the works of edgar allan poe-1-第8章

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！


wicker…work；　and　in　which；　as　I　fell；　my　left　foot　became　most　
providentially　entangled。　It　is　impossible　　utterly　impossible　　
to　form　any　adequate　idea　of　the　horror　of　my　situation。　I　gasped　
convulsively　for　breath　　a　shudder　resembling　a　fit　of　the　ague　
agitated　every　nerve　and　muscle　of　my　frame　　I　felt　my　eyes　
starting　from　their　sockets　　a　horrible　nausea　overwhelmed　me　　
and　at　length　I　fainted　away。

〃How　long　I　remained　in　this　state　it　is　impossible　to　say。　It　must；　
however；　have　been　no　inconsiderable　time；　for　when　I　partially　
recovered　the　sense　of　existence；　I　found　the　day　breaking；　the　
balloon　at　a　prodigious　height　over　a　wilderness　of　ocean；　and　not　a　
trace　of　land　to　be　discovered　far　and　wide　within　the　limits　of　the　
vast　horizon。　My　sensations；　however；　upon　thus　recovering；　were　by　
no　means　so　rife　with　agony　as　might　have　been　anticipated。　Indeed；　
there　was　much　of　incipient　madness　in　the　calm　survey　which　I　began　
to　take　of　my　situation。　I　drew　up　to　my　eyes　each　of　my　hands；　one　
after　the　other；　and　wondered　what　occurrence　could　have　given　rise　
to　the　swelling　of　the　veins；　and　the　horrible　blackness　of　the　
fingemails。　I　afterward　carefully　examined　my　head；　shaking　it　
repeatedly；　and　feeling　it　with　minute　attention；　until　I　succeeded　
in　satisfying　myself　that　it　was　not；　as　I　had　more　than　half　
suspected；　larger　than　my　balloon。　Then；　in　a　knowing　manner；　I　felt　
in　both　my　breeches　pockets；　and；　missing　therefrom　a　set　of　tablets　
and　a　toothpick　case；　endeavored　to　account　for　their　disappearance；　
and　not　being　able　to　do　so；　felt　inexpressibly　chagrined。　It　now　
occurred　to　me　that　I　suffered　great　uneasiness　in　the　joint　of　my　
left　ankle；　and　a　dim　consciousness　of　my　situation　began　to　glimmer　
through　my　mind。　But；　strange　to　say！　I　was　neither　astonished　nor　
horror…stricken。　If　I　felt　any　emotion　at　all；　it　was　a　kind　of　
chuckling　satisfaction　at　the　cleverness　I　was　about　to　display　in　
extricating　myself　from　this　dilemma；　and　I　never；　for　a　moment；　
looked　upon　my　ultimate　safety　as　a　question　susceptible　of　doubt。　
For　a　few　minutes　I　remained　wrapped　in　the　profoundest　meditation。　I　
have　a　distinct　recollection　of　frequently　compressing　my　lips；　
putting　my　forefinger　to　the　side　of　my　nose；　and　making　use　of　other　
gesticulations　and　grimaces　common　to　men　who；　at　ease　in　their　
arm…chairs；　meditate　upon　matters　of　intricacy　or　importance。　Having；　
as　I　thought；　sufficiently　collected　my　ideas；　I　now；　with　great　
caution　and　deliberation；　put　my　hands　behind　my　back；　and　unfastened　
the　large　iron　buckle　which　belonged　to　the　waistband　of　my　
inexpressibles。　This　buckle　had　three　teeth；　which；　being　somewhat　
rusty；　turned　with　great　difficulty　on　their　axis。　I　brought　them；　
however；　after　some　trouble；　at　right　angles　to　the　body　of　the　
buckle；　and　was　glad　to　find　them　remain　firm　in　that　position。　
Holding　the　instrument　thus　obtained　within　my　teeth；　I　now　proceeded　
to　untie　the　knot　of　my　cravat。　I　had　to　rest　several　times　before　I　
could　accomplish　this　manoeuvre；　but　it　was　at　length　accomplished。　
To　one　end　of　the　cravat　I　then　made　fast　the　buckle；　and　the　other　
end　I　tied；　for　greater　security；　tightly　around　my　wrist。　Drawing　
now　my　body　upwards；　with　a　prodigious　exertion　of　muscular　force；　I　
succeeded；　at　the　very　first　trial；　in　throwing　the　buckle　over　the　
car；　and　entangling　it；　as　I　had　anticipated；　in　the　circular　rim　of　
the　wicker…work。

