William Wilson by Edgar Allan Poe
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my power .

Wilson's retaliations in kind were many; and there_was one form of_his practical wit that disturbed me beyond measure . how his sagacity first discovered at all that so petty a thing would vex me, is a question I never could solve; but, having discovered, he habitually practised the annoyance .I had always felt aversion to my uncourtly patronymic, and its very common, if_not plebeian praenomen . the words were venom in my ears; and when, upon_the day of_my arrival, a second William Wilson came also to_the academy, I_felt angry with_him for bearing the name, and doubly disgusted with_the name because a stranger bore it, who_would_be the cause of_its twofold repetition, who_would_be constantly in my presence, and whose concerns, in_the ordinary routine of_the school business, must inevitably, on account of_the detestable coincidence, be often confounded with my own .

the feeling of vexation thus engendered grew stronger with every circumstance tending to show resemblance, moral or physical, between my rival and myself .I had_not then discovered the remarkable fact that we were of_the same age; but I_saw that we were of_the same height, and I perceived that we were even singularly alike in general contour of person and outline of feature . i_was galled, too, by_the rumor touching a relationship, which had grown current in_the upper forms . in a word, nothing could more seriously disturb me, although I scrupulously concealed such disturbance,) than any allusion to a similarity of mind, person, or condition existing between_us . but, in truth, I had no reason to_believe that ( with_the exception of_the matter of relationship, and in_the case of Wilson himself,) this similarity had ever been made a subject of comment, or even observed at all by our schoolfellows . that he observed it in all its bearings, and as fixedly as I, was apparent; but that he_could discover in_such circumstances so fruitful a field of annoyance, can only be attributed, as I_said before, to_his more than ordinary penetration .

his cue, which_was to perfect an imitation of myself, lay both in words and in actions; and most admirably did he play his part . my dress it_was an easy matter to copy; my gait and general manner were, without difficulty, appropriated; in_spite of_his constitutional defect, even my voice did_not escape him . my louder tones were, of_course, unattempted, but then the key, it_was identical; and_his singular whisper, it grew the very echo of_my own .

how greatly this most exquisite portraiture harassed me, ( for_it could_not justly be termed a caricature,) i_will_not now venture to describe .I had but one consolation -- in_the fact that_the imitation, apparently, was noticed by_myself alone, and_that I had to endure only the knowing and strangely sarcastic smiles of_my namesake himself . satisfied with having produced in my bosom the intended effect, he_seemed to chuckle in secret over the sting he had inflicted, and was characteristically disregardful of_the public applause which the success of_his witty endeavours might_have so easily elicited . that_the school, indeed, did_not feel his design, perceive its accomplishment, and participate in_his sneer, was, for many anxious months, a riddle I_could_not resolve . perhaps the gradation of_his copy rendered it not so readily perceptible; or, more possibly, I owed my security to_the master air of_the copyist, who, disdaining the letter, ( which in apainting is all the obtuse can_see,) gave but the full spirit of_his original for_my individual contemplation and chagrin .

I_have already more than once spoken of_the disgusting air of patronage which he assumed toward me, and of_his frequent officious interference withy my will . this interference often took the ungracious character of advice; advice not openly given, but hinted or insinuated .I received it with a repugnance which gained strength as I grew in years . yet, at_this distant day, let me do him the simple justice to acknowledge that I_can recall no occasion when_the suggestions of_my rival were on_the side of_those errors or follies so usual to_his immature age and seeming inexperience; that his moral sense, at_least, if_not his general talents and worldly wisdom, was far keener than my own; and_that I_might, to- day, have_been a better, and thus a happier man, had I less frequently rejected the counsels embodied in those meaning whispers which I then but too cordially hated and too bitterly despised .

as it_was, I at_length grew restive in_the extreme under his distasteful supervision, and daily resented more and more openly what I considered his intolerable arrogance . I_have said that, in_the first years of_our connexion as schoolmates, my feelings in regard to him might_have_been easily ripened into friendship: but, in_the latter months of_my residence at_the academy, although the intrusion of_his ordinary manner had, beyond doubt, in some measure, abated, my sentiments, in nearly similar proportion, partook very_much of positive hatred . upon one occasion he_saw this, i_think, and afterwards avoided, or made a show of avoiding me .

