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1、TheMasqueoftheRedDeathbyEdgarAllanPoeThereddeathhadlongdevastatedthecountry.Nopestilencehadeverbeensofatal,orsohideous.BloodwasitsAvataranditsseal--themadnessandthehorrorofblood.Thereweresharppains,andsuddendizziness,andthenprofusebleedingatthepores,withdissolution.The
2、scarletstainsuponthebodyandespeciallyuponthefaceofthevictim,werethepestbanwhichshuthimoutfromtheaidandfromthesympathyofhisfellow-men.Andthewholeseizure,progress,andterminationofthedisease,wereincidentsofhalfanhour.ButPrinceProsperowashappyanddauntlessandsagacious.Whenh
3、isdominionswerehalfdepopulated,hesummonedtohispresenceathousandhaleandlight-heartedfriendsfromamongtheknightsanddamesofhiscourt,andwiththeseretiredtothedeepseclusionofoneofhiscrenellatedabbeys.Thiswasanextensiveandmagnificentstructure,thecreationoftheprince'sowneccentr
4、icyetaugusttaste.Astrongandloftywallgirdleditin.Thiswallhadgatesofiron.Thecourtiers,havingentered,broughtfurnacesandmassyhammersandweldedthebolts.Theyresolvedtoleavemeansneitherofingressnoregresstothesuddenimpulsesofdespairoroffrenzyfromwithin.Theabbeywasamplyprovision
5、ed.Withsuchprecautionsthecourtiersmightbiddefiancetocontagion.Theexternalworldcouldtakecareofitself.Inthemeantimeitwasfollytogrieveortothink.Theprincehadprovidedalltheappliancesofpleasure.Therewerebuffoons,therewereimprovisatori,therewereballet-dancers,thereweremusicia
6、ns,therewasBeauty,therewaswine.Alltheseandsecuritywerewithin.Withoutwasthe"RedDeath."ItwastowardthecloseofthefifthorsixthmonthofhisseclusionthatthePrinceProsperoentertainedhisthousandfriendsatamaskedballofthemostunusualmagnificence.Itwasavoluptuousscene,thatmasquerade.
7、Butfirstletmetelloftheroomsinwhichitwasheld.Therewereseven--animperialsuite,Inmanypalaces,however,suchsuitesformalongandstraightvista,whilethefoldingdoorsslidebacknearlytothewallsoneitherhand,sothattheviewofthewholeextantisscarcelyimpeded.Herethecasewasverydifferent;as
8、mighthavebeenexpectedfromtheduke'sloveofthe"bizarre."Theapartmentsweresoirregularlydisposedthatthevisionembracedbutli
