A young lady present interrupted him:
“Doctor, you are evidently dying to tell us a story. Come now, begin!”
The doctor bowed.
“No, I am not in the least anxious, I assure you. I tell this story as seldom as possible, for it disturbs those who hear it, and it disturbs me also. However, if you wish it, here it is:
“In 1863 I was a young physician stationed at Orléans. In that patrician4 city, full of aristocratic old residences, it is difficult to find bachelor apartments; and, as I like both plenty of air and plenty of room, I took up my lodging5 on the first floor of a large building situated6 just outside the city, near Saint-Euverte. It had been originally constructed to serve as the warehouse7 and also as the dwelling8 of a manufacturer of rugs. In course of time the manufacturer had failed, and this big barrack that he had built, falling out of repair through lack of tenants9, had been sold for a song with all its furnishings. The purchaser hoped to make a future profit out of his purchase, for the city was growing in that direction; and, as a matter of fact, I believe that at the present time the house is included within the city limits. When I took up my quarters there, however, the mansion10 stood alone on the verge11 of the open country, at the end of a straggling street on which a few stray houses produced at dusk the impression of a jaw12 from which most of the teeth have fallen out.
“I leased one-half of the first floor, an apartment of four rooms. For my bedroom and my study I took the two that fronted on the street; in the third room I set up some shelves for my wardrobe, and the other room I left empty. This made a very comfortable lodging for me, and I had, for a sort of promenade13, a broad balcony that ran along the entire front of the building, or rather one-half of the balcony, since it was divided into two parts (please note this carefully) by a fan of ironwork, over which, however, one could easily climb.
“I had been living there for about two months when, one night in July on returning to my rooms, I saw with a good deal of surprise a light shining through the windows of the other apartment on the same floor, which I had supposed to be uninhabited. The effect of this light was extraordinary. It lit up with a pale, yet perfectly14 distinct, reflection, parts of the balcony, the street below, and a bit of the neighboring fields.
“I thought to myself, ‘Aha! I have a neighbor.”
“The idea indeed was not altogether agreeable, for I had been rather proud of my exclusive proprietorship15. On reaching my bedroom I passed noiselessly out upon the balcony, but already the light had been extinguished. So I went back into my room, and sat down to read for an hour or two. From time to time I seemed to hear about me, as though within the walls, light footsteps; but after finishing my book I went to bed, and speedily fell asleep.
“About midnight I suddenly awoke with a curious feeling that something was standing16 beside me. I raised myself in bed, lit a candle, and this is what I saw. In the middle of the room stood an immense cat gazing upon me with phosphorescent eyes, and with its back slightly arched. It was a magnificent Angora, with long fur and a fluffy17 tail, and of a remarkable18 color—exactly like that of the yellow silk that one sees in cocoons—so that, as the light gleamed upon its coat, the animal seemed to be made of gold.
“It slowly moved toward me on its velvety19 paws, softly rubbing its sinuous20 body against my legs. I leaned over to stroke it, and it permitted my caress21, purring, and finally leaping upon my knees. I noticed then that it was a female cat, quite young, and that she seemed disposed to permit me to pet her as long as ever I would. Finally, however, I put her down upon the floor, and tried to induce her to leave the room; but she leaped away from me and hid herself somewhere among the furniture, though as soon as I had blown out my candle, she jumped upon my bed. Being sleepy, however, I didn’t molest22 her, but dropped off into a doze23, and the next morning when I awoke in broad daylight I could find no sign of the animal at all.
“Truly, the human brain is a very delicate instrument, and one that is easily thrown out of gear. Before I proceed, just sum up for yourselves the facts that I have mentioned: a light seen and presently extinguished in an apartment supposed to be uninhabited; and a cat of a remarkable color, which appeared and disappeared in a way that was slightly mysterious. Now there isn’t anything very strange about that, is there? Very well. Imagine, now, that these unimportant facts are repeated day after day and under the same conditions throughout a whole week, and then, believe me, they become of importance enough to impress the mind of a man who is living all alone, and to produce in him a slight disquietude such as I spoke24 of in commencing my story, and such as is always caused when one approaches the sphere of the unknown. The human mind is so formed that it always unconsciously applies the principle of the causa sufficiens. For every series of facts that are identical, it demands a cause, a law; and a vague dismay seizes upon it when it is unable to guess this cause and to trace out this law.
