The Assignation by Edgar Allan Poe
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undoubtedly part of '+7 ! =9 ! . now, at Sparta were a thousand temples and shrines to a thousand different divinities . how exceedingly strange that_the altar of laughter should_have survived all the others ! but in_the present instance," he resumed, with a singular alteration of voice and manner, " I_have no right to_be merry at your expense . you_might well have_been amazed . Europe cannot produce anything so fine as_this, my little regal cabinet . my other apartments are by no means of_the same order - mere ultras of fashionable insipidity . this_is better than fashion - is_it not ? yet this has but to_be seen to_become the rage - that_is, with those who_could afford it at_the cost of_their entire patrimony . I_have guarded, however, against any such profanation . with one exception, you_are the only human being besides myself and my valet_, who has_been admitted within_the mysteries of_these imperial precincts, since they_have been bedizzened as you_see ! "

I bowed in acknowledgment - for_the overpowering sense of splendor and perfume, and music, together with_the unexpected eccentricity of_his address and manner, prevented me from expressing, in words, my appreciation of what I_might_have construed into a compliment .

" here," he resumed, arising and leaning on my arm as he sauntered around the apartment, " here are paintings from_the Greeks to Cimabue, and from Cimabue to_the present hour . many are chosen, as you_see, with little deference to_the opinions of Virtu . they_are all, however, fitting tapestry for a chamber such as_this . here, too, are some chefs d'uvre of_the unknown great ; and here, unfinished designs by men, celebrated in their day, whose very names the perspicacity of_the academies has left to silence and to_me . what think you," said he, turning abruptly as he spoke - " what think you of_this madonna della Pieta ? "

" it_is Guido's own ! " I_said, with all the enthusiasm of_my nature, for I had_been poring intently over its surpassing loveliness ." it_is Guido's own ! - how could you_have obtained it ? - she_is undoubtedly in painting what the Venus is in sculpture ."

"Ha ! " said he thoughtfully, " the Venus - the beautiful Venus ? - the Venus of_the Medici ? - she of_the diminutive head and_the gilded hair ? part of_the left arm ( here his voice dropped so as to_be heard with difficulty,) and all the right, are restorations ; and in_the coquetry of_that right arm lies, i_think, the quintessence of all affectation . give_me the Canova ! the Apollo, too, is a copy - there can_be no_doubt of it - blind fool that I_am, who_cannot behold the boasted inspiration of_the Apollo ! I_cannot help - pity me ! - I_cannot help preferring the Antinous . was_it not Socrates who said that_the statuary found his statue in_the block of marble ? then Michael Angelo was by no means original in_his couplet -

'Non ha l'ottimo artista alcun concetto Che un marmo solo in se non circunscriva .' "

it_has_been, or should_be remarked, that, in_the manner of_the true gentleman, we_are always aware of a difference from_the bearing of_the vulgar, without being at once precisely able to determine in what such difference consists .Allowing the remark to_have applied in its full force to_the outward demeanor of_my acquaintance, I_felt it, on_that eventful morning, still more fully applicable to_his moral temperament and character . nor can I better define that peculiarity of spirit which seemed to_place him so essentially apart from all other human beings, than by calling it a habit of intense and continual thought, pervading even his most trivial actions - intruding upon his moments of dalliance - and interweaving itself with_his very flashes of merriment - like adders which writhe from out the eyes of_the grinning masks in_the cornices around the temples of Persepolis .

I_could_not help, however, repeatedly observing, through_the mingled tone of levity and solemnity with_which he rapidly descanted upon matters of little importance, a certain air of trepidation - a degree of nervous unction in action and in speech - an unquiet excitability of manner which appeared to_me at all times unaccountable, and upon some occasions even filled me with alarm . frequently, too, pausing in_the middle of a sentence whose commencement he had apparently forgotten, he_seemed to_be listening in_the deepest attention, as_if either in momentary expectation of avisiter, or to sounds which_must have_had existence in_his imagination alone .

it_was during one_of_these reveries or pauses of apparent abstraction, that, in turning over a page of_the poet and scholar Politian's beautiful tragedy " the Orfeo," ( the first native Italian tragedy,) which lay near me upon an ottoman, I discovered a passage underlined in pencil . it_was a passage towards the end of_the third act - a passage of_the most heart-stirring excitement - a passage which, although tainted with impurity, no man shall read without a thrill of novel emotion - no woman without a sigh . the whole page was blotted with fresh tears ; and, upon_the opposite interleaf, were the following English lines, written in a hand so very different from_the peculiar characters of_my acquaintance, that I had some difficulty in recognising it as his own : -

thou wast that all to_me, love, for_which my soul did pine - a green isle in_the sea, love, a fountain and a shrine, all wreathed with fairy fruits and flowers ; and all the flowers were mine .Ah, dream too bright to last ! Ah, starry hope, that didst arise but to_be overcast ! a voice from out the future cries, " onward ! " - but o'er the past ( dim gulf ! ) my spirit hovering lies, mute - motionless - aghast ! for alas ! alas ! with me the light of life is o'er ." no more - no more - no more," ( such language holds the solemn sea to_the sands upon_the shore,) shall bloom the thunder- blasted tree, or the stricken eagle soar ! now all my hours are trances ; and all my nightly dreams are where the dark eye glances, and where thy footstep gleams, in what ethereal dances, by what Italian streams . alas ! for_that accursed time they bore thee o'er the billow, from love to titled age and crime, and an unholy pillow ! - from me, and from_our misty clime, where weeps the silver willow !

