the works of edgar allan poe-3-第18章

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the　sail　into　pieces　（a　feat　which　it　requires　a　perfect　hurricane　to
accomplish　under　ordinary　circumstances）；　there　is　then　imminent
danger。　The　vessel　falls　off　from　the　wind；　and；　coming　broadside　to
the　sea；　is　completely　at　its　mercy：　the　only　resource　in　this　case
is　to　put　her　quietly　before　the　wind；　letting　her　scud　until　some
other　sail　can　be　set。　Some　vessels　will　lie…to　under　no　sail
whatever；　but　such　are　not　to　be　trusted　at　sea。

　　　　But　to　return　from　this　digression。　It　had　never　been　customary
with　the　mate　to　have　any　watch　on　deck　when　lying…to　in　a　gale　of
wind；　and　the　fact　that　he　had　now　one；　coupled　with　the　circumstance
of　the　missing　axes　and　handspikes；　fully　convinced　us　that　the　crew
were　too　well　on　the　watch　to　be　taken　by　surprise　in　the　manner
Peters　had　suggested。　Something；　however；　was　to　be　done；　and　that
with　as　little　delay　as　practicable；　for　there　could　be　no　doubt　that
a　suspicion　having　been　once　entertained　against　Peters；　he　would　be
sacrificed　upon　the　earliest　occasion；　and　one　would　certainly　be
either　found　or　made　upon　the　breaking　of　the　gale。

　　　　　Augustus　now　suggested　that　if　Peters　could　contrive　to　remove；
under　any　pretext；　the　piece　of　chain…cable　which　lay　over　the　trap
in　the　stateroom；　we　might　possibly　be　able　to　come　upon　them
unawares　by　means　of　the　hold；　but　a　little　reflection　convinced　us
that　the　vessel　rolled　and　pitched　too　violently　for　any　attempt　of
that　nature。

　　　　By　good　fortune　I　at　length　hit　upon　the　idea　of　working　upon　the
superstitious　terrors　and　guilty　conscience　of　the　mate。　It　will　be
remembered　that　one　of　the　crew；　Hartman　Rogers；　had　died　during　the
morning；　having　been　attacked　two　days　before　with　spasms　after
drinking　some　spirits　and　water。　Peters　had　expressed　to　us　his
opinion　that　this　man　had　been　poisoned　by　the　mate；　and　for　this
belief　he　had　reasons；　so　he　said；　which　were　incontrovertible；　but
which　he　could　not　be　pre。　vailed　upon　to　explain　to　us…　this　wayward
refusal　being　only　in　keeping　with　other　points　of　his　singular
character。　But　whether　or　not　he　had　any　better　grounds　for
suspecting　the　mate　than　we　had　ourselves；　we　were　easily　led　to　fall
in　with　his　suspicion；　and　determined　to　act　accordingly。

　　　　Rogers　had　died　about　eleven　in　the　forenoon；　in　violent
convulsions；　and　the　corpse　presented　in　a　few　minutes　after　death
one　of　the　most　horrid　and　loathsome　spectacles　I　ever　remember　to
have　seen。　The　stomach　was　swollen　immensely；　like　that　of　a　man　who
has　been　drowned　and　lain　under　water　for　many　weeks。　The　hands　were
in　the　same　condition；　while　the　face　was　shrunken；　shrivelled；　and
of　a　chalky　whiteness；　except　where　relieved　by　two　or　three　glaring
red　blotches　like　those　occasioned　by　the　erysipelas：　one　of　these
blotches　extended　diagonally　across　the　face；　completely　covering　up
an　eye　as　if　with　a　band　of　red　velvet。　In　this　disgusting　condition
the　body　had　been　brought　up　from　the　cabin　at　noon　to　be　thrown
overboard；　when　the　mate　getting　a　glimpse　of　it　（for　he　now　saw　it
for　the　first　time）；　and　being　either　touched　with　remorse　for　his
crime　or　struck　with　terror　at　so　horrible　a　sight；　ordered　the　men
to　sew　the　body　up　in　its　hammock；　and　allow　it　the　usual　rites　of
sea…burial。　Having　given　these　directions；　he　went　below；　as　if　to
avoid　any　further　sight　of　his　victim。　While　preparations　were　making
to　obey　his　orders；　the　gale　came　on　with　great　fury；　and　the　design
was　abandoned　for　the　present。　The　corpse；　left　to　itself；　was　washed
into　the　larboard　scuppers；　where　it　still　lay　at　the　time　of　which　I
speak；　floundering　about　with　the　furious　lurches　of　the　brig。