“I am no coward, but I have often studied the manifestation25 of fear in others, from its most puerile26 form in children up to its most tragic27 phase in madmen. I know that it is fed and nourished by uncertainties28, although when one actually sets himself to investigate the cause, this fear is often transformed into simple curiosity.
“I made up my mind, therefore, to ferret out the truth. I questioned my caretaker, and found that he knew nothing about my neighbors. Every morning an old woman came to look after the neighboring apartment; my caretaker had tried to question her, but either she was completely deaf or else she was unwilling29 to give him any information, for she had refused to answer a single word. Nevertheless, I was able to explain satisfactorily the first thing that I had noted—that is to say, the sudden extinction30 of the light at the moment when I entered the house. I had observed that the windows next to mine were covered only by long lace curtains; and as the two balconies were connected, my neighbor, whether man or woman, had no doubt a wish to prevent any indiscreet inquisitiveness31 on my part, and therefore had always put out the light on hearing me come in. To verify this supposition, I tried a very simple experiment, which succeeded perfectly. I had a cold supper brought in one day about noon by my servant, and that evening I did not go out. When darkness came on, I took my station near the window. Presently I saw the balcony shining with the light that streamed through the windows of the neighboring apartment. At once I slipped quietly out upon my balcony, and stepped softly over the ironwork that separated the two parts. Although I knew that I was exposing myself to a positive danger, either of falling and breaking my neck, or of finding myself face to face with a man, I experienced no perturbation. Reaching the lighted window without having made the slightest noise, I found it partly open; its curtains, which for me were quite transparent32 since I was on the dark side of the window, made me wholly invisible to any one who should look toward the window from the interior of the room.
“I saw a vast chamber33 furnished quite elegantly, though it was obviously out of repair, and lighted by a lamp suspended from the ceiling. At the end of the room was a low sofa upon which was reclining a woman who seemed to me to be both young and pretty. Her loosened hair fell over her shoulders in a rain of gold. She was looking at herself in a hand mirror, patting herself, passing her arms over her lips, and twisting about her supple34 body with a curiously35 feline36 grace. Every movement that she made caused her long hair to ripple37 in glistening38 undulations.
“As I gazed upon her I confess that I felt a little troubled, especially when all of a sudden the young girl’s eyes were fixed39 upon me—strange eyes, eyes of a phosphorescent green that gleamed like the flame of a lamp. I was sure that I was invisible, being on the dark side of a curtained window. That was simple enough, yet nevertheless I felt that I was seen. The girl, in fact, uttered a cry, and then turned and buried her face in the sofa-pillows.
“I raised the window, rushed into the room toward the sofa, and leaned over the face that she was hiding. As I did so, being really very remorseful40, I began to excuse and to accuse myself, calling myself all sorts of names, and begging pardon for my indiscretion. I said that I deserved to be driven from her presence, but begged not to be sent away without at least a word of pardon. For a long time I pleaded thus without success, but at last she slowly turned, and I saw that her fair young face was stirred with just the faintest suggestion of a smile. When she caught a glimpse of me she murmured something of which I did not then quite get the meaning.
“‘It is you,’ she cried out; ‘it is you!’
“As she said this, and as I looked at her, not knowing yet exactly what to answer, I was harassed41 by the thought: Where on earth have I already seen this face, this look, this very gesture? Little by little, however, I found my tongue, and after saying a few more words in apology for my unpardonable curiosity, and getting brief but not offended answers, I took leave of her, and, retiring through the window by which I had come, went back to my own room. Arriving there, I sat a long time by the window in the darkness, charmed by the face that I had seen, and yet singularly disquieted42. This woman so beautiful, so amiable43, living so near to me, who said to me, ‘It is you,’ exactly as though she had already known me, who spoke so little, who answered all my questions with evasion44, excited in me a feeling of fear. She had, indeed, told me her name—Linda—and that was all. I tried in vain to drive away the remembrance of her greenish eyes, which in the darkness seemed still to gleam upon me, and of those glints which, like electric sparks, shone in her long hair whenever she stroked it with her hand. Finally, however, I retired45 for the night; but scarcely was my head upon the pillow when I felt some moving body descend46 upon my feet. The cat had appeared again. I tried to chase her away, but she kept returning again and again, until I ended by resigning myself to her presence; and, just as before, I went to sleep with this strange companion near me. Yet my rest was this time a troubled one, and broken by strange and fitful dreams.
