Poe, Edgar Allen - The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe

by Volume 01-05 (lit)

  some two miles brought us to the hut. It was about three in the

  afternoon when we arrived. Legrand had been awaiting us in eager

  expectation. He grasped my hand with a nervous empressement which

  alarmed me and strengthened the suspicions already entertained. His

  countenance was pale even to ghastliness, and his deep-set eyes

  glared with unnatural lustre. After some inquiries respecting his

  health, I asked him, not knowing what better to say, if he had yet

  obtained the scarabµus from Lieutenant G --.

  "Oh, yes," he replied, coloring violently, "I got it from him the

  next morning. Nothing should tempt me to part with that scarabµus. Do

  you know that Jupiter is quite right about it?"

  "In what way?" I asked, with a sad foreboding at heart.

  "In supposing it to be a bug of real gold." He said this with an

  air of profound seriousness, and I felt inexpressibly shocked.

  "This bug is to make my fortune," he continued, with a triumphant

  smile, "to reinstate me in my family possessions. Is it any wonder,

  then, that I prize it? Since Fortune has thought fit to bestow it

  upon me, I have only to use it properly and I shall arrive at the

  gold of which it is the index. Jupiter; bring me that scarabµus!"

  "What! de bug, massa? I'd rudder not go fer trubble dat bug - you

  mus git him for your own self." Hereupon Legrand arose, with a grave

  and stately air, and brought me the beetle from a glass case in which

  it was enclosed. It was a beautiful scarabµus, and, at that time,

  unknown to naturalists - of course a great prize in a scientific

  point of view. There were two round, black spots near one extremity

  of the back, and a long one near the other. The scales were

  exceedingly hard and glossy, with all the appearance of burnished

  gold. The weight of the insect was very remarkable, and, taking all

  things into consideration, I could hardly blame Jupiter for his

  opinion respecting it; but what to make of Legrand's concordance with

  that opinion, I could not, for the life of me, tell.

  "I sent for you," said he, in a grandiloquent tone, when I had

  completed my examination of the beetle, "I sent for you, that I might

  have your counsel and assistance in furthering the views of Fate and

  of the bug" -

  "My dear Legrand," I cried, interrupting him, "you are certainly

  unwell, and had better use some little precautions. You shall go to

  bed, and I will remain with you a few days, until you get over this.

  You are feverish and" -

  "Feel my pulse," said he.

  I felt it, and, to say the truth, found not the slightest

  indication of fever.

  "But you may be ill and yet have no fever. Allow me this once to

  prescribe for you. In the first place, go to bed. In the next" -

  "You are mistaken," he interposed, "I am as well as I can expect

  to be under the excitement which I suffer. If you really wish me

  well, you will relieve this excitement."

  "And how is this to be done?"

  "Very easily. Jupiter and myself are going upon an expedition

  into the hills, upon the main land, and, in this expedition we shall

  need the aid of some person in whom we can confide. You are the only

  one we can trust. Whether we succeed or fail, the excitement which

  you now perceive in me will be equally allayed."

  "I am anxious to oblige you in any way," I replied; "but do you

  mean to say that this infernal beetle has any connection with your

  expedition into the hills?"

  "It has."

  "Then, Legrand, I can become a party to no such absurd

  proceeding."

  "I am sorry - very sorry - for we shall have to try it by

  ourselves."

  "Try it by yourselves! The man is surely mad! - but stay! - how

  long do you propose to be absent?"

  "Probably all night. We shall start immediately, and be back, at

  all events, by sunrise."

  "And will you promise me, upon your honor, that when this freak

  of yours is over, and the bug business (good God!) settled to your

  satisfaction, you will then return home and follow my advice

  implicitly, as that of your physician?"

  "Yes; I promise; and now let us be off, for we have no time to

  lose."

  With a heavy heart I accompanied my friend. We started about four

  o'clock - Legrand, Jupiter, the dog, and myself. Jupiter had with him

  the scythe and spades - the whole of which he insisted upon carrying

  - more through fear, it seemed to me, of trusting either of the

  implements within reach of his master, than from any excess of

  industry or complaisance. His demeanor was dogged in the extreme, and

  "dat deuced bug" were the sole words which escaped his lips during

  the journey. For my own part, I had charge of a couple of dark

  lanterns, while Legrand contented himself with the scarabµus, which

  he carried attached to the end of a bit of whip-cord; twirling it to

  and fro, with the air of a conjuror, as he went. When I observed this

  last, plain evidence of my friend's aberration of mind, I could

  scarcely refrain from tears. I thought it best, however, to humor his

  fancy, at least for the present, or until I could adopt some more

  energetic measures with a chance of success. In the mean time I

  endeavored, but all in vain, to sound him in regard to the object of

  the expedition. Having succeeded in inducing me to accompany him, he

  seemed unwilling to hold conversation upon any topic of minor

  importance, and to all my questions vouchsafed no other reply than

  "we shall see!"