that_these lines were written in English - a language with_which I had_not believed their author acquainted - afforded me little matter for surprise . i_was too well aware of_the extent of_his acquirements, and of_the singular pleasure he_took in concealing them from observation, to_be astonished at any similar discovery ; but the place of date, I_must confess, occasioned me no little amazement . it had_been originally written London_, and afterwards carefully overscored - not, however, so effectually as_to conceal the word from ascrutinizing eye . I_say, this occasioned me no little amazement ; for I well remember that, in a former conversation with a friend, I particularly inquired if he had at any_time met in London the Marchesa di Mentoni, ( who for_some_years previous to her marriage had resided in_that city,) when his answer, if I mistake not, gave_me to understand that he had never visited the metropolis of Great_Britain . I_might as_well here mention, that I_have more than once heard, ( without, of_course, giving credit to a report involving so_many improbabilities,) that_the person of whom I speak, was not_only by birth, but in education, an Englishman .

* * * * * * * * *

" there_is one painting," said he, without being aware of_my notice of_the tragedy - " there_is still one painting which you_have_not seen ." and throwing aside a drapery, he discovered a full- length portrait of_the Marchesa Aphrodite .

human art could_have done no more in_the delineation of her superhuman beauty . the same ethereal figure which stood before me the preceding night upon_the steps of_the ducal palace, stood before me once again . but in_the expression of_the countenance, which_was beaming all over with smiles, there still lurked ( incomprehensible anomaly ! ) that fitful stain of melancholy which will ever be found inseparable from_the perfection of_the beautiful . her right arm lay folded over her bosom . with her left she pointed downward to a curiously fashioned vase . one small, fairy foot, alone visible, barely touched the earth ; and, scarcely discernible in_the brilliant atmosphere which seemed to encircle and enshrine her loveliness, floated a pair of_the most delicately imagined wings . my glance fell from_the painting to_the figure of_my friend, and_the vigorous words of Chapman's Bussy D'Ambois_, quivered instinctively upon my lips :

" he_is up there like a Roman statue ! he_will stand till death hath made him marble ! "

" come," he_said at_length, turning towards a table of richly enamelled and massive silver, upon_which were a few goblets fantastically stained, together with two large Etruscan vases, fashioned in_the same extraordinary model as_that in_the foreground of_the portrait, and filled with what I supposed to_be Johannisberger ." come," he_said, abruptly, " let_us drink ! it_is early - but let_us drink . it_is indeed early," he continued, musingly, as a cherub with a heavy golden hammer made the apartment ring with_the first hour after sunrise : " it_is indeed early - but what matters it ? let_us drink ! let_us pour out an offering to yon solemn sun which these gaudy lamps and censers are so eager to subdue ! " and, having made me pledge him in a bumper, he swallowed in rapid succession several goblets of_the wine .

" to dream," he continued, resuming the tone of_his desultory conversation, as he held up_to_the rich light of a censer one_of_the magnificent vases - " to dream has_been the business of_my life . I_have therefore framed for_myself, as you_see, a bower of dreams . in_the heart of Venice could I_have erected a better ? you behold around you, it_is true, amedley of architectural embellishments . the chastity of Ionia is offended by antediluvian devices, and_the sphynxes of Egypt are outstretched upon carpets of gold . yet the effect is incongruous to_the timid alone .Proprieties of place, and especially of_time, are the bugbears which terrify mankind from_the contemplation of_the magnificent . once i_was myself adecorist ; but that sublimation of folly has palled upon my soul . all this_is now the fitter for_my purpose . like these arabesque censers, my spirit is writhing in fire, and_the delirium of_this scene is fashioning me for_the wilder visions of_that land of real dreams whither I_am now rapidly departing ." he here paused abruptly, bent his head to_his bosom, and seemed to listen to a sound which I_could_not hear . at_length, erecting his frame, he looked upwards, and ejaculated the lines of_the bishop of Chichester :

" stay for_me there ! i_will_not fail_ to meet thee in_that hollow vale ."_

in_the next instant, confessing the power of_the wine, he threw himself at full- length upon an ottoman .

a quick step was now heard upon_the staircase, and a loud knock at_the door rapidly succeeded . i_was hastening to anticipate a second disturbance, when a page of Mentoni's household burst into_the room, and faltered out, in a voice choking with emotion, the incoherent words, " my mistress ! - my mistress ! - poisoned ! - poisoned ! Oh, beautiful - oh, beautiful Aphrodite ! "

bewildered, I flew to_the ottoman, and endeavored to arouse the sleeper to a sense of_the startling intelligence . but his limbs were rigid - his lips were livid - his lately beaming eyes were riveted in _death .I staggered back towards the table - my hand fell upon a cracked and blackened goblet - and a consciousness of_the entire and terrible truth flashed suddenly over my soul .

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