　　　　Having　arranged　our　plan；　we　set　about　putting　it　in　execution　as
speedily　as　possible。　Peters　went　upon　deck；　and；　as　he　had
anticipated；　was　immediately　accosted　by　Allen；　who　appeared　to　be
stationed　more　as　a　watch　upon　the　forecastle　than　for　any　other
purpose。　The　fate　of　this　villain；　however；　was　speedily　and　silently
decided；　for　Peters；　approaching　him　in　a　careless　manner；　as　if
about　to　address　him；　seized　him　by　the　throat；　and；　before　he　could
utter　a　single　cry；　tossed　him　over　the　bulwarks。　He　then　called　to
us；　and　we　came　up。　Our　first　precaution　was　to　look　about　for
something　with　which　to　arm　ourselves；　and　in　doing　this　we　had　to
proceed　with　great　care；　for　it　was　impossible　to　stand　on　deck　an
instant　without　holding　fast；　and　violent　seas　broke　over　the　vessel
at　every　plunge　forward。　It　was　indispensable；　too；　that　we　should　be
quick　in　our　operations；　for　every　minute　we　expected　the　mate　to　be
up　to　set　the　pumps　going；　as　it　was　evident　the　brig　must　be　taking
in　water　very　fast。　After　searching　about　for　some　time；　we　could
find　nothing　more　fit　for　our　purpose　than　the　two　pump…handles；　one
of　which　Augustus　took；　and　I　the　other。　Having　secured　these；　we
stripped　off　the　shirt　of　the　corpse　and　dropped　the　body　overboard。
Peters　and　myself　then　went　below；　leaving　Augustus　to　watch　upon
deck；　where　he　took　his　station　just　where　Allen　had　been　placed；　and
with　his　back　to　the　cabin　companionway；　so　that；　if　any　of　the　mates
gang　should　come　up；　he　might　suppose　it　was　the　watch。

　　　　As　soon　as　I　got　below　I　commenced　disguising　myself　so　as　to
represent　the　corpse　of　Rogers。　The　shirt　which　we　had　taken　from　the
body　aided　us　very　much；　for　it　was　of　singular　form　and　character；
and　easily　recognizable…　a　kind　of　smock；　which　the　deceased　wore
over　his　other　clothing。　It　was　a　blue　stockinett；　with　large　white
stripes　running　across。　Having　put　this　on；　I　proceeded　to　equip
myself　with　a　false　stomach；　in　imitation　of　the　horrible　deformity
of　the　swollen　corpse。　This　was　soon　effected　by　means　of　stuffing
with　some　bedclothes。　I　then　gave　the　same　appearance　to　my　hands　by
drawing　on　a　pair　of　white　woollen　mittens；　and　filling　them　in　with
any　kind　of　rags　that　offered　themselves。　Peters　then　arranged　my
face；　first　rubbing　it　well　over　with　white　chalk；　and　afterward
blotching　it　with　blood；　which　he　took　from　a　cut　in　his　finger。　The
streak　across　the　eye　was　not　forgotten　and　presented　a　most　shocking
appearance。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　7　~~~

CHAPTER　8



　　　　AS　I　viewed　myself　in　a　fragment　of　looking…glass　which　hung　up
in　the　cabin；　and　by　the　dim　light　of　a　kind　of　battle…lantern；　I　was
so　impressed　with　a　sense　of　vague　awe　at　my　appearance；　and　at　the
recollection　of　the　terrific　reality　which　I　was　thus　representing；
that　I　was　seized　with　a　violent　tremour；　and　could　scarcely　summon
resolution　to　go　on　with　my　part。　It　was　necessary；　however；　to　act
with　decision；　and　Peters　and　myself　went　upon　deck。

　　　　We　there　found　everything　safe；　and；　keeping　close　to　the
bulwarks；　the　three　of　us　crept　to　the　cabin　companion…way。　It　was
only　partially　closed；　precautions　having　been　taken　to　prevent　its
being　suddenly　pushed　to　from　without；　by　means　of　placing　billets　of
wood　on　the　upper　step　so　as　to　interfere　with　the　shutting。　We　found
no　difficulty　in　getting　a　full　view　of　the　interior　of　the　cabin
through　the　cracks　where　the　hinges　were　placed。　It　now　proved　to
have　been　very　fortunate　for　us　that　we　had　not　attempted　to　take
them　by　surprise；　for　they　were　evidently　on　the　alert。　Only　one　was
asleep；　and　he　lying　just　at　the　foot　of　the　companion…ladder；　with　a
musket　by　his　side。　The　rest　were　seated　on　several　mattresses；　which
had　been　taken　from　the　berths　and　thrown　on　the　floor。　They　were
engaged　in　earnest　conversation；　and　although　they　had　been
carousing；　as　appeared　from　two　empty　jugs；　with　some　tin　tumblers
which　lay　about；　they　were　not　as　much　intoxicated　as　usual。　All　had
knives；　one　or　two　of　them　pistols；　and　a　great　many　muskets　were
lying　in　a　berth　close　at　hand。

　　　　We　listened　to　their　conversation　for　some　time　before　we　could
make　up　our　minds　how　to　act；　having　as　yet　resolved　on　nothing
determinate；　except　that　we　would　attempt　to　paralyze　their
exertions；　when　we　should　attack　them；　by　means　of　the　apparition　of
Rogers。　They　were　discussing　their　piratical　plans；　in　which　all　we
could　hear　distinctly　was；　that　t