the works of edgar allan poe-5- 第4部分

At　length；　one　evening；　some　three　or　four　days　after　the　occurrence；　we
were　sitting　together　in　the　room　in　which　I　had　seen　the　apparition　　I
occupying　the　same　seat　at　the　same　window；　and　he　lounging　on　a　sofa　near
at　hand。　The　association　of　the　place　and　time　impelled　me　to　give　him　an
account　of　the　phenomenon。　He　heard　me　to　the　end　　at　first　laughed
heartily　　and　then　lapsed　into　an　excessively　grave　demeanor；　as　if　my
insanity　was　a　thing　beyond　suspicion。　At　this　instant　I　again　had　a
distinct　view　of　the　monster…　to　which；　with　a　shout　of　absolute　terror；　I
now　directed　his　attention。　He　looked　eagerly　　but　maintained　that　he
saw　nothing…　although　I　designated　minutely　the　course　of　the　creature；　as
it　made　its　way　down　the　naked　face　of　the　hill。

I　was　now　immeasurably　alarmed；　for　I　considered　the　vision　either　as　an
omen　of　my　death；　or；　worse；　as　the　fore…runner　of　an　attack　of　mania。　I
threw　myself　passionately　back　in　my　chair；　and　for　some　moments　buried　my
face　in　my　hands。　When　I　uncovered　my　eyes；　the　apparition　was　no　longer
apparent。

My　host；　however；　had　in　some　degree　resumed　the　calmness　of　his　demeanor；
and　questioned　me　very　rigorously　in　respect　to　the　conformation　of　the
visionary　creature。　When　I　had　fully　satisfied　him　on　this　head；　he　sighed
deeply；　as　if　relieved　of　some　intolerable　burden；　and　went　on　to　talk；
with　what　I　thought　a　cruel　calmness；　of　various　points　of　speculative
philosophy；　which　had　heretofore　formed　subject　of　discussion　between　us。
I　remember　his　insisting　very　especially　（among　other　things）　upon　the
idea　that　the　principle　source　of　error　in　all　human　investigations　lay　in
the　liability　of　the　understanding　to　under…rate　or　to　over…value　the
importance　of　an　object；　through　mere　mis…admeasurement　of　its
propinquity。　〃To　estimate　properly；　for　example；〃　he　said；　〃the　influence
to　be　exercised　on　mankind　at　large　by　the　thorough　diffusion　of
Democracy；　the　distance　of　the　epoch　at　which　such　diffusion　may　possibly
be　accomplished　should　not　fail　to　form　an　item　in　the　estimate。　Yet　can
you　tell　me　one　writer　on　the　subject　of　government　who　has　ever　thought
this　particular　branch　of　the　subject　worthy　of　discussion　at　all？〃

He　here　paused　for　a　moment；　stepped　to　a　book…case；　and　brought　forth　one
of　the　ordinary　synopses　of　Natural　History。　Requesting　me　then　to
exchange　seats　with　him；　that　he　might　the　better　distinguish　the　fine
print　of　the　volume；　he　took　my　armchair　at　the　window；　and；　opening　the
book；　resumed　his　discourse　very　much　in　the　same　tone　as　before。

〃But　for　your　exceeding　minuteness；〃　he　said；　〃in　describing　the　monster；
I　might　never　have　had　it　in　my　power　to　demonstrate　to　you　what　it　was。
In　the　first　place；　let　me　read　to　you　a　schoolboy　account　of　the　genus
Sphinx；　of　the　family　Crepuscularia　of　the　order　Lepidoptera；　of　the　class
of　Insecta　　or　insects。　The　account　runs　thus：

〃'Four　membranous　wings　covered　with　little　colored　scales　of　metallic
appearance；　mouth　forming　a　rolled　proboscis；　produced　by　an　elongation　of
the　jaws；　upon　the　sides　of　which　are　found　the　rudiments　of　mandibles　and
downy　palpi；　the　inferior　wings　retained　to　the　superior　by　a　stiff　hair；
antennae　in　the　form　of　an　elongated　club；　prismatic；　abdomen　pointed；　The
Death's　　headed　Sphinx　has　occasioned　much　terror　among　the　vulgar；　at
times；　by　the　melancholy　kind　of　cry　which　it　utters；　and　the　insignia　of
death　which　it　wears　upon　its　corslet。'〃

