Мхи старой усадьбы
Egotism; or, The Bosom Serpent
Herkimerremarkedthathiscomplexionhadagreenishtingeoveritssicklywhite,remindinghimofaspeciesofmarbleoutofwhichhehadoncewroughtaheadofEnvy,withhersnakylocks.
Thewretchedbeingapproachedthegate,but,insteadofentering,stoppedshortandfixedtheglitterofhiseyefulluponthecompassionateyetsteadycountenanceofthesculptor.
"Itgnawsme!Itgnawsme!"heexclaimed.
Andthentherewasanaudiblehiss,butwhetheritcamefromtheapparentlunatic’sownlips,orwastherealhissofaserpent,mightadmitofadiscussion.Atallevents,itmadeHerkimershuddertohisheart’score.
"Doyouknowme,GeorgeHerkimer?"askedthesnake-possessed.
Herkimerdidknowhim;butitdemandedalltheintimateandpracticalacquaintancewiththehumanface,acquiredbymodellingactuallikenessesinclay,torecognizethefeaturesofRoderickEllistoninthevisagethatnowmetthesculptor’sgaze.Yetitwashe.ItaddednothingtothewondertoreflectthattheoncebrilliantyoungmanhadundergonethisodiousandfearfulchangeduringthenomorethanfivebriefyearsofHerkimer’sabodeatFlorence.Thepossibilityofsuchatransformationbeinggranted,itwasaseasytoconceiveiteffectedinamomentasinanage.Inexpressiblyshockedandstartled,itwasstillthekeenestpangwhenHerkimerrememberedthatthefateofhiscousinRosina,theidealofgentlewomanhood,wasindissolublyinterwovenwiththatofabeingwhomProvidenceseemedtohaveunhumanized.
"Elliston!Roderick!"criedhe,"Ihadheardofthis;butmyconceptioncamefarshortofthetruth.
