the works of edgar allan poe-1-第12节

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glowing　charcoal。　This；　it　must　be　remembered；　was　in　the　broad　light　
of　day。　No　fancy　may　picture　the　sublimity　which　might　have　been　
exhibited　by　a　similar　phenomenon　taking　place　amid　the　darkness　of　
the　night。　Hell　itself　might　have　been　found　a　fitting　image。　Even　as　
it　was；　my　hair　stood　on　end；　while　I　gazed　afar　down　within　the　
yawning　abysses；　letting　imagination　descend；　as　it　were；　and　stalk　
about　in　the　strange　vaulted　halls；　and　ruddy　gulfs；　and　red　ghastly　
chasms　of　the　hideous　and　unfathomable　fire。　I　had　indeed　made　a　
narrow　escape。　Had　the　balloon　remained　a　very　short　while　longer　
within　the　cloud　　that　is　to　say　　had　not　the　inconvenience　of　
getting　wet；　determined　me　to　discharge　the　ballast；　inevitable　ruin　
would　have　been　the　consequence。　Such　perils；　although　little　
considered；　are　perhaps　the　greatest　which　must　be　encountered　in　
balloons。　I　had　by　this　time；　however；　attained　too　great　an　
elevation　to　be　any　longer　uneasy　on　this　head。

〃I　was　now　rising　rapidly；　and　by　seven　o'clock　the　barometer　
indicated　an　altitude　of　no　less　than　nine　miles　and　a　half。　I　began　
to　find　great　difficulty　in　drawing　my　breath。　My　head；　too；　was　
excessively　painful；　and；　having　felt　for　some　time　a　moisture　about　
my　cheeks；　I　at　length　discovered　it　to　be　blood；　which　was　oozing　
quite　fast　from　the　drums　of　my　ears。　My　eyes；　also；　gave　me　great　
uneasiness。　Upon　passing　the　hand　over　them　they　seemed　to　have　
protruded　from　their　sockets　in　no　inconsiderable　degree；　and　all　
objects　in　the　car；　and　even　the　balloon　itself；　appeared　distorted　
to　my　vision。　These　symptoms　were　more　than　I　had　expected；　and　
occasioned　me　some　alarm。　At　this　juncture；　very　imprudently；　and　
without　consideration；　I　threw　out　from　the　car　three　five…pound　
pieces　of　ballast。　The　accelerated　rate　of　ascent　thus　obtained；　
carried　me　too　rapidly；　and　without　sufficient　gradation；　into　a　
highly　rarefied　stratum　of　the　atmosphere；　and　the　result　had　nearly　
proved　fatal　to　my　expedition　and　to　myself。　I　was　suddenly　seized　
with　a　spasm　which　lasted　for　more　than　five　minutes；　and　even　when　
this；　in　a　measure；　ceased；　I　could　catch　my　breath　only　at　long　
intervals；　and　in　a　gasping　manner　　bleeding　all　the　while　
copiously　at　the　nose　and　ears；　and　even　slightly　at　the　eyes。　The　
pigeons　appeared　distressed　in　the　extreme；　and　struggled　to　escape；　
while　the　cat　mewed　piteously；　and；　with　her　tongue　hanging　out　of　
her　mouth；　staggered　to　and　fro　in　the　car　as　if　under　the　influence　
of　poison。　I　now　too　late　discovered　the　great　rashness　of　which　I　
had　been　guilty　in　discharging　the　ballast；　and　my　agitation　was　
excessive。　I　anticipated　nothing　less　than　death；　and　death　in　a　few　
minutes。　The　physical　suffering　I　underwent　contributed　also　to　
render　me　nearly　incapable　of　making　any　exertion　for　the　
preservation　of　my　life。　I　had；　indeed；　little　power　of　reflection　
left；　and　the　violence　of　the　pain　in　my　head　seemed　to　be　greatly　on　
the　increase。　Thus　I　found　that　my　senses　would　shortly　give　way　
altogether；　and　I　had　already　clutched　one　of　the　valve　ropes　with　
the　view　of　attempting　a　descent；　when　the　recollection　of　the　trick　
I　had　played　the　three　creditors；　and　the　possible　consequences　to　
myself；　should　I　return；　operated　to　deter　me　for　the　moment。　I　lay　
down　in　the　bottom　of　the　car；　and　endeavored　to　collect　my　
faculties。　In　this　I　so　far　succeeded　as　to　determine　upon　the　
experiment　of　losing　blood。　Having　no　lancet；　however；　I　was　
constrained　to　perform　the　operation　in　the　best　manner　I　was　able；　
and　finally　succeeded　in　opening　a　vein　in　my　right　arm；　with　the　
blade　of　my　penknife。　The　blood　had　hardly　commenced　flowing　when　I　
experienced　a　sensible　relief；　and　by　the　time　I　had　lost　about　half　
a　moderate　basin　full；　most　of　the　worst　symptoms　had　abandoned　me　
entirely。　I　nevertheless　did　not　think　it　expedient　to　attempt　
getting　on　my　feet　immediately；　but；　having　tied　up　my　arm　as　well　as　
I　could；　I　lay　still　for　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　At　the　end　of　
this　time　I　arose；　and　found　myself　freer　from　absolute　pain　of　any　
kind　than　I　had　been　during　the　last　hour　and　a　quarter　of　my　
ascension。　The　difficulty　of　breathing；　however；　was　diminished　in　a　
very　slight　degree；　and　I　found　that　it　would　soon　be　positively　
necessary　to　make　use　of　my　condenser。　In　the　meantime；　looking　
toward　the　cat；　who　was　again　snugly　stowed　away　upon　my　coat；　I　
discovered　to　my　infinite　surprise；　that　she　had　taken　the　
opportunity　of　my　indisposition　to　bring　into　light　a　litter　of　three　
little　kittens。　This　was　an　addition　to　the　number　of　passengers　on　
my　part　altogether　unexpected；　but　I　was　pleased　at　the　occurrence。　
It　would　afford　me　a　chance　of　bringing　to　a　kind　of　test　the　truth　
of　a　surmise；　which；　more　than　anything　else；　had　influenced　me　in　
attempting　this　ascension。　I　had　imagined　that　the　habitual　endurance　
of　the　atmospheric　pressure　at　the　surface　of　the　earth　was　the　
cause；　or　nearly　so；　of　the　pain　attending　animal　existence　at　a　
distance　above　the　surface。　Should　the　kittens　be　found　to　suffer　
uneasiness　in　an　equal　degree　with　their　mother；　I　must　consider　my　
theory　in　fault；　but　a　failure　to　do　so　I　should　look　upon　as　a　
strong　confirmation　of　my　idea。

