ShortlyafterElliston’sseparationfromhiswife-nownearly
fouryearsago-hisassociateshadobservedasingulargloomspreading
overhisdailylife，likethosechill，graymiststhatsometimessteal
awaythesunshinefromasummer’smorning。Thesymptomscausedthem
endlessperplexity。Theyknewnotwhetherillhealthwererobbing
hisspiritsofelasticity；orwhetheracankerofthemindwas
graduallyeating，assuchcankersdo，fromhismoralsystemintothe
physicalframe，whichisbuttheshadowoftheformer。Theylookedfor
therootofthistroubleinhisshatteredschemesofdomesticbliss-
wilfullyshatteredbyhimself-butcouldnotbesatisfiedofits
existencethere。Somethoughtthattheironcebrilliantfriendwas
inanincipientstageofinsanity，ofwhichhispassionateimpulses
hadperhapsbeentheforerunners；othersprognosticatedageneral
blightandgradualdecline。FromRoderick’sownlips，theycouldlearn
nothing。Morethanonce，itistrue，hehadbeenheardtosay，
clutchinghishandsconvulsivelyuponhisbreast-“Itgnawsme！It
gnawsme！”-but，bydifferentauditors，agreatdiversityof
explanationwasassignedtothisominousexpression。Whatcoulditbe，
thatgnawedthebreastofRoderickElliston？Wasitsorrow？Wasit
merelythetoothofphysicaldisease？Or，inhisrecklesscourse，
oftenverginguponprofligacy，ifnotplungingintoitsdepths，hadhe
beenguiltyofsomedeed，whichmadehisbosomapreytothe
deadlierfangsofremorse？Therewasplausiblegroundforeachof
theseconjectures；butitmustnotbeconcealedthatmorethanone
elderlygentleman，thevictimofgoodcheerandslothfulhabits，
magisteriallypronouncedthesecretofthewholemattertobe
Dyspepsia！
Meanwhile，Roderickseemedawarehowgenerallyhehadbecomethe
subjectofcuriosityandconjecture，and，withamorbidrepugnance
tosuchnotice，ortoanynoticewhatsoever，estrangedhimselffrom
allcompanionship。Notmerelytheeyeofmanwasahorrortohim；
notmerelythelightofafriend’scountenance；buteventheblessed
sunshine，likewise，which，initsuniversalbeneficence，typifies
theradianceoftheCreator’sface，expressinghisloveforallthe
creaturesofhishand。Theduskytwilightwasnowtootransparent
forRoderickElliston；theblackestmidnightwashischosenhourto
stealabroad；andifeverhewereseen，itwaswhenthewatchman’s
lanterngleameduponhisfigure，glidingalongthestreetwithhis
handsclutcheduponhisbosom，stillmuttering：“Itgnawsme！Itgnaws
me！”Whatcoulditbethatgnawedhim？
Afteratime，itbecameknownthatEllistonwasinthehabitof
resortingtoallthenotedquacksthatinfestedthecity，orwhom
moneywouldtempttojourneythitherfromadistance。Byoneof
thesepersons，intheexultationofasupposedcure，itwasproclaimed
farandwide，bydintofhand-billsandlittlepamphletsondingy
paper，thatadistinguishedgentleman，RoderickElliston，Esq。，had
beenrelievedofaSNAKEinhisstomach！Soherewasthemonstrous
secret，ejectedfromitslurking-placeintopublicview，inallits
horribledeformity。Themysterywasout；butnotsothebosomserpent。
He，ifitwereanythingbutadelusion，stilllaycoiledinhisliving
den。Theempiric’scurehadbeenasham，theeffectitwassupposed，
ofsomestupefyingdrug，whichmorenearlycausedthedeathofthe
patientthanoftheodiousreptilethatpossessedhim。WhenRoderick
Ellistonregainedentiresensibility，itwastofindhismisfortune
thetowntalk-themorethanninedays’wonderandhorror-while，at
hisbosom，hefeltthesickeningmotionofathingalive，andthe
gnawingofthatrestlessfang，whichseemedtogratifyatoncea
physicalappetiteandafiendishspite。
Hesummonedtheoldblackservant，whohadbeenbredupinhis
father’shouse，andwasamiddle-agedmanwhileRodericklayinhis
cradle。
