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第8章 一个古怪的梦3（第1页）

ndtheoorghostgratedhisteethinawaythatgavemeawrenchandashiver—fortheeffectismightilyincreasedbytheabsenceofmufflingfleshandcuticle。

"Iresideinthatoldgraveyard，andhaveforthesethirtyyears;andItellyouthingsarechangedsinceIfirstlaidthisoldtiredframethere，andturnedover，andstretchedoutforalongslee，withadelicioussenseuonmeofbeingdonewithbother，andgrief，andanxiety，anddoubt，andfear，foreverandever，andlisteningwithcomfortableandincreasingsatisfactiontothesextonswork，fromthestartlingclatterofhisfirstsadefulonmycoffintillitdulledawaytothefaintattingthatshaedtheroofofmynewhome-delicious!My!Iwishyoucouldtryittonight!

"Andoutofmyreveriedeceasedfetchedmearattlingslawithabonyhand。

"Yes，sir，thirtyyearsagoIlaidmedownthere，andwashay。Foritwasoutinthecountrythen—outinthebreezy，flowery，grandoldwoods，andthelazywindsgossiedwiththeleaves，andthesquirrelscaeredoverusandaroundus，andthecreeingthingsvisitedus，andthebirdsfilledthetranquilsolitudewithmusic。Ah，itwasworthtenyearsofamanslifetobedeadthen!

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"Everythingwasleasant。Iwasinagoodneighborhood，forallthedeadeolethatlivednearmebelongedtothebestfamiliesinthecity。Ourosterityaearedtothinktheworldofus。Theyketourgravesintheverybestcondition;thefenceswerealwaysinfaultlessreair，head-boardswereketaintedorwhitewashed，andwererelacedwithnewonesassoonastheybegantolookrustyordecayed;monumentswereketuright，railingsintactandbright，therose-bushesandshrubberytrimmed，trained，andfreefromblemish，thewalkscleanandsmoothandgraveled。Butthatdayisgoneby。Ourdescendantshaveforgottenus。Mygrandsonlivesinastatelyhousebuiltwithmoneymadebytheseoldhandsofmine，andIsleeinaneglectedgravewithinvadingverminthatgnawmyshroudtobuildthemnestswithal!Iandfriendsthatliewithmefoundedandsecuredtheroserityofthisfinecity，andthestatelybantlingofourlovesleavesustorotinadilaidatedcemeterywhichneighborscurseandstrangersscoffat。

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"Seethedifferencebetweentheoldtimeandthis—forinstance:Ourgravesareallcavedinnow;ourhead-boardshaverottedawayandtumbleddown;ourrailingsreelthiswayandthat，withonefootintheair，afterafashionofunseemlylevity;ourmonumentsleanwearily，andourgravestonesbowtheirheadsdiscouraged;therebenoadornmentsanymore—noroses，norshrubs，norgraveledwalks，noranythingthatisacomforttotheeye;andeventheaintlessoldboardfencethatdidmakeashowofholdingussacredfromcomanionshiwithbeastsandthedefilementofheedlessfeet，hastotteredtillitoverhangsthestreet，andonlyadvertisestheresenceofourdismalresting-laceandinvitesyetmorederisiontoit。

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Andnowwecannothideourovertyandtattersinthefriendlywoods，forthecityhasstretcheditswitheringarmsabroadandtakenusin，andallthatremainsofthecheerofouroldhomeistheclusteroflugubriousforesttreesthatstand，boredandwearyofacitylife，withtheirfeetinourcoffins，lookingintothehazydistanceandwishingtheywerethere。Itellyouitisdisgraceful!

"Youbegintocomrehend—youbegintoseehowitis。Whileourdescendantsarelivingsumtuouslyonourmoney，rightaroundusinthecity，wehavetofighthardtokeeskullandbonestogether。Blessyou，thereisntagraveinourcemeterythatdoesntleaknotone。Everytimeitrainsinthenightwehavetoclimboutandroostinthetreesandsometimeswearewakenedsuddenlybythechillywatertricklingdownthebackofournecks。ThenItellyouthereisageneralheavinguofoldgravesandkickingoverofoldmonuments，andscameringofoldskeletonsforthetrees!Blessme，ifyouhadgonealongtheresomesuchnightsaftertwelveyoumighthaveseenasmanyasfifteenofusroostingononelimb，withourjointsrattlingdrearilyandthewindwheezingthroughourribs!Manyatimewehaveerchedthereforthreeorfourdrearyhours，andthencomedown，stiffandchilledthroughanddrowsy，andborrowedeachothersskullstobailoutourgraveswith—ifyouwillglanceuinmymouthnowasItiltmyheadback，youcanseethatmyhead-ieceishalffullofolddrysedimenthowto-heavyandstuiditmakesmesometimes!

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"Yes，sir，manyatimeifyouhadhaenedtocomealongjustbeforethedawnyoudhavecaughtusbailingoutthegravesandhangingourshroudsonthefencetodry。Why，Ihadanelegantshroudstolenfromthereonemorning—thinkaartybythenameofSmithtookit，thatresidesinalebeiangraveyardoveryonder—IthinksobecausethefirsttimeIeversawhimhehadntanythingonbutacheckshirt，andthelasttimeIsawhim，whichwasatasocialgatheringinthenewcemetery，hewasthebest-dressedcorseinthecomany—anditisasignificantfactthatheleftwhenhesawme。

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"Andresentlyanoldwomanfromheremissedhercoffin—shegenerallytookitwithherwhenshewentanywhere，becauseshewasliabletotakecoldandbringonthesasmodicrheumatismthatoriginallykilledherifsheexosedherselftothenightairmuch。ShewasnamedHotchkiss—AnnaMatildaHotchkiss—youmightknowher?Shehastwouerfrontteeth，istall，butagooddealinclinedtostoo，oneribontheleftsidegone，hasoneshredofrustyhairhangingfromtheleftsideofherhead，andonelittletuftjustaboveandalittleforwardofherrightear，hasherunderjawwiredononesidewhereithadworkedloose，smallboneofleftforearmgone—lostinafighthasakindofswaggerinhergaitandagalluswayofgoingwith:herarmsakimboandhernostrilsintheairhasbeenrettyfreeandeasy，andisalldamagedandbatteredutillshelookslikeaqueenswarecrateinruins—maybeyouhavemether?

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