第64章

byNathanielHawthorne

THATVERYSINGULARMAN，oldDr。Heidegger，onceinvitedfour

venerablefriendstomeethiminhisstudy。Therewerethree

white-beardedgentlemen，Mr。Medbourne，ColonelKilligrew，andMr。

Gascoigne，andawitheredgentlewoman，whosenamewastheWidow

Wycherly。Theywereallmelancholyoldcreatures，whohadbeen

unfortunateinlife，andwhosegreatestmisfortuneitwasthatthey

werenotlongagointheirgraves。Mr。Medbourne，inthevigorof

hisage，hadbeenaprosperousmerchant，buthadlosthisallbya

franticspeculation，andwasnowlittlebetterthanamendicant。

ColonelKilligrewhadwastedhisbestyears，andhishealthand

substance，inthepursuitofsinfulpleasures，whichhadgivenbirth

toabroodofpains，suchasthegout，anddiversothertormentsof

soulandbody。Mr。Gascoignewasaruinedpolitician，amanofevil

fame，oratleasthadbeensotilltimehadburiedhimfromthe

knowledgeofthepresentgeneration，andmadehimobscureinsteadof

infamous。AsfortheWidowWycherly，traditiontellsusthatshewasa

greatbeautyinherday；but，foralongwhilepast，shehadlived

indeepseclusion，onaccountofcertainscandalousstorieswhich

hadprejudicedthegentryofthetownagainsther。Itisa

circumstanceworthmentioningthateachofthesethreeold

gentlemen，Mr。Medbourne，ColonelKilligrew，andMr。Gascoigne，were

earlyloversoftheWidowWycherly，andhadoncebeenonthepoint

ofcuttingeachother’sthroatsforhersake。And，beforeproceeding

further，IwillmerelyhintthatDr。Heideggerandallhisfourguests

weresometimesthoughttobealittlebesidethemselves-asisnot

unfrequentlythecasewitholdpeople，whenworriedeitherby

presenttroublesorwofulrecollections。

“Mydearoldfriends。”saidDr。Heidegger，motioningthemtobe

seated，Iamdesirousofyourassistanceinoneofthoselittle

experimentswithwhichIamusemyselfhereinmystudy。”

Ifallstoriesweretrue，Dr。Heidegger’sstudymusthavebeena

verycuriousplace。Itwasadim，old-fashionedchamber，festooned

withcobwebs，andbesprinkledwithantiquedust。Aroundthewalls

stoodseveraloakenbookcases，thelowershelvesofwhichwere

filledwithrowsofgiganticfoliosandblack-letterquartos，and

theupperwithlittleparchment-coveredduodecimos。Overthecentral

bookcasewasabronzebustofHippocrates，withwhich，accordingto

someauthorities，Dr。Heideggerwasaccustomedtoholdconsultations

inalldifficultcasesofhispractice。Intheobscurestcornerofthe

roomstoodatallandnarrowoakencloset，withitsdoorajar，

withinwhichdoubtfullyappearedaskeleton。Betweentwoofthe

bookcaseshungalooking-glass，presentingitshighanddustyplate

withinatarnishedgiltframe。Amongmanywonderfulstoriesrelatedof

thismirror，itwasfabledthatthespiritsofallthedoctor’s

deceasedpatientsdweltwithinitsverge，andwouldstarehiminthe

facewheneverhelookedthitherward。Theoppositesideofthe

chamberwasornamentedwiththefull-lengthportraitofayoung

lady，arrayedinthefadedmagnificenceofsilk，satin，andbrocade，

andwithavisageasfadedasherdress。Abovehalfacenturyago，Dr。

Heideggerhadbeenonthepointofmarriagewiththisyounglady；but，

beingaffectedwithsomeslightdisorder，shehadswallowedoneofher

lover’sprescriptions，anddiedonthebridalevening。Thegreatest

curiosityofthestudyremainstobementioned；itwasaponderous

foliovolume，boundinblackleather，withmassivesilverclasps。

Therewerenolettersontheback，andnobodycouldtellthetitle

ofthebook。Butitwaswellknowntobeabookofmagic；andonce，

whenachambermaidhadliftedit，merelytobrushawaythedust，the

skeletonhadrattledinitscloset，thepictureoftheyounglady

hadsteppedonefootuponthefloor，andseveralghastlyfaceshad

peepedforthfromthemirror；whilethebrazenheadofHippocrates

frowned，andsaid-“Forbear！”