“Scipio！”hebegan；andthenpaused，withhisarmsfoldedover
hisheart。“Whatdopeoplesayofme，Scipio？”
“Sir！mypoormaster！thatyouhadaserpentinyourbosom。”
answeredtheservant，withhesitation。
“Andwhatelse？”askedRoderick，withaghastlylookattheman。
“Nothingelse，dearmaster。”repliedScipio；“onlythatthe
Doctorgaveyouapowder，andthatthesnakeleaptoutuponthe
floor。”
“No，no！”mutteredRodericktohimself，asheshookhishead，and
pressedhishandswithamoreconvulsiveforceuponhisbreast-“I
feelhimstill。Itgnawsme！Itgnawsme！”
Fromthistime，themiserablesuffererceasedtoshuntheworld，
butrathersolicitedandforcedhimselfuponthenoticeof
acquaintancesandstrangers。Itwaspartlytheresultof
desperation，onfindingthatthecavernofhisownbosomhadnot
proveddeepanddarkenoughtohidethesecret，evenwhileitwasso
secureafortressfortheloathsomefiendthathadcreptintoit。
Butstillmore，thiscravingfornotorietywasasymptomofthe
intensemorbidnesswhichnowpervadedhisnature。Allpersons，
chronicallydiseased，areegotists，whetherthediseasebeofthemind
orbody；whethersin，sorrow，ormerelythemoretolerablecalamityof
someendlesspain，ormischiefamongthecordsofmortallife。Such
individualsaremadeacutelyconsciousofaself，bythetorturein
whichitdwells。Self，therefore，growstobesoprominentanobject
withthem，thattheycannotbutpresentittothefaceofeverycasual
passer-by。Thereisapleasure-perhapsthegreatestofwhichthe
suffererissusceptible-indisplayingthewastedorulceratedlimb，
orthecancerinthebreast；andthefoulerthecrime，withsomuch
themoredifficultydoestheperpetratorpreventitfromthrusting
upitssnake-likeheadtofrightentheworld；foritisthatcancer，
orthatcrime，whichconstitutestheirrespectiveindividuality。
RoderickElliston，who，alittlewhilebeforehadheldhimselfso
scornfullyabovethecommonlotofmen，nowpaidfullallegianceto
thishumiliatinglaw。Thesnakeinhisbosomseemedthesymbolofa
monstrousegotism，towhicheverythingwasreferred，andwhichhe
pampered，nightandday，withacontinualandexclusivesacrificeof
devil-worship。
Hesoonexhibitedwhatmostpeopleconsideredindubitabletokensof
insanity。Insomeofhismoods，strangetosay，hepridedand
gloriedhimselfonbeingmarkedoutfromtheordinaryexperienceof
mankind，bythepossessionofadoublenature，andalifewithina
life。Heappearedtoimaginethatthesnakewasadivinity-not
celestial，itistrue，butdarklyinfernal-andthathethencederived
aneminenceandasanctity，horrid，indeed，yetmoredesirablethan
whateverambitionaimsat。Thushedrewhismiseryaroundhimlikea
regalmantle，andlookeddowntriumphantlyuponthosewhosevitals
nourishednodeadlymonster。Oftener，however，hishumannature
asserteditsempireoverhim，intheshapeofayearningfor
fellowship。Itgrewtobehiscustomtospendthewholedayin
wanderingaboutthestreets，aimlessly，unlessitmightbecalledan
aimtoestablishaspeciesofbrotherhoodbetweenhimselfandthe
world。Withcankeredingenuity，hesoughtouthisowndiseaseinevery
breast。Whetherinsaneornot，heshowedsokeenaperceptionof
frailty，error，andvice，thatmanypersonsgavehimcreditfor
beingpossessednotmerelywithaserpent，butwithanactualfiend，
whoimpartedthisevilfacultyofrecognizingwhateverwasugliest
inman’sheart。
Forinstance，hemetanindividual，who，forthirtyyears，had
cherishedahatredagainsthisownbrother。Roderick，amidstthe
throngofthestreet，laidhishandonthisman’schest，andlooking
fullintohisforbiddingface，
“Howisthesnaketoday？”-heinquired，withamockexpressionof
sympathy。
“Thesnake！”exclaimedthebrother-hater-“Whatdoyoumean？”
