死亡診斷 A Diagnosis of Death (第1/8頁)

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安布羅斯比爾斯

AmbroseBierce

安布羅斯·比爾斯（AmbroseBierce，1842—1914），美國恐怖、靈異小說家，生於俄亥俄州梅格斯縣的一個貧苦農民家庭。參加過南北戰爭，這段不平凡的經歷爲他後來的文學創作打下了堅實的基礎。戰爭結束後，他開始了一個編輯兼作家的忙碌生涯。他早期的作品主要是隨筆和諷刺性短詩，也包括一些小說，人生觀比較悲觀，被人們稱爲“辛辣比爾斯”。

“Iamnotsosuerstitiousassomeofyourhysicians-menofscience,asyouareleasedtobecalled，”saidHawver,relyingtoanaccusationthathadnotbeenmade.“Someofyou-onlyafew,Iconfess-believeintheimmortalityofthesoul,andinaaritionswhichyouhavenotthehonestytocallghosts.Igonofurtherthanaconvictionthatthelivingaresometimesseenwheretheyarenot,buthavebeen-wheretheyhavelivedsolong,erhassointensely,astohavelefttheirimressoneverythingaboutthem.Iknow,indeed,thatone‘senvironmentmaybesoaffectedbyone’sersonalityastoyield,longafterward,animageofonesselftotheeyesofanother.Doubtlesstheimressingersonalityhastobetherightkindofersonalityastheerceivingeyeshavetobetherightkindofeyes-mine,forexamle.”

“Yes,therightkindofeyes,conveyingsensationstothewrongkindofbrains，”saidDr.Frayley,smiling.

“Thankyou,onelikestohaveanexectationgratified；thatisabouttherelythatIsuosedyouwouldhavethecivilitytomake.”

“Pardonme.Butyousaythatyouknow.Thatisagooddealtosay,dontyouthink?Perhasyouwillnotmindthetroubleofsayinghowyoulearned.”

“Youwillcallitanhallucination，”Hawversaid，“butthatdoesnotmatter.”Andhetoldthestory.

“LastsummerIwent,asyouknow,toassthehotweatherterminthetownofMeridian.TherelativeatwhosehouseIhadintendedtostaywasill,soIsoughtotherquarters.AftersomedifficultyIsucceededinrentingavacantdwellingthathadbeenoccuiedbyaneccentricdoctorwiththenameofMannering,whohadgoneawayyearsbefore,nooneknewwhere,notevenhisagent.Hehadbuiltthehousehimselfandhadlivedinitwithanoldservantforabouttenyears.Hisractice,neververyextensive,hadafterafewyearsbeengivenuentirely.Notonlyso,buthehadwithdrawnhimselfalmostaltogetherfromsociallifeandbecomearecluse.Iwastoldbythevillagedoctor,abouttheonlyersonwithwhomheheldanyrelations,thatduringhisretirementhehaddevotedhimselftoasinglelineofstudy,theresultofwhichhehadexoundedinabookthatdidnotcommenditselftothearovalofhisrofessionalbrethren,who,indeed,consideredhimnotentirelysane.Ihavenotseenthebookandcannotnowrecallthetitleofit,butIamtoldthatitexoundedaratherstartlingtheory.Heheldthatitwasossibleinthecaseofmanyaersoningoodhealthtoforecasthisdeathwithrecision,severalmonthsinadvanceoftheevent.Thelimit,Ithink,waseighteenmonths.Therewerelocaltalesofhishavingexertedhisowersofrognosis,orerhasyouwouldsaydiagnosis；anditwassaidthatineveryinstancetheersonwhosefriendshehadwarnedhaddiedsuddenlyattheaointedtime,andfromnoassignablecause.Allthis,however,hasnothingtodowithwhatIhavetotell；Ithoughtitmightamuseahysician.”

Thehousewasfurnished,justashehadlivedinit.Itwasarathergloomydwellingforonewhowasneitherareclusenorastudent,andIthinkitgavesomethingofitscharactertome-erhassomeofitsformeroccuant‘scharacter；foralwaysIfeltinitacertainmelancholythatwasnotinmynaturaldisosition,nor,Ithink,duetoloneliness.Ihadnoservantsthatsletinthehouse,butIhavealwaysbeen,asyouknow,ratherfondofmyownsociety,beingmuchaddictedtoreading,thoughlittletostudy.Whateverwasthecause,theeffectwasdejectionandasenseofimendingevil；thiswaseseciallysoinDr.Mannering’sstudy,althoughthatroomwasthelightestandmostairyinthehouse.Thedoctor‘slife-sizeortraitinoilhunginthatroom,andseemedcomletelytodominateit.Therewasnothingunusualintheicture；themanwasevidentlyrathergoodlooking,aboutfftyyearsold,withiron-greyhair,asmooth-shavenfaceanddark,seriouseyes.Somethingintheicturealwaysdrewandheldmyattention.Theman’saearancebecamefamiliartome,andrather“haunted”me.