〃My　body　was　now　inclined　towards　the　side　of　the　car；　at　an　angle　of　
about　forty…five　degrees；　but　it　must　not　be　understood　that　I　was　
therefore　only　forty…five　degrees　below　the　perpendicular。　So　far　
from　it；　I　still　lay　nearly　level　with　the　plane　of　the　horizon；　for　
the　change　of　situation　which　I　had　acquired；　had　forced　the　bottom　
of　the　car　considerably　outwards　from　my　position；　which　was　
accordingly　one　of　the　most　imminent　and　deadly　peril。　It　should　be　
remembered；　however；　that　when　I　fell　in　the　first　instance；　from　the　
car；　if　I　had　fallen　with　my　face　turned　toward　the　balloon；　instead　
of　turned　outwardly　from　it；　as　it　actually　was；　or　if；　in　the　second　
place；　the　cord　by　which　I　was　suspended　had　chanced　to　hang　over　the　
upper　edge；　instead　of　through　a　crevice　near　the　bottom　of　the　car；　
　I　say　it　may　be　readily　conceived　that；　in　either　of　these　
supposed　cases；　I　should　have　been　unable　to　accomplish　even　as　much　
as　I　had　now　accomplished；　and　the　wonderful　adventures　of　Hans　
Pfaall　would　have　been　utterly　lost　to　posterity；　I　had　therefore　
every　reason　to　be　grateful；　although；　in　point　of　fact；　I　was　still　
too　stupid　to　be　anything　at　all；　and　hung　for；　perhaps；　a　quarter　of　
an　hour　in　that　extraordinary　manner；　without　making　the　slightest　
farther　exertion　whatsoever；　and　in　a　singularly　tranquil　state　of　
idiotic　enjoyment。　But　this　feeling　did　not　fail　to　die　rapidly　away；　
and　thereunto　succeeded　horror；　and　dismay；　and　a　chilling　sense　of　
utter　helplessness　and　ruin。　In　fact；　the　blood　so　long　accumulating　
in　the　vessels　of　my　head　and　throat；　and　which　had　hitherto　buoyed　
up　my　spirits　with　madness　and　delirium；　had　now　begun　to　retire　
within　their　proper　channels；　and　the　distinctness　which　was　thus　
added　to　my　perception　of　the　danger；　merely　served　to　deprive　me　of　
the　self…possession　and　courage　to　encounter　it。　But　this　weakness　
was；　luckily　for　me；　of　no　very　long　duration。　In　good　time　came　to　
my　rescue　the　spirit　of　despair；　and；　with　frantic　cries　and　
struggles；　I　jerked　my　way　bodily　upwards；　till　at　length；　clutching　
with　a　vise…like　grip　the　long…desired　rim；　I　writhed　my　person　over　
it；　and　fell　headlong　and　shuddering　within　the　car。

〃It　was　not　until　some　time　afterward　that　I　recovered　myself　
sufficiently　to　attend　to　the　ordinary　cares　of　the　balloon。　I　then；　
however；　examined　it　with　attention；　and　found　it；　to　my　great　
relief；　uninjured。　My　implements　were　all　safe；　and；　fortunately；　I　
had　lost　neither　ballast　nor　provisions。　Indeed；　I　had　so　well　
secured　them　in　their　places；　that　such　an　accident　was　entirely　out　
of　the　question。　Looking　at　my　watch；　I　found　it　six　o'clock。　I　was　
still　rapidly　ascending；　and　my　barometer　gave　a　present　altitude　of　
three　and　three…quarter　miles。　Immediately　beneath　me　in　the　ocean；　
lay　a　small　black　object；　slightly　oblong　in　shape；　seemingly　about　
the　size；　and　in　every　way　bearing　a　great　resemblance　to　one　of　
those　childish　toys　called　a　domino。　Bringing　my　telescope　to　bear　
upon　it；　I　plainly　discerned　it　to　be　a　British　ninety　four…gun　ship；　
close…hauled；　and　pitching　heavily　in　the　sea　with　her　head　to　the　
W。S。W。　Besides　this　ship；　I　saw　nothing　but　the　ocean　and　the　sky；　
and　the　sun；　which　had　long　arisen。

〃It　is　now　high　time　that　I　should　explain　to　your　Excellencies　the　
object　of　my　perilous　voyage。　Your　Excellencies　will　bear　in　mind　
that　distressed　circumstances　in　Rotterdam　had　at　length　driven　me　to　
the　resolution　of　committing　suicide。　It　was　not；　however；　that　to　
life　itself　I　had　any；　positive　disgust；　but　that　I　was　harassed　
beyond　endurance　by　the　adventitious　miseries　attending　my　situation。　
In　this　state　of　mind；　wishing　to　live；　yet　wearied　with　life；　the　
treatise　at　the　stall　of　the　bookseller　opened　a　resource　to　my　
imagination。　I　then　finally　made　up　my　mind。　I　determined　to　depart；　
yet　live　　to　leave　the　world；　yet　continue　to　exist　　in　short；　to　
drop　enigmas；　I　resolved；　let　what　would　ensue；　to　force　a　passage；　
if　I　could；　to　the　moon。　Now；　lest　I　should　be　supposed　more　of　a　
madman　than　I　actually　am；　I　will　detail；　as　well　as　I　am　able；　the　
considerations　which　led　me　to　believe　that　an　achievement　of　this　
nature；　although　without　doubt　difficult；　and　incontestably　full　of　
danger；　was　not　absolutely；　to　a　bold　spirit；　beyond　the　confines　of　
the　possible。

