the works of edgar allan poe-1-第25节

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ideas　of　all。　We；　finally；　lightened　the　box　by　removing　two　thirds　
of　its　contents；　when　we　were　enabled；　with　some　trouble；　to　raise　it　
from　the　hole。　The　articles　taken　out　were　deposited　among　the　
brambles；　and　the　dog　left　to　guard　them；　with　strict　orders　from　
Jupiter　neither；　upon　any　pretence；　to　stir　from　the　spot；　nor　to　
open　his　mouth　until　our　return。　We　then　hurriedly　made　for　home　with　
the　chest；　reaching　the　hut　in　safety；　but　after　excessive　toil；　at　
one　o'clock　in　the　morning。　Worn　out　as　we　were；　it　was　not　in　human　
nature　to　do　more　immediately。　We　rested　until　two；　and　had　supper；　
starting　for　the　hills　immediately　afterwards；　armed　with　three　stout　
sacks；　which；　by　good　luck；　were　upon　the　premises。　A　little　before　
four　we　arrived　at　the　pit；　divided　the　remainder　of　the　booty；　as　
equally　as　might　be；　among　us；　and；　leaving　the　holes　unfilled；　again　
set　out　for　the　hut；　at　which；　for　the　second　time；　we　deposited　our　
golden　burthens；　just　as　the　first　faint　streaks　of　the　dawn　gleamed　
from　over　the　tree…tops　in　the　East。

　　　　We　were　now　thoroughly　broken　down；　but　the　intense　excitement　of　
the　time　denied　us　repose。　After　an　unquiet　slumber　of　some　three　or　
four　hours'　duration；　we　arose；　as　if　by　preconcert；　to　make　
examination　of　our　treasure。

　　　　The　chest　had　been　full　to　the　brim；　and　we　spent　the　whole　day；　
and　the　greater　part　of　the　next　night；　in　a　scrutiny　of　its　
contents。　There　had　been　nothing　like　order　or　arrangement。　Every　
thing　had　been　heaped　in　promiscuously。　Having　assorted　all　with　
care；　we　found　ourselves　possessed　of　even　vaster　wealth　than　we　had　
at　first　supposed。　In　coin　there　was　rather　more　than　four　hundred　
and　fifty　thousand　dollars　…　estimating　the　value　of　the　pieces；　as　
accurately　as　we　could；　by　the　tables　of　the　period。　There　was　not　a　
particle　of　silver。　All　was　gold　of　antique　date　and　of　great　variety　
…　French；　Spanish；　and　German　money；　with　a　few　English　guineas；　and　
some　counters；　of　which　we　had　never　seen　specimens　before。　There　
were　several　very　large　and　heavy　coins；　so　worn　that　we　could　make　
nothing　of　their　inscriptions。　There　was　no　American　money。　The　value　
of　the　jewels　we　found　more　difficulty　in　estimating。　There　were　
diamonds　…　some　of　them　exceedingly　large　and　fine　…　a　hundred　and　
ten　in　all；　and　not　one　of　them　small；　eighteen　rubies　of　remarkable　
brilliancy；　…　three　hundred　and　ten　emeralds；　all　very　beautiful；　and　
twenty…one　sapphires；　with　an　opal。　These　stones　had　all　been　broken　
from　their　settings　and　thrown　loose　in　the　chest。　The　settings　
themselves；　which　we　picked　out　from　among　the　other　gold；　appeared　
to　have　been　beaten　up　with　hammers；　as　if　to　prevent　identification。　
Besides　all　this；　there　was　a　vast　quantity　of　solid　gold　ornaments；　
…　nearly　two　hundred　massive　finger　and　earrings；　…　rich　chains　…　
thirty　of　these；　if　I　remember；　…　eighty…three　very　large　and　heavy　
crucifixes；　…　five　gold　censers　of　great　value；　…　a　prodigious　golden　
punch　bowl；　ornamented　with　richly　chased　vine…leaves　and　
Bacchanalian　figures；　with　two　sword…handles　exquisitely　embossed；　
and　many　other　smaller　articles　which　I　cannot　recollect。　The　weight　
of　these　valuables　exceeded　three　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　
avoirdupois；　and　in　this　estimate　I　have　not　included　one　hundred　and　
ninety…seven　superb　gold　watches；　three　of　the　number　being　worth　
each　five　hundred　dollars；　if　one。　Many　of　them　were　very　old；　and　as　
time　keepers　valueless；　the　works　having　suffered；　more　or　less；　from　
corrosion　…　but　all　were　richly　jewelled　and　in　cases　of　great　worth。　
We　estimated　the　entire　contents　of　the　chest；　that　night；　at　a　
million　and　a　half　of　dollars；　and　upon　the　subsequent　disposal　of　
the　trinkets　and　jewels　（a　　few　being　retained　for　our　own　
use）；　it　was　found　that　we　had　greatly　undervalued　the　treasure。　
When；　at　length；　we　had　concluded　our　examination；　and　the　intense　
excitement　of　the　time　had；　in　some　measure；　subsided；　Legrand；　who　
saw　that　I　was　dying　with　impatience　for　a　solution　of　this　most　
extraordinary　riddle；　entered　into　a　full　detail　of　all　the　
circumstances　connected　with　it。

