the works of edgar allan poe-3-第12节

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close。_〃

　　　　This　slip　of　paper　being　tied　upon　the　dog；　he　was　now　put　down
the　hatchway；　and　Augustus　made　the　best　of　his　way　back　to　the
forecastle；　where　be　found　no　reason　to　believe　that　any　of　the　crew
had　been　in　his　absence。　To　conceal　the　hole　in　the　partition；　he
drove　his　knife　in　just　above　it；　and　hung　up　a　pea…jacket　which　he
found　in　the　berth。　His　handcuffs　were　then　replaced；　and　also　the
rope　around　his　ankles。

　　　　These　arrangements　were　scarcely　completed　when　Dirk　Peters　came
below；　very　drunk；　but　in　excellent　humour；　and　bringing　with　him　my
friend's　allowance　of　provision　for　the　day。　This　consisted　of　a
dozen　large　Irish　potatoes　roasted；　and　a　pitcher　of　water。　He　sat
for　some　time　on　a　chest　by　the　berth；　and　talked　freely　about　the
mate　and　the　general　concerns　of　the　brig。　His　demeanour　was
exceedingly　capricious；　and　even　grotesque。　At　one　time　Augustus　was
much　alarmed　by　odd　conduct。　At　last；　however；　he　went　on　deck；
muttering　a　promise　to　bring　his　prisoner　a　good　dinner　on　the
morrow。　During　the　day　two　of　the　crew　（harpooners）　came　down；
accompanied　by　the　cook；　all　three　in　nearly　the　last　stage　of
intoxication。　Like　Peters；　they　made　no　scruple　of　talking
unreservedly　about　their　plans。　It　appeared　that　they　were　much
divided　among　themselves　as　to　their　ultimate　course；　agreeing　in　no
point；　except　the　attack　on　the　ship　from　the　Cape　Verd　Islands；　with
which　they　were　in　hourly　expectation　of　meeting。　As　far　as　could　be
ascertained；　the　mutiny　had　not　been　brought　about　altogether　for　the
sake　of　booty；　a　private　pique　of　the　chief　mate's　against　Captain
Barnard　having　been　the　main　instigation。　There　now　seemed　to　be　two
principal　factions　among　the　crew…　one　headed　by　the　mate；　the　other
by　the　cook。　The　former　party　were　for　seizing　the　first　suitable
vessel　which　should　present　itself；　and　equipping　it　at　some　of　the
West　India　Islands　for　a　piratical　cruise。　The　latter　division；
however；　which　was　the　stronger；　and　included　Dirk　Peters　among　its
partisans；　were　bent　upon　pursuing　the　course　originally　laid　out　for
the　brig　into　the　South　Pacific；　there　either　to　take　whale；　or　act
otherwise；　as　circumstances　should　suggest。　The　representations　of
Peters；　who　had　frequently　visited　these　regions；　had　great　weight；
apparently；　with　the　mutineers；　wavering；　as　they　were；　between
half…engendered　notions　of　profit　and　pleasure。　He　dwelt　on　the　world
of　novelty　and　amusement　to　be　found　among　the　innumerable　islands　of
the　Pacific；　on　the　perfect　security　and　freedom　from　all　restraint
to　be　enjoyed；　but；　more　particularly；　on　the　deliciousness　of　the
climate；　on　the　abundant　means　of　good　living；　and　on　the　voluptuous
beauty　of　the　women。　As　yet；　nothing　had　been　absolutely　determined
upon；　but　the　pictures　of　the　hybrid　line…manager　were　taking　strong
hold　upon　the　ardent　imaginations　of　the　seamen；　and　there　was　every
possibility　that　his　intentions　would　be　finally　carried　into　effect。

