 |
| Edgar Allen Poe
Author of the Story The Gold Bug Nationality - American Lifespan - 1809 to 1849 Father - David Poe, actor Educated - University of Virginia Career - Poet and author - First Published - 1827 Famous Works - The Gold Bug, The Raven and the The Black Cat |
Many years ago, I contracted an intimacy with a Mr. William
Legrand.
He was of an ancient Huguenot family, and had once been
wealthy; but
a series of misfortunes had reduced him to want. To avoid
the
mortification consequent upon his disasters, he left New
Orleans,
the city of his forefathers, and took up his residence at
Sullivan's
Island, near Charleston, South Carolina. This Island is a
very
singular one. It consists of little else than the sea sand,
and is
about three miles long. Its breadth at no point exceeds a
quarter of
a mile. It is separated from the main land by a scarcely
perceptible
creek, oozing its way through a wilderness of reeds and
slime, a
favourite resort of the marsh hen. The vegetation, as might
be
supposed, is scant, or at least dwarfish. No trees of any
magnitude
are to be seen. Near the western extremity, where Fort
Moultrie
stands, and where are some miserable frame buildings,
tenanted,
during summer, by the fugitives from Charleston dust and
fever, may
be found, indeed, the bristly palmetto; but the whole
island, with
the exception of this western point, and a line of hard,
white beach
on the seacoast, is covered with a dense undergrowth of the
sweet
myrtle, so much prized by the horticulturists of England.
The shrub
here often attains the height of fifteen or twenty feet, and
forms
an almost impenetrable coppice, burthening the air with its
fragrance.
In
the inmost recesses of this coppice, not far from the
eastern or
more remote end of the island, Legrand had built himself a
small
hut, which he occupied when I first, by mere accident, made
his
acquaintance. This soon ripened into friendship - for there
was much
in the recluse to excite interest and esteem. I found him
well
educated, with unusual powers of mind, but infected with
misanthropy, and subject to perverse moods of alternate
enthusiasm
and melancholy. He had with him many books, but rarely
employed
them. His chief amusements were gunning and fishing, or
sauntering
along the beach and through the myrtles, in quest of shells
or
entomological specimens; - his collection of the latter
might have
been envied by a Swammerdamm. In these excursions he was
usually
accompanied by an old negro, called Jupiter, who had been
manumitted
before the reverses of the family, but who could be induced,
neither
by threats nor by promises, to abandon what he considered
his right
of attendance upon the footsteps of his young "Massa
Will." It is not improbable that the relatives of Legrand,
conceiving him to be somewhat unsettled in intellect, had
contrived
to instil this obstinacy into Jupiter, with a view to the
supervision and guardianship of the wanderer.
The
winters in the latitude of Sullivan's Island are seldom very
severe,
and in the fall of the year it is a rare event indeed when a
fire is
considered necessary. About the middle of October, 18-,
there
occurred, however, a day of remarkable chilliness. Just
before
sunset I scrambled my way through the evergreens to the hut
of my
friend, whom I had not visited for several weeks - my
residence
being, at that time, in Charleston, a distance of nine miles
from
the Island, while the facilities of passage and re-passage
were very
far behind those of the present day. Upon reaching the hut I
rapped,
as was my custom, and getting no reply, sought for the key
where I
knew it was secreted, unlocked the door and went in. A fine
fire was
blazing upon the hearth. It was a novelty, and by no means
an
ungrateful one. I threw off an overcoat, took an arm-chair
by the
crackling logs, and awaited patiently the arrival of my
hosts.
Soon
after dark they arrived, and gave me a most cordial welcome.
Jupiter, grinning from ear to ear, bustled about to prepare
some
marsh-hens for supper. Legrand was in one of his fits - how
else
shall I term them? - of enthusiasm. He had found an unknown
bivalve,
forming a new genus, and, more than this, he had hunted down
and
secured, with Jupiter's assistance, a scarabaus which he
believed to
be totally new, but in respect to which he wished to have my
opinion
on the morrow.
"And
why not to-night?" I asked, rubbing my hands over the blaze,
and wishing the whole tribe of scarabai at the devil.