　　　　〃You　remember；〃　said　he；　〃the　night　when　I　handed　you　the　rough　
sketch　I　had　made　of　the　scarab鎢s。　You　recollect　also；　that　I　became　
quite　vexed　at　you　for　insisting　that　my　drawing　resembled　a　
death's…head。　When　you　first　made　this　assertion　I　thought　you　were　
jesting；　but　afterwards　I　called　to　mind　the　peculiar　spots　on　the　
back　of　the　insect；　and　admitted　to　myself　that　your　remark　had　some　
little　foundation　in　fact。　Still；　the　sneer　at　my　graphic　powers　
irritated　me　…　for　I　am　considered　a　good　artist　…　and；　therefore；　
when　you　handed　me　the　scrap　of　parchment；　I　was　about　to　crumple　it　
up　and　throw　it　angrily　into　the　fire。〃

　　　　〃The　scrap　of　paper；　you　mean；〃　said　I。

　　　　〃No；　it　had　much　of　the　appearance　of　paper；　and　at　first　I　
supposed　it　to　be　such；　but　when　I　came　to　draw　upon　it；　I　discovered　
it；　at　once；　to　be　a　piece　of　very　thin　parchment。　It　was　quite　
dirty；　you　remember。　Well；　as　I　was　in　the　very　act　of　crumpling　it　
up；　my　glance　fell　upon　the　sketch　at　which　you　had　been　looking；　and　
you　may　imagine　my　astonishment　when　I　perceived；　in　fact；　the　figure　
of　a　death's…head　just　where；　it　seemed　to　me；　I　had　made　the　drawing　
of　the　beetle。　For　a　moment　I　was　too　much　amazed　to　think　with　
accuracy。　I　knew　that　my　design　was　very　different　in　detail　from　
this　…　although　there　was　a　certain　similarity　in　general　outline。　
Presently　I　took　a　candle；　and　seating　myself　at　the　other　end　of　the　
room；　proceeded　to　scrutinize　the　parchment　more　closely。　Upon　
turning　it　over；　I　saw　my　own　sketch　upon　the　reverse；　just　as　I　had　
made　it。　My　first　idea；　now；　was　mere　surprise　at　the　really　
remarkable　similarity　of　outline　…　at　the　singular　coincidence　
involved　in　the　fact；　that　unknown　to　me；　there　should　have　been　a　
skull　upon　the　other　side　of　the　parchment；　immediately　beneath　my　
figure　of　the　scarab鎢s；　and　that　this　skull；　not　only　in　outline；　
but　in　size；　should　so　closely　resemble　my　drawing。　I　say　
the　singularity　of　this　coincidence　absolutely　stupified　me　for　a　
time。　This　is　the　usual　effect　of　such　coincidences。　The　mind　
struggles　to　establish　a　connexion　…　a　sequence　of　cause　and　effect　…　
and；　being　unable　to　do　so；　suffers　a　species　of　temporary　paralysis。　
But；　when　I　recovered　from　this　stupor；　there　dawned　upon　me　
gradually　a　conviction　which　startled　me　even　far　more　than　the　
coincidence。　I　began　distinctly；　positively；　to　remember　that　there　
had　been　no　drawing　upon　the　parchment　when　I　made　my　sketch　of　the　
scarab鎢s。　I　became　perfectly　certain　of　this；　for　I　recollected　
turning　up　first　one　side　and　then　the　other；　in　search　of　the　
cleanest　spot。　Had　the　skull　been　then　there；　of　course　I　could　not　
have　failed　to　notice　it。　Here　was　indeed　a　mystery　which　I　felt　it　
impossible　to　explain；　but；　even　at　that　early　moment；　there　seemed　
to　glimmer；　faintly；　within　the　most　remote　and　secret　chambers　of　my　
intellect；　a　glow…worm…like　conception　of　that　truth　which　last　
night's　adventure　brought　to　so　magnificent　a　demonstration。　I　arose　
at　once；　and　putting　the　parchment　securely　away；　dismissed　all　
farther　reflection　until　I　should　be　alone。