He　here　closed　the　book　and　leaned　forward　in　the　chair；　placing　himself
accurately　in　the　position　which　I　had　occupied　at　the　moment　of　beholding
〃the　monster。〃

〃Ah；　here　it　is；〃　he　presently　exclaimed　　〃it　is　reascending　the　face　of
the　hill；　and　a　very　remarkable　looking　creature　I　admit　it　to　be。　Still；
it　is　by　no　means　so　large　or　so　distant　as　you　imagined　it；　　for　the
fact　is　that；　as　it　wriggles　its　way　up　this　thread；　which　some　spider　has
wrought　along　the　window…sash；　I　find　it　to　be　about　the　sixteenth　of　an
inch　in　its　extreme　length；　and　also　about　the　sixteenth　of　an　inch
distant　from　the　pupil　of　my　eye。〃

~~~　End　of　Text　~~~



HOP…FROG

　　　　I　NEVER　knew　anyone　so　keenly　alive　to　a　joke　as　the　king　was。　He
seemed　to　live　only　for　joking。　To　tell　a　good　story　of　the　joke　kind；　and
to　tell　it　well；　was　the　surest　road　to　his　favor。　Thus　it　happened　that
his　seven　ministers　were　all　noted　for　their　accomplishments　as　jokers。
They　all　took　after　the　king；　too；　in　being　large；　corpulent；　oily　men；　as
well　as　inimitable　jokers。　Whether　people　grow　fat　by　joking；　or　whether
there　is　something　in　fat　itself　which　predisposes　to　a　joke；　I　have　never
been　quite　able　to　determine；　but　certain　it　is　that　a　lean　joker　is　a
rara　avis　in　terris。

About　the　refinements；　or；　as　he　called　them；　the　'ghost'　of　wit；　the　king
troubled　himself　very　little。　He　had　an　especial　admiration　for　breadth　in
a　jest；　and　would　often　put　up　with　length；　for　the　sake　of　it。
Over…niceties　wearied　him。　He　would　have　preferred　Rabelais'　'Gargantua'
to　the　'Zadig'　of　Voltaire：　and；　upon　the　whole；　practical　jokes　suited
his　taste　far　better　than　verbal　ones。

At　the　date　of　my　narrative；　professing　jesters　had　not　altogether　gone
out　of　fashion　at　court。　Several　of　the　great　continental　'powers'　still
retain　their　'fools；'　who　wore　motley；　with　caps　and　bells；　and　who　were
expected　to　be　always　ready　with　sharp　witticisms；　at　a　moment's　notice；
in　consideration　of　the　crumbs　that　fell　from　the　royal　table。

Our　king；　as　a　matter　of　course；　retained　his　'fool。'　The　fact　is；　he
required　something　in　the　way　of　folly　　if　only　to　counterbalance　the
heavy　wisdom　of　the　seven　wise　men　who　were　his　ministers　　not　to
mention　himself。

His　fool；　or　professional　jester；　was　not　only　a　fool；　however。　His　value
was　trebled　in　the　eyes　of　the　king；　by　the　fact　of　his　being　also　a　dwarf
and　a　cripple。　Dwarfs　were　as　common　at　court；　in　those　days；　as　fools；
and　many　monarchs　would　have　found　it　difficult　to　get　through　their　days
（days　are　rather　longer　at　court　than　elsewhere）　without　both　a　jester　to
laugh　with；　and　a　dwarf　to　laugh　at。　But；　as　I　have　already　observed；　your
jesters；　in　ninety…nine　cases　out　of　a　hundred；　are　fat；　round；　and
unwieldy　　so　that　it　was　no　small　source　of　self…gratulation　with　our
king　that；　in　Hop…Frog　（this　was　the　fool's　name）；　he　possessed　a
triplicate　treasure　in　one　person。

I　believe　the　name　'Hop…Frog'　was　not　that　given　to　the　dwarf　by　his
sponsors　at　baptism；　but　it　was　conferred　upon　him；　by　general　consent　of
the　several　ministers；　on　account　of　his　inability　to　walk　as　other　men
do。　In　fact；　Hop…Frog　could　only　get　along　by　a　sort　of　interjectional
gait　　something　between　a　leap　and　a　wriggle　　a　movement　that　afforded
illimitable　amusement；　and　of　course　consolation；　to　the　king；　for
