William Wilson by Edgar Allan Poe
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art, to let him win considerable sums, the more effectually to entangle him in my snares . at_length, my schemes being ripe, I met him ( with_the full intention that_this meeting should_be final and decisive) at_the chambers of a fellow- commoner, ( Mr Preston,) equally intimate with both, but who, to_do him justice, entertained not even a remote suspicion of_my design . to_give to_this a better colouring, I had contrived to_have assembled a party of some eight or ten, and was solicitously careful that_the introduction of cards should appear accidental, and originate in_the proposal of_my contemplated dupe himself . to_be brief upon a vile topic, none_of_the low finesse was omitted, so customary upon similar occasions that_it_is a just matter for wonder how any are still found so besotted as to_fall its victim .

we had protracted our sitting far into_the night, and I had at_length effected the manoeuvre of getting Glendinning as my sole antagonist . the game, too, was my favorite ecarte ! . the rest of_the company, interested in_the extent of_our play, had abandoned their own cards, and were standing around us as spectators . the parvenu, who had_been induced by my artifices in_the early part of_the evening, to drink deeply, now shuffled, dealt, or played, with a wild nervousness of manner for_which his intoxication, i_thought, might partially, but could_not altogether account . in a very short period he had become my debtor to a large amount, when, having taken a long draught of port, he_did precisely what I had_been coolly anticipating -- he proposed to double our already extravagant stakes . with a well- feigned show of reluctance, and not until after my repeated refusal had seduced him into some angry words which gave a color of pique to my compliance, did I finally comply . the result, of_course, did but prove how entirely the prey was in my toils; in less_than an hour he had quadrupled his debt . for some_time his countenance had_been losing the florid tinge lent it by_the wine; but now, to my astonishment, I perceived that_it had grown to a pallor truly fearful . I_say to my astonishment .Glendinning had_been represented to my eager inquiries as immeasurably wealthy; and_the sums which he had as_yet lost, although in themselves vast, could_not, I supposed, very seriously annoy, much less so violently affect him . that he_was overcome by_the wine just swallowed, was_the idea which most readily presented itself; and, rather with a view to_the preservation of_my own character in_the eyes of_my associates, than from any less interested motive, i_was about to insist, peremptorily, upon a discontinuance of_the play, when some expressions at my elbow from among_the company, and an ejaculation evincing utter despair on_the_part of Glendinning, gave_me to understand that I had effected his total ruin under circumstances which, rendering him an object for_the pity of all, should_have protected him from_the ill offices even of a fiend .

what now might_have_been my conduct it_is difficult to_say . the pitiable condition of_my dupe had thrown an air of embarrassed gloom over all; and, for some moments, a profound silence was maintained, during which I_could_not help feeling my cheeks tingle with_the many burning glances of scorn or reproach cast upon me by_the less abandoned of_the party . i_will even own that an intolerable weight of anxiety was for a brief instant lifted from my bosom by_the sudden and extraordinary interruption which ensued . the wide, heavy folding doors of_the apartment were all at once thrown open, to_their full extent, with a vigorous and rushing impetuosity that extinguished, as_if by magic, every candle in_the room . their light, in dying, enabled us just to perceive that a stranger had entered, about_my own height, and closely muffled in a cloak . the darkness, however, was now total; and we_could only feel that he_was standing in_our midst . before any_one of us could recover from_the extreme astonishment into which this rudeness had thrown all, we heard the voice of_the intruder .

" gentlemen," he_said, in a low, distinct, and never- to- be- forgotten whisper which thrilled to_the very marrow of_my bones, " gentlemen, I make no apology for_this behaviour, because in thus behaving, I_am but fulfilling a duty . you_are, beyond doubt, uninformed of_the true character of_the person who has_to- night won at ecarte a large sum of money from lord Glendinning . i_will therefore put you upon an expeditious and decisive plan of obtaining this very necessary information . please to examine, at your leisure, the inner linings of_the cuff of_his left sleeve, and_the several little packages which_may_be found in_the somewhat capacious pockets of_his embroidered morning wrapper ."