　　　　The　three　men　went　away　in　about　an　hour；　and　no　one　else　entered
the　forecastle　all　day。　Augustus　lay　quiet　until　nearly　night。　He
then　freed　himself　from　the　rope　and　irons；　and　prepared　for　his
attempt。　A　bottle　was　found　in　one　of　the　berths；　and　this　he　filled
with　water　from　the　pitcher　left　by　Peters；　storing　his　pockets　at
the　same　time　with　cold　potatoes。　To　his　great　joy　he　also　came
across　a　lantern；　with　a　small　piece　of　tallow　candle　in　it。　This　he
could　light　at　any　moment；　as　be　had　in　his　possession　a　box　of
phosphorus　matches。　When　it　was　quite　dark；　he　got　through　the　hole
in　the　bulkhead；　having　taken　the　precaution　to　arrange　the
bedclothes　in　the　berth　so　as　to　convey　the　idea　of　a　person　covered
up。　When　through；　he　hung　up　the　pea…jacket　on　his　knife；　as　before；
to　conceal　the　aperture…　this　manoeuvre　being　easily　effected；　as　he
did　not　readjust　the　piece　of　plank　taken　out　until　afterward。　He　was
now　on　the　main　orlop　deck；　and　proceeded　to　make　his　way；　as　before；
between　the　upper　deck　and　the　oil…casks　to　the　main　hatchway。　Having
reached　this；　he　lit　the　piece　of　candle；　and　descended；　groping　with
extreme　difficulty　among　the　compact　stowage　of　the　hold。　In　a　few
moments　he　became　alarmed　at　the　insufferable　stench　and　the
closeness　of　the　atmosphere。　He　could　not　think　it　possible　that　I
had　survived　my　confinement　for　so　long　a　period　breathing　so
oppressive　an　air。　He　called　my　name　repeatedly；　but　I　made　him　no
reply；　and　his　apprehensions　seemed　thus　to　be　confirmed。　The　brig
was　rolling　violently；　and　there　was　so　much　noise　in　consequence；
that　it　was　useless　to　listen　for　any　weak　sound；　such　as　those　of　my
breathing　or　snoring。　He　threw　open　the　lantern；　and　held　it　as　high
as　possible；　whenever　an　opportunity　occurred；　in　order　that；　by
observing　the　light；　I　might；　if　alive；　be　aware　that　succor　was
approaching。　Still　nothing　was　heard　from　me；　and　the　supposition　of
my　death　began　to　assume　the　character　of　certainty。　He　determined；
nevertheless；　to　force　a　passage；　if　possible；　to　the　box；　and　at
least　ascertain　beyond　a　doubt　the　truth　of　his　surmises。　He　pushed
on　for　some　time　in　a　most　pitiable　state　of　anxiety；　until；　at
length；　he　found　the　pathway　utterly　blocked　up；　and　that　there　was
no　possibility　of　making　any　farther　way　by　the　course　in　which　he
had　set　out。　Overcome　now　by　his　feelings；　he　threw　himself　among　the
lumber　in　despair；　and　wept　like　a　child。　It　was　at　this　period　that
he　heard　the　crash　occasioned　by　the　bottle　which　I　had　thrown　down。
Fortunate；　indeed；　was　it　that　the　incident　occurred…　for；　upon　this
incident；　trivial　as　it　appears；　the　thread　of　my　destiny　depended。
Many　years　elapsed；　however；　before　I　was　aware　of　this　fact。　A
natural　shame　and　regret　for　his　weakness　and　indecision　prevented
Augustus　from　confiding　to　me　at　once　what　a　more　intimate　and
unreserved　communion　afterward　induced　him　to　reveal。　Upon　finding
his　further　progress　in　the　hold　impeded　by　obstacles　which　he　could
not　overcome；　he　had　resolved　to　abandon　his　attempt　at　reaching　me；
and　return　at　once　to　the　forecastle。　Before　condemning　him　entirely
on　this　head；　the　harassing　circumstances　which　embarrassed　him
should　be　taken　into　consideration。　The　night　was　fast　wearing　away；
and　his　absence　from　the　forecastle　might　be　discovered；　and　indeed
would　necessarily　be　so；　if　be　should　fail　to　get　back　to　the　berth
by　daybreak。　His　candle　was　expiring　in　the　socket；　and　there　would
be　the　greatest　difficulty　in　retracing　his　way　to　the　hatchway　in
the　dark。　It　must　be　allowed；　too；　that　he　had　every　good　reason　to
believe　me　dead；　in　which　event　no　benefit　could　result　to　me　from
his　reaching　the　box；　and　a　world　of　danger　would　be　encountered　to
no　purpose　by　himself。　He　had　repeatedly　called；　and　I　had　made　him
no　answer。　I　had　been　now　eleven　days　and　nights　with　no　more　water
than　that　contained　in　the　jug　which　he　had　left　with　me…　a　supply
which　it　was　not　at　all　probable　I　had　boarded　in　the　beginning　of　my
confinement；　as　I　had　every　cause　to　expect　a　speedy　release。　The
atmosphere　of　the　hold；　too；　must　have　appeared　to　him；　coming　from
the　comparatively　open　air　of　the　steerage；　of　a　nature　absolutely
poisonous；　and　by　far　more　intolerable　than　it　had　seemed　to　me　upon
my　first　taking　up　my　quarters　in　the　box…　the　hatchways　at　that　time
having　been　constantly　open　for　many　months　previous。　Add　to　these
considerations　that　of　the　scene　of　bloodshed　and　terror　so　lately
witnessed　by　my　friend；　his　confinement；　privations；　and　narrow
escapes　from　death；　together　with　the　frail　and　equivocal　tenure　by
which　he　still　existed…　circumstances　all　so　well　calculated　to
prostrate　every　energy　of　mind…　and　the　reader　will　be　easily
brought；　as　I　have　been；　to　regard　his　apparent　falling　off　in
friendship　and　in　faith　with　sentiments　rather　of　sorrow　than　of
anger。

　　　　The　crash　of　the　bottle　was　distinctly　heard；　yet　Augustus　was
not　sure　that　it　proceeded　from　the　hold。　The　doubt；　however；　was
sufficient　inducement　to　persevere。　He　clambered　up　nearly　to　the
orlop　deck　by　means　of　the　stowage；　and　then；　watching　for　a　lull　in
the　pitchings　of　the　vessel；　he　called　out　to　me　in　as　loud　a　tone　as
he　could　command；　regardless；　for　the　moment；　of　being　overheard　by
the　crew。　It　will　be　remembered　that　on　this　occasion　the　voice
reached　me；　but　I　was　so　entirely　overcome　by　violent　agitation　as　to
be　incapable　of　reply。　Confident；　now；　that　his　worst　apprehensions
were　well　founded；　be　descended；　with　a　view　of　getting　back　to　the
forecastle　without　loss　of　time。　In　his　haste　some　small　boxes　were
thrown　down；　the　noise　occasioned　by　which　I　heard；　as　will　be
recollected。　He　had　made　considerable　progress　on　his　return　when　the
fall　of　the　knife　again　caused　him　to　hesitate。　He　retraced　his　steps
immediately；　and；　clambering　up　the　stowage　a　second　time；　called　out
my　name；　loudly　as　before；　having　watched　for　a　lull。　This　time　I
found　voice　to　answer。　Overjoyed　at　discovering　me　to　be　still　alive；
he　now　resolved　to　brave　every　difficulty　and　danger　in　reaching　me。
Having　extricated　himself　as　quickly　as　possible　from　the