the works of edgar allan poe-3-第21节

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voices；　when　the　stranger　would　appear　to　change　for　a　moment　her
intention；　and　again　hold　on　toward　us　　this　singular　conduct　being
repeated　two　or　three　times；　so　that　at　last　we　could　think　of　no
other　manner　of　accounting　for　it　than　by　supposing　the　helmsman　to
be　in　liquor。

　　　　No　person　was　seen　upon　her　decks　until　she　arrived　within　about
a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　us。　We　then　saw　three　seamen；　whom　by　their
dress　we　took　to　be　Hollanders。　Two　of　these　were　lying　on　some　old
sails　near　the　forecastle；　and　the　third；　who　appeared　to　be　looking
at　us　with　great　curiosity；　was　leaning　over　the　starboard　bow　near
the　bowsprit。　This　last　was　a　stout　and　tall　man；　with　a　very　dark
skin。　He　seemed　by　his　manner　to　be　encouraging　us　to　have　patience；
nodding　to　us　in　a　cheerful　although　rather　odd　way；　and　smiling
constantly；　so　as　to　display　a　set　of　the　most　brilliantly　white
teeth。　As　his　vessel　drew　nearer；　we　saw　a　red　flannel　cap　which　he
had　on　fall　from　his　head　into　the　water；　but　of　this　he　took　little
or　no　notice；　continuing　his　odd　smiles　and　gesticulations。　I　relate
these　things　and　circumstances　minutely；　and　I　relate　them；　it　must
be　understood；　precisely　as　they　_appeared　_to　us。

　　　　The　brig　came　on　slowly；　and　now　more　steadily　than　before；　and
　I　cannot　speak　calmly　of　this　event　　our　hearts　leaped　up　wildly
within　us；　and　we　poured　out　our　whole　souls　in　shouts　and
thanksgiving　to　God　for　the　complete；　unexpected；　and　glorious
deliverance　that　was　so　palpably　at　hand。　Of　a　sudden；　and　all　at
once；　there　came　wafted　over　the　ocean　from　the　strange　vessel　（which
was　now　close　upon　us）　a　smell；　a　stench；　such　as　the　whole　world　has
no　name　for　　no　conception　of　　hellish　　utterly　suffocating　
insufferable；　inconceivable。　I　gasped　for　breath；　and　turning　to　my
companions；　perceived　that　they　were　paler　than　marble。　But　we　had
now　no　time　left　for　question　or　surmise…　the　brig　was　within　fifty
feet　of　us；　and　it　seemed　to　be　her　intention　to　run　under　our
counter；　that　we　might　board　her　without　putting　out　a　boat。　We
rushed　aft；　when；　suddenly；　a　wide　yaw　threw　her　off　full　five　or　six
points　from　the　course　she　had　been　running；　and；　as　she　passed　under
our　stern　at　the　distance　of　about　twenty　feet；　we　had　a　full　view　of
her　decks。　Shall　I　ever　forget　the　triple　horror　of　that　spectacle？
Twenty…five　or　thirty　human　bodies；　among　whom　were　several　females；
lay　scattered　about　between　the　counter　and　the　galley　in　the　last
and　most　loathsome　state　of　putrefaction。　We　plainly　saw　that　not　a
soul　lived　in　that　fated　vessel！　Yet　we　could　not　help　shouting　to
the　dead　for　help！　Yes；　long　and　loudly　did　we　beg；　in　the　agony　of
the　moment；　that　those　silent　and　disgusting　images　would　stay　for
us；　would　not　abandon　us　to　become　like　them；　would　receive　us　among
their　goodly　company！　We　were　raving　with　horror　and　despair…
thoroughly　mad　through　the　anguish　of　our　grievous　disappointment。

　　　　As　our　first　loud　yell　of　terror　broke　forth；　it　was　replied　to
by　something；　from　near　the　bowsprit　of　the　stranger；　so　closely
resembling　the　scream　of　a　human　voice　that　the　nicest　ear　might　have
been　startled　and　deceived。　At　this　instant　another　sudden　yaw
brought　the　region　of　the　forecastle　for　a　moment　into　view；　and　we
beheld　at　once　the　origin　of　the　sound。　We　saw　the　tall　stout　figure
still　leaning　on　the　bulwark；　and　still　nodding　his　head　to　and　fro；
but　his　face　was　now　turned　from　us　so　that　we　could　not　behold　it。
His　arms　were　extended　over　the　rail；　and　the　palms　of　his　hands　fell
outward。　His　knees　were　lodged　upon　a　stout　rope；　tightly　stretched；
and　reaching　from　the　heel　of　the　bowsprit　to　a　cathead。　On　his　back；
from　which　a　portion　of　the　shirt　had　been　torn；　leaving　it　bare；
there　sat　a　huge　sea…gull；　busily　gorging　itself　with　the　horrible
flesh；　its　bill　and　talons　deep　buried；　and　its　white　plumage
spattered　all　over　with　blood。　As　the　brig　moved　farther　round　so　as
to　bring　us　close　in　view；　the　bird；　with　much　apparent　difficulty；
drew　out　its　crimsoned　head；　and；　after　eyeing　us　for　a　moment　as　if
stupefied；　arose　lazily　from　the　body　upon　which　it　had　been
feasting；　and；　flying　directly　above　our　deck；　hovered　there　a　while
with　a　portion　of　clotted　and　liver…like　substance　in　its　beak。　The
horrid　morsel　dropped　at　length　with　a　sullen　splash　immediately　at
the　feet　of　Parker。　May　God　forgive　me；　but　now；　for　the　first　time；
there　flashed　through　my　mind　a　thought；　a　thought　which　I　will　not
mention；　and　I　felt　myself　making　a　step　toward　the　ensanguined　spot。
I　looked　upward；　and　the　eyes　of　Augustus　met　my　own　with　a　degree　of
intense　and　eager　meaning　which　immediately　brought　me　to　my　senses。
I　sprang　forward　quickly；　and；　with　a　deep　shudder；　threw　the
frightful　thing　into　the　sea。

