the works of edgar allan poe-3-第24章

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drew　out　its　crimsoned　head；　and；　after　eyeing　us　for　a　moment　as　if
stupefied；　arose　lazily　from　the　body　upon　which　it　had　been
feasting；　and；　flying　directly　above　our　deck；　hovered　there　a　while
with　a　portion　of　clotted　and　liver…like　substance　in　its　beak。　The
horrid　morsel　dropped　at　length　with　a　sullen　splash　immediately　at
the　feet　of　Parker。　May　God　forgive　me；　but　now；　for　the　first　time；
there　flashed　through　my　mind　a　thought；　a　thought　which　I　will　not
mention；　and　I　felt　myself　making　a　step　toward　the　ensanguined　spot。
I　looked　upward；　and　the　eyes　of　Augustus　met　my　own　with　a　degree　of
intense　and　eager　meaning　which　immediately　brought　me　to　my　senses。
I　sprang　forward　quickly；　and；　with　a　deep　shudder；　threw　the
frightful　thing　into　the　sea。

　　　　The　body　from　which　it　had　been　taken；　resting　as　it　did　upon　the
rope；　had　been　easily　swayed　to　and　fro　by　the　exertions　of　the
carnivorous　bird；　and　it　was　this　motion　which　had　at　first　impressed
us　with　the　belief　of　its　being　alive。　As　the　gull　relieved　it　of　its
weight；　it　swung　round　and　fell　partially　over；　so　that　the　face　was
fully　discovered。　Never；　surely；　was　any　object　so　terribly　full　of
awe！　The　eyes　were　gone；　and　the　whole　flesh　around　the　mouth；
leaving　the　teeth　utterly　naked。　This；　then；　was　the　smile　which　had
cheered　us　on　to　hope！　this　the　　but　I　forbear。　The　brig；　as　I　have
already　told；　passed　under　our　stern；　and　made　its　way　slowly　but
steadily　to　leeward。　With　her　and　with　her　terrible　crew　went　all　our
gay　visions　of　deliverance　and　joy。　Deliberately　as　she　went　by；　we
might　possibly　have　found　means　of　boarding　her；　had　not　our　sudden
disappointment　and　the　appalling　nature　of　the　discovery　which
accompanied　it　laid　entirely　prostrate　every　active　faculty　of　mind
and　body。　We　had　seen　and　felt；　but　we　could　neither　think　nor　act；
until；　alas！　too　late。　How　much　our　intellects　had　been　weakened　by
this　incident　may　be　estimated　by　the　fact；　that　when　the　vessel　had
proceeded　so　far　that　we　could　perceive　no　more　than　the　half　of　her
hull；　the　proposition　was　seriously　entertained　of　attempting　to
overtake　her　by　swimming！

　　　　I　have；　since　this　period；　vainly　endeavoured　to　obtain　some　clew
to　the　hideous　uncertainty　which　enveloped　the　fate　of　the　stranger。
Her　build　and　general　appearance；　as　I　have　before　stated；　led　us　to
the　belief　that　she　was　a　Dutch　trader；　and　the　dresses　of　the　crew
also　sustained　this　opinion。　We　might　have　easily　seen　the　name　upon
her　stern；　and；　indeed；　taken　other　observations；　which　would　have
guided　us　in　making　out　her　character；　but　the　intense　excitement　of
the　moment　blinded　us　to　every　thing　of　that　nature。　From　the
saffron…like　hue　of　such　of　the　corpses　as　were　not　entirely　decayed；
we　concluded　that　the　whole　of　her　company　had　perished　by　the　yellow
fever；　or　some　other　virulent　disease　of　the　same　fearful　kind。　If
such　were　the　case　（and　I　know　not　what　else　to　imagine）；　death；　to
judge　from　the　positions　of　the　bodies；　must　have　come　upon　them　in　a
manner　awfully　sudden　and　overwhelming；　in　a　way　totally　distinct
from　that　which　generally　characterizes　even　the　most　deadly
pestilences　with　which　mankind　are　acquainted。　It　is　possible；
indeed；　that　poison；　accidentally　introduced　into　some　of　their
sea…stores；　may　have　brought　about　the　disaster；　or　that　the　eating
of　some　unknown　venomous　species　of　fish；　or　other　marine　animal；　or
oceanic　bird；　might　have　induced　it　　but　it　is　utterly　useless　to
form　conjectures　where　all　is　involved；　and　will；　no　doubt；　remain
for　ever　involved；　in　the　most　appalling　and　unfathomable　mystery。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　10　~~~

CHAPTER　11



　　　　WE　spent　the　remainder　of　the　day　in　a　condition　of　stupid
lethargy；　gazing　after　the　retreating　vessel　until　the　darkness；
hiding　her　from　our　sight；　recalled　us　in　some　measure　to　our　senses。
The　pangs　of　hunger　and　thirst　then　returned；　absorbing　all　other
cares　and　considerations。　Nothing；　however；　could　be　done　until　the
morning；　and；　securing　ourselves　as　well　as　possible；　we　endeavoured
to　snatch　a　little　repose。　In　this　I　succeeded　beyond　my
expectations；　sleeping　until　my　companions；　who　had　not　been　so
fortunate；　aroused　me　at　daybreak　to　renew　our　attempts　at　getting　up
provisions　from　the　hull。

