the works of edgar allan poe-3-第19章

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Rogers。　They　were　discussing　their　piratical　plans；　in　which　all　we
could　hear　distinctly　was；　that　they　would　unite　with　the　crew　of　a
schooner　_Hornet_；　and；　if　possible；　get　the　schooner　herself　into
their　possession　preparatory　to　some　attempt　on　a　large　scale；　the
particulars　of　which　could　not　be　made　out　by　either　of　us。

　　　　One　of　the　men　spoke　of　Peters；　when　the　mate　replied　to　him　in　a
low　voice　which　could　not　be　distinguished；　and　afterward　added　more
loudly；　that　〃he　could　not　understand　his　being　so　much　forward　with
the　captain's　brat　in　the　forecastle；　and　he　thought　the　sooner　both
of　them　were　overboard　the　better。〃　To　this　no　answer　was　made；　but
we　could　easily　perceive　that　the　hint　was　well　received　by　the　whole
party；　and　more　particularly　by　Jones。　At　this　period　I　was
excessively　agitated；　the　more　so　as　I　could　see　that　neither
Augustus　nor　Peters　could　determine　how　to　act。　I　made　up　my　mind；
however；　to　sell　my　life　as　dearly　as　possible；　and　not　to　suffer
myself　to　be　overcome　by　any　feelings　of　trepidation。

　　　　The　tremendous　noise　made　by　the　roaring　of　the　wind　in　the
rigging；　and　the　washing　of　the　sea　over　the　deck；　prevented　us　from
hearing　what　was　said；　except　during　momentary　lulls。　In　one　of
these；　we　all　distinctly　heard　the　mate　tell　one　of　the　men　to　〃go
forward；　have　an　eye　upon　them；　for　he　wanted　no　such　secret　doings
on　board　the　brig。〃　It　was　well　for　us　that　the　pitching　of　the
vessel　at　this　moment　was　so　violent　as　to　prevent　this　order　from
being　carried　into　instant　execution。　The　cook　got　up　from　his
mattress　to　go　for　us；　when　a　tremendous　lurch；　which　I　thought　would
carry　away　the　masts；　threw　him　headlong　against　one　of　the　larboard
stateroom　doors；　bursting　it　open；　and　creating　a　good　deal　of　other
confusion。　Luckily；　neither　of　our　party　was　thrown　from　his
position；　and　we　had　time　to　make　a　precipitate　retreat　to　the
forecastle；　and　arrange　a　hurried　plan　of　action　before　the　messenger
made　his　appearance；　or　rather　before　he　put　his　head　out　of　the
companion…hatch；　for　he　did　not　come　on　deck。　From　this　station　he
could　not　notice　the　absence　of　Allen；　and　he　accordingly　bawled　out；
as　if　to　him；　repeating　the　orders　of　the　mate。　Peters　cried　out；
〃Ay；　ay；〃　in　a　disguised　voice；　and　the　cook　immediately　went　below；
without　entertaining　a　suspicion　that　all　was　not　right。

　　　　My　two　companions　now　proceeded　boldly　aft　and　down　into　the
cabin；　Peters　closing　the　door　after　him　in　the　same　manner　he　had
found　it。　The　mate　received　them　with　feigned　cordiality；　and　told
Augustus　that；　since　he　had　behaved　himself　so　well　of　late；　he　might
take　up　his　quarters　in　the　cabin　and　be　one　of　them　for　the　future。
He　then　poured　him　out　a　tumbler　half　full　of　rum；　and　made　him　drink
it。　All　this　I　saw　and　heard；　for　I　followed　my　friends　to　the　cabin
as　soon　as　the　door　was　shut；　and　took　up　my　old　point　of
observation。　I　had　brought　with　me　the　two　pump…handles；　one　of　which
I　secured　near　the　companion…way；　to　be　ready　for　use　when　required。

　　　　I　now　steadied　myself　as　well　as　possible　so　as　to　have　a　good
view　of　all　that　was　passing　within；　and　endeavoured　to　nerve　myself
to　the　task　of　descending　among　the　mutineers　when　Peters　should　make
a　signal　to　me；　as　agreed　upon。　Presently　he　contrived　to　turn　the
conversation　upon　the　bloody　deeds　of　the　mutiny；　and　by　degrees　led
the　men　to　talk　of　the　thousand　superstitions　which　are　so
universally　current　among　seamen。　I　could　not　make　out　all　that　was
said；　but　I　could　plainly　see　the　effects　of　the　conversation　in　the
countenances　of　those　present。　The　mate　was　evidently　much　agitated；
and　presently；　when　some　one　mentioned　the　terrific　appearance　of
Rogers'　corpse；　I　thought　he　was　upon　the　point　of　swooning。　Peters
now　asked　him　if　he　did　not　think　it　would　be　better　to　have　the　body
thrown　overboard　at　once　as　it　was　too　horrible　a　sight　to　see　it
floundering　about　in　the　scuppers。　At　this　the　villain　absolutely
gasped　for　breath；　and　turned　his　head　slowly　round　upon　his
companions；　as　if　imploring　some　one　to　go　up　and　perform　the　task。
No　one；　however；　stirred；　and　it　was　quite　evident　that　the　whole
party　were　wound　up　to　the　highest　pitch　of　nervous　excitement。
Peters　now　made　me　the　signal。　I　immediately　threw　open　the　door　of
the　companion…way；　and；　descending；　without　uttering　a　syllable；
stood　erect　in　the　midst　of　the　party。