（notwithstanding　the　protuberance　of　his　stomach　and　a　constitutional
swelling　of　the　head）　the　king；　by　his　whole　court；　was　accounted　a
capital　figure。

But　although　Hop…Frog；　through　the　distortion　of　his　legs；　could　move　only
with　great　pain　and　difficulty　along　a　road　or　floor；　the　prodigious
muscular　power　which　nature　seemed　to　have　bestowed　upon　his　arms；　by　way
of　compensation　for　deficiency　in　the　lower　limbs；　enabled　him　to　perform
many　feats　of　wonderful　dexterity；　where　trees　or　ropes　were　in　question；
or　any　thing　else　to　climb。　At　such　exercises　he　certainly　much　more
resembled　a　squirrel；　or　a　small　monkey；　than　a　frog。

I　am　not　able　to　say；　with　precision；　from　what　country　Hop…Frog
originally　came。　It　was　from　some　barbarous　region；　however；　that　no
person　ever　heard　of　　a　vast　distance　from　the　court　of　our　king。
Hop…Frog；　and　a　young　girl　very　little　less　dwarfish　than　himself
（although　of　exquisite　proportions；　and　a　marvellous　dancer）；　had　been
forcibly　carried　off　from　their　respective　homes　in　adjoining　provinces；
and　sent　as　presents　to　the　king；　by　one　of　his　ever…victorious　generals。

Under　these　circumstances；　it　is　not　to　be　wondered　at　that　a　close
intimacy　arose　between　the　two　little　captives。　Indeed；　they　soon　became
sworn　friends。　Hop…Frog；　who；　although　he　made　a　great　deal　of　sport；　was
by　no　means　popular；　had　it　not　in　his　power　to　render　Trippetta　many
services；　but　she；　on　account　of　her　grace　and　exquisite　beauty　（although
a　dwarf）；　was　universally　admired　and　petted；　so　she　possessed　much
influence；　and　never　failed　to　use　it；　whenever　she　could；　for　the　benefit
of　Hop…Frog。

On　some　grand　state　occasion　　I　forgot　what　　the　king　determined　to
have　a　masquerade；　and　whenever　a　masquerade　or　any　thing　of　that　kind；
occurred　at　our　court；　then　the　talents；　both　of　Hop…Frog　and　Trippetta
were　sure　to　be　called　into　play。　Hop…Frog；　in　especial；　was　so　inventive
in　the　way　of　getting　up　pageants；　suggesting　novel　characters；　and
arranging　costumes；　for　masked　balls；　that　nothing　could　be　done；　it
seems；　without　his　assistance。

The　night　appointed　for　the　fete　had　arrived。　A　gorgeous　hall　had　been
fitted　up；　under　Trippetta's　eye；　with　every　kind　of　device　which　could
possibly　give　eclat　to　a　masquerade。　The　whole　court　was　in　a　fever　of
expectation。　As　for　costumes　and　characters；　it　might　well　be　supposed
that　everybody　had　come　to　a　decision　on　such　points。　Many　had　made　up
their　minds　（as　to　what　roles　they　should　assume）　a　week；　or　even　a　month；
in　advance；　and；　in　fact；　there　was　not　a　particle　of　indecision　anywhere
　except　in　the　case　of　the　king　and　his　seven　minsters。　Why　they
hesitated　I　never　could　tell；　unless　they　did　it　by　way　of　a　joke。　More
probably；　they　found　it　difficult；　on　account　of　being　so　fat；　to　make　up
their　minds。　At　all　events；　time　flew；　and；　as　a　last　resort　they　sent　for
Trippetta　and　Hop…Frog。

When　the　two　little　friends　obeyed　the　summons　of　the　king　they　found　him
sitting　at　his　wine　with　the　seven　members　of　his　cabinet　council；　but　the
monarch　appeared　to　be　in　a　very　ill　humor。　He　knew　that　Hop…Frog　was　not
fond　of　wine；　for　it　excited　the　poor　cripple　almost　to　madness；　and
madness　is　no　comfortable　feeling。　But　the　king　loved　his　practical　jokes；
and　took　pleasure　in　forcing　Hop…Frog　to　drink