Золотой жук / The Gold-bug (сборник)

Жанр: Ужасы / Мистика / Классические детективы

Автор

Страниц

125

Год

2017

Эдгар Аллан По (1809–1849) – великий американский писатель-романтик, чьи произведения представляют собой уникальное сочетание фантастики и детективного жанра. Его рассказы несут в себе элементы мистики, тайны и загадки, которые заставляют читателя задуматься над глубокими философскими вопросами. Э.А. По стал основоположником не только детективного рассказа, но и научно-фантастической повести, в которых он демонстрирует свой выдающийся писательский талант.

В его знаменитых произведениях, таких как "Что случилось с господином Вальдемаром", "Рукопись, найденная в бутылке", "Украденное письмо", "Колодец и маятник", "Золотой жук", прослеживается необычная логика и потрясающее воображение автора. Герои его рассказов погружаются в загадочные ситуации, где реальность переплетается с фантазией, а читатели остаются в напряжении до самого конца.

Чтение произведений Эдгара Аллана По – это увлекательное путешествие в мир тайн и загадок, которое навсегда останется в памяти каждого, кто откроет для себя этого великого мастера слова.

Читать бесплатно онлайн Золотой жук / The Gold-bug (сборник) - Эдгар Аллан По

* * *

The facts in the case of M. Valdemar

Of course I shall not pretend to consider it any matter for wonder that the extraordinary case of M. Valdemar has excited discussion. It would have been a miracle had it not – especially under the circumstances. Through the desire of all parties concerned to keep the affair from the public, at least for the present, or until we had further opportunities for investigation – through our endeavours to effect this – a garbled or exaggerated account made its way into society, and became the source of many unpleasant misrepresentations; and, very naturally, of a great deal of disbelief.

It is now rendered necessary that I give the facts – as far as I comprehend them myself. They are, succinctly, these: —

My attention, for the last three years, had been repeatedly drawn to the subject of mesmerism; and, about nine months ago, it occurred to me, quite suddenly, that in the series of experiments made hitherto, there had been a very remarkable and most unaccountable omission – no person had as yet been mesmerised in articulo mortis. It remained to be seen, first, whether, in such condition, there existed in the patient any susceptibility to the magnetic influence; secondly, whether, if any existed, it was impaired or increased by the condition; thirdly, to what extent, or for how long a period, the encroachments of Death might be arrested by the process. There were other points to be ascertained, but these most excited my curiosity – the last in especial, from the immensely important character of its consequences.

In looking around me for some subject by whose means I might test these particulars, I was brought to think of my friend, M. Ernest Valdemar, the well-known compiler of the «Bibliotheca Forensica,» and author (under the nom de plume of Issachar Marx) of the Polish versions of «Wallenstein» and «Gargantua.» M. Valdemar, who has resided principally at Harlem, N. Y., since the year 1839, is (or was) particularly noticeable for the extreme spareness of his person – his lower limbs much resembling those of John Randolph; and, also, for the whiteness of his whiskers, in violent contrast to the blackness of his hair – the latter, in consequence, being very generally mistaken for a wig. His temperament was markedly nervous, and rendered him a good subject for mesmeric experiment. On two or three occasions I had put him to sleep with little difficulty, but was disappointed in other results which his peculiar constitution had naturally led me to anticipate. His will was at no period positively, or thoroughly, under my control; and in regard to clairvoyance, I could accomplish with him nothing to be relied upon. I always attributed my failure at these points to the disordered state of his health. For some months previous to my becoming acquainted with him, his physicians had declared him in a confirmed phthisis. It was his custom, indeed, to speak calmly of his approaching dissolution, as of a matter neither to be avoided nor regretted.

When the ideas to which I have alluded first occurred to me, it was of course very natural that I should think of M. Valdemar. I knew the steady philosophy of the man too well to apprehend any scruples from

Продолжить чтение

Вам может понравиться: