the works of edgar allan poe-3-第61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！

to　speak　seriously；　have　felt　very　ill　at　ease　in　his　unaccommodating
habiliments。　He　was　habited；　somewhat　uniquely；　in　a　new　and　handsome
mahogany　coffin。　Its　top　or　head…piece　pressed　upon　the　skull　of　the
wearer；　and　extended　over　it　in　the　fashion　of　a　hood；　giving　to　the
entire　face　an　air　of　indescribable　interest。　Arm…holes　had　been　cut
in　the　sides；　for　the　sake　not　more　of　elegance　than　of　convenience；
but　the　dress；　nevertheless；　prevented　its　proprietor　from　sitting　as
erect　as　his　associates；　and　as　he　lay　reclining　against　his　tressel；
at　an　angle　of　forty…five　degrees；　a　pair　of　huge　goggle　eyes　rolled
up　their　awful　whites　towards　the　celling　in　absolute　amazement　at
their　own　enormity。

Before　each　of　the　party　lay　a　portion　of　a　skull；　which　was　used　as
a　drinking　cup。　Overhead　was　suspended　a　human　skeleton；　by　means　of
a　rope　tied　round　one　of　the　legs　and　fastened　to　a　ring　in　the
ceiling。　The　other　limb；　confined　by　no　such　fetter；　stuck　off　from
the　body　at　right　angles；　causing　the　whole　loose　and　rattling　frame
to　dangle　and　twirl　about　at　the　caprice　of　every　occasional　puff　of
wind　which　found　its　way　into　the　apartment。　In　the　cranium　of　this
hideous　thing　lay　quantity　of　ignited　charcoal；　which　threw　a　fitful
but　vivid　light　over　the　entire　scene；　while　coffins；　and　other　wares
appertaining　to　the　shop　of　an　undertaker；　were　piled　high　up　around
the　room；　and　against　the　windows；　preventing　any　ray　from　escaping
into　the　street。

At　sight　of　this　extraordinary　assembly；　and　of　their　still　more
extraordinary　paraphernalia；　our　two　seamen　did　not　conduct
themselves　with　that　degree　of　decorum　which　might　have　been
expected。　Legs；　leaning　against　the　wall　near　which　he　happened　to　be
standing；　dropped　his　lower　jaw　still　lower　than　usual；　and　spread
open　his　eyes　to　their　fullest　extent：　while　Hugh　Tarpaulin；　stooping
down　so　as　to　bring　his　nose　upon　a　level　with　the　table；　and
spreading　out　a　palm　upon　either　knee；　burst　into　a　long；　loud；　and
obstreperous　roar　of　very　ill…timed　and　immoderate　laughter。

Without；　however；　taking　offence　at　behaviour　so　excessively　rude；
the　tall　president　smiled　very　graciously　upon　the　intruders　
nodded　to　them　in　a　dignified　manner　with　his　head　of　sable　plumes　
and；　arising；　took　each　by　an　arm；　and　led　him　to　a　seat　which　some
others　of　the　company　had　placed　in　the　meantime　for　his
accommodation。　Legs　to　all　this　offered　not　the　slightest　resistance；
but　sat　down　as　he　was　directed；　while　tile　gallant　Hugh；　removing
his　coffin　tressel　from　its　station　near　the　head　of　the　table；　to
the　vicinity　of　the　little　consumptive　lady　in　the　winding　sheet；
plumped　down　by　her　side　in　high　glee；　and　pouring　out　a　skull　of　red
wine；　quaffed　it　to　their　better　acquaintance。　But　at　this
presumption　the　stiff　gentleman　in　the　coffin　seemed　exceedingly
nettled；　and　serious　consequences　might　have　ensued；　had　not　the
president；　rapping　upon　the　table　with　his　truncheon；　diverted　the
attention　of　all　present　to　the　following　speech：

〃It　becomes　our　duty　upon　the　present　happy　occasion〃　

〃Avast　there！〃　interrupted　Legs；　looking　very　serious；　〃avast　there　a
bit；　I　say；　and　tell　us　who　the　devil　ye　all　are；　and　what　business
ye　have　here；　rigged　off　like　the　foul　fiends；　and　swilling　the　snug
blue　ruin　stowed　away　for　the　winter　by　my　honest　shipmate；　Will
Wimble　the　undertaker！〃

At　this　unpardonable　piece　of　ill…breeding；　all　the　original　company
half　started　to　their　feet；　and　uttered　the　same　rapid　succession　of
wild　fiendish　shrieks　which　had　before　caught　the　attention　of　the
seamen。　The　president；　however；　was　the　first　to　recover　his
composure；　and　at　length；　turning　to　Legs　with　great　dignity；
recommenced：

〃Most　willingly　will　we　gratify　any　reasonable　curiosity　on　the　part
of　guests　so　illustrious；　unbidden　though　they　be。　Know　then　that　in
these　dominions　I　am　monarch；　and　here　rule　with　undivided　empire
under　the　title　of　'King　Pest　the　First。'

〃This　apartment；　which　you　no　doubt　profanely　suppose　to　be　the　shop
of　Will　Wimble　the　undertaker　　a　man　whom　we　know　not；　and　whose
plebeian　appellation　has　never　before　this　night　thwarted　our　royal
ears　　this　apartment；　I　say；　is　the　Dais…Chamber　of　our　Palace；
devoted　to　the　councils　of　our　kingdom；　and　to　other　sacred　and　lofty
purposes。

〃The　noble　lady　who　sits　opposite　is　Queen　Pest；　our　Serene　Consort。
The　other　exalted　personages　whom　you　behold　are　all　of　our　family；
and　wear　the　insignia　of　the　blood　royal　under　the　respective　titles
of　'His　Grace　the　Arch　Duke　Pest…Iferous'　　'His　Grace　the　Duke
Pest…Ilential'　　'His　Grace　the　Duke　Tem…Pest'　　and　'Her　Serene
Highness　the　Arch　Duchess　Ana…Pest。'

〃As　regards；〃　continued　he；　〃your　demand　of　the　business　upon　which
we　sit　here　in　council；　we　might　be　pardoned　for　replying　that　it
concerns；　and　concerns　alone；　our　own　private　and　regal　interest；　and
is　in　no　manner　important　to　any　other　than　ourself。　But　in
consideration　of　those　rights　to　which　as　guests　and　strangers　you
may　feel　yourselves　entitled；　we　will　furthermore　explain　that　we　are
here　this　night；　prepared　by　deep　research　and　accurate
investigation；　to　examine；　analyze；　and　thoroughly　determine　the
indefinable　spirit　　the　incomprehensible　qualities　and　nature　　of
those　inestimable　treasures　of　the　palate；　the　wines；　ales；　and
liqueurs　of　this　goodly　metropolis：　by　so　doing　to　advance　not　more
our　own　designs　than　the　true　welfare　of　that　unearthly　sovereign
whose　reign　is　over　us　all；　whose　dominions　are　unlimited；　and　whose
name　is　'Death。'

〃Whose　name　is　Davy　Jones！〃　ejaculated　Tarpaulin；　helping　the　lady　by
his　side　to　a　skull　of　liqueur；　and　pouring　out　a　second　for　himself。

〃Profane　varlet！〃　said　the　president；　now　turning　his　attention　to
the　worthy　Hugh；　〃profane　and　execrable　wretch！　　we　have　said；　that
in　consideration　of　those　rights　which；　even　in　thy　filthy　person；　we
feel　no　inclination　to　violate；　we　have　condescended　to　make　reply　to
thy　rude　and　unseasonable　inquiries。　We　nevertheless；　for　your
unhallowed　intrusion　upon　our　councils；　believe　it　our　duty　to　mulct
thee　and　thy　companion　in　each　a　gallon　of　Black　Strap　　having
imbibed　which　to　the　prosperity　of　our　kingdom　　at　a　single　draught
　and　upon　your　bended　knees　　ye　shall　be　forthwith　free　either　to
proceed　upon　your　way；　or　remain　and　be　admitted　to　the　privileges　of
our　table；　according　to　your　respective　and　individual　pleasures。〃