"Ah,
if I had only known you were here!" said Legrand, "but
it's so long since I saw you; and how could I foresee that
you would
pay me a visit this very night of all others? As I was
coming home I
met Lieutenant G--, from the fort, and, very foolishly, I
lent him
the bug; so it will be impossible for you to see it until
the
morning. Stay here to-night, and I will send Jup down for it
at
sunrise. It is the loveliest thing in creation!"
"What?
- sunrise?"
"Nonsense!
no! - the bug. It is of a brilliant gold colour - about the
size of
a large hickory-nut - with two jet black spots near one
extremity of
the back, and another, somewhat longer, at the other. The
antenna
are - "
"Dey
aint no tin in him, Massa Will, I keep a tellin on you,"
here
interrupted Jupiter; "de bug is a goole bug, solid, ebery
bit
of him, inside and all, sep him wing - neber feel half so
hebby a
bug in my life."
"Well,
suppose it is, Jup," replied Legrand, somewhat more
earnestly,
it seemed to me, than the case demanded, "is that any reason
for your letting the birds burn? The colour" - here he
turned
to me - "is really almost enough to warrant Jupiter's idea.
You
never saw a more brilliant metallic lustre than the scales
emit -
but of this you cannot judge till tomorrow. In the mean time
I can
give you some idea of the shape." Saying this, he seated
himself at a small table, on which were a pen and ink, but
no paper.
He looked for some in a drawer, but found none.
"Never
mind," said he at length, "this will answer;" and he
drew from his waistcoat pocket a scrap of what I took to be
very
dirty foolscap, and made upon it a rough drawing with the
pen. While
he did this, I retained my seat by the fire, for I was still
chilly.
When the design was complete, he handed it to me without
rising. As
I received it, a loud growl was heard, succeeded by a
scratching at
the door. Jupiter opened it, and a large Newfoundland,
belonging to
Legrand, rushed in, leaped upon my shoulders, and loaded me
with
caresses; for I had shown him much attention during previous
visits.
When his gambols were over, I looked at the paper, and, to
speak the
truth, found myself not a little puzzled at what my friend
had
depicted.
"Well!"
I said, after contemplating it for some minutes, "this is a
strange scarabaus, I must confess: new to me: never saw
anything
like it before - unless it was a skull, or a death's-head -
which it
more nearly resembles than anything else that has come under
my
observation."
"A
death's-head!" echoed Legrand -"Oh - yes - well, it has
something of that appearance upon paper, no doubt. The two
upper
black spots look like eyes, eh? and the longer one at the
bottom
like a mouth - and then the shape of the whole is oval."
"Perhaps
so," said I; "but, Legrand, I fear you are no artist. I
must wait until I see the beetle itself, if I am to form any
idea of
its personal appearance."
"Well,
I don't know," said he, a little nettled, "I draw
tolerably - should do it at least - have had good masters,
and
flatter myself that I am not quite a blockhead."
"But,
my dear fellow, you are joking then," said I, "this is a
very passable skull - indeed, I may say that it is a very
excellent
skull, according to the vulgar notions about such specimens
of
physiology - and your scarabaus must be the queerest
scarabaus in
the world if it resembles it. Why, we may get up a very
thrilling
bit of superstition upon this hint. I presume you will call
the bug
scarabaus caput hominis, or something of that kind - there
are many
similar titles in the Natural Histories. But where are the
antenna
you spoke of?"
"The
antenna!" said Legrand, who seemed to be getting
unaccountably
warm upon the subject; "I am sure you must see the antenna. I
made them as distinct as they are in the original insect,
and I
presume that is sufficient."
"Well,
well," I said, "perhaps you have - still I don't see
them;" and I handed him the paper without additional remark,
not wishing to ruffle his temper; but I was much surprised
at the
turn affairs had taken; his ill humour puzzled me - and, as
for the
drawing of the beetle, there were positively no antenna
visible, and
the whole did bear a very close resemblance to the ordinary
cuts of
a death's-head.
He
received the paper very peevishly, and was about to crumple
it,
apparently to throw it in the fire, when a casual glance at
the
design seemed suddenly to rivet his attention. In an instant
his
face grew violently red - in another as excessively pale.
For some
minutes he continued to scrutinize the drawing minutely
where he
sat. At length he arose, took a candle from the table, and
proceeded
to seat himself upon a sea-chest in the farthest corner of
the room.
Here again he made an anxious examination of the paper;
turning it
in all directions. He said nothing, however, and his conduct
greatly
astonished me; yet I thought it prudent not to exacerbate
the
growing moodiness of his temper by any comment. Presently he
took
from his coat pocket a wallet, placed the paper carefully in
it, and
deposited both in a writing-desk, which he locked. He now
grew more
composed in his demeanour; but his original air of
enthusiasm had
quite disappeared. Yet he seemed not so much sulky as
abstracted. As
the evening wore away he became more and more absorbed in
reverie,
from which no sallies of mine could arouse him. It had been
my
intention to pass the night at the hut, as I had frequently
done
before, but, seeing my host in this mood, I deemed it proper
to take
leave. He did not press me to remain, but, as I departed, he
shook
my hand with even more than his usual cordiality.
It
was about a month after this (and during the interval I had
seen
nothing of Legrand) when I received a visit, at Charleston,
from his
man, Jupiter. I had never seen the good old negro look so
dispirited, and I feared that some serious disaster had
befallen my
friend.
"Well,
Jup," said I, "what is the matter now? - how is your
master?"
"Why,
to speak de troof, massa, him not so berry well as mought
be."
"Not
well! I am truly sorry to hear it. What does he complain
of?"
"Dar!
dat's it! - him neber plain of notin - but him berry sick
for all
dat."
"Very
sick, Jupiter! - why didn't you say so at once? Is he
confined to
bed?"
"No,
dat he aint! - he aint find nowhar - dat's just whar de shoe
pinch -
my mind is got to be berry hebby bout poor Massa Will."
"Jupiter,
I should like to understand what it is you are talking
about. You
say your master is sick. Hasn't he told you what ails him?"
"Why,
massa, taint worf while for to git mad about de matter -
Massa Will
say noffin at all aint de matter wid him - but den what make
him go
about looking dis here way, wid he head down and he soldiers
up, and
as white as a gose? And den he keep a syphon all de time - "
"Keeps
a what, Jupiter?"
"Keeps
a syphon wid de figgurs on de slate - de queerest figgurs I
ebber
did see. Ise gittin to be skeered, I tell you. Hab for to
keep
mighty tight eye pon him noovers. Todder day he gib me slip
fore de
sun up and was gone de whole ob de blessed day. I had a big
stick
ready cut for to gib him deuced good beating when he did
come - but
Ise sich a fool dat I hadn't de heart arter all - he look so
berry
poorly."
"Eh?
- what? - ah yes! - upon the whole I think you had better
not be too
severe with the poor fellow - don't flog him, Jupiter - he
can't
very well stand it - but can you form no idea of what has
occasioned
this illness, or rather this change of conduct? Has anything
unpleasant happened since I saw you?"
"No,
massa, dey aint bin noffin unpleasant since den - 'twas fore
den I'm
feared - 'twas de berry day you was dare."
"How?
what do you mean?"
"Why,
massa, I mean de bug - dare now."
"The
what?"
"De
bug, - I'm berry sartain dat Massa Will bin bit somewhere
bout de
head by dat goole-bug."
"And
what cause have you, Jupiter, for such a supposition?"
"Claws
enuff, massa, and mouth too. I nebber did see sick a deuced
bug - he
kick and he bite ebery ting what cum near him. Massa Will
cotch him
fuss, but had for to let him go gin mighty quick, I tell you
- den
was de time he must ha got de bite. I did n't like de look
oh de bug
mouff, myself, no how, so I would n't take hold ob him wid
my
finger, but I cotch him wid a piece ob paper dat I found. I
rap him
up in de paper and stuff piece ob it in he mouff - dat was
de
way."
"And
you think, then, that your master was really bitten by the
beetle,
and that the bite made him sick?"
"I
do n't tink noffin about it - I nose it. What make him dream
bout de
goole so much, if taint cause he bit by de goole-bug? Ise
heerd bout
dem goole-bugs fore dis."
"But
how do you know he dreams about gold?"
"How
I know? why cause he talk about it in he sleep - dat's how I
nose."
"Well,
Jup, perhaps you are right; but to what fortunate
circumstance am I
to attribute the honor of a visit from you to-day?"
"What
de matter, massa?"
"Did
you bring any message from Mr. Legrand "
"No,
massa, I bring dis here pissel;" and here Jupiter handed me a
note which ran thus:
MY
DEAR --
Why
have I not seen you for so long a time? I hope you have not
been so
foolish as to take offence at any little brusquerie of mine;
but no,
that is improbable. Since I saw you I have had great cause
for
anxiety. I have something to tell you, yet scarcely know how
to tell
it, or whether I should tell it at all.
I
have not been quite well for some days past, and poor old
Jup annoys
me, almost beyond endurance, by his well-meant attentions
Would you
believe it? - he had prepared a huge stick, the other day,
with
which to chastise me for giving him the slip, and spending
the day,
solus, among the hills on the main land. I verily believe
that my
ill looks alone saved me a flogging.
I
have made no addition to my cabinet since we met.
If
you can, in any way, make it convenient, come over with
Jupiter. Do
come. I wish to see you to-night, upon business of
importance. I
assure you that it is of the highest importance.
Ever
yours, WILLIAM LEGRAND.
There
was something in the tone of this note which gave me great
uneasiness. Its whole style differed materially from that of
Legrand.
What could he be dreaming of? What new crotchet possessed
his
excitable brain? What "business of the highest importance"
could he possibly have to transact? Jupiter's account of him
boded
no good. I dreaded lest the continued pressure of misfortune
had, at
length, fairly unsettled the reason of my friend. Without a
moment's
hesitation, therefore, I prepared to accompany the negro.
Upon
reaching the wharf, I noticed a scythe and three spades, all
apparently new, lying in the bottom of the boat in which we
were to
embark.
"What
is the meaning of all this, Jup?" I inquired.
"Him
syfe, massa, and spade."
"Very
true; but what are they doing here?"
"Him
de syfe and de spade what Massa Will sis pon my buying for
him in de
town, and de debbils own lot of money I had to gib for em."
"But
what, in the name of all that is mysterious, is your 'Massa
Will'
going to do with scythes and spades?"
"Dat's
more dan I know, and debbil take me if I don't blieve 'tis
more dan
he know, too. But it's all cum ob do bug."
Finding
that no satisfaction was to be obtained of Jupiter, whose
whole
intellect seemed to be absorbed by "de bug," I now stepped
into the boat and made sail. With a fair and strong breeze
we soon
ran into the little cove to the northward of Fort Moultrie,
and a
walk of some two miles brought us to the hut. It was about
three in
the afternoon when we arrived. Legrand had been awaiting us
in eager
expectation. He grasped my hand with a nervous empressement
which
alarmed me and strengthened the suspicions already
entertained. His
countenance was pale even to ghastliness, and his deep-set
eyes
glared with unnatural lustre. After some inquiries
respecting his
health, I asked him, not knowing what better to say, if he
had yet
obtained the scarabaus from Lieutenant G.
"Oh,
yes," he replied, colouring violently, "I got it from him
the next morning. Nothing should tempt me to part with that
scarabaus. Do you know that Jupiter is quite right about
it?"
"In
what way?" I asked, with a sad foreboding at heart.
"In
supposing it to be a bug of real gold." He said this with an
air of profound seriousness, and I felt inexpressibly
shocked.
"This
bug is to make my fortune," he continued, with a triumphant
smile, "to reinstate me in my family possessions. Is it any
wonder, then, that I prize it? Since Fortune has thought fit
to
bestow it upon me, I have only to use it properly and I
shall arrive
at the gold of which it is the index. Jupiter; bring me that
scarabaus!"
"What!
de bug, massa? I'd rudder not go fer trubble dat bug - you
mus git
him for your own self." Hereupon Legrand arose, with a grave
and stately air, and brought me the beetle from a glass case
in
which it was enclosed. It was a beautiful scarabaus, and, at
that
time, unknown to naturalists - of course a great prize in a
scientific point of view. There were two round, black spots
near one
extremity of the back, and a long one near the other. The
scales
were exceedingly hard and glossy, with all the appearance of
burnished gold. The weight of the insect was very
remarkable, and,
taking all things into consideration, I could hardly blame
Jupiter
for his opinion respecting it; but what to make of Legrand's
concordance with that opinion, I could not, for the life of
me,
tell.
