the works of edgar allan poe-3-第4部分

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entered　into　my　state　of　mind。　It　is　probable；　indeed；　that　our
intimate　communion　had　resulted　in　a　partial　interchange　of
character。

　　　　About　eighteen　months　after　the　period　of　the　Ariel's　disaster；
the　firm　of　Lloyd　and　Vredenburgh　（a　house　connected　in　some　manner
with　the　Messieurs　Enderby；　I　believe；　of　Liverpool）　were　engaged　in
repairing　and　fitting　out　the　brig　Grampus　for　a　whaling　voyage。　She
was　an　old　hulk；　and　scarcely　seaworthy　when　all　was　done　to　her　that
could　be　done。　I　hardly　know　why　she　was　chosen　in　preference　to
other　good　vessels　belonging　to　the　same　owners　　but　so　it　was。　Mr。
Barnard　was　appointed　to　command　her；　and　Augustus　was　going　with
him。　While　the　brig　was　getting　ready；　he　frequently　urged　upon　me
the　excellency　of　the　opportunity　now　offered　for　indulging　my　desire
of　travel。　He　found　me　by　no　means　an　unwilling　listener　　yet　the
matter　could　not　be　so　easily　arranged。　My　father　made　no　direct
opposition；　but　my　mother　went　into　hysterics　at　the　bare　mention　of
the　design；　and；　more　than　all；　my　grandfather；　from　whom　I　expected
much；　vowed　to　cut　me　off　with　a　shilling　if　I　should　ever　broach　the
subject　to　him　again。　These　difficulties；　however；　so　far　from
abating　my　desire；　only　added　fuel　to　the　flame。　I　determined　to　go
at　all　hazards；　and；　having　made　known　my　intentions　to　Augustus；　we
set　about　arranging　a　plan　by　which　it　might　be　accomplished。　In　the
meantime　I　forbore　speaking　to　any　of　my　relations　in　regard　to　the
voyage；　and；　as　I　busied　myself　ostensibly　with　my　usual　studies；　it
was　supposed　that　I　had　abandoned　the　design。　I　have　since　frequently
examined　my　conduct　on　this　occasion　with　sentiments　of　displeasure
as　well　as　of　surprise。　The　intense　hypocrisy　I　made　use　of　for　the
furtherance　of　my　project…　an　hypocrisy　pervading　every　word　and
action　of　my　life　for　so　long　a　period　of　time…　could　only　have　been
rendered　tolerable　to　myself　by　the　wild　and　burning　expectation　with
which　I　looked　forward　to　the　fulfilment　of　my　long…cherished　visions
of　travel。

　　　　In　pursuance　of　my　scheme　of　deception；　I　was　necessarily　obliged
to　leave　much　to　the　management　of　Augustus；　who　was　employed　for　the
greater　part　of　every　day　on　board　the　Grampus；　attending　to　some
arrangements　for　his　father　in　the　cabin　and　cabin　hold。　At　night；
however；　we　were　sure　to　have　a　conference　and　talk　over　our　hopes。
After　nearly　a　month　passed　in　this　manner；　without　our　hitting　upon
any　plan　we　thought　likely　to　succeed；　he　told　me　at　last　that　he　had
determined　upon　everything　necessary。　I　had　a　relation　living　in　New
Bedford；　a　Mr。　Ross；　at　whose　house　I　was　in　the　habit　of　spending
occasionally　two　or　three　weeks　at　a　time。　The　brig　was　to　sail　about
the　middle　of　June　（June；　1827）；　and　it　was　agreed　that；　a　day　or　two
before　her　putting　to　sea；　my　father　was　to　receive　a　note；　as　usual；
from　Mr。　Ross；　asking　me　to　come　over　and　spend　a　fortnight　with
Robert　and　Emmet　（his　sons）。　Augustus　charged　himself　with　the
inditing　of　this　note　and　getting　it　delivered。　Having　set　out　as
supposed；　for　New　Bedford；　I　was　then　to　report　myself　to　my
companion；　who　would　contrive　a　hiding…place　for　me　in　the　Grampus。
This　hiding…place；　he　assured　me；　would　be　rendered　sufficiently
comfortable　for　a　residence　of　many　days；　during　which　I　was　not　to
make　my　appearance。　When　the　brig　had　proceeded　so　far　on　her　course
as　to　make　any　turning　back　a　matter　out　of　question；　I　should　then；
he　said；　be　formally　installed　in　all　the　comforts　of　the　cabin；　and
as　to　his　father；　he　would　only　laugh　heartily　at　the　joke。　Vessels
enough　would　be　met　with　by　which　a　letter　might　be　sent　home
explaining　the　adventure　to　my　parents。

