美国浪漫主义运动的中坚、短篇小说创作的先锋爱伦·坡出生于演员之家，早年过着动荡和颠沛流离的生活，而且终其一生因赌博、酗酒和早婚屡遭坎坷，穷愁潦倒，这大约也是催生这位文坛怪杰的外部因素。爱伦·坡在诗歌、小说、评论等诸多领域均有卓异的建树，被尊为侦探小说的鼻祖、科幻小说的奠基人、短篇哥特小说的巅峰和象征主义的先驱，举凡波德莱尔、马拉美、斯蒂文森、凡尔纳、柯南·道尔、希区柯克等一批文坛大家无不受惠于这位风格怪谲、多才多艺的文豪。爱伦·坡的短篇创作素以形式的精致、语言的优美和情节的瑰奇着称于世，这本《世界文学经典读本

　　：爱伦·坡短篇小说集（英文版）》中收录的《黑猫》、《莫格街血案》、《厄谢府的崩塌》等是公认的世界短篇小说的典范之作。

 

INTRODUCTION 

THE MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE 

THE MYSTERY OF MARIE ROGET 

THE GOLD-BUG 

THE BLACK CAT 

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER 

SILENCE--A FABLE 

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH 

THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO 

THE IMP OF THE PERVERSE 

THE ISLAND OF THE FAY 

LANDOR'S COTTAGE 

WILLIAM WILSON 

THE TELL-TALE HEART 

BERENICE

　　The sailor drew a long breath,with the air of a manrelieved of some intolerable burden,and then replied,in anassured tone:

　　"I have no way of telling-but he can't be more than fouror five years old.Have you got him here·"

　　"Oh no,we had no conveniences for keeping him here.Heis at a livery stable in the Rue Dubourg,just by.You can gethim in the morning.Of course you are prepared to identifythe property?"

　　"To be sure I am,sir."

　　"I shall be sorry to part with him,"said Dupin.

　　"I don't mean that you should be at all this trouble fornothing,sir,"said the man."Couldn't expect it.Am verywilling to pay a reward for the finding of the animal-that isto say,any thing in reason."

　　"Well,"replied my friend,"that is all very fair,to be sure.Let me think!-What should I have?Oh!I will tell you.Myreward shall be this.You shall give me all the information inyour power about these murders in the Rue Morgue."

　　Dupin said the last words in a very low tone,and veryquietly.Just as quietly,too,he walked toward the door,locked it and put the key in his pocket.He then drew a pistolfrom his bosom and placed it,without the least flurry,uponthe table.

　　The sailor's face flushed up as if he were struggling withsuffocation.He started to his feet and grasped his cudgel,but the next moment he fell back into his seat,tremblingviolently,and with the countenance of death itself.He spokenot a word.I pitied him from the bottom of my heart.

　　"My friend,"said Dupin,in a kind tone,"you are alarmingyourself unnecessarily-you are indeed.We mean you noharm whatever.I pledge you the honor of a gentleman,andof a Frenchman,that we intend you no injury.I perfectlywell know that you are innocent of the atrocities in the RueMorgue.

　　……