〃The　moon's　actual　distance　from　the　earth　was　the　first　thing　to　be　
attended　to。　Now；　the　mean　or　average　interval　between　the　centres　of　
the　two　planets　is　59。9643　of　the　earth's　equatorial　radii；　or　only　
about　237；000　miles。　I　say　the　mean　or　average　interval。　But　it　must　
be　borne　in　mind　that　the　form　of　the　moon's　orbit　being　an　ellipse　
of　eccentricity　amounting　to　no　less　than　0。05484　of　the　major　
semi…axis　of　the　ellipse　itself；　and　the　earth's　centre　being　
situated　in　its　focus；　if　I　could；　in　any　manner；　contrive　to　meet　
the　moon；　as　it　were；　in　its　perigee；　the　above　mentioned　distance　
would　be　materially　diminished。　But；　to　say　nothing　at　present　of　
this　possibility；　it　was　very　certain　that；　at　all　events；　from　the　
237；000　miles　I　would　have　to　deduct　the　radius　of　the　earth；　say　
4；000；　and　the　radius　of　the　moon；　say　1080；　in　all　5；080；　leaving　an　
actual　interval　to　be　traversed；　under　average　circumstances；　of　
231；920　miles。　Now　this；　I　reflected；　was　no　very　extraordinary　
distance。　Travelling　on　land　has　been　repeatedly　accomplished　at　the　
rate　of　thirty　miles　per　hour；　and　indeed　a　much　greater　speed　may　be　
anticipated。　But　even　at　this　velocity；　it　would　take　me　no　more　than　
322　days　to　reach　the　surface　of　the　moon。　There　were；　however；　many　
particulars　inducing　me　to　believe　that　my　average　rate　of　travelling　
might　possibly　very　much　exceed　that　of　thirty　miles　per　hour；　and；　
as　these　considerations　did　not　fail　to　make　a　deep　impression　upon　
my　mind；　I　will　mention　them　more　fully　hereafter。

〃The　next　point　to　be　regarded　was　a　matter　of　far　greater　
importance。　From　indications　afforded　by　the　barometer；　we　find　that；　
in　ascensions　from　the　surface　of　the　earth　we　have；　at　the　height　of　
1；000　feet；　left　below　us　about　one…thirtieth　of　the　entire　mass　of　
atmospheric　air；　that　at　10；600　we　have　ascended　through　nearly　
one…third；　and　that　at　18；000；　which　is　not　far　from　the　elevation　of　
Cotopaxi；　we　have　surmounted　one…half　the　material；　or；　at　all　
events；　one…half　the　ponderable；　body　of　air　incumbent　upon　our　
globe。　It　is　also　calculated　that　at　an　altitude　not　exceeding　the　
hundredth　part　of　the　earth's　diameter　　that　is；　not　exceeding　
eighty　miles　　the　rarefaction　would　be　so　excessive　that　animal　
life　could　in　no　manner　be　sustained；　and；　moreover；　that　the　most　
delicate　means　we　possess　of　ascertaining　the　presence　of　the　
atmosphere　would　be　inadequate　to　assure　us　of　its　existence。　But　I　
did　not　fail　to　perceive　that　these　latter　calculations　are　founded　
altogether　on　our　experimental　knowledge　of　the　properties　of　air；　
and　the　mechanical　laws　regulating　its　dilation　and　compression；　in　
what　may　be　called；　comparatively　speaking；　the　immediate　vicinity　of　
the　earth　itself；　and；　at　the　same　time；　it　is　taken　for　granted　that　
animal　life　is　and　must　be　essentially　incapable　of　modification　at　
any　given　unattainable　distance　from　the　surface。　Now；　all　such　
reasoning　and　from　such　data　must；　of　course；　be　simply　analogical。　
The　greatest　height　ever　reached　by　man　was　that　of　25；000　feet；　
attained　in　the　aeronautic　expedition　of　Messieurs　Gay…Lussac　and　
Biot。　This　is　a　moderate　altitude；　even　when　compared　with　the　eighty　
miles　in　question；　and　I　could　not　help