the works of edgar allan poe-3-第18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！


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　necessary　that　some　other
one　of　us　should　take　his　place。　For　this　service　Parker　immediately
volunteered；　but；　after　making　three　ineffectual　efforts；　found　that
he　could　never　even　succeed　in　getting　near　the　door。　The　condition
of　Augustus's　wounded　arm　rendered　it　useless　for　him　to　attempt
going　down；　as　he　would　be　unable　to　force　the　room　open　should　be
reach　it；　and　it　accordingly　now　devolved　upon　me　to　exert　myself　for
our　common　deliverance。

　　　　Peters　had　left　one　of　the　chains　in　the　passage；　and　I　found；
upon　plunging　in；　that　I　had　not　sufficient　balance　to　keep　me　firmly
down。　I　determined；　therefore；　to　attempt　no　more；　in　my　first
effort；　than　merely　to　recover　the　other　chain。　In　groping　along　the
floor　of　the　passage　for　this；　I　felt　a　hard　substance；　which　I
immediately　grasped；　not　having　time　to　ascertain　what　it　was；　but
returning　and　ascending　instantly　to　the　surface。　The　prize　proved　to
be　a　bottle；　and　our　joy　may　be　conceived　when　I　say　that　it　was
found　to　be　full　of　port　wine。　Giving　thanks　to　God　for　this　timely
and　cheering　assistance；　we　immediately　drew　the　cork　with　my
penknife；　and；　each　taking　a　moderate　sup；　felt　the　most
indescribable　comfort　from　the　warmth；　strength；　and　spirits　with
which　it　inspired　us。　We　then　carefully　recorked　the　bottle；　and；　by
means　of　a　handkerchief；　swung　it　in　such　a　manner　that　there　was　no
possibility　of　its　getting　broken。

　　　　Having　rested　a　while　after　this　fortunate　discovery；　I　again
descended；　and　now　recovered　the　chain；　with　which　I　instantly　came
up。　I　then　fastened　it　on　and　went　down　for　the　third　time；　when　I
became　fully　satisfied　that　no　exertions　whatever；　in　that　situation；
would　enable　me　to　force　open　the　door　of　the　storeroom。　I　therefore
returned　in　despair。

　　　　There　seemed　now　to　be　no　longer　any　room　for　hope；　and　I　could
perceive　in　the　countenances　of　my　companions　that　they　had　made　up
their　minds　to　perish。　The　wine　had　evidently　produced　in　them　a
species　of　delirium；　which；　perhaps；　I　had　been　prevented　from
feeling　by　the　immersion　I　had　undergone　since　drinking　it。　They
talked　incoherently；　and　about　matters　unconnected　with　our
condition；　Peters　repeatedly　asking　me　questions　about　Nantucket。
Augustus；　too；　I　remember；　approached　me　with　a　serious　air；　and
requested　me　to　lend　him　a　pocket…comb；　as　his　hair　was　full　of
fish…scales；　and　he　wished　to　get　them　out　before　going　on　shore。
Parker　appeared　somewhat　less　affected；　and　urged　me　to　dive　at
random　into　the　cabin；　and　bring　up　any　article　which　might　come　to
hand。　To　this　I　consented；　and；　in　the　first　attempt；　after　staying
under　a　full　minute；　brought　up　a　small　leather　trunk　belonging　to
Captain　Barnard。　This　was　immediately　opened　in　the　faint　hope　that
it　might　contain　something　to　eat　or　drink。　We　found　nothing；
however；　except　a　box　of　razors　and　two　linen　shirts。　I　now　went　down
again；　and　returned　without　any　success。　As　my　head　came　above　water
I　heard　a　crash　on　deck；　and；　upon　getting　up；　saw　that　my　companions
had　ungratefully　taken　advantage　of　my　absence　to　drink　the　remainder
of　the　wine；　having　let　the　bottle　fall　in　the　endeavour　to　replace
it　before　I　saw　them。　I　remonstrated　with　them　on　the　heartlessness
of　their　conduct；　when　Augustus　burst　into　tears。　The　other　two
endeavoured　to　laugh　the　matter　off　as　a　joke；　but　I　hope　never　again
to　behold　laughter　of　such　a　species：　the　distortion　of　countenance
was　absolutely　frightful。　Indeed；　it　was　apparent　that　the　stimulus；
in　the　empty　state　of　their　stomachs；　had　taken　instant　and　violent
effect；　and　that　they　were　all　exceedingly　intoxicated。　With　great
difficulty　I　prevailed　upon　them　to　lie　down；　when　they　fell　very
soon　into　a　heavy　slumber；　accompanied　with　loud　stertorous
breathing。

　　　　I　now　found　myself；　as　it　were；　alone　in　the　brig；　and　my
reflections；　to　be　sure；　were　of　the　most　fearful　and　gloomy　nature。
No　prospect　offered　itself　to　my　view　but　a　lingering　death　by
famine；　or；　at　the　best；　by　being　overwhelmed　in　the　first　gale　which
should　spring　up；　for　in　our　present　exhausted　condition　we　could
have　no　hope　of　living　through　another。