"I
sent for you," said he, in a grandiloquent tone, when I had
completed my examination of the beetle, "I sent for you,
that I
might have your counsel and assistance in furthering the
views of
Fate and of the bug" -
"My
dear Legrand," I cried, interrupting him, "you are
certainly unwell, and had better use some little
precautions. You
shall go to bed, and I will remain with you a few days,
until you
get over this. You are feverish and" -
"Feel
my pulse," said he.
I
felt it, and, to say the truth, found not the slightest
indication
of fever.
"But
you may be ill and yet have no fever. Allow me this once to
prescribe for you. In the first place, go to bed. In the
next"
-
"You
are mistaken," he interposed, "I am as well as I can
expect to be under the excitement which I suffer. If you
really wish
me well, you will relieve this excitement."
"And
how is this to be done?"
"Very
easily. Jupiter and myself are going upon an expedition into
the
hills, upon the main land, and, in this expedition we shall
need the
aid of some person in whom we can confide. You are the only
one we
can trust. Whether we succeed or fail, the excitement which
you now
perceive in me will be equally allayed."
"I
am anxious to oblige you in any way," I replied; "but do
you mean to say that this infernal beetle has any connection
with
your expedition into the hills?"
"It
has."
"Then,
Legrand, I can become a party to no such absurd proceeding."
"I
am sorry - very sorry - for we shall have to try it by
ourselves."
"Try
it by yourselves! The man is surely mad! - but stay! - how
long do
you propose to be absent?"
"Probably
all night. We shall start immediately, and be back, at all
events,
by sunrise."
"And
will you promise me, upon your honour, that when this freak
of yours
is over, and the bug business (good God!) settled to your
satisfaction, you will then return home and follow my advice
implicitly, as that of your physician?"
"Yes;
I promise; and now let us be off, for we have no time to
lose."
With
a heavy heart I accompanied my friend. We started about four
o'clock
- Legrand, Jupiter, the dog, and myself. Jupiter had with
him the
scythe and spades - the whole of which he insisted upon
carrying -
more through fear, it seemed to me, of trusting either of
the
implements within reach of his master, than from any excess
of
industry or complaisance. His demeanour was dogged in the
extreme,
and "dat deuced bug" were the sole words which escaped his
lips during the journey. For my own part, I had charge of a
couple
of dark lanterns, while Legrand contented himself with the
scarabaus,
which he carried attached to the end of a bit of whip-cord;
twirling
it to and fro, with the air of a conjuror, as he went. When I
observed this last, plain evidence of my friend's aberration
of
mind, I could scarcely refrain from tears. I thought it
best,
however, to humour his fancy, at least for the present, or
until I
could adopt some more energetic measures with a chance of
success.
In the mean time I endeavoured, but all in vain, to sound
him in
regard to the object of the expedition. Having succeeded in
inducing
me to accompany him, he seemed unwilling to hold
conversation upon
any topic of minor importance, and to all my questions
vouchsafed no
other reply than "we shall see!"
We
crossed the creek at the head of the island by means of a
skiff;
and, ascending the high grounds on the shore of the main
land,
proceeded in a north-westerly direction, through a tract of
country
excessively wild and desolate, where no trace of a human
footstep
was to be seen. Legrand led the way with decision; pausing
only for
an instant, here and there, to consult what appeared to be
certain
landmarks of his own contrivance upon a former occasion.
In
this manner we journeyed for about two hours, and the sun
was just
setting when we entered a region infinitely more dreary than
any yet
seen. It was a species of table land, near the summit of an
almost
inaccessible hill, densely wooded from base to pinnacle, and
interspersed with huge crags that appeared to lie loosely
upon the
soil, and in many cases were prevented from precipitating
themselves
into the valleys below, merely by the support of the trees
against
which they reclined. Deep ravines, in various directions,
gave an
air of still sterner solemnity to the scene.
