the works of edgar allan poe-1-第29章
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supposed to be paper。 It was lying half buried in the sand； a corner
sticking up。 Near the spot where we found it； I observed the remnants
of the hull of what appeared to have been a ship's long boat。 The
wreck seemed to have been there for a very great while； for the
resemblance to boat timbers could scarcely be traced。
〃Well； Jupiter picked up the parchment； wrapped the beetle in it；
and gave it to me。 Soon afterwards we turned to go home； and on the
way met Lieutenant G…。 I showed him the insect； and he begged me to
let him take it to the fort。 Upon my consenting； he thrust it
forthwith into his waistcoat pocket； without the parchment in which
it had been wrapped； and which I had continued to hold in my hand
during his inspection。 Perhaps he dreaded my changing my mind； and
thought it best to make sure of the prize at once … you know how
enthusiastic he is on all subjects connected with Natural History。 At
the same time； without being conscious of it； I must have deposited
the parchment in my own pocket。
〃You remember that when I went to the table； for the purpose of
making a sketch of the beetle； I found no paper where it was usually
kept。 I looked in the drawer； and found none there。 I searched my
pockets； hoping to find an old letter； when my hand fell upon the
parchment。 I thus detail the precise mode in which it came into my
possession； for the circumstances impressed me with peculiar force。
〃No doubt you will think me fanciful … but I had already
established a kind of connexion。 I had put together two links of a
great chain。 There was a boat lying upon a sea…coast； and not far
from the boat was a parchment … not a paper … with a skull depicted
upon it。 You will； of course； ask 'where is the connexion？' I reply
that the skull； or death's…head； is the well…known emblem of the
pirate。 The flag of the death's head is hoisted in all engagements。
〃I have said that the scrap was parchment； and not paper。
Parchment is durable … almost imperishable。 Matters of little moment
are rarely consigned to parchment； since； for the mere ordinary
purposes of drawing or writing； it is not nearly so well adapted as
paper。 This reflection suggested some meaning … some relevancy … in
the death's…head。 I did not fail to observe； also； the form of the
parchment。 Although one of its corners had been； by some accident；
destroyed； it could be seen that the original form was oblong。 It was
just such a slip； indeed； as might have been chosen for a memorandum
… for a record of something to be long remembered and carefully
preserved。〃
〃But；〃 I interposed； 〃you say that the skull was not upon the
parchment when you made the drawing of the beetle。 How then do you
trace any connexion between the boat and the skull … since this
latter； according to your own admission； must have been designed （God
only knows how or by whom） at some period subsequent to your
sketching the scarab鎢s？〃
〃Ah； hereupon turns the whole mystery； although the secret； at
this point； I had comparatively little difficulty in solving。 My
steps were sure； and could afford but a single result。 I reasoned；
for example； thus： When I drew the scarab鎢s； there was no skull
apparent upon the parchment。 When I had completed the drawing I gave
it to you； and observed you narrowly until you returned it。 You；
therefore； did not design the skull； and no one else was present to
do it。 Then it was not done by human agency。 And nevertheless it was
done。 〃At this stage of my reflections I endeavored to remember； and
did remember； with entire distinctness； every incident which occurred
about the period in question。 The weather was chilly （oh rare and
happy accident！）； and a fire was blazing upon the hearth。 I was
heated with exercise and sat near the table。 You； however； had drawn
a chair close to the chimney。 Just as I placed the parchment in your
hand； and as you were in the act of in。 inspecting it； Wolf； the
Newfoundland； entered； and leaped upon your shoulders。 With your left
hand you caressed him and kept him off； while your right； holding the
parchment； was permitted to fall listlessly between your knees； and
in close proximity to the fire。 At one moment I thought the blaze had
caught it； and was about to caution you； but； before I could speak；
you had withdrawn it； and were engaged in its examination。 When I
considered all these particulars； I doubted not for a moment that
heat had been the agent in bringing to light； upon the parchment； the
skull which I saw designed upon it。 You are well aware that chemical
preparations exist； and have existed time out of mind； by means of
which it is possible to write upon either paper or vellum； so that
the characters shall become visible only when subjected to the action
of fire。 Zaffre； digested in aqua regia； and diluted with four times
its weight of water； is sometimes employed； a green tint results。 The
regulus of cobalt； dissolved in spirit of nitre； gives a red。 These
colors disappear at longer or shorter intervals after the material
written upon cools； but again become apparent upon the
re…application of heat。
〃I now scrutinized the death's…head with care。 Its outer edges …
the edges of the drawing nearest the edge of the vellum … were far
more distinct than the others。 It was clear that the action of the
caloric had been imperfect or unequal。 I immediately kindled a fire；
and subjected every portion of the parchment to a glowing heat。 At
first； the only effect was the strengthening of the faint lines in
the skull； but； upon persevering in the experiment； there became
visible； at the corner of the slip； diagonally opposite to the spot
in which the death's…head was delineated； the figure of what I at
first supposed to be a goat。 A closer scrutiny； however； satisfied me
that it was intended for a kid。〃
〃Ha！ ha！〃 said I； 〃to be sure I have no right to laugh at you … a
million and a half of money is too serious a matter for mirth … but
you are not about to establish a third link in your chain … you will
not find any especial connexion between your pirates and a goat …
pirates； you know； have nothing to do with goats； they appertain to
the farming interest。〃
〃But I have just said that the figure was not that of a goat。〃
〃Well； a kid then … pretty much the same thing。〃
〃Pretty much； but not altogether；〃 said Legrand。 〃You may have
heard of one Captain Kidd。 I at once looked upon the figure of the
animal as a kind of punning or hieroglyphical signature。 I say
signature； because its position upon the vellum suggested this idea。
The death's…head at the corner diagonally opposite； had； in the same
manner； the air of a stamp； or seal。 But I was sorely put out by the
absence of all else … of the body to my imagined instrument … of the
text for my context。〃
〃I presume you expected to find a letter between the stamp and
the signature。〃
〃Something of that kind。 The fact is； I felt irresistibly
impressed with a presentiment of some vast good fortune impending。 I
can scarcely say why。 Perhaps； after all； it was rather a desire than
an actual belief； … but do you know that Jupiter's silly words； about
the bug being of solid gold； had a remarkable effect upon my fancy？
And then the series of accidents and coincidences … these were so
very extraordinary。 Do you observe how mere an accident it was that
these events should have occurred upon the sole day of all the year
in which it has been； or may be； sufficiently cool for fire； and that
without the fire； or without the intervention of the dog at the
precise moment in which he appeared； I should never have become aware
of the death's…head； and so never the possessor of the treasure？〃
〃But proceed … I am all impatience。〃
〃Well； you have heard； of course； the many stories current … the
thousand vague rumors afloat about money buried； somewhere upon the
Atlantic coast； by Kidd and his associates。 These rumors must have
had some foundation in fact。 And that the rumors have existed so long
and so continuous； cou