　　　　The　middle　of　June　at　length　arrived；　and　every　thing　had　been
matured。　The　note　was　written　and　delivered；　and　on　a　Monday　morning
I　left　the　house　for　the　New　Bedford　packet；　as　supposed。　I　went；
however；　straight　to　Augustus；　who　was　waiting　for　me　at　the　corner
of　a　street。　It　had　been　our　original　plan　that　I　should　keep　out　of
the　way　until　dark；　and　then　slip　on　board　the　brig；　but；　as　there
was　now　a　thick　fog　in　our　favor；　it　was　agreed　to　lose　no　time　in
secreting　me。　Augustus　led　the　way　to　the　wharf；　and　I　followed　at　a
little　distance；　enveloped　in　a　thick　seaman's　cloak；　which　he　had
brought　with　him；　so　that　my　person　might　not　be　easily　recognized。
just　as　we　turned　the　second　corner；　after　passing　Mr。　Edmund's　well；
who　should　appear；　standing　right　in　front　of　me；　and　looking　me　full
in　the　face；　but　old　Mr。　Peterson；　my　grandfather。　〃Why；　bless　my
soul；　Gordon；〃　said　he；　after　a　long　pause；　〃why；　why；…　whose　dirty
cloak　is　that　you　have　on？〃　〃Sir！〃　I　replied；　assuming；　as　well　as　I
could；　in　the　exigency　of　the　moment；　an　air　of　offended　surprise；
and　talking　in　the　gruffest　of　all　imaginable　tones…　〃sir！　you　are　a
sum'mat　mistaken…　my　name；　in　the　first　place；　bee'nt　nothing　at　all
like　Goddin；　and　I'd　want　you　for　to　know　better；　you　blackguard；
than　to　call　my　new　obercoat　a　darty　one。〃　For　my　life　I　could　hardly
refrain　from　screaming　with　laughter　at　the　odd　manner　in　which　the
old　gentleman　received　this　handsome　rebuke。　He　started　back　two　or
three　steps；　turned　first　pale　and　then　excessively　red；　threw　up　his
spectacles；　then；　putting　them　down；　ran　full　tilt　at　me；　with　his
umbrella　uplifted。　He　stopped　short；　however；　in　his　career；　as　if
struck　with　a　sudden　recollection；　and　presently；　turning　round；
hobbled　off　down　the　street；　shaking　all　the　while　with　rage；　and
muttering　between　his　teeth：　〃Won't　do　　new　glasses　　thought　it
was　Gordon　dd　good…for…nothing　salt　water　Long　Tom。〃

