第8章

“Andwhatoneisthat？”askedabystander，overhearinghim。

Itwasadark-browedman，whoputthequestion；hehadanevasive

eye，which，inthecourseofadozenyears，hadlookednomortal

directlyintheface。Therewasanambiguityaboutthisperson’s

character-astainuponhisreputation-yetnonecouldtell

preciselyofwhatnature；althoughthecity-gossips，maleand

female，whisperedthemostatrocioussurmises。Untilarecentperiod

hehadfollowedthesea，andwas，infact，theveryship-masterwhom

GeorgeHerkimerhadencountered，undersuchsingularcircumstances，in

theGrecianArchipelago。

“Whatbosom-serpenthasthesharpeststing？”repeatedthisman：but

heputthequestionasifbyareluctantnecessity，andgrewpale

whilehewasutteringit。

“Whyneedyouask？”repliedRoderick，withalookofdark

intelligence。“Lookintoyourownbreast！Hark，myserpentbestirs

himself！Heacknowledgesthepresenceofamaster-fiend！”

Andthen，asthebystandersafterwardsaffirmed，ahissingsound

washeard，apparentlyinRoderickElliston’sbreast。Itwassaid，too，

thatanansweringhisscamefromthevitalsoftheshipmaster，asifa

snakewereactuallylurkingthere，andhadbeenarousedbythecallof

itsbrother-reptile。Iftherewereinfactanysuchsound，itmight

havebeencausedbyamaliciousexerciseofventriloquism，onthepart

ofRoderick。

Thus，makinghisownactualserpent-ifaserpentthereactually

wasinhisbosom-thetypeofeachman’sfatalerror，orhoarded

sin，orunquietconscience，andstrikinghisstingsounremorsefully

intothesorestspot，wemaywellimaginethatRoderickbecamethe

pestofthecity。Nobodycouldeludehim；nonecouldwithstandhim。He

grappledwiththeugliesttruththathecouldlayhishandon，and

compelledhisadversarytodothesame。Strangespectacleinhuman

life，whereitistheinstinctiveeffortofoneandalltohide

thosesadrealities，andleavethemundisturbedbeneathaheapof

superficialtopics，whichconstitutethematerialsofintercourse

betweenmanandman！ItwasnottobetoleratedthatRoderickElliston

shouldbreakthroughthetacitcompact，bywhichtheworldhasdone

itsbesttosecurerepose，withoutrelinquishingevil。Thevictims

ofhismaliciousremarks，itistrue，hadbrothersenoughtokeepthem

incountenance；for，byRoderick’stheory，everymortalbosomharbored

eitherabroodofsmallserpents，oroneovergrownmonster，thathad

devouredalltherest。Still，thecitycouldnotbearthisnew

apostle。Itwasdemandedbynearlyall，andparticularlybythemost

respectableinhabitants，thatRoderickshouldnolongerbepermitted

toviolatethereceivedrulesofdecorum，byobtrudinghisown

bosom-serpenttothepublicgaze，anddraggingthoseofdecent

peoplefromtheirlurking-places。

Accordingly，hisrelativesinterfered，andplacedhimina

privateasylumfortheinsane。Whenthenewswasnoisedabroad，itwas

observedthatmanypersonswalkedthestreetswithfreercountenances，

andcoveredtheirbreastslesscarefullywiththeirhands。

Hisconfinement，however，althoughitcontributednotalittleto

thepeaceofthetown，operatedunfavorablyuponRoderickhimself。

Insolitude，hismelancholygrewmoreblackandsullen。Hespentwhole

days-indeed，itwashissoleoccupation-incommuningwiththe

serpent。Aconversationwassustained，inwhich，asitseemed，the

hiddenmonsterboreapart，thoughunintelligiblytothelisteners，

andinaudible，exceptinahiss。Singularasitmayappear，the

suffererhadnowcontractedasortofaffectionforhistormentor；

mingled，however，withtheintensestloathingandhorror。Norwere

suchdiscordantemotionsincompatible；each，onthecontrary，imparted

strengthandpoignancytoitsopposite。Horriblelove-horrible

antipathy-embracingoneanotherinhisbosom，andboth

concentratingthemselvesuponabeingthathadcreptintohis

vitals，orbeenengenderedthere，andwhichwasnourishedwithhis

food，andliveduponhislife，andwasasintimatewithhimashisown

