the works of edgar allan poe-3-第23章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


without　the　aid　of　some　weight　with　which　the　diver　might　steady
himself；　and　keep　to　the　floor　of　the　cabin　while　making　his　search。
For　a　long　time　we　looked　about　in　vain　for　something　which　might
answer　this　purpose；　but　at　length；　to　our　great　joy；　we　discovered
one　of　the　weather…forechains　so　loose　that　we　had　not　the　least
difficulty　in　wrenching　it　off。　Having　fastened　this　securely　to　one
of　his　ankles；　Peters　now　made　his　fourth　descent　into　the　cabin；　and
this　time　succeeded　in　making　his　way　to　the　door　of　the　steward's
room。　To　his　inexpressible　grief；　however；　he　found　it　locked；　and
was　obliged　to　return　without　effecting　an　entrance；　as；　with　the
greatest　exertion；　he　could　remain　under　water　not　more；　at　the
utmost　extent；　than　a　single　minute。　Our　affairs　now　looked　gloomy
indeed；　and　neither　Augustus　nor　myself　could　refrain　from　bursting
into　tears；　as　we　thought　of　the　host　of　difficulties　which
encompassed　us；　and　the　slight　probability　which　existed　of　our
finally　making　an　escape。　But　this　weakness　was　not　of　long　duration。
Throwing　ourselves　on　our　knees　to　God；　we　implored　His　aid　in　the
many　dangers　which　beset　us；　and　arose　with　renewed　hope　and　vigor　to
think　what　could　yet　be　done　by　mortal　means　toward　accomplishing　our
deliverance。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　9　~~~

CHAPTER　10



　　　　SHORTLY　afterward　an　incident　occurred　which　I　am　induced　to　look
upon　as　more　intensely　productive　of　emotion；　as　far　more　replete
with　the　extremes　first　of　delight　and　then　of　horror；　than　even　any
of　the　thousand　chances　which　afterward　befell　me　in　nine　long　years；
crowded　with　events　of　the　most　startling　and；　in　many　cases；　of　the
most　unconceived　and　unconceivable　character。　We　were　lying　on　the
deck　near　the　companion…way；　and　debating　the　possibility　of　yet
making　our　way　into　the　storeroom；　when；　looking　toward　Augustus；　who
lay　fronting　myself；　I　perceived　that　he　had　become　all　at　once
deadly　pale；　and　that　his　lips　were　quivering　in　the　most　singular
and　unaccountable　manner。　Greatly　alarmed；　I　spoke　to　him；　but　he
made　me　no　reply；　and　I　was　beginning　to　think　that　he　was　suddenly
taken　ill；　when　I　took　notice　of　his　eyes；　which　were　glaring
apparently　at　some　object　behind　me。　I　turned　my　head；　and　shall
never　forget　the　ecstatic　joy　which　thrilled　through　every　particle
of　my　frame；　when　I　perceived　a　large　brig　bearing　down　upon　us；　and
not　more　than　a　couple　of　miles　off。　I　sprung　to　my　feet　as　if　a
musket　bullet　had　suddenly　struck　me　to　the　heart；　and；　stretching
out　my　arms　in　the　direction　of　the　vessel；　stood　in　this　manner；
motionless；　and　unable　to　articulate　a　syllable。　Peters　and　Parker
were　equally　affected；　although　in　different　ways。　The　former　danced
about　the　deck　like　a　madman；　uttering　the　most　extravagant
rhodomontades；　intermingled　with　howls　and　imprecations；　while　the
latter　burst　into　tears；　and　continued　for　many　minutes　weeping　like
a　child。

　　　　The　vessel　in　sight　was　a　large　hermaphrodite　brig；　of　a　Dutch
build；　and　painted　black；　with　a　tawdry　gilt　figure…head。　She　had
evidently　seen　a　good　deal　of　rough　weather；　and；　we　supposed；　had
suffered　much　in　the　gale　which　had　proved　so　disastrous　to
ourselves；　for　her　foretopmast　was　gone；　and　some　of　her　starboard
bulwarks。　When　we　first　saw　her；　she　was；　as　I　have　already　said；
about　two　miles　off　and　to　windward；　bearing　down　upon　us。　The　breeze
was　very　gentle；　and　what　astonished　us　chiefly　was；　that　she　had　no
other　sails　set　than　her　foremast　and　mainsail；　with　a　flying　jib　
of　course　she　came　down　but　slowly；　and　our　impatience　amounted
nearly　to　phrensy。　The　awkward　manner　in　which　she　steered；　too；　was
remarked　by　all　of　us；　even　excited　as　we　were。　She　yawed　about　so
considerably；　that　once　or　twice　we　thought　it　impossible　she　could
see　us；　or　imagined　that；　having　seen　us；　and　discovered　no　person　on
board；　she　was　about　to　tack　and　make　off　in　another　direction。　Upon
each　of　these　occasions　we　screamed　and　shouted　at　the　top　of　our
voices；　when　the　stranger　would　appear　to　change　for　a　moment　her
intention；　and　again　hold　on　toward　us　　this　singular　conduct　being
repeated　two　or　three　times；　so　that　at　last　we　could　think　of　no
other　manner　of　accounting　for　it　than　by　supposing　the　helmsman　to
be　in　liquor。

