the works of edgar allan poe-5-第3部分

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often　seen　to　better　advantage　in　this　latter　position；　but　the　general
appearance　of　the　chamber　is　injured。　But　one　mirror　…　and　this　not　a　very
large　one　…　is　visible。　In　shape　it　is　nearly　circular　…　and　it　is　hung　so
that　a　reflection　of　the　person　can　be　obtained　from　it　in　none　of　the
ordinary　sitting…places　of　the　room。　Two　large　low　sofas　of　rosewood　and
crimson　silk；　gold…flowered；　form　the　only　seats；　with　the　exception　of
two　light　conversation　chairs；　also　of　rose…wood。　There　is　a　pianoforte
（rose…wood；　also）；　without　cover；　and　thrown　open。　An　octagonal　table；
formed　altogether　of　the　richest　gold…threaded　marble；　is　placed　near　one
of　the　sofas。　This　is　also　without　cover　…　the　drapery　of　the　curtains　has
been　thought　sufficient。。　Four　large　and　gorgeous　Sevres　vases；　in　which
bloom　a　profusion　of　sweet　and　vivid　flowers；　occupy　the　slightly　rounded
angles　of　the　room。　A　tall　candelabrum；　bearing　a　small　antique　lamp　with
highly　perfumed　oil；　is　standing　near　the　head　of　my　sleeping　friend。　Some
light　and　graceful　hanging　shelves；　with　golden　edges　and　crimson　silk
cords　with　gold　tassels；　sustain　two　or　three　hundred　magnificently　bound
books。　Beyond　these　things；　there　is　no　furniture；　if　we　except　an　Argand
lamp；　with　a　plain　crimson…tinted　ground　glass　shade；　which　depends　from
He　lofty　vaulted　ceiling　by　a　single　slender　gold　chain；　and　throws　a
tranquil　but　magical　radiance　over　all。



~~~　End　Of　Text　~~~



A　TALE　OF　JERUSALEM

Intensos　rigidarn　in　frontern　ascendere　canos

Passus　erat

　_　　　…LucanDe　Catone_

…a　bristly　_bore。_

_Translation_

LET　us　hurry　to　the　walls；〃　said　Abel…Phittim　to　Buzi…Ben…Levi　and　Simeon
the　Pharisee；　on　the　tenth　day　of　the　month　Thammuz；　in　the　year　of　the
world　three　thousand　nine　hundred　and　fortyonelet　us　hasten　to　the
ramparts　adjoining　the　gate　of　Benjamin；　which　is　in　the　city　of　David；
and　overlooking　the　camp　of　the　uncircumcised；　for　it　is　the　last　hour　of
the　fourth　watch；　being　sunrise；　and　the　idolaters；　in　fulfilment　of　the
promise　of　Pompey；　should　be　awaiting　us　with　the　lambs　for　the
sacrifices。〃

Simeon；　Abel…Phittim；　and　Duzi…Ben…Levi　were　the　Gizbarim；　or
sub…collectors　of　the　offering；　in　the　holy　city　of　Jerusalem。

〃Verily；〃　replied　the　Pharisee；　〃let　us　hasten：　for　this　generosity　in　the
heathen　is　unwonted；　and　fickle…mindedness　has　ever　been　an　attribute　of
the　worshippers　of　Baal。〃

〃'That　they　are　fickle…minded　and　treacherous　is　as　true　as　the
Pentateuch；〃　said　Buzi…Ben…Levi；　〃but　that　is　only　toward　the　people　of
Adonai。　When　was　it　ever　known　that　the　Ammonites　proved　wanting　to　their
own　interests？　Methinks　it　is　no　great　stretch　of　generosity　to　allow　us
lambs　for　the　altar　of　the　Lord；　receiving　in　lieu　thereof　thirty　silver
shekels　per　head　！〃

〃Thou　forgettest；　however；　Ben…Levi；〃　replied　Abel…Phittim；　〃that　the
Roman　Pompey；　who　is　now　impiously　besieging　the　city　of　the　Most　High；
has　no　assurity　that　we　apply　not　the　lambs　thus　purchased　for　the　altar；
to　the　sustenance　of　the　body；　rather　than　of　the　spirit。〃

〃Now；　by　the　five　corners　of　my　beard！〃　shouted　the　Pharisee；　who　belonged
to　the　sect　called　The　Dashers　（that　little　knot　of　saints　whose　manner　of
_dashing　_and　lacerating　the　feet　against　the　pavement　was　long　a　thorn
and　a　reproach　to　less　zealous　devotees…a　stumbling…block　to　less　gifted
perambulators）〃by　the　five　corners　of　that　beard　which；　as　a　priest；　I
am　forbidden　to　shave　！…have　we　lived　to　see　the　day　when　a　blaspheming