while he spoke, so profound was_the stillness that one might_have heard a pin drop upon_the floor . in ceasing, he departed at once, and as abruptly as he had entered . can I -- shall I describe my sensations ? -- must I_say that I_felt all the horrors of_the damned ? most assuredly I had little time given for reflection . many hands roughly seized me upon_the spot, and lights were immediately reprocured .a search ensued . in_the lining of_my sleeve were found all the court cards essential in ecarte, and, in_the pockets of_my wrapper, a number of packs, facsimiles of_those used at our sittings, with_the single exception that mine were of_the species called, technically, arrondees; the honours being slightly convex at_the ends, the lower cards slightly convex at_the sides . in_this disposition, the dupe who cuts, as customary, at_the length of_the pack, will invariably find that he cuts his antagonist an honor; while the gambler, cutting at_the breadth, will, as certainly, cut nothing for_his victim which_may count in_the records of_the game .

any burst of indignation upon_this discovery would_have affected me less_than_the silent contempt, or the sarcastic composure, with_which it_was received .

" Mr Wilson," said our host, stooping to remove from beneath his feet an exceedingly luxurious cloak of rare furs, " Mr Wilson, this_is your property ." ( the weather was cold; and, upon quitting my own room, I had thrown a cloak over my dressing wrapper, putting it off upon reaching the scene of play .) "I presume it_is supererogatory to seek here (eyeing the folds of_the garment with a bitter smile) for any farther evidence of your skill . indeed, we_have_had enough . you_will_see the necessity, I_hope, of quitting Oxford -- at all events, of quitting instantly my chambers ."

abased, humbled to_the dust as I then was, it_is probable that i_should_have resented this galling language by immediate personal violence, had_not my whole attention been at_the moment arrested by a fact of_the most startling character . the cloak which I had worn was of a rare description of fur; how rare, how extravagantly costly, I_shall_not venture to_say . its fashion, too, was of_my own fantastic invention; for i_was fastidious to an absurd degree of coxcombry, in matters of_this frivolous nature . when, therefore, Mr Preston reached me that which he had picked up upon_the floor, and near the folding doors of_the apartment, it_was with an astonishment nearly bordering upon terror, that I perceived my own already hanging on my arm, ( where I had no_doubt unwittingly placed it,) and_that the one presented me was but its exact counterpart in every, in even the minutest possible particular . the singular being who had so disastrously exposed me, had_been muffled, I remembered, in a cloak; and none had_been worn at all by any of_the members of_our party with_the exception of myself .Retaining some presence of mind, i_took the one offered me by Preston; placed it, unnoticed, over my own; left the apartment with a resolute scowl of Defiance; and, next morning ere dawn of day, commenced ahurried journey from Oxford to_the continent, in a perfect agony of horror and of shame .

I fled in vain . my evil destiny pursued me as_if in exultation, and proved, indeed, that_the exercise of_its mysterious dominion had as_yet only begun . scarcely had I set foot in Paris ere I had fresh evidence of_the detestable interest taken by_this Wilson in my concerns .Years flew, while I experienced no relief . villain ! -- at Rome, with how untimely, yet with how spectral an officiousness, stepped he in between me and my ambition ! at Vienna, too -- at Berlin -- and at Moscow ! where, in truth, had I not bitter cause to curse him within my heart ? from_his inscrutable tyranny did I at_length flee, panic- stricken, as from a pestilence; and to_the very ends of_the earth I fled in vain .

and again, and again, in secret communion with my own spirit, would I demand the questions " who_is he ? -- whence came he ? -- and what_are his objects ? " but no answer was there found . and then I scrutinized, with a minute scrutiny, the forms, and_the methods, and_the leading traits of_his impertinent supervision . but even here there_was very little upon_which to base a conjecture . it_was noticeable, indeed, that, in no one_of_the multiplied instances in_which he had of late crossed my path, had he so crossed it except to frustrate those schemes, or to disturb those actions, which, if fully carried out, might_have resulted in bitter mischief . poor justification this, in truth, for an authority so imperiously assumed ! poor indemnity for natural rights of self- agency so pertinaciously, so insultingly denied !