　　　　No　person　was　seen　upon　her　decks　until　she　arrived　within　about
a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　us。　We　then　saw　three　seamen；　whom　by　their
dress　we　took　to　be　Hollanders。　Two　of　these　were　lying　on　some　old
sails　near　the　forecastle；　and　the　third；　who　appeared　to　be　looking
at　us　with　great　curiosity；　was　leaning　over　the　starboard　bow　near
the　bowsprit。　This　last　was　a　stout　and　tall　man；　with　a　very　dark
skin。　He　seemed　by　his　manner　to　be　encouraging　us　to　have　patience；
nodding　to　us　in　a　cheerful　although　rather　odd　way；　and　smiling
constantly；　so　as　to　display　a　set　of　the　most　brilliantly　white
teeth。　As　his　vessel　drew　nearer；　we　saw　a　red　flannel　cap　which　he
had　on　fall　from　his　head　into　the　water；　but　of　this　he　took　little
or　no　notice；　continuing　his　odd　smiles　and　gesticulations。　I　relate
these　things　and　circumstances　minutely；　and　I　relate　them；　it　must
be　understood；　precisely　as　they　_appeared　_to　us。

　　　　The　brig　came　on　slowly；　and　now　more　steadily　than　before；　and
　I　cannot　speak　calmly　of　this　event　　our　hearts　leaped　up　wildly
within　us；　and　we　poured　out　our　whole　souls　in　shouts　and
thanksgiving　to　God　for　the　complete；　unexpected；　and　glorious
deliverance　that　was　so　palpably　at　hand。　Of　a　sudden；　and　all　at
once；　there　came　wafted　over　the　ocean　from　the　strange　vessel　（which
was　now　close　upon　us）　a　smell；　a　stench；　such　as　the　whole　world　has
no　name　for　　no　conception　of　　hellish　　utterly　suffocating　
insufferable；　inconceivable。　I　gasped　for　breath；　and　turning　to　my
companions；　perceived　that　they　were　paler　than　marble。　But　we　had
now　no　time　left　for　question　or　surmise…　the　brig　was　within　fifty
feet　of　us；　and　it　seemed　to　be　her　intention　to　run　under　our
counter；　that　we　might　board　her　without　putting　out　a　boat。　We
rushed　aft；　when；　suddenly；　a　wide　yaw　threw　her　off　full　five　or　six
points　from　the　course　she　had　been　running；　and；　as　she　passed　under
our　stern　at　the　distance　of　about　twenty　feet；　we　had　a　full　view　of
her　decks。　Shall　I　ever　forget　the　triple　horror　of　that　spectacle？
Twenty…five　or　thirty　human　bodies；　among　whom　were　several　females；
lay　scattered　about　between　the　counter　and　the　galley　in　the　last
and　most　loathsome　state　of　putrefaction。　We　plainly　saw　that　not　a
soul　lived　in　that　fated　vessel！　Yet　we　could　not　help　shouting　to
the　dead　for　help！　Yes；　long　and　loudly　did　we　beg；　in　the　agony　of
the　moment；　that　those　silent　and　disgusting　images　would　stay　for
us；　would　not　abandon　us　to　become　like　them；　would　receive　us　among
their　goodly　company！　We　were　raving　with　horror　and　despair…
thoroughly　mad　through　the　anguish　of　our　grievous　disappointment。

　　　　As　our　first　loud　yell　of　terror　broke　forth；　it　was　replied　to
by　something；　from　near　the　bowsprit　of　the　stranger；　so　closely
resembling　the　scream　of　a　human　voice　that　the　nicest　ear　might　have
been　startled　and　deceived。　At　this　instant　another　sudden　yaw
brought　the　region　of　the　forecastle　for　a　moment　into　view；　and　we
beheld　at　once　the　origin　of　the　sound。　We　saw　the　tall　stout　figure
still　leaning　on　the　bulwark；　and　still　nodding　his　head　to　and　fro；
but　his　face　was　now　turned　from　us　so　that　we　could　not　behold　it。
His　arms　were　extended　over　the　rail；　and　the　palms　of　his　hands　fell
outward。　His　knees　were　lodged　upon　a　stout　rope；　tightly　stretched；
and　reaching　from　the　heel　of　the　bowsprit　to　a　cathead。　On　his　back；
from　which　a　portion　of　the　shirt　had　been　torn；　leaving　it　bare；
there　sat　a　huge　sea…gull；　busily　gorging　itself　with　the　horrible
flesh；　its　bill　and　talons　deep　buried；　and　its　white　plumage
spattered　all　over　with　blood。　As　the　brig　moved　farther　round　so　as
to　bring　us　close　in　view；　the　bird；　with　much　apparent　difficulty；
drew　out　its　crimsoned　head；　and；　after　eyeing　us　for　a　moment　as　if
stupefied；　arose　lazily　from　the　bo