　　　After　this　narrow　escape　we　proceeded　with　greater　caution；　and
arrived　at　our　point　of　destination　in　safety。　There　were　only　one　or
two　of　the　hands　on　board；　and　these　were　busy　forward；　doing
something　to　the　forecastle　combings。　Captain　Barnard；　we　knew　very
well；　was　engaged　at　Lloyd　and　Vredenburgh's；　and　would　remain　there
until　late　in　the　evening；　so　we　had　little　to　apprehend　on　his
account。　Augustus　went　first　up　the　vessel's　side；　and　in　a　short
while　I　followed　him；　without　being　noticed　by　the　men　at　work。　We
proceeded　at　once　into　the　cabin；　and　found　no　person　there。　It　was
fitted　up　in　the　most　comfortable　style…　a　thing　somewhat　unusual　in
a　whaling…vessel。　There　were　four　very　excellent　staterooms；　with
wide　and　convenient　berths。　There　was　also　a　large　stove；　I　took
notice；　and　a　remarkably　thick　and　valuable　carpet　covering　the　floor
of　both　the　cabin　and　staterooms。　The　ceiling　was　full　seven　feet
high；　and；　in　short；　every　thing　appeared　of　a　more　roomy　and
agreeable　nature　than　I　had　anticipated。　Augustus；　however；　would
allow　me　but　little　time　for　observation；　insisting　upon　the
necessity　of　my　concealing　myself　as　soon　as　possible。　He　led　the　way
into　his　own　stateroom；　which　was　on　the　starboard　side　of　the　brig；
and　next　to　the　bulkheads。　Upon　entering；　he　closed　the　door　and
bolted　it。　I　thought　I　had　never　seen　a　nicer　little　room　than　the
one　in　which　I　now　found　myself。　It　was　about　ten　feet　long；　and　had
only　one　berth；　which；　as　I　said　before；　was　wide　and　convenient。　In
that　portion　of　the　closet　nearest　the　bulkheads　there　was　a　space　of
four　feet　square；　containing　a　table；　a　chair；　and　a　set　of　hanging
shelves　full　of　books；　chiefly　books　of　voyages　and　travels。　There
were　many　other　little　comforts　in　the　room；　among　which　I　ought　not
to　forget　a　kind　of　safe　or　refrigerator；　in　which　Augustus　pointed
out　to　me　a　host　of　delicacies；　both　in　the　eating　and　drinking
department。

　　　　He　now　pressed　with　his　knuckles　upon　a　certain　spot　of　the
carpet　in　one　corner　of　the　space　just　mentioned；　letting　me　know
that　a　portion　of　the　flooring；　about　sixteen　inches　square；　had　been
neatly　cut　out　and　again　adjusted。　As　he　pressed；　this　portion　rose
up　at　one　end　sufficiently　to　allow　the　passage　of　his　finger
beneath。　In　this　manner　he　raised　the　mouth　of　the　trap　（to　which　the
carpet　was　still　fastened　by　tacks）；　and　I　found　that　it　led　into　the
after　hold。　He　next　lit　a　small　taper　by　means　of　a　phosphorous
match；　and；　placing　the　light　in　a　dark　lantern；　descended　with　it
through　the　opening；　bidding　me　follow。　I　did　so；　and　be　then　pulled
the　cover　upon　the　hole；　by　means　of　a　nail　driven　into　the　under
side…　the　carpet；　of　course；　resuming　its　original　position　on　the
floor　of　the　stateroom；　and　all　traces　of　the　aperture　being
concealed。

　　　　The　taper　gave　out　so　feeble　a　ray　that　it　was　with　the　greatest
difficulty　I　could　grope　my　way　through　the　confused　mass　of　lumber
among　which　I　now　found　myself。　By　degrees；　however；　my　eyes　became
accustomed　to　the　gloom；　and　I　proceeded　with　less　trouble；　holding
on　to　the　skirts　of　my　friend's　coat。　He　brought　me；　at　length；　after
creeping　and　winding　through　innumerable　narrow　passages；　to　an
iron…bound　box；　such　as　is　used　sometimes　for　packing　fine
earthenware。　It　was　nearly　four　feet　high；　and　full　six　long；　but
very　narrow。　Two　large　empty　oil…casks　lay　on　the　top　of　it；　and
above　these；　again；　a　vast　quantity　of　straw　matting；　piled　up　as
high　as　the　fl