the works of edgar allan poe-3-第57部分

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sufficiently　powerful　to　have　filled　the　San　Carlos；　executed；　with
the　minutest　precision；　every　difficulty　of　vocal
composition…ascending　and　descending　scales；　cadences；　or　fiorituri。
In　the　final　of　the　Somnambula；　she　brought　about　a　most　remarkable
effect　at　the　words：

Ah！　non　guinge　uman　pensiero

Al　contento　ond　'io　son　piena。

Here；　in　imitation　of　Malibran；　she　modified　the　original　phrase　of
Bellini；　so　as　to　let　her　voice　descend　to　the　tenor　G；　when；　by　a
rapid　transition；　she　struck　the　G　above　the　treble　stave；　springing
over　an　interval　of　two　octaves。

Upon　rising　from　the　piano　after　these　miracles　of　vocal　execution；
she　resumed　her　seat　by　my　side；　when　I　expressed　to　her；　in　terms　of
the　deepest　enthusiasm；　my　delight　at　her　performance。　Of　my　surprise
I　said　nothing；　and　yet　was　I　most　unfeignedly　surprised；　for　a
certain　feebleness；　or　rather　a　certain　tremulous　indecision　of　voice
in　ordinary　conversation；　had　prepared　me　to　anticipate　that；　in
singing；　she　would　not　acquit　herself　with　any　remarkable　ability。

Our　conversation　was　now　long；　earnest；　uninterrupted；　and　totally
unreserved。　She　made　me　relate　many　of　the　earlier　passages　of　my
life；　and　listened　with　breathless　attention　to　every　word　of　the
narrative。　I　concealed　nothing　　felt　that　I　had　a　right　to　conceal
nothing　　from　her　confiding　affection。　Encouraged　by　her　candor
upon　the　delicate　point　of　her　age；　I　entered；　with　perfect
frankness；　not　only　into　a　detail　of　my　many　minor　vices；　but　made
full　confession　of　those　moral　and　even　of　those　physical
infirmities；　the　disclosure　of　which；　in　demanding　so　much　higher　a
degree　of　courage；　is　so　much　surer　an　evidence　of　love。　I　touched
upon　my　college　indiscretions　　upon　my　extravagances　　upon　my
carousals…　upon　my　debts　　upon　my　flirtations。　I　even　went　so　far
as　to　speak　of　a　slightly　hectic　cough　with　which；　at　one　time；　I　had
been　troubled　　of　a　chronic　rheumatism　　of　a　twinge　of　hereditary
gout…　and；　in　conclusion；　of　the　disagreeable　and　inconvenient；　but
hitherto　carefully　concealed；　weakness　of　my　eyes。

〃Upon　this　latter　point；〃　said　Madame　Lalande；　laughingly；　〃you　have
been　surely　injudicious　in　coming　to　confession；　for；　without　the
confession；　I　take　it　for　granted　that　no　one　would　have　accused　you
of　the　crime。　By　the　by；〃　she　continued；　〃have　you　any　recollection…〃
and　here　I　fancied　that　a　blush；　even　through　the　gloom　of　the
apartment；　became　distinctly　visible　upon　her　cheek　　〃have　you　any
recollection；　mon　cher　ami　of　this　little　ocular　assistant；　which　now
depends　from　my　neck？〃

As　she　spoke　she　twirled　in　her　fingers　the　identical　double
eye…glass　which　had　so　overwhelmed　me　with　confusion　at　the　opera。

〃Full　well　　alas！　do　I　remember　it；〃　I　exclaimed；　pressing
passionately　the　delicate　hand　which　offered　the　glasses　for　my
inspection。　They　formed　a　complex　and　magnificent　toy；　richly　chased
and　filigreed；　and　gleaming　with　jewels；　which；　even　in　the　deficient
light；　I　could　not　help　perceiving　were　of　high　value。