and　idolatrous　upstart　of　Rome　shall　accuse　us　of　appropriating　to　the
appetites　of　the　flesh　the　most　holy　and　consecrated　elements？　Have　we
lived　to　see　the　day　when…〃'

〃Let　us　not　question　the　motives　of　the　Philistine；〃　interrupted
Abel…Phittim'　〃for　to…day　we　profit　for　the　first　time　by　his　avarice　or
by　his　generosity；　but　rather　let　us　hurry　to　the　ramparts；　lest　offerings
should　be　wanting　for　that　altar　whose　fire　the　rains　of　heaven　can　not
extinguish；　and　whose　pillars　of　smoke　no　tempest　can　turn　aside。〃

That　part　of　the　city　to　which　our　worthy　Gizbarim　now　hastened；　and　which
bore　the　name　of　its　architect；　King　David；　was　esteemed　the　most　strongly
fortified　district　of　Jerusalem；　being　situated　upon　the　steep　and　lofty
hill　of　Zion。　Here；　a　broad；　deep；　circumvallatory　trench；　hewn　from　the
solid　rock；　was　defended　by　a　wall　of　great　strength　erected　upon　its
inner　edge。　This　wall　was　adorned；　at　regular　interspaces；　by　square
towers　of　white　marble；　the　lowest　sixty；　and　the　highest　one　hundred　and
twenty　cubits…　in　height。　But；　in　the　vicinity　of　the　gate　of　Benjamin；
the　wall　arose　by　no　means　from　the　margin　of　the　fosse。　On　the　contrary；
between　the　level　of　the　ditch　and　the　basement　of　the　rampart　sprang　up　a
perpendicular　cliff　of　two　hundred　and　fifty　cubits；　forming　part　of　the
precipitous　Mount　Moriah。　So　that　when　Simeon　and　his　associates　arrived
on　the　summit　of　the　tower　called　Adoni…Bezek…the　loftiest　of　all　the
turrets　around　about　Jerusalem；　and　the　usual　place　of　conference　with　the
besieging　army…they　looked　down　upon　the　camp　of　the　enemy　from　an
eminence　excelling　by　many　feet　that　of　the　Pyramid　of　Cheops；　and；　by
several；　that　of　the　temple　of　Belus。

〃Verily；〃　sighed　the　Pharisee；　as　he　peered　dizzily　over　the　precipice；
〃the　uncircumcised　are　as　the　sands　by　the　seashore…as　the　locusts　in　the
wilderness！　The　valley　of　the　King　hath　become　the　valley　of　Adommin。〃

〃And　yet；〃　added　Ben…Levi；　〃thou　canst　not　point　me　out　a　Philistine…no；
not　one…from　Aleph　to　Tau…from　the　wilderness　to　the　battlements…who
seemeth　any　bigger　than　the　letter　Jod！〃

〃Lower　away　the　basket　with　the　shekels　of　silver！〃　here　shouted　a　Roman
soldier　in　a　hoarse；　rough　voice；　which　appeared　to　issue　from　the　regions
of　Pluto…〃lower　away　the　basket　with　the　accursed　coin　which　it　has
broken　the　jaw　of　a　noble　Roman　to　pronounce！　Is　it　thus　you　evince　your
gratitude　to　our　master　Pompeius；　who；　in　his　condescension；　has　thought
fit　to　listen　to　your　idolatrous　importunities？　The　god　Phoebus；　who　is　a
true　god；　has　been　charioted　for　an　hour…and　were　you　not　to　be　on　the
ramparts　by　sunrise？　Aedepol！　do　you　think　that　we；　the　conquerors　of　the
world；　have　nothing　better　to　do　than　stand　waiting　by　the　walls　of　every
kennel；　to　traffic　with　the　dogs　of　the　earth？　Lower　away！　I　sayand　see
that　your　trumpery　be　bright　in　color　and　just　in　weight！〃

〃El　Elohim！〃　ejaculated　the　Pharisee；　as　the　discordant　tones　of　the
centurion　rattled　up　the　crags　of　the　precipice；　and　fainted　away　against
the　temple　…〃El　Elohim！who　is　the　god　Phoebus？whom　doth　the　blasphemer
invoke？　Thou；　Buzi…BenLevi！　who　art　read　in　the　laws　of　the　Gentiles；　and
hast　sojourned　among　them　who　dabble　with　the　Teraphim！is　it　Nergal　of
whom　the　idolater　speaketh？or　Ashimah？or　Nibhaz；or　Tartak？　or
Adramalech？or　Anamalech？or　Succoth…Benith？…or　Dagon？…or
Belial？…or　Baal…Perith？　…or　Baal…Peor？…or　Baal…Zebub？〃

〃Verily　it　is　neither…but　beware　how　thou　lettest　the　rope　slip　too
rapidly　through　thy　fingers；　for　should　the　wicker…work　chance　to　hang　on
the　projection　of　Yonder　crag；　there　will　be　a　woful　o