the works of edgar allan poe-3-第9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！

woollen　which　enveloped　my　neck…　yet；　luckily；　without　being　able　to
penetrate　all　the　folds。　I　was　now　beneath　the　dog；　and　a　few　moments
would　place　me　completely　in　his　power。　Despair　gave　me　strength；　and
I　rose　boldly　up；　shaking　him　from　me　by　main　force；　and　dragging
with　me　the　blankets　from　the　mattress。　These　I　now　threw　over　him；
and　before　he　could　extricate　himself；　I　had　got　through　the　door　and
closed　it　effectually　against　his　pursuit。　In　this　struggle；　however；
I　had　been　forced　to　drop　the　morsel　of　ham…skin；　and　I　now　found　my
whole　stock　of　provisions　reduced　to　a　single　gill　of　liqueur；　As
this　reflection　crossed　my　mind；　I　felt　myself　actuated　by　one　of
those　fits　of　perverseness　which　might　be　supposed　to　influence　a
spoiled　child　in　similar　circumstances；　and；　raising　the　bottle　to　my
lips；　I　drained　it　to　the　last　drop；　and　dashed　it　furiously　upon　the
floor。

　　　　　Scarcely　had　the　echo　of　the　crash　died　away；　when　I　heard　my
name　pronounced　in　an　eager　but　subdued　voice；　issuing　from　the
direction　of　the　steerage。　So　unexpected　was　anything　of　the　kind；
and　so　intense　was　the　emotion　excited　within　me　by　the　sound；　that　I
endeavoured　in　vain　to　reply。　My　powers　of　speech　totally　failed；　and
in　an　agony　of　terror　lest　my　friend　should　conclude　me　dead；　and
return　without　attempting　to　reach　me；　I　stood　up　between　the　crates
near　the　door　of　the　box；　trembling　convulsively；　and　gasping　and
struggling　for　utterance。　Had　a　thousand　words　depended　upon　a
syllable；　I　could　not　have　spoken　it。　There　was　a　slight　movement　now
audible　among　the　lumber　somewhere　forward　of　my　station。　The　sound
presently　grew　less　distinct；　then　again　less　so；　and　still　less。
Shall　I　ever　forget　my　feelings　at　this　moment？　He　was　going…　my
friend；　my　companion；　from　whom　I　had　a　right　to　expect　so　much…　he
was　going…　he　would　abandon　me…　he　was　gone！　He　would　leave　me　to
perish　miserably；　to　expire　in　the　most　horrible　and　loathesome　of
dungeons…　and　one　word；　one　little　syllable；　would　save　me…　yet　that
single　syllable　I　could　not　utter！　I　felt；　I　am　sure；　more　than　ten
thousand　times　the　agonies　of　death　itself。　My　brain　reeled；　and　I
fell；　deadly　sick；　against　the　end　of　the　box。

　　　　　As　I　fell　the　carving…knife　was　shaken　out　from　the　waist…band
of　my　pantaloons；　and　dropped　with　a　rattling　sound　to　the　floor。
Never　did　any　strain　of　the　richest　melody　come　so　sweetly　to　my
ears！　With　the　intensest　anxiety　I　listened　to　ascertain　the　effect
of　the　noise　upon　Augustus…　for　I　knew　that　the　person　who　called　my
name　could　be　no　one　but　himself。　All　was　silent　for　some　moments。　At
length　I　again　heard　the　word　〃Arthur！〃　repeated　in　a　low　tone；　and
one　full　of　hesitation。　Reviving　hope　loosened　at　once　my　powers　of
speech；　and　I　now　screamed　at　the　top　of　my　voice；　〃Augustus！　oh；
Augustus！〃　〃Hush！　for　God's　sake　be　silent！〃　he　replied；　in　a　voice
trembling　with　agitation；　〃I　will　be　with　you　immediately…　as　soon　as
I　can　make　my　way　through　the　hold。〃　For　a　long　time　I　heard　him
moving　among　the　lumber；　and　every　moment　seemed　to　me　an　age。　At
length　I　felt　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder；　and　he　placed；　at　the　same
moment；　a　bottle　of　water　to　my　lips。　Those　only　who　have　been
suddenly　redeemed　from　the　jaws　of　the　tomb；　or　who　have　known　the
insufferable　torments　of　thirst　under　circumstances　as　aggravated　as
those　which　encompassed　me　in　my　dreary　prison；　can　form　any　idea　of
the　unutterable　transports　which　that　one　long　draught　of　the　richest
of　all　physical　luxuries　afforded。

　　　　　When　I　had　in　some　degree　satisfied　my　thirst；　Augustus　produced
from　his　pocket　three　or　four　boiled　potatoes；　which　I　devoured　with
the　greatest　avidity。　He　had　brought　with　him　a　light　in　a　dark
lantern；　and　the　grateful　rays　afforded　me　scarcely　less　comfort　than
the　food　and　drink。　But　I　was　impatient　to　learn　the　cause　of　his
protracted　absence；　and　he　proceeded　to　recount　what　had　happened　on
board　during　my　incarceration。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　3　~~~

