the works of edgar allan poe-3-第24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！


gathered　around　us　might　have　an　opportunity　of　lifting；　when　it　was
possible　that　the　ship　we　had　seen　might　be　again　in　sight。　After
great　difficulty　I　obtained　from　them　a　promise　to　wait　thus　long；
and；　as　I　had　anticipated　（a　breeze　rapidly　coming　in）；　the　fog
lifted　before　the　hour　had　expired；　when；　no　vessel　appearing　in
sight；　we　prepared　to　draw　lots。

　　　　It　is　with　extreme　reluctance　that　I　dwell　upon　the　appalling
scene　which　ensued；　a　scene　which；　with　its　minutest　details；　no
after　events　have　been　able　to　efface　in　the　slightest　degree　from　my
memory；　and　whose　stern　recollection　will　embitter　every　future
moment　of　my　existence。　Let　me　run　over　this　portion　of　my　narrative
with　as　much　haste　as　the　nature　of　the　events　to　be　spoken　of　will
permit。　The　only　method　we　could　devise　for　the　terrific　lottery；　in
which　we　were　to　take　each　a　chance；　was　that　of　drawing　straws。
Small　splinters　of　wood　were　made　to　answer　our　purpose；　and　it　was
agreed　that　I　should　be　the　holder。　I　retired　to　one　end　of　the　hulk；
while　my　poor　companions　silently　took　up　their　station　in　the　other
with　their　backs　turned　toward　me。　The　bitterest　anxiety　which　I
endured　at　any　period　of　this　fearful　drama　was　while　I　occupied
myself　in　the　arrangement　of　the　lots。　There　are　few　conditions　into
which　man　can　possibly　fall　where　he　will　not　feel　a　deep　interest　in
the　preservation　of　his　existence；　an　interest　momentarily　increasing
with　the　frailness　of　the　tenure　by　which　that　existence　may　be　held。
But　now　that　the　silent；　definite；　and　stern　nature　of　the　business
in　which　I　was　engaged　（so　different　from　the　tumultuous　dangers　of
the　storm　or　the　gradually　approaching　horrors　of　famine）　allowed　me
to　reflect　on　the　few　chances　I　had　of　escaping　the　most　appalling　of
deaths…　a　death　for　the　most　appalling　of　purposes…　every　particle　of
that　energy　which　had　so　long　buoyed　me　up　departed　like　feathers
before　the　wind；　leaving　me　a　helpless　prey　to　the　most　abject　and
pitiable　terror。　I　could　not；　at　first；　even　summon　up　sufficient
strength　to　tear　and　fit　together　the　small　splinters　of　wood；　my
fingers　absolutely　refusing　their　office；　and　my　knees　knocking
violently　against　each　other。　My　mind　ran　over　rapidly　a　thousand
absurd　projects　by　which　to　avoid　becoming　a　partner　in　the　awful
speculation。　I　thought　of　falling　on　my　knees　to　my　companions；　and
entreating　them　to　let　me　escape　this　necessity；　of　suddenly　rushing
upon　them；　and；　by　putting　one　of　them　to　death；　of　rendering　the
decision　by　lot　useless…　in　short；　of　every　thing　but　of　going
through　with　the　matter　I　had　in　hand。　At　last；　after　wasting　a　long
time　in　this　imbecile　conduct；　I　was　recalled　to　my　senses　by　the
voice　of　Parker；　who　urged　me　to　relieve　them　at　once　from　the
terrible　anxiety　they　were　enduring。　Even　then　I　could　not　bring
myself　to　arrange　the　splinters　upon　the　spot；　but　thought　over　every
species　of　finesse　by　which　I　could　trick　some　one　of　my
fellow…sufferers　to　draw　the　short　straw；　as　it　had　been　agreed　that
whoever　drew　the　shortest　of　four　splinters　from　my　hand　was　to　die
for　the　preservation　of　the　rest。　Before　any　one　condemn　me　for　this
apparent　heartlessness；　let　him　be　placed　in　a　situation　precisely
similar　to　my　own。

　　　　At　length　delay　was　no　longer　possible；　and；　with　a　heart　almost
bursting　from　my　bosom；　I　advanced　to　the　region　of　the　forecastle；
where　my　companions　were　awaiting　me。　I　held　out　my　hand　with　the
splinters；　and　Peters　immediately　drew。　He　was　free…　his；　at　least；
was　not　the　shortest；　and　there　was　now　another　chance　against　my
escape。　I　summoned　up　all　my　strength；　and　passed　the　lots　to
Augustus。　He　also　drew　immediately；　and　he　also　was　free；　and　now；
whether　I　should　live　or　die；　the　chances　were　no　more　than　precisely
even。　At　this　moment　all　the　fierceness　of　the　tiger　possessed　my
bosom；　and　I　felt　toward　my　poor　fellow…creature；　Parker；　the　most
intense；　the　most　diabolical　hatred。　But　the　feeling　did　not　last；
and；　at　length；　with　a　convulsive　shudder　and　closed　eyes；　I　held　out
the　two　remaining　splinters　toward　him。　It　was　fully　five　minutes
before　he　could　summon　resolution　to　draw；　during　which　period　of
heartrending　suspense　I　never　once　opened　my　eyes。　Presently　one　of
the　two　lots　was　quickly　drawn　from　my　hand。　The　decision　was　then
over；　yet　I　knew　not　whether　it　was　for　me　or　against　me。　No　one
spoke；　and　still　I　dared　not　satisfy　myself　by　looking　at　the
splinter　I　held。　Peters　at　length　took　me　by　the　hand；　and　I　forced
myself　to　look　up；　when　I　immediately　saw　by　the　countenance　of
Parker　that　I　was　safe；　and　that　he　it　was　who　had　been　doomed　to
suffer。　Gasping　for　breath；　I　fell　senseless　to　the　deck。