  We crossed the creek at the head of the island by means of a

  skiff; and, ascending the high grounds on the shore of the main land,

  proceeded in a northwesterly direction, through a tract of country

  excessively wild and desolate, where no trace of a human footstep was

  to be seen. Legrand led the way with decision; pausing only for an

  instant, here and there, to consult what appeared to be certain

  landmarks of his own contrivance upon a former occasion.

  In this manner we journeyed for about two hours, and the sun was

  just setting when we entered a region infinitely more dreary than any

  yet seen. It was a species of table land, near the summit of an

  almost inaccessible hill, densely wooded from base to pinnacle, and

  interspersed with huge crags that appeared to lie loosely upon the

  soil, and in many cases were prevented from precipitating themselves

  into the valleys below, merely by the support of the trees against

  which they reclined. Deep ravines, in various directions, gave an air

  of still sterner solemnity to the scene.

  The natural platform to which we had clambered was thickly

  overgrown with brambles, through which we soon discovered that it

  would have been impossible to force our way but for the scythe; and

  Jupiter, by direction of his master, proceeded to clear for us a path

  to the foot of an enormously tall tulip-tree, which stood, with some

  eight or ten oaks, upon the level, and far surpassed them all, and

  all other trees which I had then ever seen, in the beauty of its

  foliage and form, in the wide spread of
its branches, and in the

  general majesty of its appearance. When we reached this tree, Legrand

  turned to Jupiter, and asked him if he thought he could climb it. The

  old man seemed a little staggered by the question, and for some

  moments made no reply. At length he approached the huge trunk, walked

  slowly around it, and examined it with minute attention. When he had

  completed his scrutiny, he merely said,

  "Yes, massa, Jup climb any tree he ebber see in he life."

  "Then up with you as soon as possible, for it will soon be too

  dark to see what we are about."

  "How far mus go up, massa?" inquired Jupiter.

  "Get up the main trunk first, and then I will tell you which way

  to go - and here - stop! take this beetle with you."

  "De bug, Massa Will! - de goole bug!" cried the negro, drawing

  back in dismay - "what for mus tote de bug way up de tree? - d-n if I

  do!"

  "If you are afraid, Jup, a great big negro like you, to take hold

  of a harmless little dead beetle, why you can carry it up by this

  string - but, if you do not take it up with you in some way, I shall

  be under the necessity of breaking your head with this shovel."

  "What de matter now, massa?" said Jup, evidently shamed into

  compliance; "always want for to raise fuss wid old nigger. Was only

  funnin any how. Me feered de bug! what I keer for de bug?" Here he

  took cautiously hold of the extreme end of the string, and,

  maintaining the insect as far from his person as circumstances would

  permit, prepared to ascend the tree.

  In youth, the tulip-tree, or Liriodendron Tulipferum, the most

  magnificent of American foresters, has a trunk peculiarly smooth, and

  often rises to a great height without lateral branches; but, in its

  riper age, the bark becomes gnarled and uneven, while many short

  limbs make their appearance on the stem. Thus the difficulty of

  ascension, in the present case, lay more in semblance than in

  reality. Embracing the huge cylinder, as closely as possible, with

  his arms and knees, seizing with his hands some projections, and

  resting his naked toes upon others, Jupiter, after one or two narrow

  escapes from falling, at length wriggled himself into the first great

  fork, and seemed to consider the whole business as virtually

  accomplished. The risk of the achievement was, in fact, now over,

  although the climber was some sixty or seventy feet from the ground.

  "Which way mus go now, Massa Will?" he asked.

  "Keep up the largest branch - the one on this side," said

  Legrand. The negro obeyed him promptly, and apparently with but

  little trouble; ascending higher and higher, until no glimpse of his

  squat figure could be obtained through the dense foliage which

  enveloped it. Presently his voice was heard in a sort of halloo.

  "How much fudder is got for go?"

  "How high up are you?" asked Legrand.

  "Ebber so fur," replied the negro; "can see de sky fru de top ob

  de tree."

  "Never mind the sky, but attend to what I say. Look down the

  trunk and count the limbs below you on this side. How many limbs have

  you passed?"

  "One, two, tree, four, fibe - I done pass fibe big limb, massa,

  pon dis side."

  "Then go one limb higher."

  In a few minutes the voice was heard again, announcing that the

  seventh limb was attained.

