the works of edgar allan poe-3-第1章

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The　Works　of　Edgar　Allan　Poe

Volume　3　of　the　Raven　Edition




IN　FIVE　VOLUMES



Contents　Volume　III

Narrative　of　A。　Gordon　Pym
Ligeia
Morella
A　Tale　of　the　Ragged　Mountains
The　Spectacles
King　Pest
Three　Sundays　in　a　Week




NARRATIVE　OF　A。　GORDON　PYM

INTRODUCTORY　NOTE

UPON　my　return　to　the　United　States　a　few　months　ago；　after　the
extraordinary　series　of　adventure　in　the　South　Seas　and　elsewhere；　of
which　an　account　is　given　in　the　following　pages；　accident　threw　me
into　the　society　of　several　gentlemen　in　Richmond；　Va。；　who　felt　deep
interest　in　all　matters　relating　to　the　regions　I　had　visited；　and
who　were　constantly　urging　it　upon　me；　as　a　duty；　to　give　my
narrative　to　the　public。　I　had　several　reasons；　however；　for
declining　to　do　so；　some　of　which　were　of　a　nature　altogether
private；　and　concern　no　person　but　myself；　others　not　so　much　so。　One
consideration　which　deterred　me　was　that；　having　kept　no　journal
during　a　greater　portion　of　the　time　in　which　I　was　absent；　I　feared
I　should　not　be　able　to　write；　from　mere　memory；　a　statement　so
minute　and　connected　as　to　have　the　_appearance　_of　that　truth　it
would　really　possess；　barring　only　the　natural　and　unavoidable
exaggeration　to　which　all　of　us　are　prone　when　detailing　events　which
have　had　powerful　influence　in　exciting　the　imaginative　faculties。
Another　reason　was；　that　the　incidents　to　be　narrated　were　of　a
nature　so　positively　marvellous　that；　unsupported　as　my　assertions
must　necessarily　be　（except　by　the　evidence　of　a　single　individual；
and　he　a　half…breed　Indian）；　I　could　only　hope　for　belief　among　my
family；　and　those　of　my　friends　who　have　had　reason；　through　life；　to
put　faith　in　my　veracity…the　probability　being　that　the　public　at
large　would　regard　what　I　should　put　forth　as　merely　an　impudent　and
ingenious　fiction。　A　distrust　in　my　own　abilities　as　a　writer　was；
nevertheless；　one　of　the　principal　causes　which　prevented　me　from
complying　with　the　suggestions　of　my　advisers。

Among　those　gentlemen　in　Virginia　who　expressed　the　greatest　interest
in　my　statement；　more　particularly　in　regard　to　that　portion　of　it
which　related　to　the　Antarctic　Ocean；　was　Mr。　Poe；　lately　editor　of
the　〃Southern　Literary　Messenger；〃　a　monthly　magazine；　published　by
Mr。　Thomas　W。　White；　in　the　city　of　Richmond。　He　strongly　advised　me；
among　others；　to　prepare　at　once　a　full　account　of　what　I　had　seen
and　undergone；　and　trust　to　the　shrewdness　and　common…sense　of　the
public…insisting；　with　great　plausibility；　that　however　roughly；　as
regards　mere　authorship；　my　book　should　be　got　up；　its　very
uncouthness；　if　there　were　any；　would　give　it　all　the　better　chance
of　being　received　as　truth。

Notwithstanding　this　representation；　I　did　not　make　up　my　mind　to　do
as　he　suggested。　He　afterward　proposed　（finding　that　I　would　not　stir
in　the　matter）　that　I　should　allow　him　to　draw　up；　in　his　own　words；
a　narrative　of　the　earlier　portion　of　my　adventures；　from　facts
afforded　by　myself；　publishing　it　in　the　〃Southern　Messenger〃　_under
the　garb　of　fiction。　_To　this；　perceiving　no　objection；　I　consented；
stipulating　only　that　my　real　name　should　be　retained。　Two　numbers　of
the　pretended　fiction　appeared；　consequently；　in　the　〃Messenger〃　for
January　and　February　（1837）；　and；　in　order　that　it　might　certainly　be
regarded　as　fiction；　the　name　of　Mr。　Poe　was　affixed　to　the　articles
in　the　table　of　contents　of　the　magazine。

The　manner　in　which　this　ruse　was　received　has　induced　me　at　length
to　undertake　a　regular　compilation　and　publication　of　the　adventures
in　question；　for　I　found　that；　in　spite　of　the　air　of　fable　which　had
been　so　ingeniously　thrown　around　that　portion　of　my　statement　which
appeared　in　the　〃Messenger〃　（without　altering　or　distorting　a　single
fact）；　the　public　were　still　not　at　all　disposed　to　receive　it　as
fable；　and　several　letters　were　sent　to　Mr。　P。's　address；　distinctly
expressing　a　conviction　to　the　contrary。　I　thence　concluded　that　the
facts　of　my　narrative　would　prove　of　such　a　nature　as　to　carry　with
them　sufficient　evidence　of　their　own　authenticity；　and　that　I　had
consequently　little　to　fear　on　the　score　of　popular　incredulity。