　　　　I　recovered　from　my　swoon　in　time　to　behold　the　consummation　of
the　tragedy　in　the　death　of　him　who　had　been　chiefly　instrumental　in
bringing　it　about。　He　made　no　resistance　whatever；　and　was　stabbed　in
the　back　by　Peters；　when　he　fell　instantly　dead。　I　must　not　dwell
upon　the　fearful　repast　which　immediately　ensued。　Such　things　may　be
imagined；　but　words　have　no　power　to　impress　the　mind　with　the
exquisite　horror　of　their　reality。　Let　it　suffice　to　say　that；　having
in　some　measure　appeased　the　raging　thirst　which　consumed　us　by　the
blood　of　the　victim；　and　having　by　common　consent　taken　off　the
hands；　feet；　and　head；　throwing　them　together　with　the　entrails；　into
the　sea；　we　devoured　the　rest　of　the　body；　piecemeal；　during　the　four
ever　memorable　days　of　the　seventeenth；　eighteenth；　nineteenth；　and
twentieth　of　the　month。

　　　　　On　the　nineteenth；　there　coming　on　a　smart　shower　which　lasted
fifteen　or　twenty　minutes；　we　contrived　to　catch　some　water　by　means
of　a　sheet　which　had　been　fished　up　from　the　cabin　by　our　drag　just
after　the　gale。　The　quantity　we　took　in　all　did　not　amount　to　more
than　half　a　gallon；　but　even　this　scanty　allowance　supplied　us　with
comparative　strength　and　hope。

　　　　On　the　twenty…first　we　were　again　reduced　to　the　last　necessity。
The　weather　still　remained　warm　and　pleasant；　with　occasional　fogs
and　light　breezes；　most　usually　from　N。　to　W。

　　　　On　the　twenty…second；　as　we　were　sitting　close　huddled　together；
gloomily　revolving　over　our　lamentable　condition；　there　flashed
through　my　mind　all　at　once　an　idea　which　inspired　me　with　a　bright
gleam　of　hope。　I　remembered　that；　when　the　foremast　had　been　cut
away；　Peters；　being　in　the　windward　chains；　passed　one　of　the　axes
into　my　hand；　requesting　me　to　put　it；　if　possible；　in　a　place　of
security；　and　that　a　few　minutes　before　the　last　heavy　sea　struck　the
brig　and　filled　her　I　had　taken　this　axe　into　the　forecastle　and　laid
it　in　one　of　the　larboard　berths。　I　now　thought　it　possible　that；　by
getting　at　this　axe；　we　might　cut　through　the　deck　over　the
storeroom；　and　thus　readily　supply　ourselves　with　provisions。

　　　　When　I　communicated　this　object　to　my　companions；　they　uttered　a
feeble　shout　of　joy；　and　we　all　proceeded　forthwith　to　the
forecastle。　The　difficulty　of　descending　here　was　greater　than　that
of　going　down　in　the　cabin；　the　opening　being　much　smaller；　for　it
will　be　remembered　that　the　whole　framework　about　the　cabin
companion…hatch　had　been　carried　away；　whereas　the　forecastle…way；
being　a　simple　hatch　of　only　about　three　feet　square；　had　remained
uninjured。　I　did　not　hesitate；　however；　to　attempt　the　descent；　and　a
rope　being　fastened　round　my　body　as　before；　I　plunged　boldly　in；
feet　foremost；　made　my　way　quickly　to　the　berth；　and　at　the　first
attempt　brought　up　the　axe。　It　was　hailed　with　the　most　ecstatic　joy
and　triumph；　and　the　ease　with　which　it　had　been　obtained　was
regarded　as　an　omen　of　our　ultimate　preservation。

　　　　We　now　commenced　cutting　at　the　deck　with　all　the　energy　of
rekindled　hope；　Peters　and　myself　taking　the　axe　by　turns；　Augustus's
wounded　arm　not　permitting　him　to　aid　us　in　any　degree。　As　we　were
still　so　feeble　as　to　be　scarcely　able　to　stand　unsupported；　and
could　consequently　work　but　a　minute　or　two　without　resting；　it　soon
became　evident　that　many　long　hours　would　be　necessary　to　accomplish
our　task…　that　is；　to　cut　an　opening　sufficiently　large　to　admit　of　a
free　access　to　the　storeroom。　This　consideration；　however；　did　not
discourage　us；　and；　working　all　night　by　the　light　of　the　moon；　we
succeeded　in　effecting　our　purpose　by　daybreak　on　the　morning　of　the
twenty…third。

　　　　Peters　now　volunteered　to　go　down；　and；　having　made　all
arrangements　as　before；　he　descended；　and　soon　returned　bringing　up
with　him　a　small　jar；　which；　to　our　great　joy；　proved　to　be　full　of
olives。　Having　shared　these　among　us；　and　devoured　them　with　the
greatest　avidity；　we　proceeded　to　let　him　down　again。　This　time　he
succeeded　beyond　our　utmost　expectations；　returning　instantly　with　a
large　ham　and　a　bottle　of　Madeira　wine。　Of　the　latter　we　each　took　a
moderate　sup；　having　learned　by　experience　the　pernicious
consequences　of　indulging　too　freely。　The　ham；　except　about　two
pounds　near　the　bone；　was　not　in　a　condition　to　be　eaten；　having　been
entirely　spoiled　by　the　salt　water。　The　sound　part　was　divided　among
us。　Peters　and　Augustus；　not　being　able　to　restrain