the works of edgar allan poe-1-第14节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


so　frequent　a　renovation　being　absolutely　necessary。　In　the　meanwhile　
I　could　not　help　making　anticipations。　Fancy　revelled　in　the　wild　and　
dreamy　regions　of　the　moon。　Imagination；　feeling　herself　for　once　
unshackled；　roamed　at　will　among　the　ever…changing　wonders　of　a　
shadowy　and　unstable　land。　Now　there　were　boary　and　time…honored　
forests；　and　craggy　precipices；　and　waterfalls　tumbling　with　a　loud　
noise　into　abysses　without　a　bottom。　Then　I　came　suddenly　into　still　
noonday　solitudes；　where　no　wind　of　heaven　ever　intruded；　and　where　
vast　meadows　of　poppies；　and　slender；　lily…looking　flowers　spread　
themselves　out　a　weary　distance；　all　silent　and　motionless　forever。　
Then　again　I　journeyed　far　down　away　into　another　country　where　it　
was　all　one　dim　and　vague　lake；　with　a　boundary　line　of　clouds。　And　
out　of　this　melancholy　water　arose　a　forest　of　tall　eastern　trees；　
like　a　wilderness　of　dreams。　And　I　have　in　mind　that　the　shadows　of　
the　trees　which　fell　upon　the　lake　remained　not　on　the　surface　where　
they　fell；　but　sunk　slowly　and　steadily　down；　and　commingled　with　the　
waves；　while　from　the　trunks　of　the　trees　other　shadows　were　
continually　coming　out；　and　taking　the　place　of　their　brothers　thus　
entombed。　〃This　then；〃　I　said　thoughtfully；　〃is　the　very　reason　why　
the　waters　of　this　lake　grow　blacker　with　age；　and　more　melancholy　as　
the　hours　run　on。〃　But　fancies　such　as　these　were　not　the　sole　
possessors　of　my　brain。　Horrors　of　a　nature　most　stern　and　most　
appalling　would　too　frequently　obtrude　themselves　upon　my　mind；　and　
shake　the　innermost　depths　of　my　soul　with　the　bare　supposition　of　
their　possibility。　Yet　I　would　not　suffer　my　thoughts　for　any　length　
of　time　to　dwell　upon　these　latter　speculations；　rightly　judging　the　
real　and　palpable　dangers　of　the　voyage　sufficient　for　my　undivided　
attention。

〃At　five　o'clock；　p。m。；　being　engaged　in　regenerating　the　atmosphere　
within　the　chamber；　I　took　that　opportunity　of　observing　the　cat　and　
kittens　through　the　valve。　The　cat　herself　appeared　to　suffer　again　
very　much；　and　I　had　no　hesitation　in　attributing　her　uneasiness　
chiefly　to　a　difficulty　in　breathing；　but　my　experiment　with　the　
kittens　had　resulted　very　strangely。　I　had　expected；　of　course；　to　
see　them　betray　a　sense　of　pain；　although　in　a　less　degree　than　their　
mother；　and　this　would　have　been　sufficient　to　confirm　my　opinion　
concerning　the　habitual　endurance　of　atmospheric　pressure。　But　I　was　
not　prepared　to　find　them；　upon　close　examination；　evidently　enjoying　
a　high　degree　of　health；　breathing　with　the　greatest　ease　and　perfect　
regularity；　and　evincing　not　the　slightest　sign　of　any　uneasiness　
whatever。　I　could　only　account　for　all　this　by　extending　my　theory；　
and　supposing　that　the　highly　rarefied　atmosphere　around　might　
perhaps　not　be；　as　I　had　taken　for　granted；　chemically　insufficient　
for　the　purposes　of　life；　and　that　a　person　born　in　such　a　medium　
might；　possibly；　be　unaware　of　any　inconvenience　attending　its　
inhalation；　while；　upon　removal　to　the　denser　strata　near　the　earth；　
he　might　endure　tortures　of　a　similar　nature　to　those　I　had　so　lately　
experienced。　It　has　since　been　to　me　a　matter　of　deep　regret　that　an　
awkward　accident；　at　this　time；　occasioned　me　the　loss　of　my　little　
family　of　cats；　and　deprived　me　of　the　insight　into　this　matter　which　
a　continued　experiment　might　have　afforded。　In　passing　my　hand　
through　the　valve；　with　a　cup　of　water　for　the　old　puss；　the　sleeves　
of　my　shirt　became　entangled　in　the　loop　which　sustained　the　basket；　
and　thus；　in　a　moment；　loosened　it　from　the　bottom。　Had　the　whole　
actually　vanished　into　air；　it　could　not　have　shot　from　my　sight　in　a　
more　abrupt　and　instantaneous　manner。　Positively；　there　could　not　
have　intervened　the　tenth　part　of　a　second　between　the　disengagement　
of　the　basket　and　its　absolute　and　total　disappearance　with　all　that　
it　contained。　My　good　wishes　followed　it　to　the　earth；　but　of　course；　
I　had　no　hope　that　either　cat　or　kittens　would　ever　live　to　tell　the　
tale　of　their　misfortune。

〃At　six　o'clock；　I　perceived　a　great　portion　of　the　earth's　visible　
area　to　the　eastward　involved　in　thick　shadow；　which　continued　to　
advance　with　great　rapidity；　until；　at　five　minutes　before　seven；　the　
whole　surface　in　view　was　enveloped　in　the　darkness　of　night。　It　was　
not；　however；　until　long　after　this　time　that　the　rays　of　the　setting　
sun　ceased　to　illumine　the　balloon；　and　this　circumstance；　although　
of　course　fully　anticipated；　did　not　fail　to　give　me　an　infinite　deal　
of　pleasure。　It　was　evident　that；　in　the　morning；　I　should　behold　the　
rising　luminary　many　hours　at　least　before　the　citizens　of　Rotterdam；　
in　spite　of　their　situation　so　much　farther　to　the　eastward；　and　
thus；　day　after　day；　in　proportion　to　the　height　ascended；　would　I　
enjoy　the　light　of　the　sun　for　a　longer　and　a　longer　period。　I　now　
determined　to　keep　a　journal　of　my　passage；　reckoning　the　days　from　
one　to　twenty…four　hours　continuously；　without　taking　into　
consideration　the　intervals　of　darkness。

