the works of edgar allan poe-3-第20部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

together；　supporting　each　other　with　the　aid　of　the　broken　ropes
about　the　windlass；　and　devising　methods　of　escape　from　our　frightful
situation。　We　derived　much　comfort　from　taking　off　our　clothes　and
wringing　the　water　from　them。　When　we　put　them　on　after　this；　they
felt　remarkably　warm　and　pleasant；　and　served　to　invigorate　us　in　no
little　degree。　We　helped　Augustus　off　with　his；　and　wrung　them　for
him；　when　he　experienced　the　same　comfort。

　　　　Our　chief　sufferings　were　now　those　of　hunger　and　thirst；　and
when　we　looked　forward　to　the　means　of　relief　in　this　respect；　our
hearts　sunk　within　us；　and　we　were　induced　to　regret　that　we　had
escaped　the　less　dreadful　perils　of　the　sea。　We　endeavoured；　however；
to　console　ourselves　with　the　hope　of　being　speedily　picked　up　by
some　vessel　and　encouraged　each　other　to　bear　with　fortitude　the
evils　that　might　happen。

　　　　The　morning　of　the　fourteenth　at　length　dawned；　and　the　weather
still　continued　clear　and　pleasant；　with　a　steady　but　very　light
breeze　from　the　N。　W。　The　sea　was　now　quite　smooth；　and　as；　from　some
cause　which　we　could　not　determine；　the　brig　did　not　he　so　much　along
as　she　had　done　before；　the　deck　was　comparatively　dry；　and　we　could
move　about　with　freedom。　We　had　now　been　better　than　three　entire
days　and　nights　without　either　food　or　drink；　and　it　became
absolutely　necessary　that　we　should　make　an　attempt　to　get　up
something　from　below。　As　the　brig　was　completely　full　of　water；　we
went　to　this　work　despondently；　and　with　but　little　expectation　of
being　able　to　obtain　anything。　We　made　a　kind　of　drag　by　driving　some
nails　which　we　broke　out　from　the　remains　of　the　companion…hatch　into
two　pieces　of　wood。　Tying　these　across　each　other；　and　fastening　them
to　the　end　of　a　rope；　we　threw　them　into　the　cabin；　and　dragged　them
to　and　fro；　in　the　faint　hope　of　being　thus　able　to　entangle　some
article　which　might　be　of　use　to　us　for　food；　or　which　might　at　least
render　us　assistance　in　getting　it。　We　spent　the　greater　part　of　the
morning　in　this　labour　without　effect；　fishing　up　nothing　more　than　a
few　bedclothes；　which　were　readily　caught　by　the　nails。　Indeed；　our
contrivance　was　so　very　clumsy　that　any　greater　success　was　hardly　to
be　anticipated。

　　　　We　now　tried　the　forecastle；　but　equally　in　vain；　and　were　upon
the　brink　of　despair；　when　Peters　proposed　that　we　should　fasten　a
rope　to　his　body；　and　let　him　make　an　attempt　to　get　up　something　by
diving　into　the　cabin。　This　proposition　we　hailed　with　all　the
delight　which　reviving　hope　could　inspire。　He　proceeded　immediately
to　strip　off　his　clothes　with　the　exception　of　his　pantaloons；　and　a
strong　rope　was　then　carefully　fastened　around　his　middle；　being
brought　up　over　his　shoulders　in　such　a　manner　that　there　was　no
possibility　of　its　slipping。　The　undertaking　was　one　of　great
difficulty　and　danger；　for；　as　we　could　hardly　expect　to　find　much；
if　any；　provision　in　the　cabin　itself；　it　was　necessary　that　the
diver；　after　letting　himself　down；　should　make　a　turn　to　the　right；
and　proceed　under　water　a　distance　of　ten　or　twelve　feet；　in　a　narrow
passage；　to　the　storeroom；　and　return；　without　drawing　breath。

　　　　Everything　being　ready；　Peters　now　descended　in　the　cabin；　going
down　the　companion…ladder　until　the　water　reached　his　chin。　He　then
plunged　in；　head　first；　turning　to　the　right　as　he　plunged；　and
endeavouring　to　make　his　way　to　the　storeroom。　In　this　first　attempt；
however；　he　was　altogether　unsuccessful。　In　less　than　half　a　minute
after　his　going　down　we　felt　the　rope　jerked　violently　（the　signal　we
had　agreed　upon　when　he　desired　to　be　drawn　up）。　We　accordingly　drew
him　up　instantly；　but　so　incautiously　as　to　bruise　him　badly　against
the　ladder。　He　had　brought　nothing　with　him；　and　had　been　unable　to
penetrate　more　than　a　very　little　way　into　the　passage；　owing　to　the
constant　exertions　he　found　it　necessary　to　make　in　order　to　keep
himself　from　floating　up　against　the　deck。　Upon　getting　out　he　was
very　much　exhausted；　and　had　to　rest　full　fifteen　minutes　before　he
could　again　venture　to　descend。

　　　　The　second　attempt　met　with　even　worse　success；　for　he　remained
so　long　under　water　without　giving　the　signal；　that；　becoming　alarmed
for　his　safety；　we　drew　him　out　without　it；　and　found　that　he　was
almost　at　the　last　gasp；　having；　as　he　said；　repeatedly　jerked　at　the
rope　without　our　feeling　it。　This　was　probably　owing　to　a　portion　of
it　having　become　entangled　in　the　balustrade　at　the　foot　of　the
ladder。　This　balustrade　was；　indeed；　so　much　in　the　way；　that　we
determined　to　remove　it；　if　possible；　before　proceeding　with　our
design。　As　we　had　no　means　of　getting　it　away　except　by　main　force；
we　all　descended　into　the　water　as　far　as　we　could　on　the　ladder；　and
giving　a　pull　against　it　with　our　united　strength；　succeeded　in
breaking　it　down。

　　　　The　third　attempt　was　equally　unsuccessful　with　the　two　first；
and　it　now　became　evident　that　nothing　could　be　done　in　this　manner
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　th