〃Eh　bien！　mon　ami〃　she　resumed　with　a　certain　empressment　of　manner
that　rather　surprised　me　　〃Eh　bien！　mon　ami；　you　have　earnestly
besought　of　me　a　favor　which　you　have　been　pleased　to　denominate
priceless。　You　have　demanded　of　me　my　hand　upon　the　morrow。　Should　I
yield　to　your　entreaties　　and；　I　may　add；　to　the　pleadings　of　my
own　bosom　　would　I　not　be　entitled　to　demand　of　you　a　very　　a
very　little　boon　in　return？〃

〃Name　it！〃　I　exclaimed　with　an　energy　that　had　nearly　drawn　upon　us
the　observation　of　the　company；　and　restrained　by　their　presence
alone　from　throwing　myself　impetuously　at　her　feet。　〃Name　it；　my
beloved；　my　Eugenie；　my　own！　　name　it！　　but；　alas！　it　is　already
yielded　ere　named。〃

〃You　shall　conquer；　then；　mon　ami；〃　said　she；　〃for　the　sake　of　the
Eugenie　whom　you　love；　this　little　weakness　which　you　have　at　last
confessed　　this　weakness　more　moral　than　physical　　and　which；　let
me　assure　you；　is　so　unbecoming　the　nobility　of　your　real　nature　
so　inconsistent　with　the　candor　of　your　usual　character　　and　which；
if　permitted　further　control；　will　assuredly　involve　you；　sooner　or
later；　in　some　very　disagreeable　scrape。　You　shall　conquer；　for　my
sake；　this　affectation　which　leads　you；　as　you　yourself　acknowledge；
to　the　tacit　or　implied　denial　of　your　infirmity　of　vision。　For；　this
infirmity　you　virtually　deny；　in　refusing　to　employ　the　customary
means　for　its　relief。　You　will　understand　me　to　say；　then；　that　I
wish　you　to　wear　spectacles；　　ah；　hush！　　you　have　already
consented　to　wear　them；　for　my　sake。　You　shall　accept　the　little　toy
which　I　now　hold　in　my　hand；　and　which；　though　admirable　as　an　aid　to
vision；　is　really　of　no　very　immense　value　as　a　gem。　You　perceive
that；　by　a　trifling　modification　thus　　or　thus　　it　can　be　adapted
to　the　eyes　in　the　form　of　spectacles；　or　worn　in　the　waistcoat
pocket　as　an　eye…glass。　It　is　in　the　former　mode；　however；　and
habitually；　that　you　have　already　consented　to　wear　it　for　my　sake。〃

This　request　　must　I　confess　it？　　confused　me　in　no　little
degree。　But　the　condition　with　which　it　was　coupled　rendered
hesitation；　of　course；　a　matter　altogether　out　of　the　question。

〃It　is　done！〃　I　cried；　with　all　the　enthusiasm　that　I　could　muster　at
the　moment。　〃It　is　done　　it　is　most　cheerfully　agreed。　I　sacrifice
every　feeling　for　your　sake。　To…night　I　wear　this　dear　eye…glass；　as
an　eye…glass；　and　upon　my　heart；　but　with　the　earliest　dawn　of　that
morning　which　gives　me　the　pleasure　of　calling　you　wife；　I　will　place
it　upon　my　　upon　my　nose；　　and　there　wear　it　ever　afterward；　in
the　less　romantic；　and　less　fashionable；　but　certainly　in　the　more
serviceable；　form　which　you　desire。〃

Our　conversation　now　turned　upon　the　details　of　our　arrangements　for
the　morrow。　Talbot；　I　learned　from　my　betrothed；　had　just　arrived　in
town。　I　was　to　see　him　at　once；　and　procure　a　carriage。　The　soiree
would　scarcely　break　up　before　two；　and　by　this　hour　the　vehicle　was
to　be　at　the　door；　when；　in　the　confusion　occasioned　by　the　departure
of　the　company；　Madame　L。　could　easily　enter　it　unobserved。　We　were
then　to　call　at　the　house　of　a　clergyman　who　would　be　in　waiting；
there　be　married；　drop　Talbot；　and　proceed　on　a　short　tour　to　the
East；　leaving　the　fashionable　world　at　home　to　make　whatever　comments
upon　the　matter　it　thought　best。