  "Now, Jup," cried Legrand, evidently much excited, "I want you to

  work your way out upon that limb as far as you can. If you see

  anything strange, let me know." By this time what little doubt I

  might have entertained of my poor friend's insanity, was put finally

  at rest. I had no alternative but to conclude him stricken with

  lunacy, and I became seriously anxious about getting him home. While

  I was pondering upon what was best to be done, Jupiter's voice was

  again heard.

  "Mos feerd for to ventur pon dis limb berry far - tis dead limb

  putty much all de way."

  "Did you say it was a dead limb, Jupiter?" cried Legrand in a

  quavering voice.

  "Yes, massa, him dead as de door-nail - done up for sartain -

  done departed dis here life."

  "What in the name heaven shall I do?" asked Legrand, seemingly in

  the greatest distress. "Do!" said I, glad of an opportunity to

  interpose a word, "why come home and go to bed. Come now! - that's a

  fine fellow. It's getting late, and, besides, you remember your

  promise."

  "Jupiter," cried he, without heeding me in the least, "do you

  hear me?"

  "Yes, Massa Will, hear you ebber so plain."

  "Try the wood well, then, with your knife, and see if you think

  it very rotten."

  "Him rotten, massa, sure nuff," replied the negro in a few

  moments, "but not so berry rotten as mought be. Mought ventur out

  leetle way pon de limb by myself, dat's true."

  "By yourself! - what do you mean?"

  "Why I mean de bug. 'Tis berry hebby bug. Spose I drop him down

  fuss, and den de limb won't break wid just de weight ob one nigger."

  "You infernal scoundrel!" cried Legrand, apparently much

  relieved, "what do you mean by telling me such nonsense as that? As

  sure as you drop that beetle I'll break your neck. Look here,

  Jupiter, do you hear me?"

  "Yes, massa, needn't hollo at poor nigger dat style."

  "Well! now listen! - if you will venture out on the limb as far

  as you think safe, and not let go the beetle, I'll make you a present

  of a silver dollar as soon as you get down."

  "I'm gwine, Massa Will - deed I is," replied the negro very

  promptly - "mos out to the eend now."

  "Out to the end!" here fairly screamed Legrand, "do you say you

  are out to the end of that limb?"

  "Soon be to de eend, massa, - o-o-o-o-oh! Lor-gol-a-marcy! what

  is dis here pon de tree?"

  "Well!" cried Legrand, highly delighted, "what is it?"

  "Why taint noffin but a skull - somebody bin lef him head up de

  tree, and de crows done gobble ebery bit ob de meat off."

  "A skull, you say! - very well! - how is it fastened to the limb?

  - what holds it on?"

  "Sure nuff, massa; mus look. Why dis berry curous sarcumstance,

  pon my word - dare's a great big nail in de skull, what fastens ob it

  on to de tree."

  "Well now, Jupiter, do exactly as I tell you - do you hear?"

  "Yes, massa."

  "Pay attention, then! - find the left eye of the skull."

  "Hum! hoo! dat's good! why dare aint no eye lef at all."

  "Curse your stupidity! do you know your right hand from your

  left?"

  "Yes, I nose dat - nose all bout dat - tis my lef hand what I

  chops de wood wid."

  "To be sure! you are left-handed; and your left. eye is on the

  same side as your left hand. Now, I suppose, you can find the left

  eye of the skull, or the place where the left eye has been. Have you

  found it?"

  Here was a long pause. At length the negro asked,

  "Is de lef eye of de skull pon de same side as de lef hand of de

  skull, too? - cause de skull aint got not a bit ob a hand at all -

  nebber mind! I got de
lef eye now - here de lef eye! what mus do wid

  it?"

  "Let the beetle drop through it, as far as the string will reach

  - but he careful and not let go your hold of the string."

  "All dat done, Massa Will; mighty easy ting for to put de bug fru

  de hole - look out for him dare below!"

  During this colloquy no portion of Jupiter's person could be

  seen; but the beetle, which he had suffered to descend, was now

  visible at the end of the string, and glistened, like a globe of

  burnished gold, in the last rays of the setting sun, some of which

  still faintly illumined the eminence upon which we stood. The

  scarabµus hung quite clear of any branches, and, if allowed to fall,

  would have fallen at our feet. Legrand immediately took the scythe,

  and cleared with it a circular space, three or four yards in

  diameter, just beneath the insect, and, having accomplished this,

  ordered Jupiter to let go the string and come down from the tree.

  Driving a peg, with great nicety, into the ground, at the precise

  spot where the beetle fell, my friend now produced from his pocket a

  tape measure. Fastening one end of this at that point of the trunk,

  of the tree which was nearest the peg, he unrolled it till it reached

  the peg, and thence farther unrolled it, in the direction already

  established by the two points of the tree and the peg, for the

  distance of fifty feet - Jupiter clearing away the brambles with the