the works of edgar allan poe-3-第67章

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purported　to　deny。　Not　that　the　gift　of　decyphering　written
characters　　a　gift　among　the　commonalty　of　that　day　considered
little　less　cabalistical　than　the　art　of　inditing　　could；　in　strict
justice；　have　been　laid　to　the　charge　of　either　disciple　of　the　sea；
but　there　was；　to　say　the　truth；　a　certain　twist　in　the　formation　of
the　letters　　an　indescribable　lee…lurch　about　the　whole　　…which
foreboded；　in　the　opinion　of　both　seamen；　a　long　run　of　dirty
weather；　and　determined　them　at　once；　in　the　allegorical　words　of
Legs　himself；　to　〃pump　ship；　clew　up　all　sail；　and　scud　before　the
wind。〃

Having　accordingly　disposed　of　what　remained　of　the　ale；　and　looped
up　the　points　of　their　short　doublets；　they　finally　made　a　bolt　for
the　street。　Although　Tarpaulin　rolled　twice　into　the　fire…place；
mistaking　it　for　the　door；　yet　their　escape　was　at　length　happily
effected　　and　half　after　twelve　o'clock　found　our　heroes　ripe　for
mischief；　and　running　for　life　down　a　dark　alley　in　the　direction　of
St。　Andrew's　Stair；　hotly　pursued　by　the　landlady　of　the　〃Jolly　Tar。〃

At　the　epoch　of　this　eventful　tale；　and　periodically；　for　many　years
before　and　after；　all　England；　but　more　especially　the　metropolis；
resounded　with　the　fearful　cry　of　〃Plague！〃　The　city　was　in　a　great
measure　depopulated　　and　in　those　horrible　regions；　in　the　vicinity
of　the　Thames；　where　amid　the　dark；　narrow；　and　filthy　lanes　and
alleys；　the　Demon　of　Disease　was　supposed　to　have　had　his　nativity；
Awe；　Terror；　and　Superstition　were　alone　to　be　found　stalking　abroad。

By　authority　of　the　king　such　districts　were　placed　under　ban；　and
all　persons　forbidden；　under　pain　of　death；　to　intrude　upon　their
dismal　solitude。　Yet　neither　the　mandate　of　the　monarch；　nor　the　huge
barriers　erected　at　the　entrances　of　the　streets；　nor　the　prospect　of
that　loathsome　death　which；　with　almost　absolute　certainty；
overwhelmed　the　wretch　whom　no　peril　could　deter　from　the　adventure；
prevented　the　unfurnished　and　untenanted　dwellings　from　being
stripped；　by　the　hand　of　nightly　rapine；　of　every　article；　such　as
iron；　brass；　or　lead…work；　which　could　in　any　manner　be　turned　to　a
profitable　account。

Above　all；　it　was　usually　found；　upon　the　annual　winter　opening　of
the　barriers；　that　locks；　bolts；　and　secret　cellars；　had　proved　but
slender　protection　to　those　rich　stores　of　wines　and　liquors　which；
in　consideration　of　the　risk　and　trouble　of　removal；　many　of　the
numerous　dealers　having　shops　in　the　neighbourhood　had　consented　to
trust；　during　the　period　of　exile；　to　so　insufficient　a　security。

But　there　were　very　few　of　the　terror…stricken　people　who　attributed
these　doings　to　the　agency　of　human　hands。　Pest…spirits；
plague…goblins；　and　fever…demons；　were　the　popular　imps　of　mischief；
and　tales　so　blood…chilling　were　hourly　told；　that　the　whole　mass　of
forbidden　buildings　was；　at　length；　enveloped　in　terror　as　in　a
shroud；　and　the　plunderer　himself　was　often　scared　away　by　the
horrors　his　own　depreciations　had　created；　leaving　the　entire　vast
circuit　of　prohibited　district　to　gloom；　silence；　pestilence；　and
death。

It　was　by　one　of　the　terrific　barriers　already　mentioned；　and　which
indicated　the　region　beyond　to　be　under　the　Pest…ban；　that；　in
scrambling　down　an　alley；　Legs　and　the　worthy　Hugh　Tarpaulin　found
their　progress　suddenly　impeded。　To　return　was　out　of　the　question；
and　no　time　was　to　be　lost；　as　their　pursuers　were　close　upon　their
heels。　With　thorough…bred　seamen　to　clamber　up　the　roughly　fashioned
plank…work　was　a　trifle；　and；　maddened　with　the　twofold　excitement　of
exercise　and　liquor；　they　leaped　unhesitatingly　down　within　the
enclosure；　and　holding　on　their　drunken　course　with　shouts　and
yellings；　were　soon　bewildered　in　its　noisome　and　intricate　recesses。

