“When the omnibus drove on, and I was alone upon the road, I looked carefully round to ascertain1 whether the monkey had followed me. To my indescribable relief I saw it nowhere. I can’t describe easily what a shock I had received, and my sense of genuine gratitude2 on finding myself, as I supposed, quite rid of it.
“I had got out a little before we reached this house, two or three hundred steps. A brick wall runs along the footpath3, and inside the wall is a hedge of yew4, or some dark evergreen5 of that kind, and within that again the row of fine trees which you may have remarked as you came.
“This brick wall is about as high as my shoulder, and happening to raise my eyes I saw the monkey, with that stooping gait, on all fours, walking or creeping, close beside me, on top of the wall. I stopped, looking at it with a feeling of loathing6 and horror. As I stopped so did it. It sat up on the wall with its long hands on its knees looking at me. There was not light enough to see it much more than in outline, nor was it dark enough to bring the peculiar7 light of its eyes into strong relief. I still saw, however, that red foggy light plainly enough. It did not show its teeth, nor exhibit any sign of irritation8, but seemed jaded9 and sulky, and was observing me steadily10.
“I drew back into the middle of the road. It was an unconscious recoil11, and there I stood, still looking at it. It did not move.
“With an instinctive12 determination to try something — anything, I turned about and walked briskly towards town with askance look, all the time, watching the movements of the beast. It crept swiftly along the wall, at exactly my pace.
“Where the wall ends, near the turn of the road, it came down, and with a wiry spring or two brought itself close to my feet, and continued to keep up with me, as I quickened my pace. It was at my left side, so close to my leg that I felt every moment as if I should tread upon it.
“The road was quite deserted13 and silent, and it was darker every moment. I stopped dismayed and bewildered, turning as I did so, the other way — I mean, towards this house, away from which I had been walking. When I stood still, the monkey drew back to a distance of, I suppose, about five or six yards, and remained stationary14, watching me.
“I had been more agitated15 than I have said. I had read, of course, as everyone has, something about ‘spectral illusions,’ as you physicians term the phenomena16 of such cases. I considered my situation, and looked my misfortune in the face.
“These affections, I had read, are sometimes transitory and sometimes obstinate17. I had read of cases in which the appearance, at first harmless, had, step by step, degenerated18 into something direful and insupportable, and ended by wearing its victim out. Still as I stood there, but for my bestial19 companion, quite alone, I tried to comfort myself by repeating again and again the assurance, ‘the thing is purely20 disease, a well-known physical affection, as distinctly as smallpox21 or neuralgia. Doctors are all agreed on that, philosophy demonstrates it. I must not be a fool. I’ve been sitting up too late, and I daresay my digestion22 is quite wrong, and, with God’s help, I shall be all right, and this is but a symptom of nervous dyspepsia.’ Did I believe all this? Not one word of it, no more than any other miserable23 being ever did who is once seized and riveted24 in this satanic captivity25. Against my convictions, I might say my knowledge, I was simply bullying26 myself into a false courage.
“I now walked homeward. I had only a few hundred yards to go. I had forced myself into a sort of resignation, but I had not got over the sickening shock and the flurry of the first certainty of my misfortune.
“I made up my mind to pass the night at home. The brute27 moved close beside me, and I fancied there was the sort of anxious drawing toward the house, which one sees in tired horses or dogs, sometimes as they come toward home.
“I was afraid to go into town, I was afraid of anyone’s seeing and recognizing me. I was conscious of an irrepressible agitation28 in my manner. Also, I was afraid of any violent change in my habits, such as going to a place of amusement, or walking from home in order to fatigue29 myself. At the hall door it waited till I mounted the steps, and when the door was opened entered with me.
“I drank no tea that night. I got cigars and some brandy and water. My idea was that I should act upon my material system, and by living for a while in sensation apart from thought, send myself forcibly, as it were, into a new groove30. I came up here to this drawing-room. I sat just here. The monkey then got upon a small table that then stood there. It looked dazed and languid. An irrepressible uneasiness as to its movements kept my eyes always upon it. Its eyes were half closed, but I could see them glow. It was looking steadily at me. In all situations, at all hours, it is awake and looking at me. That never changes.
“I shall not continue in detail my narrative31 of this particular night. I shall describe, rather, the phenomena of the first year, which never varied32, essentially33. I shall describe the monkey as it appeared in daylight. In the dark, as you shall presently hear, there are peculiarities34. It is a small monkey, perfectly35 black. It had only one peculiarity36 — a character of malignity37 — unfathomable malignity. During the first year looked sullen38 and sick. But this character of intense malice39 and vigilance was always underlying40 that surly languor41. During all that time it acted as if on a plan of giving me as little trouble as was consistent with watching me. Its eyes were never off me. I have never lost sight of it, except in my sleep, light or dark, day or night, since it came here, excepting when it withdraws for some weeks at a time, unaccountably.
“In total dark it is visible as in daylight. I do not mean merely its eyes. It is all visible distinctly in a halo that resembles a glow of red embers, and which accompanies it in all its movements.
“When it leaves me for a time, it is always at night, in the dark, and in the same way. It grows at first uneasy, and then furious, and then advances towards me, grinning and shaking, its paws clenched42, and, at the same time, there comes the appearance of fire in the grate. I never have any fire. I can’t sleep in the room where there is any, and it draws nearer and nearer to the chimney, quivering, it seems, with rage, and when its fury rises to the highest pitch, it springs into the grate, and up the chimney, and I see it no more.
“When first this happened, I thought I was released. I was now a new man. A day passed — a night — and no return, and a blessed week — a week — another week. I was always on my knees, Dr. Hesselius, always, thanking God and praying. A whole month passed of liberty, but on a sudden, it was with me again.”
收听单词发音 |
1
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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footpath
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| n.小路，人行道 | |
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yew
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| n.紫杉属树木 | |
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evergreen
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| n.常青树；adj.四季常青的 | |
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loathing
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| n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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jaded
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| adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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phenomena
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| n.现象 | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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degenerated
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bestial
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| adj.残忍的；野蛮的 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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smallpox
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| n.天花 | |
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digestion
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| n.消化，吸收 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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bullying
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| v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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groove
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| n.沟，槽；凹线，（刻出的）线条，习惯 | |
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narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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peculiarity
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| n.独特性，特色；特殊的东西；怪癖 | |
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malignity
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| n.极度的恶意，恶毒；（病的）恶性 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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underlying
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| adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的 | |
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languor
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| n.无精力，倦怠 | |
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clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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