heart，andyetwasthefoulestofallcreatedthings！Butnottheless

wasitthetruetypeofamorbidnature。

Sometimes，inhismomentsofrageandbitterhatredagainstthe

snakeandhimself，Roderickdeterminedtobethedeathofhim，evenat

theexpenseofhisownlife。Onceheattempteditbystarvation。

But，whilethewretchedmanwasonthepointoffamishing，themonster

seemedtofeeduponhisheart，andtothriveandwaxgamesome，asif

itwerehissweetestandmostcongenialdiet。Thenheprivilytooka

doseofactivepoison，imaginingthatitwouldnotfailtokilleither

himself，orthedevilthatpossessedhim，orbothtogether。Another

mistake；forifRoderickhadnotyetbeendestroyedbyhisown

poisonedheart，northesnakebygnawingit，theyhadlittletofear

fromarsenicorcorrosivesublimate。Indeed，thevenomouspest

appearedtooperateasanantidoteagainstallotherpoisons。The

physicianstriedtosuffocatethefiendwithtobacco-smoke。He

breatheditasfreelyasifitwerehisnativeatmosphere。Again，they

druggedtheirpatientwithopium，anddrenchedhimwithintoxicating

liquors，hopingthatthesnakemightthusbereducedtostupor，and

perhapsbeejectedfromthestomach。Theysucceededinrendering

Roderickinsensible；but，placingtheirhandsuponhisbreast，they

wereinexpressiblyhorror-strickentofeelthemonsterwriggling，

twining，anddartingtoandfro，withinhisnarrowlimits，evidently

enlivenedbytheopiumoralcohol，andincitedtounusualfeatsof

activity。Thenceforth，theygaveupallattemptsatcureor

palliation。Thedoomedsufferersubmittedtohisfate，resumedhis

formerloathsomeaffectionforthebosom-fiend，andspentwhole

miserabledaysbeforealooking-glass，withhismouthwideopen，

watching，inhopeandhorror，tocatchaglimpseofthesnake’s

head，fardownwithinhisthroat。Itissupposedthathesucceeded；

fortheattendantsonceheardafrenziedshout，andrushingintothe

room，foundRodericklifelessuponthefloor。

Hewaskeptbutlittlelongerunderrestraint。Afterminute

investigation，themedicaldirectorsoftheasylumdecidedthathis

mentaldiseasedidnotamounttoinsanity，norwouldwarranthis

confinement；especiallyasitsinfluenceuponhisspiritswas

unfavorable，andmightproducetheevilwhichitwasmeantto

remedy。Hiseccentricitiesweredoubtlessgreat-hehadhabitually

violatedmanyofthecustomsandprejudicesofsociety；butthe

worldwasnot，withoutsurerground，entitledtotreathimasa

madman。Onthisdecisionofsuchcompetentauthority，Roderickwas

released，andhadreturnedtohisnativecity，theverydaybeforehis

encounterwithGeorgeHerkimer。

Assoonaspossibleafterlearningtheseparticulars，thesculptor，

togetherwithasadandtremulouscompanion，soughtEllistonathis

ownhouse。Itwasalarge，sombreedificeofwood，withpilasters

andabalcony，andwasdividedfromoneoftheprincipalstreetsby

aterraceofthreeelevations，whichwasascendedbysuccessive

flightsofstonesteps。Someimmenseoldelmsalmostconcealedthe

frontofthemansion。Thisspaciousandoncemagnificent

family-residencewasbuiltbyagrandeeoftherace，earlyinthepast

century；atwhichepoch，landbeingofsmallcomparativevalue，the

gardenandothergroundshadformedquiteanextensivedomain。

Althoughaportionoftheancestralheritagehadbeenalienated，there

wasstillashadowyenclosureintherearofthemansion，wherea

student，oradreamer，oramanofstrickenheart，mightlieallday

uponthegrass，amidthesolitudeofmurmuringboughs，andforgetthat

acityhadgrownuparoundhim。

Intothisretirement，thesculptorandhiscompanionwereushered

byScipio，theoldblackservant，whosewrinkledvisagegrewalmost

sunnywithintelligenceandjoy，ashepaidhishumblegreetingsto

oneofthetwovisitors。

“Remaininthearbor，whisperedthesculptortothefigurethat

leaneduponhisarm，“youwillknowwhether，andwhen，tomakeyour

appearance。”

“Godwillteachme。”wasthereply。“Mayhesupportmetoo！”