“Have you ever experienced the sort of mental obsession47 which gradually causes the brain to be mastered by some single absurd idea—an idea almost insane, and one which your reason and your will alike repel48, but which nevertheless gradually blends itself with your thought, fastens itself upon your mind, and grows and grows? I suffered cruelly in this way on the days that followed my strange adventure. Nothing new occurred, but in the evening, going out upon the balcony, I found Linda standing upon her side of the iron fan. We chatted together for a while in the half darkness, and, as before, I returned to my room to find that in a few moments the golden cat appeared, leaped upon my bed, made a nest for herself there, and remained until the morning. I knew now to whom the cat belonged, for Linda had answered that very same evening, on my speaking of it, ‘Oh, yes, my cat; doesn’t she look exactly as though she were made of gold?’ As I said, nothing new had occurred, yet nevertheless a vague sort of terror began little by little to master me and to develop itself in my mind, at first merely as a bit of foolish fancy, and then as a haunting belief that dominated my entire thought, so that I perpetually seemed to see a thing which it was in reality quite impossible to see.”
“Why, it’s easy enough to guess,” interrupted the young lady who had spoken at the beginning of his story.
“Linda and the cat were the same thing.”
Tribourdeaux smiled.
“I should not have been quite so positive as that,” he said, “even then; but I cannot deny that this ridiculous fancy haunted me for many hours when I was endeavoring to snatch a little sleep amid the insomnia49 that a too active brain produced. Yes, there were moments when these two beings with greenish eyes, sinuous movements, golden hair, and mysterious ways, seemed to me to be blended into one, and to be merely the double manifestation of a single entity50. As I said, I saw Linda again and again, but in spite of all my efforts to come upon her unexpectedly, I never was able to see them both at the same time. I tried to reason with myself, to convince myself that there was nothing really inexplicable51 in all of this, and I ridiculed52 myself for being afraid both of a woman and of a harmless cat. In truth, at the end of all my reasoning, I found that I was not so much afraid of the animal alone or of the woman alone, but rather of a sort of quality which existed in my fancy and inspired me with a fear of something that was incorporeal—fear of a manifestation of my own spirit, fear of a vague thought, which is, indeed, the very worst of fears.
“I began to be mentally disturbed. After long evenings spent in confidential53 and very unconventional chats with Linda, in which little by little my feelings took on the color of love, I passed long days of secret torment54, such as incipient55 maniacs56 must experience. Gradually a resolve began to grow up in my mind, a desire that became more and more importunate57 in demanding a solution of this unceasing and tormenting58 doubt; and the more I cared for Linda, the more it seemed absolutely necessary to push this resolve to its fulfilment. I decided59 to kill the cat.
“One evening before meeting Linda on the balcony, I took out of my medical cabinet a jar of glycerin and a small bottle of hydrocyanic acid, together with one of those little pencils of glass which chemists use in mixing certain corrosive60 substances. That evening for the first time Linda allowed me to caress her. I held her in my arms and passed my hand over her long hair, which snapped and cracked under my touch in a succession of tiny sparks. As soon as I regained61 my room the golden cat, as usual, appeared before me. I called her to me; she rubbed herself against me with arched back and extended tail, purring the while with the greatest amiability62. I took the glass pencil in my hand, moistened the point in the glycerin, and held it out to the animal, which licked it with her long red tongue. I did this three or four times, but the next time I dipped the pencil in the acid. The cat unhesitatingly touched it with her tongue. In an instant she became rigid63, and a moment after, a frightful64 tetanic convulsion caused her to leap thrice into the air, and then to fall upon the floor with a dreadful cry—a cry that was truly human. She was dead!
“With the perspiration66 starting from my forehead and with trembling hands I threw myself upon the floor beside the body that was not yet cold. The starting eyes had a look that froze me with horror. The blackened tongue was thrust out between the teeth; the limbs exhibited the most remarkable contortions67. I mustered68 all my courage with a violent effort of will, took the animal by the paws, and left the house. Hurrying down the silent street, I proceeded to the quays69 along the banks of the Loire, and, on reaching them, threw my burden into the river. Until daylight I roamed around the city, just where I know not; and not until the sky began to grow pale and then to be flushed with light did I at last have the courage to return home. As I laid my hand upon the door, I shivered. I had a dread65 of finding there still living, as in the celebrated70 tale of Poe, the animal that I had so lately put to death. But no, my room was empty. I fell half-fainting upon my bed, and for the first time I slept, with a perfect sense of being all alone, a sleep like that of a beast or of an assassin, until evening came.”