　　　　The　body　from　which　it　had　been　taken；　resting　as　it　did　upon　the
rope；　had　been　easily　swayed　to　and　fro　by　the　exertions　of　the
carnivorous　bird；　and　it　was　this　motion　which　had　at　first　impressed
us　with　the　belief　of　its　being　alive。　As　the　gull　relieved　it　of　its
weight；　it　swung　round　and　fell　partially　over；　so　that　the　face　was
fully　discovered。　Never；　surely；　was　any　object　so　terribly　full　of
awe！　The　eyes　were　gone；　and　the　whole　flesh　around　the　mouth；
leaving　the　teeth　utterly　naked。　This；　then；　was　the　smile　which　had
cheered　us　on　to　hope！　this　the　　but　I　forbear。　The　brig；　as　I　have
already　told；　passed　under　our　stern；　and　made　its　way　slowly　but
steadily　to　leeward。　With　her　and　with　her　terrible　crew　went　all　our
gay　visions　of　deliverance　and　joy。　Deliberately　as　she　went　by；　we
might　possibly　have　found　means　of　boarding　her；　had　not　our　sudden
disappointment　and　the　appalling　nature　of　the　discovery　which
accompanied　it　laid　entirely　prostrate　every　active　faculty　of　mind
and　body。　We　had　seen　and　felt；　but　we　could　neither　think　nor　act；
until；　alas！　too　late。　How　much　our　intellects　had　been　weakened　by
this　incident　may　be　estimated　by　the　fact；　that　when　the　vessel　had
proceeded　so　far　that　we　could　perceive　no　more　than　the　half　of　her
hull；　the　proposition　was　seriously　entertained　of　attempting　to
overtake　her　by　swimming！

　　　　I　have；　since　this　period；　vainly　endeavoured　to　obtain　some　clew
to　the　hideous　uncertainty　which　enveloped　the　fate　of　the　stranger。
Her　build　and　general　appearance；　as　I　have　before　stated；　led　us　to
the　belief　that　she　was　a　Dutch　trader；　and　the　dresses　of　the　crew
also　sustained　this　opinion。　We　might　have　easily　seen　the　name　upon
her　stern；　and；　indeed；　taken　other　observations；　which　would　have
guided　us　in　making　out　her　character；　but　the　intense　excitement　of
the　moment　blinded　us　to　every　thing　of　that　nature。　From　the
saffron…like　hue　of　such　of　the　corpses　as　were　not　entirely　decayed；
we　concluded　that　the　whole　of　her　company　had　perished　by　the　yellow
fever；　or　some　other　virulent　disease　of　the　same　fearful　kind。　If
such　were　the　case　（and　I　know　not　what　else　to　imagine）；　death；　to
judge　from　the　positions　of　the　bodies；　must　have　come　upon　them　in　a
manner　awfully　sudden　and　overwhelming；　in　a　way　totally　distinct
from　that　which　generally　characterizes　even　the　most　deadly
pestilences　with　which　mankind　are　acquainted。　It　is　possible；
indeed；　that　poison；　accidentally　introduced　into　some　of　their
sea…stores；　may　have　brought　about　the　disaster；　or　that　the　eating
of　some　unknown　venomous　species　of　fish；　or　other　marine　animal；　or
oceanic　bird；　might　have　induced　it　　but　it　is　utterly　useless　to
form　conjectures　where　all　is　involved；　and　will；　no　doubt；　remain
for　ever　involved；　in　the　most　appalling　and　unfathomable　mystery。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　10　~~~

CHAPTER　11



　　　　WE　spent　the　remainder　of　the　day　in　a　condition　of　stupid
lethargy；　gazing　after　the　retreating　vessel　until　the　darkness；
hiding　her　from　our　sight；　recalled　us　in　some　measure　to　our　senses。
The　pangs　of　hunger　and　thirst　then　returned；　absorbing　all　other
cares　and　considerations。　Nothing；　however；　could　be　done　until　the
morning；　and；　securing　ourselves　as　well　as　possible；　we　endeavoured
to　snatch　a　little　repose。　In　this　I　succeeded　beyond　my
expectations；　sleeping　until　my　companions；　who　had　not　been　so
fortunate；　aroused　me　at　daybreak　to　renew　our　attempts　at　getting　up
provisions　from　the　hull。

　　　　It　was　now　a　dead　calm；　with　the　sea　as　smooth　as　have　ever　known
it；　　the　weather　warm　and　pleasant。　The　brig　was　out　of　sight。　We
commenced　our　operations　by　wrenching　off；　with　some　trouble；　another
of　the　forechains；　and　having　fastened　both　to　Peters'　feet；　he　again
made　an　endeavour　to　reach　the　door　of　the　storeroom；　thinking　it
possible　that　he　might　be　able　to　force　it　open；　provided　he　could
get　at　it　in　sufficient　time；　and　this　he　hoped　to　do；　as　the　hulk
lay　much　more　steadily　than　before。

　　　　He　succeeded　very　quickly　in　reaching　the　door；　when；　loosening
one　of　the　chains　from　his　ankle；　be　made　every　exertion　to　force　the
passage　with　it；　but　in　vain；　the　framework　of　the　room　being　far
stronger　than　was　anticipated。　He　was　quite　exhausted　with　his　long
stay　under　water；　and　it　became　absolutely　n