Золотой жук / The Gold-bug

Золотой жук / The Gold-bug (сборник)

Эдгар Аллан По

Издание с параллельным текстом

Эдгар Аллан По (1809–1849) – американский писатель-романтик, мастер новеллы, основоположник детективного рассказа и научно-фантастической повести. Мир произведений писателя причудливый и в то же время изысканный. Его законы подчиняются не общепринятой логике, а лишь игре авторского воображения. В книгу вошли рассказы «Что случилось с господином Вальдемаром», «Рукопись, найденная в бутылке», «Украденное письмо», «Колодец и маятник», «Золотой жук», в которых ярко проявился необычный писательский талант Э.

А. По.

Edgar Allan Poe

The Gold-bug

Эдгар Аллан По

Золотой жук

© В. Н. Карасик, художественное оформление, 2017

© Издательство «Фолио», марка серии, 2011

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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.