I had also been forced to notice that my tormentor, for a very long period of_time, ( while scrupulously and with miraculous dexterity maintaining his whim of an identity of apparel with myself,) had so contrived it, in_the execution of_his varied interference with my will, that I_saw not, at any moment, the features of_his face . be Wilson what he might, this, at_least, was but the veriest of affectation, or of folly . could he, for an instant, have supposed that, in my admonisher at Eton -- in_the destroyer of_my honor at Oxford, -- in him who thwarted my ambition at Rome, my revenge at Paris, my passionate love at Naples, or what he falsely termed my avarice in Egypt, -- that in_this, my arch- enemy and evil genius, could fall to recognise the William Wilson of_my school boy days, -- the namesake, the companion, the rival, -- the hated and dreaded rival at Dr .Bransby's ? impossible ! -- but let me hasten to_the last eventful scene of_the drama .

thus far I had succumbed supinely to_this imperious domination . the sentiment of deep awe with_which I habitually regarded the elevated character, the majestic wisdom, the apparent omnipresence and omnipotence of Wilson, added to afeeling of even terror, with_which certain other traits in_his nature and assumptions inspired me, had operated, hitherto, to impress me with an idea of_my own utter weakness and helplessness, and to suggest an implicit, although bitterly reluctant submission to_his arbitrary will . but, of late days, I had given myself up entirely to wine; and its maddening influence upon my hereditary temper rendered me more and more impatient of control .I began to murmur, -- to hesitate, -- to resist . and was_it only fancy which induced me to_believe that, with_the increase of_my own firmness, that of_my tormentor underwent a proportional diminution ? be this as it may, I now began to_feel the inspiration of aburning hope, and at_length nurtured in my secret thoughts a stern and desperate resolution that i_would submit no longer to_be enslaved .

it_was at Rome, during the carnival of 18 -- , that I attended a masquerade in_the palazzo of_the Neapolitan duke Di Broglio .I had indulged more freely than usual in_the excesses of_the wine- table; and now the suffocating atmosphere of_the crowded rooms irritated me beyond endurance . the difficulty, too, of forcing my way through_the mazes of_the company contributed not a little to_the ruffling of_my temper; for i_was anxiously seeking, ( let me not say with what unworthy motive) the young, the gay, the beautiful wife of_the aged and doting Di Broglio . with a too unscrupulous confidence she had previously communicated to_me the secret of_the costume in_which she_would be habited, and now, having caught a glimpse of her person, i_was hurrying to_make my way into her presence .-- at_this moment I_felt a light hand placed upon my shoulder, and_that ever- remembered, low, damnable whisper within my ear .

in an absolute phrenzy of wrath, I turned at once upon him who had thus interrupted me, and seized him violently by tile collar . he_was attired, as I had expected, in a costume altogether similar to my own; wearing a Spanish cloak of blue velvet, begirt about_the waist with a crimson belt sustaining a rapier .a mask of black silk entirely covered his face .

" scoundrel ! " I_said, in a voice husky with rage, while every syllable I uttered seemed as new fuel to my fury, " scoundrel ! impostor ! accursed villain ! you shall_not -- you shall_not dog me unto death ! follow me, or I stab you where you stand ! " -- and I broke my way from_the ball- room into a small ante- chamber adjoining -- dragging him unresistingly with me as I went .

upon entering, I thrust him furiously from me . he staggered against the wall, while I closed the door with an oath, and commanded him to draw . he hesitated but for an instant; then, with a slight sigh, drew in silence, and put himself upon his defence .

the contest was brief indeed . i_was frantic with every species of wild excitement, and felt within my single arm the energy and power of a multitude . in a few seconds I forced him by sheer strength against the wainscoting, and thus, getting him at mercy, plunged my sword, with brute ferocity, repeatedly through and through his bosom .

at_that instant some person tried the latch of_the door .I hastened to_prevent an intrusion, and then immediately returned to my dying antagonist . but what human language can adequately portray that astonishment, that horror which possessed me at_the spectacle then presented to view ? the brief moment in_which I averted my eyes had_been sufficient to_produce, apparently, a material change in_the arrangements at_the upper or farther end of_the room .a large mirror, -- so at first it seemed to_me in my confusion -- now stood where none had_been perceptible before; and, as I stepped up to_it in extremity of terror, mine own image, but with features all pale and dabbled in blood, advanced to meet me with a feeble and tottering gait .

thus it appeared, I_say, but was not . it_was my antagonist -- it_was Wilson, who then stood before me in_the agonies of_his dissolution . his mask and cloak lay, where he had thrown them, upon_the floor . not a thread in all his raiment -- not a line in all the marked and singular lineaments of_his face which_was not, even in_the most absolute identity, mine own !

it_was Wilson; but he spoke no longer in a whisper, and I_could_have fancied that I myself was speaking while he_said:

" you_have conquered, and I yield . yet, henceforward art thou also dead -- dead to_the world, to heaven and to hope ! in me didst thou exist -- and, in my death, see by_this image, which_is thine own, how utterly thou hast murdered thyself ."

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