Some one here interrupted, breaking in upon the profound silence in which we had been listening.
“I can guess the end. Linda disappeared at the same time as the cat.”
“You see perfectly well,” replied Tribourdeaux, “that there exists between the facts of this story a curious coincidence, since you are able to guess so exactly their relation. Yes, Linda disappeared. They found in her apartment her dresses, her linen71, all even to the night-robe that she was to have worn that night, but there was nothing that could give the slightest clue to her identity. The owner of the house had let the apartment to ‘Mademoiselle Linda, concert-singer,’ He knew nothing more. I was summoned before the police magistrate72. I had been seen on the night of her disappearance73 roaming about with a distracted air in the vicinity of the river. Luckily the judge knew me; luckily also, he was a man of no ordinary intelligence. I related to him privately74 the entire story, just as I have been telling it to you. He dismissed the inquiry75; yet I may say that very few have ever had so narrow, an escape as mine from a criminal trial.”
For several moments the silence of the company was unbroken. Finally a gentleman, wishing to relieve the tension, cried out:
“Come now, doctor, confess that this is really all fiction; that you merely want to prevent these ladies from getting any sleep to-night.”
Tribourdeaux bowed stiffly, his face unsmiling and a little pale.
“You may take it as you will,” he said.
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1
hems
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| 布的褶边，贴边( hem的名词复数 )； 短促的咳嗽 | |
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2
permeates
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| 弥漫( permeate的第三人称单数 )； 遍布； 渗入； 渗透 | |
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3
growls
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的第三人称单数 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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4
patrician
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| adj.贵族的，显贵的；n.贵族；有教养的人；罗马帝国的地方官 | |
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5
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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6
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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7
warehouse
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| n.仓库；vt.存入仓库 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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9
tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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10
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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12
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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13
promenade
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| n./v.散步 | |
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14
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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15
proprietorship
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| n.所有（权）；所有权 | |
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16
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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17
fluffy
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| adj.有绒毛的，空洞的 | |
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18
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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19
velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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21
caress
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| vt./n.爱抚，抚摸 | |
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22
molest
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| vt.骚扰，干扰，调戏 | |
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23
doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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24
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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25
manifestation
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| n.表现形式；表明；现象 | |
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puerile
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| adj.幼稚的，儿童的 | |
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tragic
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| adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的 | |
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28
uncertainties
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| 无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物 | |
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29
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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30
extinction
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| n.熄灭，消亡，消灭，灭绝，绝种 | |
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inquisitiveness
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| 好奇，求知欲 | |
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32
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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33
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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34
supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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35
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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feline
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| adj.猫科的 | |
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37
ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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38
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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39
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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40
remorseful
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| adj.悔恨的 | |
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41
harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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42
disquieted
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| v.使不安，使忧虑，使烦恼( disquiet的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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44
evasion
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| n.逃避，偷漏(税) | |
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45
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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46
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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47
obsession
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| n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感) | |
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48
repel
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| v.击退，抵制，拒绝，排斥 | |
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49
insomnia
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| n.失眠，失眠症 | |
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50
entity
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| n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物 | |
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51
inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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52
ridiculed
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| v.嘲笑，嘲弄，奚落( ridicule的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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54
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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55
incipient
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| adj.起初的，发端的，初期的 | |
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56
maniacs
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| n.疯子（maniac的复数形式） | |
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57
importunate
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| adj.强求的；纠缠不休的 | |
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58
tormenting
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| 使痛苦的，使苦恼的 | |
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59
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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60
corrosive
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| adj.腐蚀性的；有害的；恶毒的 | |
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61
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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62
amiability
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| n.和蔼可亲的，亲切的，友善的 | |
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63
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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64
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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65
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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66
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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67
contortions
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| n.扭歪，弯曲；扭曲，弄歪，歪曲( contortion的名词复数 ) | |
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68
mustered
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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69
quays
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| 码头( quay的名词复数 ) | |
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70
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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71
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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72
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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73
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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74
privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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75
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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