CHAPTER　4



　　　　THE　brig　put　to　sea；　as　I　had　supposed；　in　about　an　hour　after　he
had　left　the　watch。　This　was　on　the　twentieth　of　June。　It　will　be
remembered　that　I　had　then　been　in　the　hold　for　three　days；　and；
during　this　period；　there　was　so　constant　a　bustle　on　board；　and　so
much　running　to　and　fro；　especially　in　the　cabin　and　staterooms；　that
he　had　had　no　chance　of　visiting　me　without　the　risk　of　having　the
secret　of　the　trap　discovered。　When　at　length　he　did　come；　I　had
assured　him　that　I　was　doing　as　well　as　possible；　and；　therefore；　for
the　two　next　days　be　felt　but　little　uneasiness　on　my　account…　still；
however；　watching　an　opportunity　of　going　down。　It　was　not　until　the
fourth　day　that　he　found　one。　Several　times　during　this　interval　he
had　made　up　his　mind　to　let　his　father　know　of　the　adventure；　and
have　me　come　up　at　once；　but　we　were　still　within　reaching　distance
of　Nantucket；　and　it　was　doubtful；　from　some　expressions　which　had
escaped　Captain　Barnard；　whether　he　would　not　immediately　put　back　if
he　discovered　me　to　be　on　board。　Besides；　upon　thinking　the　matter
over；　Augustus；　so　he　told　me；　could　not　imagine　that　I　was　in
immediate　want；　or　that　I　would　hesitate；　in　such　case；　to　make
myself　heard　at　the　trap。　When；　therefore；　he　considered　everything
he　concluded　to　let　me　stay　until　he　could　meet　with　an　opportunity
of　visiting　me　unobserved。　This；　as　I　said　before；　did　not　occur
until　the　fourth　day　after　his　bringing　me　the　watch；　and　the　seventh
since　I　had　first　entered　the　hold。　He　then　went　down　without　taking
with　him　any　water　or　provisions；　intending　in　the　first　place　merely
to　call　my　attention；　and　get　me　to　come　from　the　box　to　the　trap；…
when　he　would　go　up　to　the　stateroom　and　thence　hand　me　down　a　sup。
ply。　When　he　descended　for　this　purpose　he　found　that　I　was　asleep；
for　it　seems　that　I　was　snoring　very　loudly。　From　all　the
calculations　I　can　make　on　the　subject；　this　must　have　been　the
slumber　into　which　I　fell　just　after　my　return　from　the　trap　with　the
watch；　and　which；　consequently；　must　have　lasted　for　more　than　three
entire　days　and　nights　at　the　very　least。　Latterly；　I　have　had　reason
both　from　my　own　experience　and　the　assurance　of　others；　to　be
acquainted　with　the　strong　soporific　effects　of　the　stench　arising
from　old　fish…oil　when　closely　confined；　and　when　I　think　of　the
condition　of　the　hold　in　which　I　was　imprisoned；　and　the　long　period
during　which　the　brig　had　been　used　as　a　whaling　vessel；　I　am　more
inclined　to　wonder　that　I　awoke　at　all；　after　once　falling　asleep；
than　that　I　should　have　slept　uninterruptedly　for　the　period
specified　above。

　　　　　Augustus　called　to　me　at　first　in　a　low　voice　and　without
closing　the　trap…　but　I　made　him　no　reply。　He　then　shut　the　trap；　and
spoke　to　me　in　a　louder；　and　finally　in　a　very　loud　tone…　still　I
continued　to　snore。　He　was　now　at　a　loss　what　to　do。　It　would　take
him　some　time　to　make　his　way　through　the　lumber　to　my　box；　and　in
the　meanwhile　his　absence　would　be　noticed　by　Captain　Barnard；　who
had　occasion　for　his　services　every　minute；　in　arranging　and　copying
papers　connected　with　the　business　of　the　voyage。　He　determined；
therefore；　upon　reflection；　to　ascend；　and　await　another　opportunity
of　visiting　me。　He　was　the　more　easily　induced　to　this　resolve；　as　my
slumber　appeared　to　be　of　the　most　tranquil　nature；　and　he　could　not
suppose　that　I　had　undergone　any　inconvenience　from　my　incarceration。
He　had　just　made　up　his　mind　on　these　points　when　his　attention　was
arrested　by　an　unusual　bustle；　the　sound　of　which　proceeded
apparently　from　the　cabin。　He　sprang　through　the　trap　as　quickly　as
possible；　closed　it；　and　threw　open　the　door　of　his　stateroom。　No
sooner　had　he　put　his　foot　over　the　threshold　than　a　pistol　flashed
in　his　face；　and　he　was　knocked　down；　at　the　same　moment；　by　a　blow
from　a　handspike。

　　　　　A　strong　hand　held　him　on　the　cabin　floor；　with　a　tight　grasp
upon　his　throat；　still　he　was　able　to　see　what　was　going　on　around
him。　His　father　was　tied　hand　and　foot；　and　lying　along　the　steps　of
the　companion…way；　with　his　head　down；　and　a　deep　wound　in　the
forehead；　from　which　the　blood　was　flowing　in　a　continued　stream。　He
spoke　not　a　word；　and　was　apparently　dying。　Over　him　stood　the　first
mate；　eyeing　him　with　an　expression　of　fiendish　derision；　and
deliberately　searching　his　pockets；　from　which　he　presently　drew
forth　a　large　wallet　and　a　chronometer。　Seven　of　the　crew　（among　whom
was　the　cook；　a　negro）　were　rummaging　the　staterooms　on　the　larboard
for　arms；　where　they　soon　equipped　themselves　with　muskets　and
ammunition。　Besides　Augustus　and　Captain　Barnard；　there　were　nine　men
altogether　in　the　cabin；　and　these　among　the　most　ruffianly　of　the
brig's　company。　The　villains　now　went　upon　deck；　taking　my　friend
with　them　after　having　secured　his　arms　behind　his　back。　They
proceeded　straight　to　the　forecastle；　which　was　fastened　down…　two　of
the　mutineers　standing　by　it　with　axes…　two　also　at　the　main　hatch。
The　mate　called　out　in　a　loud　voice：　〃Do　you　hear　there　below？　tumble
up　with　you；　one　by　one…　now；　mark　that…　and　no　grumbling！〃　It　was