Having　planned　all　this；　I　immediately　took　leave；　and　went　in　search
of　Talbot；　but；　on　the　way；　I　could　not　refrain　from　stepping　into　a
hotel；　for　the　purpose　of　inspecting　the　miniature；　and　this　I　did　by
the　powerful　aid　of　the　glasses。　The　countenance　was　a　surpassingly
beautiful　one！　Those　large　luminous　eyes！　　that　proud　Grecian　nose！
　those　dark　luxuriant　curls！　　〃Ah！〃　said　I；　exultingly　to　myself；
〃this　is　indeed　the　speaking　image　of　my　beloved！〃　I　turned　the
reverse；　and　discovered　the　words　　〃Eugenie　Lalande　　aged
twenty…seven　years　and　seven　months。〃

I　found　Talbot　at　home；　and　proceeded　at　once　to　acquaint　him　with　my
good　fortune。　He　professed　excessive　astonishment；　of　course；　but
congratulated　me　most　cordially；　and　proffered　every　assistance　in
his　power。　In　a　word；　we　carried　out　our　arrangement　to　the　letter；
and；　at　two　in　the　morning；　just　ten　minutes　after　the　ceremony；　I
found　myself　in　a　close　carriage　with　Madame　Lalande　　with　Mrs。
Simpson；　I　should　say　　and　driving　at　a　great　rate　out　of　town；　in
a　direction　Northeast　by　North；　half…North。

It　had　been　determined　for　us　by　Talbot；　that；　as　we　were　to　be　up
all　night；　we　should　make　our　first　stop　at　C；　a　village　about
twenty　miles　from　the　city；　and　there　get　an　early　breakfast　and　some
repose；　before　proceeding　upon　our　route。　At　four　precisely；
therefore；　the　carriage　drew　up　at　the　door　of　the　principal　inn。　I
handed　my　adored　wife　out；　and　ordered　breakfast　forthwith。　In　the
meantime　we　were　shown　into　a　small　parlor；　and　sat　down。

It　was　now　nearly　if　not　altogether　daylight；　and；　as　I　gazed；
enraptured；　at　the　angel　by　my　side；　the　singular　idea　came；　all　at
once；　into　my　head；　that　this　was　really　the　very　first　moment　since
my　acquaintance　with　the　celebrated　loveliness　of　Madame　Lalande；
that　I　had　enjoyed　a　near　inspection　of　that　loveliness　by　daylight
at　all。

〃And　now；　mon　ami；〃　said　she；　taking　my　hand；　and　so　interrupting
this　train　of　reflection；　〃and　now；　mon　cher　ami；　since　we　are
indissolubly　one　　since　I　have　yielded　to　your　passionate
entreaties；　and　performed　my　portion　of　our　agreement　　I　presume
you　have　not　forgotten　that　you　also　have　a　little　favor　to　bestow　
a　little　promise　which　it　is　your　intention　to　keep。　Ah！　let　me　see！
Let　me　remember！　Yes；　full　easily　do　I　call　to　mind　the　precise　words
of　the　dear　promise　you　made　to　Eugenie　last　night。　Listen！　You　spoke
thus：　'It　is　done！　　it　is　most　cheerfully　agreed！　I　sacrifice　every
feeling　for　your　sake。　To…night　I　wear　this　dear　eye…glass　as　an
eye…glass；　and　upon　my　heart；　but　with　the　earliest　dawn　of　that
morning　which　gives　me　the　privilege　of　calling　you　wife；　I　will
place　it　upon　my　　upon　my　nose；　　and　there　wear　it　ever
afterward；　in　the　less　romantic；　and　less　fashionable；　but　certainly
i