〃By　eight　o'clock　I　had　actually　attained　an　elevation　of　seventeen　
miles　above　the　surface　of　the　earth。　Thus　it　seemed　to　me　evident　
that　my　rate　of　ascent　was　not　only　on　the　increase；　but　that　the　
progression　would　have　been　apparent　in　a　slight　degree　even　had　I　
not　discharged　the　ballast　which　I　did。　The　pains　in　my　head　and　ears　
returned；　at　intervals；　with　violence；　and　I　still　continued　to　bleed　
occasionally　at　the　nose；　but；　upon　the　whole；　I　suffered　much　less　
than　might　have　been　expected。　I　breathed；　however；　at　every　moment；　
with　more　and　more　difficulty；　and　each　inhalation　was　attended　with　
a　troublesome　spasmodic　action　of　the　chest。　I　now　unpacked　the　
condensing　apparatus；　and　got　it　ready　for　immediate　use。

〃The　view　of　the　earth；　at　this　period　of　my　ascension；　was　beautiful　
indeed。　To　the　westward；　the　northward；　and　the　southward；　as　far　as　
I　could　see；　lay　a　boundless　sheet　of　apparently　unruffled　ocean；　
which　every　moment　gained　a　deeper　and　a　deeper　tint　of　blue　and　
began　already　to　assume　a　slight　appearance　of　convexity。　At　a　vast　
distance　to　the　eastward；　although　perfectly　discernible；　extended　
the　islands　of　Great　Britain；　the　entire　Atlantic　coasts　of　France　
and　Spain；　with　a　small　portion　of　the　northern　part　of　the　continent　
of　Africa。　Of　individual　edifices　not　a　trace　could　be　discovered；　
and　the　proudest　cities　of　mankind　had　utterly　faded　away　from　the　
face　of　the　earth。　From　the　rock　of　Gibraltar；　now　dwindled　into　a　
dim　speck；　the　dark　Mediterranean　sea；　dotted　with　shining　islands　as　
the　heaven　is　dotted　with　stars；　spread　itself　out　to　the　eastward　as　
far　as　my　vision　extended；　until　its　entire　mass　of　waters　seemed　at　
length　to　tumble　headlong　over　the　abyss　of　the　horizon；　and　I　found　
myself　listening　on　tiptoe　for　the　echoes　of　the　mighty　cataract。　
Overhead；　the　sky　was　of　a　jetty　black；　and　the　stars　were　
brilliantly　visible。

〃The　pigeons　about　this　time　seeming　to　undergo　much　suffering；　I　
determined　upon　giving　them　their　liberty。　I　first　untied　one　of　
them；　a　beautiful　gray…mottled　pigeon；　and　placed　him　upon　the　rim　of　
the　wicker…work。　He　appeared　extremely　uneasy；　looking　anxiously　
around　him；　fluttering　his　wings；　and　making　a　loud　cooing　noise；　but　
could　not　be　persuaded　to　trust　himself　from　off　the　car。　I　took　him　
up　at　last；　and　threw　him　to　about　half　a　dozen　yards　from　the　
balloon。　He　made；　however；　no　attempt　to　descend　as　I　had　expected；　
but　struggled　with　great　vehemence　to　get　back；　uttering　at　the　same　
time　very　shrill　and　piercing　cries。　He　at　length　succeeded　in　
regaining　his　former　station　on　the　rim；　but　had　hardly　done　so　when　
his　head　dropped　upon　his　breast；　and　be　fell　dead　within　the　car。　
The　other　one　did　not　prove　so　unfortunate。　To　prevent　his　following　
the　example　of　his　companion；　and　accomplishing　a　return；　I　threw　him　
downward　with　all　my　force；　and　was　pleased　to　find　him　continue　his　
descent；　with　great　velocity；　making　use　of　his　wings　with　ease；　and　
in　a　perfectly　natural　manner。　In　a　very　short　time　he　was　out　of　
sight；　and　I　have　no　doubt　he　reached　home　in　safety。　Puss；　who　
seemed　in　a　great　measure　recovered　from　her　illness；　now　made　a　
hearty　meal　of　the　dead　bird　and　then　went　to　sleep　with　much　
apparent　satisfaction。　Her　kittens　were　quite　lively；　and　so　far　
evinced　not　the　slightest　sign　of　any　uneasiness　whatever。

〃At　a　quarter…past　eight；　being　no　longer　able　to　draw　breath　without　
the　most　intolerable　pain；　I　proceeded　forthwith　to　adjust　around　the　
car　the　apparatus　belonging　to　the　condenser。　This　apparatus　will　
require　some　little　explanation；　and　your　Excellencies　will　please　to　
bear　in　mind　that　my　object；　in　the　first　place；　was　to　surround　
myself　and　cat　entirely　with　a　barricade　against　the　highly　rarefied　
atmosphere　in　which　I　was