　　　　〃When　you　had　gone；　and　when　Jupiter　was　fast　asleep；　I　betook　
myself　to　a　more　methodical　investigation　of　the　affair。　In　the　first　
place　I　considered　the　manner　in　which　the　parchment　had　come　into　my　
possession。　The　spot　where　we　discovered　the　scarabaeus　was　on　the　
coast　of　the　main　land；　about　a　mile　eastward　of　the　island；　and　but　
a　short　distance　above　high　water　mark。　Upon　my　taking　hold　of　it；　it　
gave　me　a　sharp　bite；　which　caused　me　to　let　it　drop。　Jupiter；　with　
his　accustomed　caution；　before　seizing　the　insect；　which　had　flown　
towards　him；　looked　about　him　for　a　leaf；　or　something　of　that　
nature；　by　which　to　take　hold　of　it。　It　was　at　this　moment　that　his　
eyes；　and　mine　also；　fell　upon　the　scrap　of　parchment；　which　I　then　
supposed　to　be　paper。　It　was　lying　half　buried　in　the　sand；　a　corner　
sticking　up。　Near　the　spot　where　we　found　it；　I　observed　the　remnants　
of　the　hull　of　what　appeared　to　have　been　a　ship's　long　boat。　The　
wreck　seemed　to　have　been　there　for　a　very　great　while；　for　the　
resemblance　to　boat　timbers　could　scarcely　be　traced。

　　　　〃Well；　Jupiter　picked　up　the　parchment；　wrapped　the　beetle　in　it；　
and　gave　it　to　me。　Soon　afterwards　we　turned　to　go　home；　and　on　the　
way　met　Lieutenant　G…。　I　showed　him　the　insect；　and　he　begged　me　to　
let　him　take　it　to　the　fort。　Upon　my　consenting；　he　thrust　it　
forthwith　into　his　waistcoat　pocket；　without　the　parchment　in　which　
it　had　been　wrapped；　and　which　I　had　continued　to　hold　in　my　hand　
during　his　inspection。　Perhaps　he　dreaded　my　changing　my　mind；　and　
thought　it　best　to　make　sure　of　the　prize　at　once　…　you　know　how　
enthusiastic　he　is　on　all　subjects　connected　with　Natural　History。　At　
the　same　time；　without　being　conscious　of　it；　I　must　have　deposited　
the　parchment　in　my　own　pocket。

　　　　〃You　remem