabookthatdidselftotheapprovalofhisprofessiohren,who,indeed,sideredhimirelysaseenthebookandowrecallthetitleofit,butIamtoldthatitexpouherstartlingtheory。Heheldthatitossibleintheanyapersonioforecasthisdeathwithpre,severalmonthsiheeve,Ithieenmonths。Therewerelocaltalesofhishaviedhispnosis,orperhapsyouwouldsaydiagnosis;anditwassaidthatiahepersonwhosefriendshehadwarnedhaddiedsuddeedtime,andfromnoassignablecause。Allthis,however,hasnothingtodowithwhatIhavetotell;Ithoughtitmightamuseaphysi。
"Thehousewasfurashehadlivedinit。Itwasarathergloomydwellingforonewhowasherareorastudent,andIthihingofitscharae—perhapssomeofitsformerot'scharacter;foralwaysIfeltiainmelancholythatwasnotinmynaturaldisposition,nor,Ithioloneliness。Ihadhatsleptinthehouse,butIhavealwaysbeen,asyouknow,ratherfondofmyowy,beingmuchaddictedt,thoughlittletostudy。Whateverwasthecause,theeffectwasdejedasenseofimpehiseannering'sstudy,althoughthatroomwasthelightestandmostairyihedoctor'slife-sizeportraitinoilhunginthatroom,aelytodomiherewasnothingunusualiure;themalyrathergoodlooking,aboutfiftyyearsold,withiron-greyhair,asmooth-shavenfaddark,seriouseyes。Somethiurealwaysdrewaention。Theman'sappearancebecamefamiliartome,a;hau;me。
"OneeveningIassingthroughthisroomtomybedroom,—thereisnogasinMeridian。Istoppedasusualbeforetheportrait,whichseemedinthelamplighttohaveanewexpression,noteasilydistinny。Itididnotdisturbme。Imovedthelampfromoheotheraheeffectsofthealteredlight。Whilesoeaurnround。AsIdidsoIsawamanmovingacrosstheroomdiree!AssoonasheearenoughforthelamplighttoillumihefaceIsawthatitwasDr。Manneriwasasiftheportrait>
"'Ibegyourpardon,'Isaid,somewhatcoldly,'butifyouknockedIdidnothear。'
"Hepassedme,withinanarm'slength,liftedhisrightfer,asinwarning,andwithoutawordwentonoutoftheroom,thoughIobservedhisexithanIhadobservedhisentrance。
"Ofcourse,IellyouthatthisillcallahalluandIapparition。Thatroomhadonlytwodoors,ofwhiewaslocked;theotherledintoabedroom,fromwhichtherewas。Myfeelihisisnotanimportantpartofthei。
"Doubtlessthisseemstoyouaveryonplace'ghoststory'—orutheregularlineslaiddowersoftheart。IfthatweresoIshouldedit,everue。ThemanwashimtodayinU。Hepassedmeinacrowd。"