第8章 一个古怪的梦〔3〕

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ndtheoorghostgratedhisteethinawaythatgavemeawrenchandashiver—fortheeffectismightilyincreasedbytheabsenceofmufflingfleshandcuticle.

"Iresideinthatoldgraveyard,andhaveforthesethirtyyears;andItellyouthingsarechangedsinceIfirstlaidthisoldtiredframethere,andturnedover,andstretchedoutforalongslee,withadelicioussenseuonmeofbeingdonewithbother,andgrief,andanxiety,anddoubt,andfear,foreverandever,andlisteningwithcomfortableandincreasingsatisfactiontothesexton'swork,fromthestartlingclatterofhisfirstsadefulonmycoffintillitdulledawaytothefaintattingthatshaedtheroofofmynewhome-delicious!My!Iwishyoucouldtryittonight!

"Andoutofmyreveriedeceasedfetchedmearattlingslawithabonyhand.

"Yes,sir,thirtyyearsagoIlaidmedownthere,andwashay.Foritwasoutinthecountrythen—outinthebreezy,flowery,grandoldwoods,andthelazywindsgossiedwiththeleaves,andthesquirrelscaeredoverusandaroundus,andthecreeingthingsvisitedus,andthebirdsfilledthetranquilsolitudewithmusic.Ah,itwasworthtenyearsofaman'slifetobedeadthen!

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"Everythingwasleasant.Iwasinagoodneighborhood,forallthedeadeolethatlivednearmebelongedtothebestfamiliesinthecity.Ourosterityaearedtothinktheworldofus.Theyketourgravesintheverybestcondition;thefenceswerealwaysinfaultlessreair,head-boardswereketaintedorwhitewashed,andwererelacedwithnewonesassoonastheybegantolookrustyordecayed;monumentswereketuright,railingsintactandbright,therose-bushesandshrubberytrimmed,trained,andfreefromblemish,thewalkscleanandsmoothandgraveled.Butthatdayisgoneby.Ourdescendantshaveforgottenus.Mygrandsonlivesinastatelyhousebuiltwithmoneymadebytheseoldhandsofmine,andIsleeinaneglectedgravewithinvadingverminthatgnawmyshroudtobuildthemnestswithal!Iandfriendsthatliewithmefoundedandsecuredtheroserityofthisfinecity,andthestatelybantlingofourlovesleavesustorotinadilaidatedcemeterywhichneighborscurseandstrangersscoffat.

"

"Seethedifferencebetweentheoldtimeandthis—forinstance:Ourgravesareallcavedinnow;ourhead-boardshaverottedawayandtumbleddown;ourrailingsreelthiswayandthat,withonefootintheair,afterafashionofunseemlylevity;ourmonumentsleanwearily,andourgravestonesbowtheirheadsdiscouraged;therebenoadornmentsanymore—noroses,norshrubs,norgraveledwalks,noranythingthatisacomforttotheeye;andeventheaintlessoldboardfencethatdidmakeashowofholdingussacredfromcomanionshiwithbeastsandthedefilementofheedlessfeet,hastotteredtillitoverhangsthestreet,andonlyadvertisestheresenceofourdismalresting-laceandinvitesyetmorederisiontoit.

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Andnowwecannothideourovertyandtattersinthefriendlywoods,forthecityhasstretcheditswitheringarmsabroadandtakenusin,andallthatremainsofthecheerofouroldhomeistheclusteroflugubriousforesttreesthatstand,boredandwearyofacitylife,withtheirfeetinourcoffins,lookingintothehazydistanceandwishingtheywerethere.Itellyouitisdisgraceful!

"Youbegintocomrehend—youbegintoseehowitis.Whileourdescendantsarelivingsumtuouslyonourmoney,rightaroundusinthecity,wehavetofighthardtokeeskullandbonestogether.Blessyou,thereisn'tagraveinourcemeterythatdoesn'tleaknotone.Everytimeitrainsinthenightwehavetoclimboutandroostinthetreesandsometimeswearewakenedsuddenlybythechillywatertricklingdownthebackofournecks.ThenItellyouthereisageneralheavinguofoldgravesandkickingoverofoldmonuments,andscameringofoldskeletonsforthetrees!Blessme,ifyouhadgonealongtheresomesuchnightsaftertwelveyoumighthaveseenasmanyasfifteenofusroostingononelimb,withourjointsrattlingdrearilyandthewindwheezingthroughourribs!Manyatimewehaveerchedthereforthreeorfourdrearyhours,andthencomedown,stiffandchilledthroughanddrowsy,andborrowedeachother'sskullstobailoutourgraveswith—ifyouwillglanceuinmymouthnowasItiltmyheadback,youcanseethatmyhead-ieceishalffullofolddrysedimenthowto-heavyandstuiditmakesmesometimes!

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"Yes,sir,manyatimeifyouhadhaenedtocomealongjustbeforethedawnyou'dhavecaughtusbailingoutthegravesandhangingourshroudsonthefencetodry.Why,Ihadanelegantshroudstolenfromthereonemorning—thinkaartybythenameofSmithtookit,thatresidesinalebeiangraveyardoveryonder—IthinksobecausethefirsttimeIeversawhimhehadn'tanythingonbutacheckshirt,andthelasttimeIsawhim,whichwasatasocialgatheringinthenewcemetery,hewasthebest-dressedcorseinthecomany—anditisasignificantfactthatheleftwhenhesawme.

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"Andresentlyanoldwomanfromheremissedhercoffin—shegenerallytookitwithherwhenshewentanywhere,becauseshewasliabletotakecoldandbringonthesasmodicrheumatismthatoriginallykilledherifsheexosedherselftothenightairmuch.ShewasnamedHotchkiss—AnnaMatildaHotchkiss—youmightknowher?Shehastwouerfrontteeth,istall,butagooddealinclinedtostoo,oneribontheleftsidegone,hasoneshredofrustyhairhangingfromtheleftsideofherhead,andonelittletuftjustaboveandalittleforwardofherrightear,hasherunderjawwiredononesidewhereithadworkedloose,smallboneofleftforearmgone—lostinafighthasakindofswaggerinhergaitanda'gallus'wayofgoingwith:herarmsakimboandhernostrilsintheairhasbeenrettyfreeandeasy,andisalldamagedandbatteredutillshelookslikeaqueenswarecrateinruins—maybeyouhavemether?

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