〃At　ten　o'clock；　feeling　sleepy；　I　determined　to　lie　down　for　the　
rest　of　the　night；　but　here　a　difficulty　presented　itself；　which；　
obvious　as　it　may　appear；　had　escaped　my　attention　up　to　the　very　
moment　of　which　I　am　now　speaking。　If　I　went　to　sleep　as　I　proposed；　
how　could　the　atmosphere　in　the　chamber　be　regenerated　in　the　
interim？　To　breathe　it　for　more　than　an　hour；　at　the　farthest；　would　
be　a　matter　of　impossibility；　or；　if　even　this　term　could　be　extended　
to　an　hour　and　a　quarter；　the　most　ruinous　consequences　might　ensue。　
The　consideration　of　this　dilemma　gave　me　no　little　disquietude；　and　
it　will　hardly　be　believed；　that；　after　the　dangers　I　had　undergone；　
I　should　look　upon　this　business　in　so　serious　a　light；　as　to　give　up　
all　hope　of　accomplishing　my　ultimate　design；　and　finally　make　up　my　
mind　to　the　necessity　of　a　descent。　But　this　hesitation　was　only　
momentary。　I　reflected　that　man　is　the　veriest　slave　of　custom；　and　
that　many　points　in　the　routine　of　his　existence　are　deemed　
essentially　important；　which　are　only　so　at　all　by　his　having　
rendered　them　habitual。　It　was　very　certain　that　I　could　not　do　
without　sleep；　but　I　might　easily　bring　myself　to　feel　no　
inconvenience　from　being　awakened　at　intervals　of　an　hour　during　the　
whole　period　of　my　repose。　It　would　require　but　five　minutes　at　most　
to　regenerate　the　atmosphere　in　the　fullest　manner；　and　the　only　real　
difficulty　was　to　contrive　a　method　of　arousing　myself　at　the　proper　
moment　for　so　doing。　But　this　was　a　question　which；　I　am　willing　to　
confess；　occasioned　me　no　little　trouble　in　its　solution。　To　be　sure；　
I　had　heard　of　the　student　who；　to　prevent　his　falling　asleep　over　
his　books；　held　in　one　hand　a　ball　of　copper；　the　din　of　whose　
descent　into　a　basin　of　the　same　metal　on　the　floor　beside　his　chair；　
served　effectually　to　startle　him　up；　if；　at　any　moment；　he　should　be　
overcome　with　drowsiness。　My　own　case；　however；　was　very　different　
indeed；　and　left　me　no　room　for　any　similar　idea；　for　I　did　not　wish　
to　keep　awake；　but　to　be　aroused　from　slumber　at　regular　intervals　of　
time。　I　at　length　hit　upon　the　following　expedient；　which；　simple　as　
it　may　seem；　was　hailed　by　me；　at　the　moment　of　discovery；　as　an　
invention　fully　equal　to　that　of　the　telescope；　the　steam…engine；　or　
the　art　of　printing　itself。

〃It　is　necessary　to　premise；　that　the　balloon；　at　the　elevation　now　
attained；　continued　its　course　upward　with　an　even　and　undeviating　
ascent；　and　the　car　consequently　followed　with　a　steadiness　so　
perfect　that　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　detect　in　it　the　
slightest　vacillation　whatever。　This　circumstance　favored　me　greatly　
in　the　project　I　now　determined　to　adopt。　My　supply　of　water　had　been　
put　on　board　in　kegs　containing　five　gallons　each；　and　ranged　very　
securely　around　the　interior　of　the　car。　I　unfastened　one　of　these；　
and　taking　two　ropes　tied　them　tightly　across　the　rim　of　the　
wicker…work　from　one　side　to　the　other；　placing　them　about　a　foot　
apart　and　parallel　so　as　to　form　a　kind　of　shelf；　upon　which　I　placed　
the　keg；　and　steadied　it　in　a　horizontal　position。　About　eight　inches　
immediately　below　these　ropes；　and　four　feet　from　the　bottom　of　the　
car　I　fastened　another　shelf　　but　made　of　thin　plank；　being　the　
only　similar　piece　of　wood　I　had。　Upon　this　latter　shelf；　and　exactly　
beneath　one　of　the　rims　of　the　keg；　a　small　earthern　pitcher　was　
deposited。　I　now　bored　a　hole　in　the　end　of　the　keg　over　the　pitcher；　
and　fitted　in　a　plug　of　soft　wood；　cut　in　a　tapering　or　conical　
shape。　This　plug　I　pushed　in　or　pulled　out；　as　might　happen；　until；　
after　a　few　experiments；　it　arrived　at　that　exact　degree　of　
tightness；　at　which　the　water；　oozing　from　the　hole；　and　falling　into　
the　pitcher　below；　would　fill　the　latter　to　the　brim　in　the　period　of　
sixty　minutes。　This；　of　course；　was　a　matter　briefly　and　easily　
ascertained；　by　noticing　the　proportion　of　the　pitcher　filled　in　any　
given　time。　Having　arranged　all　this；　the　rest　of　the　plan　is　
obvious。　My　bed　was　so　contrived　upon　the　floor　of