Had　they　not；　indeed；　been　intoxicated　beyond　moral　sense；　their
reeling　footsteps　must　have　been　palsied　by　the　horrors　of　their
situation。　The　air　was　cold　and　misty。　The　paving…stones；　loosened
from　their　beds；　lay　in　wild　disorder　amid　the　tall；　rank　grass；
which　sprang　up　around　the　feet　and　ankles。　Fallen　houses　choked　up
the　streets。　The　most　fetid　and　poisonous　smells　everywhere
prevailed；　　and　by　the　aid　of　that　ghastly　light　which；　even　at
midnight；　never　fails　to　emanate　from　a　vapory　and　pestilential　at
atmosphere；　might　be　discerned　lying　in　the　by…paths　and　alleys；　or
rotting　in　the　windowless　habitations；　the　carcass　of　many　a
nocturnal　plunderer　arrested　by　the　hand　of　the　plague　in　the　very
perpetration　of　his　robbery。

　But　it　lay　not　in　the　power　of　images；　or　sensations；　or
impediments　such　as　these；　to　stay　the　course　of　men　who；　naturally
brave；　and　at　that　time　especially；　brimful　of　courage　and　of
〃humming…stuff！〃　would　have　reeled；　as　straight　as　their　condition
might　have　permitted；　undauntedly　into　the　very　jaws　of　Death。　Onward
　still　onward　stalked　the　grim　Legs；　making　the　desolate　solemnity
echo　and　re…echo　with　yells　like　the　terrific　war…whoop　of　the
Indian：　and　onward；　still　onward　rolled　the　dumpy　Tarpaulin；　hanging
on　to　the　doublet　of　his　more　active　companion；　and　far　surpassing
the　latter's　most　strenuous　exertions　in　the　way　of　vocal　music；　by
bull…roarings　in　basso；　from　the　profundity　of　his　stentorian　lungs。

They　had　now　evidently　reached　the　strong　hold　of　the　pestilence。
Their　way　at　every　step　or　plunge　grew　more　noisome　and　more　horrible
　the　paths　more　narrow　and　more　intricate。　Huge　stones　and　beams
falling　momently　from　the　decaying　roofs　above　them；　gave　evidence；
by　their　sullen　and　heavy　descent；　of　the　vast　height　of　the
surrounding　houses；　and　while　actual　exertion　became　necessary　to
force　a　passage　through　frequent　heaps　of　rubbish；　it　was　by　no　means
seldom　that　the　hand　fell　upon　a　skeleton　or　rested　upon　a　more
fleshly　corpse。

Suddenly；　as　the　seamen　stumbled　against　the　entrance　of　a　tall　and
ghastly…looking　building；　a　yell　more　than　usually　shrill　from　the
throat　of　the　excited　Legs；　was　replied　to　from　within；　in　a　rapid
succession　of　wild；　laughter…like；　and　fiendish　shrieks。　Nothing
daunted　at　sounds　which；　of　such　a　nature；　at　such　a　time；　and　in
such　a　place；　might　have　curdled　the　very　blood　in　hearts　less
irrevocably　on　fire；　the　drunken　couple　rushed　headlong　against　the
door；　burst　it　open；　and　staggered　into　the　midst　of　things　with　a
volley　of　curses。

The　room　within　which　they　found　themselves　proved　to　be　the　shop　of
an　undertaker；　but　an　open　trap…door；　in　a　corner　of　the　floor　near
the　entrance；　looked　down　upon　a　long　range　of　wine…cellars；　whose
depths　the　occasional　sound　of　bursting　bottles　proclaimed　to　be　well
stored　with　their　appropriate　contents。　In　the　middle　of　the　room
stood　a　table　　in　the　centre　of　which　again　arose　a　huge　tub　of
what　appeared　to　be　punch。　Bottles　of　various　wines　and　cordials；
together　with　jugs；　pitchers；　and　flagons　of　every　shape　and　quality；
were　scattered　profusely　upon　the　board。　Around　it；　upon
coffin…tressels；　was　seated　a　company　of　six。　This　company　I　will
endeavor　to　delineate　one　by　one。

Fronting　the　entrance；　and　elevated　a　little　above　his　companions；
sat　a　personage　who　appeared　to　be　the　president　of　the　table。　His
stature　was　gaunt　and　tall；　and　Legs　was　confounded　to　behold　in　him
a　figure　more　emaciated　than　himself。　His　face　was　as　yellow　as
saffron　　but　no　feature　excepting　one　alone；　was　sufficiently
marked　to　merit　a　particular　description。　This　one　consisted　in　a
forehead　so　unusually　and　hideously　lofty；　as　to　have　the　appearance
of　a　bonnet　or　crown　of　flesh　superadded　upon　the　natural　head。　His
mouth　was　puckered　and　dimpled　into　an　expression　of　ghastly
affability；　and　his　eyes；　as　indeed　the　eyes　of　all　at　table；　were
glazed　over　with　the　fumes　of　intoxication。　This　gentleman　was
clothed　from　head　to　foot　in　a　richly…embroidered　black　silk…velvet
pall；　wrapped　negligently　around　his　form　after　the　fashion　of　a
Spanish　cloak。　　His　head　was　stuck　full　of　sable　hearse…plumes；
which　he　nodded　to　and　fro　with　a　jaunty　and　knowing　air；　and；　in　his
right　hand；　he　held　a　huge　human　thigh…bone；　with　which　he　appeared
to　have　been　just　knocking　down　some　member　of　the　co