This_　expos？_being　made；　it　will　be　seen　at　once　how　much　of　what
follows　I　claim　to　be　my　own　writing；　and　it　will　also　be　understood
that　no　fact　is　misrepresented　in　the　first　few　pages　which　were
written　by　Mr。　Poe。　Even　to　those　readers　who　have　not　seen　the
〃Messenger；〃　it　will　be　unnecessary　to　point　out　where　his　portion
ends　and　my　own　commences；　the　difference　in　point　of　style　will　be
readily　perceived。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A。　G。　PYM。

CHAPTER　1



　　　　MY　name　is　Arthur　Gordon　Pym。　My　father　was　a　respectable　trader
in　sea…stores　at　Nantucket；　where　I　was　born。　My　maternal　grandfather
was　an　attorney　in　good　practice。　He　was　fortunate　in　every　thing；
and　had　speculated　very　successfully　in　stocks　of　the　Edgarton　New
Bank；　as　it　was　formerly　called。　By　these　and　other　means　he　had
managed　to　lay　by　a　tolerable　sum　of　money。　He　was　more　attached　to
myself；　I　believe；　than　to　any　other　person　in　the　world；　and　I
expected　to　inherit　the　most　of　his　property　at　his　death。　He　sent
me；　at　six　years　of　age；　to　the　school　of　old　Mr。　Ricketts；　a
gentleman　with　only　one　arm　and　of　eccentric　manners　　he　is　well
known　to　almost　every　person　who　has　visited　New　Bedford。　I　stayed　at
his　school　until　I　was　sixteen；　when　I　left　him　for　Mr。　E。　Ronald's
academy　on　the　hill。　Here　I　became　intimate　with　the　son　of　Mr。
Barnard；　a　sea…captain；　who　generally　sailed　in　the　employ　of　Lloyd
and　Vredenburgh　　Mr。　Barnard　is　also　very　well　known　in　New
Bedford；　and　has　many　relations；　I　am　certain；　in　Edgarton。　His　son
was　named　Augustus；　and　he　was　nearly　two　years　older　than　myself。　He
had　been　on　a　whaling　voyage　with　his　father　in　the　John　Donaldson；
and　was　always　talking　to　me　of　his　adventures　in　the　South　Pacific
Ocean。　I　used　frequently　to　go　home　with　him；　and　remain　all　day；　and
sometimes　all　night。　We　occupied　the　same　bed；　and　he　would　be　sure
to　keep　me　awake　until　almost　light；　telling　me　stories　of　the
natives　of　the　Island　of　Tinian；　and　other　places　he　had　visited　in
his　travels。　At　last　I　could　not　help　being　interested　in　what　he
said；　and　by　degrees　I　felt　the　greatest　desire　to　go　to　sea。　I　owned
a　sailboat　called　the　Ariel；　and　worth　about　seventy…five　dollars。
She　had　a　half…deck　or　cuddy；　and　was　rigged　sloop…fashion　　I
forget　her　tonnage；　but　she　would　hold　ten　persons　without　much
crowding。　In　this　boat　we　were　in　the　habit　of　going　on　some　of　the
maddest　freaks　in　the　world；　and；　when　I　now　think　of　them；　it
appears　to　me　a　thousand　wonders　that　I　am　alive　to…day。