it_was about_the same period, if I remember aright, that, in an altercation of violence with_him, in_which he_was more than usually thrown off his guard, and spoke and acted with an openness of demeanor rather foreign to_his nature, I discovered, or fancied I discovered, in_his accent, his air, and general appearance, a something which first startled, and then deeply interested me, by bringing to mind dim visions of_my earliest infancy -- wild, confused and thronging memories of a time when memory herself was yet unborn . I_cannot better describe the sensation which oppressed me than by saying that I_could with difficulty shake off the belief of_my having been acquainted with_the being who stood before me, at some epoch very long_ago -- some point of_the past even infinitely remote . the delusion, however, faded rapidly as it came; and I mention it at all but to define the day of_the last conversation I there held with my singular namesake .

the huge old house, with its countless subdivisions, had several large chambers communicating with each_other, where slept the greater number of_the students . there were, however, ( as must necessarily happen in a building so awkwardly planned,) many little nooks or recesses, the odds and ends of_the structure; and these the economic ingenuity of Dr .Bransby had also fitted up as dormitories; although, being the merest closets, they were capable of accommodating but a single individual . one_of_these small apartments was occupied by Wilson .

one night, about_the close of_my fifth year at_the school, and immediately after_the altercation just mentioned, finding every_one wrapped in sleep, I arose from bed, and, lamp in hand, stole through a wilderness of narrow passages from my own bedroom to_that of_my rival .I had long been plotting one of_those ill-natured pieces of practical wit at his expense in_which I had hitherto been so uniformly unsuccessful . it_was my intention, now, to_put my scheme in operation, and I resolved to_make him feel the whole extent of_the malice with_which i_was imbued .Having reached his closet, I noiselessly entered, leaving the lamp, with a shade over it, on_the outside .I advanced a step, and listened to_the sound of_his tranquil breathing . assured of_his being asleep, I returned, took the light, and with it again approached the bed . close curtains were around it, which, in_the prosecution of_my plan, I slowly and quietly withdrew, when_the bright rays fell vividly upon_the sleeper, and my eyes, at_the same moment, upon his countenance .I looked; -- and a numbness, an iciness of feeling instantly pervaded my frame . my breast heaved, my knees tottered, my whole spirit became possessed with an objectless yet intolerable horror .Gasping for breath, I lowered the lamp in still nearer proximity to_the face . were these -- these the lineaments of William Wilson ? I_saw, indeed, that_they were his, but I shook as_if with a fit of_the ague in fancying they were_not . what_was there about_them to confound me in_this manner ? I gazed; -- while my brain reeled with a multitude of incoherent thoughts . not thus he appeared -- assuredly not thus -- in_the vivacity of_his waking hours . the same name ! the same contour of person ! the same day of arrival at_the academy ! and then his dogged and meaningless imitation of_my gait, my voice, my habits, and my manner ! was_it, in truth, within_the bounds of human possibility, that what I now saw was_the result, merely, of_the habitual practice of_this sarcastic imitation ? awe- stricken, and with acreeping shudder, I extinguished the lamp, passed silently from_the chamber, and left, at once, the halls of_that old academy, never to enter them again .

after a lapse of some months, spent at home in mere idleness, I_found myself a student at Eton . the brief interval had_been sufficient to enfeeble my remembrance of_the events at Dr .Bransby's, or at_least to effect a material change in_the nature of_the feelings with_which I remembered them . the truth -- the tragedy -- of_the drama was no more . I_could now find room to doubt the evidence of_my senses; and seldom called up the subject at all but with wonder at extent of human credulity, and a smile at_the vivid force of_the imagination which I hereditarily possessed . neither was_this species of scepticism likely to_be diminished by_the character of_the life I led at Eton . the vortex of thoughtless folly into which I there so immediately and so recklessly plunged, washed away all but the froth of_my past hours, engulfed at once every solid or serious impression, and left to memory only the veriest levities of a former existence .

I_do_not wish, however, to trace the course of_my miserable profligacy here -- a profligacy which set at Defiance the laws, while it eluded the vigilance of_the institution . three years of folly, passed without profit, had but given me rooted habits of vice, and added, in a somewhat unusual degree, to my bodily stature, when, after a week of soulless dissipation, I invited a small party of_the most dissolute students to a secret carousal in my chambers . we met at a late hour of_the night; for_our debaucheries were to_be faithfully protracted until morning . the wine flowed freely, and there were_not wanting other and perhaps more dangerous seductions; so that_the gray dawn had already faintly appeared in_the east, while our delirious extravagance was at its height . madly flushed with cards and intoxication, i_was in_the act of insisting upon a toast of more than wonted profanity, when my attention was suddenly diverted by_the violent, although partial unclosing of_the door of_the apartment, and by_the eager voice of a servant from without . he_said that some person, apparently in great haste, demanded to_speak with me in_the hall .

