泄密的心

章节摘录

　　JRUE!-nervous-very，very dreadfully nervous I had been and am;but why will you say that I am mad?The disease had sharpened my senses-not destroyed-not dulled them.Above all was the sense of hearing acute.I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth.I heard many things in hell.How，then，am I mad?Hearken!and observe how healthily-how calmly I can tell youthe whole story.　　It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain;butonce conceived，it haunted me day and night.Object there was none.Passion there was none.I loved the old man.He had never wrongedme.He had never given me insult.For his gold I had no desire.Ithink it was his eye!yes，it was this!He had the eye ofa vulture-a pale blue eye，with a film over it.Whenever it fell upon me，myblood ran cold;and so by degrees-very gradually-I made upmy mind to take the life of the old man，and thus rid myself of theeye forever. Now this is the point.You fancy me mad.Madmen knownothing.But you should have seen me.You should have seen howwisely I proceeded-with what caution-with what foresight-with what dissimulation I went to work!I was never kinder to theold man than during the whole week before I killed him.And everynight，about midnight，I turned the latch of his door and openedit-oh so gently!And then，when I had made an opening sufficientfor my head，I put in a dark lantern，all closed，closed，that no lightshone out，and then I thrust in my head.Oh，you would havelaughed to see how cunningly I thrust it in!I moved it slowly-very，very slowly，so that I might not disturb the old man's sleep.Ittook me an hour to place my whole head within the opening so farthat I could see him as he lay upon his bed.Ha!would a madmanhave been so wise as this，And then，when my head was well in theroom，I undid the lantern cautiously-oh，so cautiously-cautiously（for the hinges creaked）-I undid it just so much that a single thinray fell upon the vulture eye.And this I did for seven long nights-every night just at midnight-but I found the eye always closed;and so it was impossible to do the work;for it was not the old manwho vexed me，but his Evil Eye.And every morning，when the daybroke，I went boldly into the chamber，and spoke courageously tohim，calling him by name in a hearty tone，and inquiring how he haspassed the night.So you see he would have been a very profoundold man，indeed，to suspect that every night，just at twelve，I lookedin upon him while he slept.　　Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious inopening the door.A watch's minute hand moves more quickly thandid mine.Never before that night had I felt the extent of my ownpowers-of my sagacity.I could scarcely contain my feelings oftriumph.To think that there I was，opening the door，little by little，and he not even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts.I fairlychuckled at the idea;and perhaps he heard me;for he moved on thebed suddenly，as if startled.Now you may think that I drew back-but no.His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness，（forthe shutters were close fastened，through fear of robbers） and so Iknew that he could not see the opening of the door，and I kept pushing it on steadily，steadily.　　I had my head in，and was about to open the lantern，when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening，and the old man.sprang up in bed，crying out-"Who's there?"　　I kept quite still and said nothing.For a whole hour I did not move a muscle，and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down.He was still sitting up in the bed listening;-just as I have done，night after night，hearkening to the death watches in the wall.　　Presently I heard a slight groan，and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror.It was not a groan of pain or of grief-oh，no!-it was the low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe.I knew the sound well.Many a night， just at midnight，when all the world slept，it has welled up from my own bosom，deepening，with its dreadful echo，the terrors that distracted me.I say I knew it well.I knew what the old man felt，and pitied him，although I chuckled at heart.I knew that he had been lying awake ever since the first slight noise，when he hadturned in the bed.His fears had been ever since growing upon him.He had been trying to fancy them causeless，but could not.He hadbeen saying to himself-"It is nothing but the wind in the chimney-it is only a mouse crossing the floor，It is merely a cricketwhich has made a single chirp."Yes，he had been trying to comfort himself with these suppositions： but he had found all in'vain.All invain;because Death，in approaching him had stalked with his blackshadow before him，and enveloped the victim.And it was themournful influence of the unperceived shadow that caused him tofeel-although he neither saw nor heard-to feel the presence ofmy head within the room.　　When I had waited a long time，very patiently，without hearinghim lie down，I resolved to open a little-a very，very little crevicein the lantern.So I opened it-you cannot imagine how stealthily，stealthily-until，at length a simple dim ray，like the thread of thespider，shot from out the crevice and fell full upon the vulture eye.　　It was open-wide，wide open-and I grew furious as Igazed upon it.I saw it with perfect distinctness-all a dull blue，with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones;but I could see nothing else of the old man's face or person： for Ihad directed the ray as if by instinct，precisely upon the damnedspot.　　And have I not told you that what you mistake for madness isbut over-acuteness of the sense?　　……

内容概要

　　埃德加·爱伦·坡（Edgar Allan
Poe，1809-1849），19世纪美国著名作家、文学评论家、短篇小说先驱，被誉为世界上侦探小说和科幻小说的鼻祖。
　　1809年1月19日，爱伦·波出生在美国马萨诸塞州首府波士顿，在他年幼的时候，父亲离家出走，母亲病故，之后被商人约翰·爱伦收养。爱伦·坡的一生非常坎坷，他在养父母那里享受过家庭的温暖，但最后被养父逐出家门；少年时代他接受过良好的教育，但由于各种原因却被弗吉尼亚大学退学；虽然是个天才的作家，但以写作为生的他一生却贫困潦倒。1849年10月7日，当他在巴尔的摩为自己的新杂志工作期间，突然昏迷不醒，被送往医院后不久便离开了人世。
　　在他短暂的一生中，爱伦·坡共写了70多篇短篇小说，其中代表作有《莫格街凶杀案》《黑猫》《泄密的心》《欺骗是一门精准的科学》《凹凸山的故事》《眼镜》《红死病的化装舞会》和《厄舍古屋崩溃记》等。

书籍目录

泄密的心
绝境
失去呼吸
生意人
欺骗是一门精准的科学
红死病的化装舞会
约会
一桶白葡萄酒
凹凸山的故事
陷阱与钟摆
椭圆形画像
厄舍古屋崩溃记
贝蕾妮丝
莫雷娜

作者简介

《泄密的心(插图中文导读英文版)》精选了美国著名作家爱伦·坡的短篇小说14篇，其中包括《泄密的心》《绝境》《欺骗是一门精准的科学》《陷阱和钟摆》和《厄舍古屋崩溃记》等世界短篇小说文学宝库中的经典名篇。这些短篇小说技翻译成各种文字，影响了一代又一代世界各地的读者，并且被改编成戏剧、电影、电视剧和卡通等。无论作为语言学习的课本，还是作为文学读本，这些经典名篇对当代中国的读者都将产生积极的影响。《泄密的心(插图中文导读英文版)》为了使读者能够了解英文故事概况，进而提高阅读速度和阅读水平，在每篇的开始部分增加了中文导读。同时，为了读者更好地理解故事内容，书中加入了大量插图。

图书封面

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 泄密的心下载

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