The
natural platform to which we had clambered was thickly
overgrown
with brambles, through which we soon discovered that it
would have
been impossible to force our way but for the scythe; and
Jupiter, by
direction of his master, proceeded to clear for us a path to
the
foot of an enormously tall tulip-tree, which stood, with
some eight
or ten oaks, upon the level, and far surpassed them all, and
all
other trees which I had then ever seen, in the beauty of its
foliage
and form, in the wide spread of its branches, and in the
general
majesty of its appearance. When we reached this tree,
Legrand turned
to Jupiter, and asked him if he thought he could climb it.
The old
man seemed a little staggered by the question, and for some
moments
made no reply. At length he approached the huge trunk,
walked slowly
around it, and examined it with minute attention. When he
had
completed his scrutiny, he merely said,
"Yes,
massa, Jup climb any tree he ebber see in he life."
"Then
up with you as soon as possible, for it will soon be too
dark to see
what we are about."
"How
far mus go up, massa?" inquired Jupiter.
"Get
up the main trunk first, and then I will tell you which way
to go -
and here - stop! take this beetle with you."
"De
bug, Massa Will! - de goole bug!" cried the negro, drawing
back
in dismay - "what for mus tote de bug way up de tree? - d-n
if
I do!"
"If
you are afraid, Jup, a great big negro like you, to take
hold of a
harmless little dead beetle, why you can carry it up by this
string
- but, if you do not take it up with you in some way, I
shall be
under the necessity of breaking your head with this shovel."
"What
de matter now, massa?" said Jup, evidently shamed into
compliance; "always want for to raise fuss wid old nigger.
Was
only funnin any how. Me feered de bug! what I keer for de
bug?"
Here he took cautiously hold of the extreme end of the
string, and,
maintaining the insect as far from his person as
circumstances would
permit, prepared to ascend the tree.
In
youth, the tulip-tree, or Liriodendron Tulipferum, the most
magnificent of American foresters, has a trunk peculiarly
smooth,
and often rises to a great height without lateral branches;
but, in
its riper age, the bark becomes gnarled and uneven, while
many short
limbs make their appearance on the stem. Thus the difficulty
of
ascension, in the present case, lay more in semblance than
in
reality. Embracing the huge cylinder, as closely as
possible, with
his arms and knees, seizing with his hands some projections,
and
resting his naked toes upon others, Jupiter, after one or
two narrow
escapes from falling, at length wriggled himself into the
first
great fork, and seemed to consider the whole business as
virtually
accomplished. The risk of the achievement was, in fact, now
over,
although the climber was some sixty or seventy feet from the
ground.
"Which
way mus go now, Massa Will?" he asked.
"Keep
up the largest branch - the one on this side," said Legrand.
The negro obeyed him promptly, and apparently with but
little
trouble; ascending higher and higher, until no glimpse of
his squat
figure could be obtained through the dense foliage which
enveloped
it. Presently his voice was heard in a sort of halloo.
"How
much fudder is got for go?"
"How
high up are you?" asked Legrand. "Ebber so fur,"
replied the negro; "can see de sky fru de top ob de tree."
"Never
mind the sky, but attend to what I say. Look down the trunk
and
count the limbs below you on this side. How many limbs have
you
passed?"
"One,
two, tree, four, fibe - I done pass fibe big limb, massa,
pon dis
side."
"Then
go one limb higher."
In
a few minutes the voice was heard again, announcing that the
seventh
limb was attained.
"Now,
Jup," cried Legrand, evidently much excited, "I want you
to work your way out upon that limb as far as you can. If
you see
anything strange, let me know." By this time what little
doubt
I might have entertained of my poor friend's insanity, was
put
finally at rest. I had no alternative but to conclude him
stricken
with lunacy, and I became seriously anxious about getting
him home.
While I was pondering upon what was best to be done,
Jupiter's voice
was again heard.
"Mos
feerd for to ventur pon dis limb berry far - tis dead limb
putty
much all de way."
"Did
you say it was a dead limb, Jupiter?" cried Legrand in a
quavering voice.
"Yes,
massa, him dead as de door-nail - done up for sartain - done
departed dis here life."
"What
in the name heaven shall I do?" asked Legrand, seemingly in
the
greatest distress. "Do!" said I, glad of an opportunity to
interpose a word, "why come home and go to bed. Come now! -
that's a fine fellow. It's getting late, and, besides, you
remember
your promise."
"Jupiter,"
cried he, without heeding me in the least, "do you hear
me?"