Wildly excited with wine, the unexpected interruption rather delighted than surprised me .I staggered forward at once, and a few steps brought me to_the vestibule of_the building . in_this low and small room there hung no lamp; and now no light at all was admitted, save that of_the exceedingly feeble dawn which made its way through_the semi- circular window . as I put my foot over the threshold, I became aware of_the figure of a youth about_my own height, and habited in a white kerseymere morning frock, cut in_the novel fashion of_the one I myself wore at_the moment . this the faint light enabled me to perceive; but the features of_his face I_could_not distinguish . upon my entering he strode hurriedly up to_me, and, seizing me by . the arm with a gesture of petulant impatience, whispered the words "William Wilson ! " in my ear .

I grew perfectly sober in an instant . there_was that in_the manner of_the stranger, and in_the tremulous shake of_his uplifted finger, as he held it between my eyes and_the light, which filled me with unqualified amazement; but it_was not this which had so violently moved me . it was_the pregnancy of solemn admonition in_the singular, low, hissing utterance; and, above all, it was_the character, the tone, the key, of_those few, simple, and familiar, yet whispered syllables, which came with a thousand thronging memories of bygone days, and struck upon my soul with_the shock of agalvanic battery .Ere I_could recover the use of_my senses he_was gone .

although this event failed not of a vivid effect upon my disordered imagination, yet was_it evanescent as vivid . for some weeks, indeed, I busied myself in earnest inquiry, or was wrapped in a cloud of morbid speculation . I_did_not pretend to disguise from my perception the identity of_the singular individual who thus perseveringly interfered with my affairs, and harassed me with_his insinuated counsel . but who and what_was this Wilson ? -- and whence came he ? -- and what were his purposes ? upon neither of_these points could I be satisfied; merely ascertaining, in regard to him, that a sudden accident in_his family had caused his removal from Dr .Bransby's academy on_the afternoon of_the day in_which I myself had eloped . but in a brief period I ceased to_think upon_the_subject; my attention being all absorbed in a contemplated departure for Oxford . thither I soon went; the uncalculating vanity of_my parents furnishing me with an outfit and annual establishment, which would enable me to indulge at will in_the luxury already so dear to my heart, -- to vie in profuseness of expenditure with_the haughtiest heirs of_the wealthiest earldoms in Great_Britain .

Excited by such appliances to vice, my constitutional temperament broke forth with redoubled ardor, and I spurned even the common restraints of decency in_the mad infatuation of_my revels . but it were absurd to pause in_the detail of_my extravagance . let it suffice, that among spendthrifts I out-Heroded Herod, and_that, giving name to a multitude of novel follies, I added no brief appendix to_the long catalogue of vices then usual in_the most dissolute university of Europe .

it could hardly be credited, however, that I had, even here, so utterly fallen from_the gentlemanly estate, as_to seek acquaintance with_the vilest arts of_the gambler by profession, and, having become an adept in_his despicable science, to practise it habitually as ameans of increasing my already enormous income at_the expense of_the weak- minded among my fellow-collegians . such, nevertheless, was_the fact . and_the very enormity of_this offence against all manly and honourable sentiment proved, beyond doubt, the main if_not the sole reason of_the impunity with_which it_was committed . who, indeed, among my most abandoned associates, would_not rather have disputed the clearest evidence of_his senses, than have suspected of_such courses, the gay, the frank, the generous William Wilson -- the noblest and most commoner at Oxford -- him whose follies ( said his parasites) were but the follies of youth and unbridled fancy -- whose errors but inimitable whim -- whose darkest vice but a careless and dashing extravagance ?

I had_been now two years successfully busied in_this_way, when there came to_the university a young parvenu nobleman, Glendinning -- rich, said report, as Herodes Atticus -- his riches, too, as easily acquired .I soon found him of weak intellect, and, of_course, marked him as afitting subject for_my skill .I frequently engaged him in play, and contrived, with_the gambler's usual art,

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