第7章 The Venomous Worm 有毒的虫子

John Russell ( b. 1793, d. 1863 ) graduated at Middlebury College, Vt., in 1818. He was at one time editor of the "Backwoodsman," published at Grafton, III., and later of the "Louisville Advocate." He was the author of many tales of western adventure and of numerous essays, sketches, etc. His language is clear, chaste, and classical; his style concise, vigorous, and sometimes highly ornate.

Who has not heard of the rattlesnake or copperhead? An unexpected sight of either of these reptiles will make even the lords of creation recoil; but there is a species of worm, found in various parts of this country, which conveys a poison of a nature so deadly that, compared with it, even the venom of the rattlesnake is harmless. To guard our readers against this foe of human kind is the object of this lesson.

This worm varies much in size. It is frequently an inch in diameter, but, as it is rarely seen except when coiled, its length can hardly be conjectured. It is of a dull lead color, and generally lives near a spring or small stream of water, and bites the unfortunate people who are in the habit of going there to drink. The brute creation it never molests. They avoid it with the same instinct that teaches the animals of India to shun the deadly cobra.

Several of these reptiles have long infested our settlements, to the misery and destruction of many of our fellow citizens. I have, therefore, had frequent opportunities of being the melancholy spectator of the effects produced by the subtile poison which this worm infuses.

The symptoms of its bite are terrible. The eyes of the patient become red and fiery, his tongue swells to an immoderate size, and obstructs his utterance; and delirium of the most horrid character quickly follows. Sometimes, in his madness, he attempts the destruction of his nearest friends.

If the sufferer has a family, his weeping wife and helpless infants are not unfrequently the objects of his frantic fury. In a word, he exhibits, to the life, all the detestable passions that rankle in the bosom of a savage; and such is the spell in which his senses are locked, that no sooner has the unhappy patient recovered from the paroxysm of insanity occasioned by the bite, than he seeks out the destroyer for the sole purpose of being bitten again.

I have seen a good old father, his locks as white as snow, his step slow and trembling, beg in vain of his only son to quit the lurking place of the worm. My heart bled when he turned away; for I knew the fond hope that his son would be the"staff of his declining years," had supported him through many a sorrow.

Youths of America, would you know the name of this reptile? It is called the WORM OF THE STILL.

约翰·罗素(1793～1863年)，1818年毕业于佛蒙特州米德勒伯利学院。他曾经是伊里诺斯州格拉夫顿出版的杂志《山居人》的编辑，后来担任《路易斯维尔倡导者》的编辑。他写过很多西部探险故事和散文，也创作过很多小品。他的文章语言清晰、朴素典雅，文风时而简洁紧凑，时而细致华丽。

谁没听说过响尾蛇或铜斑蛇?即使是造物主出其不意地见到这两种蛇中的一种，也会吓得后退的。但是有一种虫子，这种虫子遍布全国，它身体里的毒性非常致命，响尾蛇的毒液都无法与它相提并论。这个故事的主旨，就是要告诉我们的读者，要小心这个人类的敌人。

这种虫子的大小不一，它的直径通常有一英寸，但因为人们看到它时它总是蜷曲着的，人们很难估计它的长度。它的颜色呈暗淡铅色，通常生活在泉水或小溪边，对经常来这里喝水的人狠咬一口。这种残忍的生物总是不慌不忙，从不慌乱。他们具有像印度动物一样的本能，避免遭到眼镜蛇的袭击。

这几种爬行动物在人类的聚居地大量繁衍，给人们带来很多痛苦和不幸。因此，我看到过很多次，这种虫子注射的毒汁带来了怎样的后果。

被它咬过之后，症状真是可怕。病人的眼睛变得通红炽热，舌头肿大没法发声，然后他会变得极度疯狂，有时甚至会对最亲密的朋友下毒手。

如果受害人有家庭，他往往将一腔暴怒发泄在他哭泣的妻子和无助的婴儿身上。总之，他展示一切野蛮人心底的狂暴愤怒，也就是说，毒性使他丧失了理智。当狂躁的病人从虫咬导致的疯狂的发作中恢复以后，他很快就会找到罪魁祸首，但却又会被咬到。

我曾见过一位好父亲，他的头发像雪一样白，步履缓慢沉重，徒劳地恳求他的独生子破坏虫子的潜伏地。他掉头离开的时候，我的心在淌血，因为我知道他的“我的儿子是我残年中的帮手”的希望支撑他克服了很多悲伤。

年轻人，你们知道这种爬虫的名字吗？它就叫做寂寞。