"Yes,
Massa Will, hear you ebber so plain."
"Try
the wood well, then, with your knife, and see if you think
it very
rotten."
"Him
rotten, massa, sure nuff," replied the negro in a few
moments,
"but not so berry rotten as mought be. Mought ventur out
leetle
way pon de limb by myself, dat's true."
"By
yourself! - what do you mean?"
"Why
I mean de bug. 'Tis berry hebby bug. Spose I drop him down
fuss, and
den de limb won't break wid just de weight ob one nigger."
"You
infernal scoundrel!" cried Legrand, apparently much
relieved,
"what do you mean by telling me such nonsense as that? As
sure
as you drop that beetle I'll break your neck. Look here,
Jupiter, do
you hear me?"
"Yes,
massa, needn't hollo at poor nigger dat style."
"Well!
now listen! - if you will venture out on the limb as far as
you
think safe, and not let go the beetle, I'll make you a
present of a
silver dollar as soon as you get down."
"I'm
gwine, Massa Will - deed I is," replied the negro very
promptly
- "mos out to the eend now."
"Out
to the end!" here fairly screamed Legrand, "do you say you
are out to the end of that limb?"
"Soon
be to de eend, massa, - o-o-o-o-oh! Lor-gol-a-marcy! what is
dis
here pon de tree?"
"Well!"
cried Legrand, highly delighted, "what is it?"
"Why
taint noffin but a skull - somebody bin lef him head up de
tree, and
de crows done gobble ebery bit ob de meat off."
"A
skull, you say! - very well! - how is it fastened to the
limb? -
what holds it on?"
"Sure
nuff, massa; mus look. Why dis berry curous sarcumstance,
pon my
word - dare's a great big nail in de skull, what fastens ob
it on to
de tree."
"Well
now, Jupiter, do exactly as I tell you - do you hear?"
"Yes,
massa."
"Pay
attention, then! - find the left eye of the skull."
"Hum!
hoo! dat's good! why dare aint no eye lef at all."
"Curse
your stupidity! do you know your right hand from your left?"
"Yes,
I nose dat - nose all bout dat - tis my lef hand what I
chops de
wood wid."
"To
be sure! you are left-handed; and your left. eye is on the
same side
as your left hand. Now, I suppose, you can find the left eye
of the
skull, or the place where the left eye has been. Have you
found
it?"
Here
was a long pause. At length the negro asked,
"Is
de lef eye of de skull pon de same side as de lef hand of de
skull,
too? - cause de skull aint got not a bit ob a hand at all -
nebber
mind! I got de lef eye now - here de lef eye! what mus do
wid
it?"
"Let
the beetle drop through it, as far as the string will reach -
but he
careful and not let go your hold of the string."
"All
dat done, Massa Will; mighty easy ting for to put de bug fru
de hole
- look out for him dare below!"
During
this colloquy no portion of Jupiter's person could be seen;
but the
beetle, which he had suffered to descend, was now visible at
the end
of the string, and glistened, like a globe of burnished
gold, in the
last rays of the setting sun, some of which still faintly
illumined
the eminence upon which we stood. The scarabaus hung quite
clear of
any branches, and, if allowed to fall, would have fallen at
our
feet. Legrand immediately took the scythe, and cleared with
it a
circular space, three or four yards in diameter, just
beneath the
insect, and, having accomplished this, ordered Jupiter to
let go the
string and come down from the tree.
Driving
a peg, with great nicety, into the ground, at the precise
spot where
the beetle fell, my friend now produced from his pocket a
tape
measure. Fastening one end of this at that point of the
trunk, of
the tree which was nearest the peg, he unrolled it till it
reached
the peg, and thence farther unrolled it, in the direction
already
established by the two points of the tree and the peg, for
the
distance of fifty feet - Jupiter clearing away the brambles
with the
scythe. At the spot thus attained a second peg was driven,
and about
this, as a centre, a rude circle, about four feet in
diameter,
described. Taking now a spade himself, and giving one to
Jupiter and
one to me, Legrand begged us to set about digging as quickly
as
possible.