　　　　I　will　relate　one　of　these　adventures　by　way　of　introduction　to　a
longer　and　more　momentous　narrative。　One　night　there　was　a　party　at
Mr。　Barnard's；　and　both　Augustus　and　myself　were　not　a　little
intoxicated　toward　the　close　of　it。　As　usual；　in　such　cases；　I　took
part　of　his　bed　in　preference　to　going　home。　He　went　to　sleep；　as　I
thought；　very　quietly　（it　being　near　one　when　the　party　broke　up）；
and　without　saying　a　word　on　his　favorite　topic。　It　might　have　been
half　an　hour　from　the　time　of　our　getting　in　bed；　and　I　was　just
about　falling　into　a　doze；　when　he　suddenly　started　up；　and　swore
with　a　terrible　oath　that　he　would　not　go　to　sleep　for　any　Arthur　Pym
in　Christendom；　when　there　was　so　glorious　a　breeze　from　the
southwest。　I　never　was　so　astonished　in　my　life；　not　knowing　what　he
intended；　and　thinking　that　the　wines　and　liquors　he　had　drunk　had
set　him　entirely　beside　himself。　He　proceeded　to　talk　very　coolly；
however；　saying　he　knew　that　I　supposed　him　intoxicated；　but　that　he
was　never　more　sober　in　his　life。　He　was　only　tired；　he　added；　of
lying　in　bed　on　such　a　fine　night　like　a　dog；　and　was　determined　to
get　up　and　dress；　and　go　out　on　a　frolic　with　the　boat。　I　can　hardly
tell　what　possessed　me；　but　the　words　were　no　sooner　out　of　his　mouth
than　I　felt　a　thrill　of　the　greatest　excitement　and　pleasure；　and
thought　his　mad　idea　one　of　the　most　delightful　and　most　reasonable
things　in　the　world。　It　was　blowing　almost　a　gale；　and　the　weather
was　very　cold　　it　being　late　in　October。　I　sprang　out　of　bed；
nevertheless；　in　a　kind　of　ecstasy；　and　told　him　I　was　quite　as　brave
as　himself；　and　quite　as　tired　as　he　was　of　lying　in　bed　like　a　dog；
and　quite　as　ready　for　any　fun　or　frolic　as　any　Augustus　Barnard　in
Nantucket。

　　　　We　lost　no　time　in　getting　on　our　clothes　and　hurrying　down　to
the　boat。　She　was　lying　at　the　old　decayed　wharf　by　the　lumber…yard
of　Pankey　&　Co。；　and　almost　thumping　her　side　out　against　the　rough
logs。　Augustus　got　into　her　and　bailed　her；　for　she　was　nearly　half
full　of　water。　This　being　done；　we　hoisted　jib　and　mainsail；　kept
full；　and　started　boldly　out　to　sea。

　　　　The　wind；　as　I　before　said；　blew　freshly　from　the　southwest。　The
night　was　very　clear　and　cold。　Augustus　had　taken　the　helm；　and　I
stationed　myself　by　the　mast；　on　the　deck　of　the　cuddy。　We　flew　along
at　a　great　rate　　neither　of　us　having　said　a　word　since　casting
loose　from　the　wharf。　I　now　asked　my　companion　what　course　he
intended　to　steer；　and　what　time　he　thought　it　probable　we　should　get
back。　He　whistled　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then　said　crustily：　〃_I_　am
going　to　sea　　_you_　may　go　home　if　you　think　proper。〃　Turning　my
eyes　upon　him；　I　perceived　at　once　that；　in　spite　of　his　assumed
_nonchalance_；　he　was　greatly　agitated。　I　could　see　him　distinctly　by
the　light　of　the　moon　　his　face　was　paler　than　any　marble；　and　his
hand　shook　so　excessively　that　he　could　scarcely　retain　hold　of　the
tiller。　I　found　that　something　had　gone　wrong；　and　became　seriously
alarmed。　At　this　period　I　knew　little　about　the　management　of　a　boat；
and　was　now　depending　entirely　upon　the　nautical　skill　of　my　friend。
The　wind；　too；　had　suddenly　increased；　as　we　were　fast　getting　out　of
the　lee　of　the　land　　still　I　was　ashamed　to　betray　any　trepidation；
and　for　almost　half　an　hour　maintained　a　resolute　silence。　I　could
stand　it　no　longer；　however；　and　spoke　to　Augustus　about　the
propriety　of　turning　back。　As　before；　it　was　nearly　a　minute　before
he　made　answer；　or　took　any　notice　of　my　suggestion。　〃By…and…by；〃
said　he　at　length　　〃time　enough　　home　by…and…by。〃　I　had　expected
a　similar　reply；　but　there　was　something　in　the　tone　of　these　words
which　filled　me　with　an　indescribable　feeling　of　dread。　I　again
looked　at　the　speaker　attentively。　His　lips　were　perfectly　livid；　and
his　knees　shook　so　violently　together　that　he　seemed　scarcely　able　to
stand。　〃For　God's　sake；　Augustus；〃　I　screamed；　now　heartily
frightened；　〃what　ails　you？…　what　is　the　matter？…　what　_are_　you
going　to　do？〃　〃Matter！〃　he　stammered；　in　the　greatest　apparent
surprise；　letting　go　the　tiller　at　the　same　moment；　and　falling
forward　into　the　bottom　of　the　boat…　〃matter…　why；　nothing　is　the　
matter　　going　home…　dddon't　you　see？〃　The　whole　truth　now
flashed　upon　me。　I　flew　to　him　and　raised　him　up。　He　was　drunk　
beastly　drunk　　he　could　no　longer　either　stand；　speak；　or　see。　His
eyes　were　perfectly　glazed；　and　as　I　let　him　go　in　the　extremity　of
my　des