Roderickwasrecliningonthemarginofafountain，whichgushed

intothefleckeredsunshinewiththesameclearsparkle，andthe

samevoiceofairyquietude，aswhentreesofprimevalgrowthflung

theirshadowsacrossitsbosom。Howstrangeisthelifeofafountain，

bornateverymoment，yetofanagecoevalwiththerocks，andfar

surpassingthevenerableantiquityofaforest！

“Youarecome！Ihaveexpectedyou。”saidElliston，whenhe

becameawareofthesculptor’spresence。

Hismannerwasverydifferentfromthatoftheprecedingday-

quiet，courteous，and，asHerkimerthought，watchfulbothoverhis

guestandhimself。Thisunnaturalrestraintwasalmosttheonly

traitthatbetokenedanythingamiss。Hehadjustthrownabookupon

thegrass，whereitlayhalfopened，thusdisclosingitselftobea

naturalhistoryoftheserpent-tribe，illustratedbylife-likeplates。

Nearitlaythatbulkyvolume，theDuctorDubitantiumofJeremy

Taylor，fullofcasesofconscience，andinwhichmostmen，

possessedofaconscience，mayfindsomethingapplicabletotheir

purpose。

“Yousee。”observedElliston，pointingtothebookofserpents，

whileasmilegleameduponhislips，“Iammakinganeffortto

becomebetteracquaintedwithmybosom-friend。ButIfindnothing

satisfactoryinthisvolume。IfImistakenot，hewillprovetobesui

generis，andakintonootherreptileincreation。”

“Whencecamethisstrangecalamity？”inquiredthesculptor。

“Mysablefriend，Scipio，hasastory。”repliedRoderick，“ofa

snakethathadlurkedinthisfountain-pureandinnocentasit

looks-eversinceitwasknowntothefirstsettlers。This

insinuatingpersonageoncecreptintothevitalsofmy

great-grandfather，anddwelttheremanyyears，tormentingtheold

gentlemanbeyondmortalendurance。Inshort，itisafamily

peculiarity。But，totellyouthetruth，Ihavenofaithinthis

ideaofthesnake’sbeinganheir-loom。Heismyownsnake，andno

man’selse。”

“Butwhatwashisorigin？”demandedHerkimer。

“Oh！thereispoisonousstuffinanyman’sheart，sufficientto

generateabroodofserpents。”saidElliston，withahollowlaugh。

“Youshouldhaveheardmyhomiliestothegoodtownspeople。

Positively，Ideemmyselffortunateinhavingbredbutasingle

serpent。You，however，havenoneinyourbosom，andthereforecannot

sympathizewiththerestoftheworld。Itgnawsme！Itgnawsme！”

Withthisexclamation，Rodericklosthisself-controlandthrew

himselfuponthegrass，testifyinghisagonybyintricatewrithings，

inwhichHerkimercouldnotbutfancyaresemblancetothemotions

ofasnake。Then，likewise，washeardthatfrightfulhiss，whichoften

ranthroughthesufferer’sspeech，andcreptbetweenthewordsand

syllables，withoutinterruptingtheirsuccession。

“Thisisawfulindeed！”exclaimedthesculptor-“anawful

infliction，whetheritbeactualorimaginary！Tellme，Roderick

Elliston，isthereanyremedyforthisloathsomeevil？”

“Yes，butanimpossibleone。”mutteredRoderick，ashelay

wallowingwithhisfaceinthegrass。“CouldI，foroneinstant，

forgetmyself，theserpentmightnotabidewithinme。Itismy

diseasedself-contemplationthathasengenderedandnourishedhim！”

“Thenforgetyourself，myhusband。”saidagentlevoiceabove

him-“forgetyourselfintheideaofanother！”

Rosinahademergedfromthearbor，andwasbendingoverhim，with

theshadowofhisanguishreflectedinhercountenance，yetsomingled

withhopeandunselfishlove，thatallanguishseemedbutanearthly

shadowandadream。ShetouchedRoderickwithherhand。Atremor

shiveredthroughhisframe。Atthatmoment，ifreportbe

trustworthy，thesculptorbeheldawavingmotionthroughthegrass，

andheardatinklingsound，asifsomethinghadplungedintothe

fountain。Bethetruthasitmight，itiscertainthatRoderick

Ellistonsatup，likeamanrenewed，restoredtohisrightmind，and

rescuedfromthefiend，whichhadsomiserablyovercomehiminthe

battlefieldofhisownbreast。