　　　　The　gnawing　hunger　which　I　now　experienced　was　nearly
insupportable；　and　I　felt　myself　capable　of　going　to　any　lengths　in
order　to　appease　it。　With　my　knife　I　cut　off　a　small　portion　of　the
leather　trunk；　and　endeavoured　to　eat　it；　but　found　it　utterly
impossible　to　swallow　a　single　morsel；　although　I　fancied　that　some
little　alleviation　of　my　suffering　was　obtained　by　chewing　small
pieces　of　it　and　spitting　them　out。　Toward　night　my　companions　awoke；
one　by　one；　each　in　an　indescribable　state　of　weakness　and　horror；
brought　on　by　the　wine；　whose　fumes　had　now　evaporated。　They　shook　as
if　with　a　violent　ague；　and　uttered　the　most　lamentable　cries　for
water。　Their　condition　affected　me　in　the　most　lively　degree；　at　the
same　time　causing　me　to　rejoice　in　the　fortunate　train　of
circumstances　which　had　prevented　me　from　indulging　in　the　wine；　and
consequently　from　sharing　their　melancholy　and　most　distressing
sensations。　Their　conduct；　however；　gave　me　great　uneasiness　and
alarm；　for　it　was　evident　that；　unless　some　favourable　change　took
place；　they　could　afford　me　no　assistance　in　providing　for　our　common
safety。　I　had　not　yet　abandoned　all　idea　being　able　to　get　up
something　from　below；　but　the　attempt　could　not　possibly　be　resumed
until　some　one　of　them　was　sufficiently　master　of　himself　to　aid　me
by　holding　the　end　of　the　rope　while　I　went　down。　Parker　appeared　to
be　somewhat　more　in　possession　of　his　senses　than　the　others；　and　I
endeavoured；　by　every　means　in　my　power；　to　rouse　him。　Thinking　that
a　plunge　in　the　sea…water　might　have　a　beneficial　effect；　I　contrived
to　fasten　the　end　of　a　rope　around　his　body；　and　then；　leading　him　to
the　companion…way　（he　remaining　quite　passive　all　the　while）；　pushed
him　in；　and　immediately　drew　him　out。　I　had　good　reason　to
congratulate　myself　upon　having　made　this　experiment；　for　he　appeared
much　revived　and　invigorated；　and；　upon　getting　out；　asked　me；　in　a
rational　manner；　why　I　had　so　served　him。　Having　explained　my　object；
he　expressed　himself　indebted　to　me；　and　said　that　he　felt　greatly
better　from　the　immersion；　afterward　conversing　sensibly　upon　our
situation。　We　then　resolved　to　treat　Augustus　and　Peters　in　the　same
way；　which　we　immediately　did；　when　they　both　experienced　much
benefit　from　the　shock。　This　idea　of　sudden　immersion　had　been
suggested　to　me　by　reading　in　some　medical　work　the　good　effect　of
the　shower…bath　in　a　case　where　the　patient　was　suffering　from　_mania
a　potu_。

　　　　Finding　that　I　could　now　trust　my　companions　to　hold　the　end　of
the　rope；　I　again　made　three　or　four　plunges　into　the　cabin；　although
it　was　now　quite　dark；　and　a　gentle　but　long　swell　from　the　northward
rendered　the　hulk　somewhat　unsteady。　In　the　course　of　these　attempts
I　succeeded　in　bringing　up　two　case…knives；　a　three…gallon　jug；
empty；　and　a　blanket；　but　nothing　which　could　serve　us　for　food。　I
continued　my　efforts；　after　getting　these　articles；　until　I　was
completely　exhausted；　but　brought　up　nothing　else。　During　the　night
Parker　and　Peters　occupied　themselves　by　turns　in　the　same　manner；
but　nothing　coming　to　hand；　we　now　gave　up　this　attempt　in　despair；
concluding　that　we　were　exhausting　ourselves　in　vain。

　　　　We　passed　the　remainder　of　this　night　in　a　state　of　the　most
intense　mental　and　bodily　anguish　that　can　possibly　be　imagined。　The
morning　of　the　sixteenth　at　length　dawned；　and　we　looked　eagerly
around　the　horizon　for　relief；　but　to　no　purpose。　The　sea　was　still
smooth；　with　only　a　long　swell　from　the　northward；　as　on　yesterday。
This　was　the　sixth　day　since　we　had　tasted　either　food　or　drink；　with
the　exception　of　the　bottle　of　port　wine；　and　it　was　clear　that　we
could　hold　out　but　a　very　little　while　longer　unless　something　could
be　obtained。　I　never　saw　before；　nor　wish　to　see　again；　human　beings
so　utterly　emaciated　as　Peters　and　Augustus。　Had　I　met　them　on　shore
in　their　present　condition　I　should　not　have　had　the　slightest
suspicion　that　I　had　ever　beheld　them。　Their　countenances　were
totally　changed　in　character；　so　that　I　could　not　bring　myself　to
believe　them　really　the　same　individuals　with　whom　I　had　been　in
company　but　a　few　days　before。　Parker；　although　sadly　reduced；　and　so
feeble　that　he　could　not　raise　his　head　from　his　bosom；　was　not　so
far　gone　as　the　other　two。　He　suffered　with　great　patience；　making　no
complaint；　and　endeavouring　to　inspire　us　with　hope　in　every　manner
he　could　devise。　For　myself；　although　at　the　commencement　of　the
voyage　I　had　been　in　bad　health；　and　was　at　all　times　of　a　delicate
constitution；　I　suffered　less　than　any　of　us；　being　much　less　reduced
in　frame；　and　retaining　my　powers　of　mind　in　a　surprising　degree；
while　the　rest　were　completely　prostrated　in　intellect；　and　seemed　to
be　brought　to　a　species　of　second　childhood；　generally　simpering　in
their　expressions；　with　idiotic　smiles；　and　uttering　the　most　absurd
platitudes。　At　intervals；　howeve