Мхи старой усадьбы
Egotism; or, The Bosom Serpent
Toanenviousauthor,whodepreciatedworkswhichhecouldneverequal,hesaidthathissnakewastheslimiestandfilthiestofallthereptiletribe,butwasfortunatelywithoutasting.Amanofimpurelife,andabrazenface,askingRoderickiftherewereanyserpentinhisbreast,hetoldhimthattherewas,andofthesamespeciesthatoncetorturedDonRodrigo,theGoth.Hetookafairyounggirlbythehand,andgazingsadlyintohereyes,warnedherthatshecherishedaserpentofthedeadliestkindwithinhergentlebreast;andtheworldfoundthetruthofthoseominouswords,when,afewmonthsafterwards,thepoorgirldiedofloveandshame.Twoladies,rivalsinfashionablelifewhotormentedoneanotherwithathousandlittlestingsofwomanishspite,weregiventounderstandthateachoftheirheartswasanestofdiminutivesnakes,whichdidquiteasmuchmischiefasonegreatone.
ButnothingseemedtopleaseRoderickbetterthantolayholdofapersoninfectedwithjealousy,whichherepresentedasanenormousgreenreptile,withanice-coldlengthofbody,andthesharpeststingofanysnakesaveone.
"Andwhatoneisthat?"askedaby-stander,overhearinghim.
Itwasadark-browedmanwhoputthequestion;hehadanevasiveeye,whichinthecourseofadozenyearshadlookednomortaldirectlyintheface.Therewasanambiguityaboutthisperson’scharacter,—astainuponhisreputation,—yetnonecouldtellpreciselyofwhatnature,althoughthecitygossips,maleandfemale,whisperedthemostatrocioussurmises.