　　　　It　was　now　a　dead　calm；　with　the　sea　as　smooth　as　have　ever　known
it；　　the　weather　warm　and　pleasant。　The　brig　was　out　of　sight。　We
commenced　our　operations　by　wrenching　off；　with　some　trouble；　another
of　the　forechains；　and　having　fastened　both　to　Peters'　feet；　he　again
made　an　endeavour　to　reach　the　door　of　the　storeroom；　thinking　it
possible　that　he　might　be　able　to　force　it　open；　provided　he　could
get　at　it　in　sufficient　time；　and　this　he　hoped　to　do；　as　the　hulk
lay　much　more　steadily　than　before。

　　　　He　succeeded　very　quickly　in　reaching　the　door；　when；　loosening
one　of　the　chains　from　his　ankle；　be　made　every　exertion　to　force　the
passage　with　it；　but　in　vain；　the　framework　of　the　room　being　far
stronger　than　was　anticipated。　He　was　quite　exhausted　with　his　long
stay　under　water；　and　it　became　absolutely　necessary　that　some　other
one　of　us　should　take　his　place。　For　this　service　Parker　immediately
volunteered；　but；　after　making　three　ineffectual　efforts；　found　that
he　could　never　even　succeed　in　getting　near　the　door。　The　condition
of　Augustus's　wounded　arm　rendered　it　useless　for　him　to　attempt
going　down；　as　he　would　be　unable　to　force　the　room　open　should　be
reach　it；　and　it　accordingly　now　devolved　upon　me　to　exert　myself　for
our　common　deliverance。

　　　　Peters　had　left　one　of　the　chains　in　the　passage；　and　I　found；
upon　plunging　in；　that　I　had　not　sufficient　balance　to　keep　me　firmly
down。　I　determined；　therefore；　to　attempt　no　more；　in　my　first
effort；　than　merely　to　recover　the　other　chain。　In　groping　along　the
floor　of　the　passage　for　this；　I　felt　a　hard　substance；　which　I
immediately　grasped；　not　having　time　to　ascertain　what　it　was；　but
returning　and　ascending　instantly　to　the　surface。　The　prize　proved　to
be　a　bottle；　and　our　joy　may　be　conceived　when　I　say　that　it　was
found　to　be　full　of　port　wine。　Giving　thanks　to　God　for　this　timely
and　cheering　assistance；　we　immediately　drew　the　cork　with　my
penknife；　and；　each　taking　a　moderate　sup；　felt　the　most
indescribable　comfort　from　the　warmth；　strength；　and　spirits　with
which　it　inspired　us。　We　then　carefully　recorked　the　bottle；　and；　by
means　of　a　handkerchief；　swung　it　in　such　a　manner　that　there　was　no
possibility　of　its　getting　broken。

　　　　Having　rested　a　while　after　this　fortunate　discovery；　I　again
descended；　and　now　recovered　the　chain；　with　which　I　instantly　came
up。　I　then　fastened　it　on　and　went　down　for　the　third　time；　when　I
became　fully　satisfied　that　no　exertions　whatever；　in　that　situation；
would　enable　me　to　force　open　the　door　of　the　storeroom。　I　therefore
returned　in　despair。

　　　　There　seemed　now　to　be　no　longer　any　room　for　hope；　and　I　could
perceive　in　the　countenances　of　my　companions　that　they　had　made　up
their　minds　to　perish。　The　wine　had　evidently　produced　in　them　a
species　of　delirium；　which；　perhaps；　I　had　been　prevented　from
feeling　by　the　immersion　I　had　undergone　since　drinking　it。　They
talked　incoherently；　and　about　matters　unconnected　with　our
condition；　Peters　repeatedly　asking　me　questions　about　Nantucket。
Augustus；　too；　I　remember；　approached　me　with　a　serious　air；　and
requested　me　to　lend　him　a　pocket…comb；　as　his　hair　was　full　of
fish…scales；　and　he　wished　to　get　them　out　before　going　on　shore。
Parker　appeared　somewhat　less　affected；　and　urged　me　to　dive　at
random　into　the　cabin；　and　bring　up　any　article　which　might　come　to
hand。　To　this　I　consented；　and；　in　the　first　attempt；　after　staying
under　a　full　minute；　brought　up　a　small　leather　trunk　belonging　to
Captain　Barnard。　This　was　immediately　opened　in　the　faint　hope　that
it　might　contain　something　to　eat　or　drink。　We　found　nothing；
however；　except　a　box　of　razors　and　two　linen　shirts。　I　now　went　down
again；　and　returned　without　any　success。　As　my　head　came　above　water
I　heard　a　crash　on　deck；　and；　upon　getting　up；　saw　that