　　　　The　intense　effect　produced　by　this　sudden　apparition　is　not　at
all　to　be　wondered　at　when　the　various　circumstances　are　taken　into
consideration。　Usually；　in　cases　of　a　similar　nature；　there　is　left
in　the　mind　of　the　spectator　some　glimmering　of　doubt　as　to　the
reality　of　the　vision　before　his　eyes；　a　degree　of　hope；　however
feeble；　that　he　is　the　victim　of　chicanery；　and　that　the　apparition
is　not　actually　a　visitant　from　the　old　world　of　shadows。　It　is　not
too　much　to　say　that　such　remnants　of　doubt　have　been　at　the　bottom
of　almost　every　such　visitation；　and　that　the　appalling　horror　which
has　sometimes　been　brought　about；　is　to　be　attributed；　even　in　the
cases　most　in　point；　and　where　most　suffering　has　been　experienced；
more　to　a　kind　of　anticipative　horror；　lest　the　apparition　might
possibly　be　real；　than　to　an　unwavering　belief　in　its　reality。　But；
in　the　present　instance；　it　will　be　seen　immediately；　that　in　the
minds　of　the　mutineers　there　was　not　even　the　shadow　of　a　basis　upon
which　to　rest　a　doubt　that　the　apparition　of　Rogers　was　indeed　a
revivification　of　his　disgusting　corpse；　or　at　least　its　spiritual
image。　The　isolated　situation　of　the　brig；　with　its　entire
inaccessibility　on　account　of　the　gale；　confined　the　apparently
possible　means　of　deception　within　such　narrow　and　definite　limits；
that　they　must　have　thought　themselves　enabled　to　survey　them　all　at
a　glance。　They　had　now　been　at　sea　twenty…four　days；　without　holding
more　than　a　speaking　communication　with　any　vessel　whatever。　The
whole　of　the　crew；　too…　at　least　all　whom　they　had　the　most　remote
reason　for　suspecting　to　be　on　board…　were　assembled　in　the　cabin；
with　the　exception　of　Allen；　the　watch；　and　his　gigantic　stature　（be
was　six　feet　six　inches　high）　was　too　familiar　in　their　eyes　to
permit　the　notion　that　he　was　the　apparition　before　them　to　enter
their　minds　even　for　an　instant。　Add　to　these　considerations　the
awe…inspiring　nature　of　the　tempest；　and　that　of　the　conversation
brought　about　by　Peters；　the　deep　impression　which　the　loathsomeness
of　the　actual　corpse　had　made　in　the　morning　upon　the　imaginations　of
the　men；　the　excellence　of　the　imitation　in　my　person；　and　the
uncertain　and　wavering　light　in　which　they　beheld　me；　as　the　glare　of
the　cabin　lantern；　swinging　violently　to　and　fro；　fell　dubiously　and
fitfully　upon　my　figure；　and　there　will　be　no　reason　to　wonder　that
the　deception　had　even　more　than　the　entire　effect　which　we　had
anticipated。　The　mate　sprang　up　from　the　mattress　on　which　he　was
lying；　and；　without　uttering　a　syllable；　fell　back；　stone　dead；　upon
the　cabin　floor；　and　was　hurled　to　the　leeward　like　a　log　by　a　heavy
roll　of　the　brig。　Of　the　remaining　seven；　there　were　but　three　who
had　at　first　any　degree　of　presence　of　mind。　The　four　others　sat　for
some　time　rooted　apparently　to　the　floor；　the　most　pitiable　objects
of　horror　and　utter　despair　my　eyes　ever　encountered。　The　only
opposition　we　experienced　at　all　was　from　the　cook；　John　Hunt；　and
Richard　Parker；　but　they　made　but　a　feeble　and　irresolute　defence。
The　two　former　were　shot　instantly　by　Peters；　and　I　felled　Parker
with　a　blow　on　the　head　from　the　pump…handle　which　I　had　brought　with
me。　In　the　meantime；　Augustus　seized　one　of　the　muskets　lying　on　the
floor　now　but　three　remaining；　but　by　this　time　they　had　become
aroused　from　their　lethargy；　and　perhaps　began　to　see　that　a
deception　had　been　practised　upon　them；　for　they　fought　with　great
resolution　and　fury；　and；　but　for　the　immense　muscular　strength　of
Peters；　might　have　ultimately　got　the　better　of　us。　These　three　men
were　　Jones；　　Greely；　and　Absolom　Hicks。　Jones　had　thrown
Augustus　to　the　floor；　stabbed　him　in　several　places　along　the　right