“Thesnake！Thesnake！Doeshegnawyou？”persistedRoderick。
“Didyoutakecounselwithhimthismorning，whenyoushouldhavebeen
sayingyourprayers？Didhesting，whenyouthoughtofyour
brother’shealth，wealth，andgoodrepute？Didhecaperforjoy，
whenyourememberedtheprofligacyofhisonlyson？Andwhetherhe
stung，orwhetherhefrolicked，didyoufeelhispoisonthroughout
yourbodyandsoul，convertingeverythingtosournessand
bitterness？Thatisthewayofsuchserpents。Ihavelearnedthewhole
natureofthemfrommyown！”
“Whereisthepolice？”roaredtheobjectofRoderick’spersecution，
atthesametimegivinganinstinctiveclutchtohisbreast。“Whyis
thislunaticallowedtogoatlarge？”
“Ha，ha！”chuckledRoderick，releasinghisgraspoftheman。“His
bosomserpenthasstunghimthen！”
Often，itpleasedtheunfortunateyoungmantovexpeoplewitha
lightersatire，yetstillcharacterizedbysomewhatofsnake-like
virulence。Onedayheencounteredanambitiousstatesman，and
gravelyinquiredafterthewelfareofhisboa-constrictor；forofthat
species，Roderickaffirmed，thisgentleman’sserpentmustneedsbe，
sinceitsappetitewasenormousenoughtodevourthewholecountryand
constitution。Atanothertime，hestoppedaclose-fistedoldfellow，
ofgreatwealth，butwhoskulkedaboutthecityintheguiseofa
scare-crow，withapatchedbluesurtout，brownhat，andmouldy
boots，scrapingpencetogether，andpickinguprustynails。Pretending
tolookearnestlyatthisrespectableperson’sstomach，Roderick
assuredhimthathissnakewasacopper-head，andhadbeengenerated
bytheimmensequantitiesofthatbasemetal，withwhichhedaily
defiledhisfingers。Again，heassaultedamanofrubicundvisage，and
toldhimthatfewbosomserpentshadmoreofthedevilinthem，than
thosethatbreedinthevatsofadistillery。ThenextwhomRoderick
honoredwithhisattentionwasadistinguishedclergyman，whohappened
justthentobeengagedinatheologicalcontroversy，wherehuman
wrathwasmoreperceptiblethandivineinspiration。
“Youhaveswallowedasnake，inacupofsacramentalwine。”quoth
he。
“Profanewretch！”exclaimedthedivine；but，nevertheless，hishand
stoletohisbreast。
Hemetapersonofsicklysensibility，who，onsomeearly
disappointment，hadretiredfromtheworld，andthereafterheldno
intercoursewithhisfellow-men，butbroodedsullenlyor
passionatelyovertheirrevocablepast。Thisman’sveryheart，if
Roderickmightbebelieved，hadbeenchangedintoaserpent，which
wouldfinallytormentbothhimanditselftodeath。Observinga
marriedcouple，whosedomestictroubleswerematterofnotoriety，he
condoledwithbothonhavingmutuallytakenahouse-addertotheir
bosoms。Toanenviousauthor，whodeprecatedworkswhichhecould
neverequal，hesaidthathissnakewastheslimiestandfilthiest
ofallthereptiletribe，butwasfortunatelywithoutasting。Aman
ofimpurelife，andabrazenface，askingRoderickiftherewereany
serpentinhisbreast，hetoldhimthattherewas，andofthesame
speciesthatoncetorturedDonRodrigo，theGoth。Hetookafairyoung
girlbythehand，andgazingsadlyintohereyes，warnedherthat
shecherishedaserpentofthedeadliestkindwithinhergentle
breast；andtheworldfoundthetruthofthoseominouswords，when，
afewmonthsafterwards，thepoorgirldiedofloveandshame。Two
ladies，rivalsinfashionablelife，whotormentedoneanotherwitha
thousandlittlestingsofwomanishspite，weregiventounderstand，
thateachoftheirheartswasanestofdiminutivesnakes，whichdid
quiteasmuchmischiefasonegreatone。
ButnothingseemedtopleaseRoderickbetterthantolayholdof
apersoninfectedwithjealousy，whichherepresentedasanenormous
greenreptile，withanice-coldlengthofbody，andthesharpeststing
ofanysnakesaveone。