To
speak the truth, I had no especial relish for such amusement
at any
time, and, at that particular moment, would most willingly
have
declined it; for the night was coming on, and I felt much
fatigued
with the exercise already taken; but I saw no mode of
escape, and
was fearful of disturbing my poor friend's equanimity by a
refusal.
Could I have depended, indeed, upon Jupiter's aid, I would
have had
no hesitation in attempting to get the lunatic home by
force; but I
was too well assured of the old negro's disposition, to hope
that he
would assist me, under any circumstances, in a personal
contest with
his master. I made no doubt that the latter had been
infected with
some of the innumerable Southern superstitions about money
buried,
and that his phantasy had received confirmation by the
finding of
the scarabaus, or, perhaps, by Jupiter's obstinacy in
maintaining it
to be "a bug of real gold." A mind disposed to lunacy
would readily be led away by such suggestions - especially
if
chiming in with favourite preconceived ideas - and then I
called to
mind the poor fellow's speech about the beetle's being "the
index of his fortune." Upon the whole, I was sadly vexed and
puzzled, but, at length, I concluded to make a virtue of
necessity -
to dig with a good will, and thus the sooner to convince the
visionary, by ocular demonstration, of the fallacy of the
opinions
he entertained.
The
lanterns having been lit, we all fell to work with a zeal
worthy a
more rational cause; and, as the glare fell upon our persons
and
implements, I could not help thinking how picturesque a
group we
composed, and how strange and suspicious our labours must
have
appeared to any interloper who, by chance, might have
stumbled upon
our whereabouts.
We
dug very steadily for two hours. Little was said; and our
chief
embarrassment lay in the yelpings of the dog, who took
exceeding
interest in our proceedings. He, at length, became so
obstreperous
that we grew fearful of his giving the alarm to some
stragglers in
the vicinity; - or, rather, this was the apprehension of
Legrand; -
for myself, I should have rejoiced at any interruption which
might
have enabled me to get the wanderer home. The noise was, at
length,
very effectually silenced by Jupiter, who, getting out of
the hole
with a dogged air of deliberation, tied the brute's mouth up
with
one of his suspenders, and then returned, with a grave
chuckle, to
his task.
When
the time mentioned had expired, we had reached a depth of
five feet,
and yet no signs of any treasure became manifest. A general
pause
ensued, and I began to hope that the farce was at an end.
Legrand,
however, although evidently much disconcerted, wiped his
brow
thoughtfully and recommenced. We had excavated the entire
circle of
four feet diameter, and now we slightly enlarged the limit,
and went
to the farther depth of two feet. Still nothing appeared.
The
gold-seeker, whom I sincerely pitied, at length clambered
from the
pit, with the bitterest disappointment imprinted upon every
feature,
and proceeded, slowly and reluctantly, to put on his coat,
which he
had thrown off at the beginning of his labour. In the mean
time I
made no remark. Jupiter, at a signal from his master, began
to
gather up his tools. This done, and the dog having been
un-muzzled,
we turned in profound silence towards home.
We
had taken, perhaps, a dozen steps in this direction, when,
with a
loud oath, Legrand strode up to Jupiter, and seized him by
the
collar. The astonished negro opened his eyes and mouth to
the
fullest extent, let fall the spades, and fell upon his
knees.
"You
scoundrel," said Legrand, hissing out the syllables from
between his clenched teeth - "you infernal black villain! -
speak, I tell you! - answer me this instant, without
prevarication!
- which - which is your left eye?"
"Oh,
my golly, Massa Will! aint dis here my lef eye for sartain?"
roared the terrified Jupiter, placing his hand upon his
right organ
of vision, and holding it there with a desperate
pertinacity, as if
in immediate dread of his master's attempt at a gouge.
"I
thought so! - I knew it! hurrah!" vociferated Legrand,
letting
the negro go, and executing a series of curvets and
caracols, much
to the astonishment of his valet, who, arising from his
knees,
looked, mutely, from his master to myself, and then from
myself to
his master.
"Come!
we must go back," said the latter, "the game's not up
yet;" and he again led the way to the tulip-tree.
"Jupiter,"
said he, when we reached its foot, "come here! was the skull
nailed to the limb with the face outwards, or with the face
to the
limb?"
"De
face was out, massa, so dat de crows could get at de eyes
good,
widout any trouble."
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