〃It　would　be　a　matter　of　utter　impossibility；〃　replied　Legs；　whom　the
assumptions　and　dignity　of　King　Pest　the　First　had　evidently　inspired
some　feelings　of　respect；　and　who　arose　and　steadied　himself　by　the
table　as　he　spoke　　〃It　would；　please　your　majesty；　be　a　matter　of
utter　impossibility　to　stow　away　in　my　hold　even　one…fourth　part　of
the　same　liquor　which　your　majesty　has　just　mentioned。　To　say　nothing
of　the　stuffs　placed　on　board　in　the　forenoon　by　way　of　ballast；　and
not　to　mention　the　various　ales　and　liqueurs　shipped　this　evening　at
different　sea…ports；　I　have；　at　present；　a　full　cargo　of　'humming
stuff'　taken　in　and　duly　paid　for　at　the　sign　of　the　'Jolly　Tar。'　You
will；　therefore；　please　your　majesty；　be　so　good　as　to　take　the　will
for　the　deed　　for　by　no　manner　of　means　either　can　I　or　will　I
swallow　another　drop　　least　of　all　a　drop　of　that　villainous
bilge…water　that　answers　to　the　hall　of　'Black　Strap。'〃

〃Belay　that！〃　interrupted　Tarpaulin；　astonished　not　more　at　the
length　of　his　companion's　speech　than　at　the　nature　of　his　refusal　
〃Belay　that　you　tubber！　　and　I　say；　Legs；　none　of　your　palaver！　My
hull　is　still　light；　although　I　confess　you　yourself　seem　to　be　a
little　top…heavy；　and　as　for　the　matter　of　your　share　of　the　cargo；
why　rather　than　raise　a　squall　I　would　find　stowageroom　for　it
myself；　but〃　

〃This　proceeding；〃　interposed　the　president；　〃is　by　no　means　in
accordance　with　the　terms　of　the　mulct　or　sentence；　which　is　in　its
nature　Median；　and　not　to　be　altered　or　recalled。　The　conditions　we
have　imposed　must　be　fulfilled　to　the　letter；　and　that　without　a
moment's　hesitation　　in　failure　of　which　fulfilment　we　decree　that
you　do　here　be　tied　neck　and　heels　together；　and　duly　drowned　as
rebels　in　yon　hogshead　of　October　beer！〃

〃A　sentence！　　a　sentence！　　a　righteous　and　just　sentence！　　a
glorious　decree！　　a　most　worthy　and　upright；　and　holy
condemnation！〃　shouted　the　Pest　family　altogether。　The　king　elevated
his　forehead　into　innumerable　wrinkles；　the　gouty　little　old　man
puffed　like　a　pair　of　bellows；　the　lady　of　the　winding　sheet　waved
her　nose　to　and　fro；　the　gentleman　in　the　cotton　drawers　pricked　up
his　ears；　she　of　the　shroud　gasped　like　a　dying　fish；　and　he　of　the
coffin　looked　stiff　and　rolled　up　his　eyes。

〃Ugh！　ugh！　ugh！〃　chuckled　Tarpaulin　without　heeding　the　general
excitation；　〃ugh！　ugh！　ugh！　　ugh！　ugh！　ugh！　　ugh！　ugh！　ugh！　　I
was　saying；〃　said　he；　〃I　was　saying　when　Mr。　King　Pest　poked　in　his
marlin…spike；　that　as　for　the　matter　of　two　or　three　gallons　more　or
less　of　Black　Strap；　it　was　a　trifle　to　a　tight　sea…boat　like　myself
not　overstowed　　but　when　it　comes　to　drinking　the　health　of　the
Devil　（whom　God　assoilz