the works of edgar allan poe-3-第3章

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the　water。　Upon　his　first　attaining　any　degree　of　consciousness；　he
found　himself　beneath　the　surface；　whirling　round　and　round　with
inconceivable　rapidity；　and　with　a　rope　wrapped　in　three　or　four
folds　tightly　about　his　neck。　In　an　instant　afterward　he　felt　himself
going　rapidly　upward；　when；　his　head　striking　violently　against　a
hard　substance；　he　again　relapsed　into　insensibility。　Upon　once　more
reviving　he　was　in　fuller　possession　of　his　reason…　this　was　still；
however；　in　the　greatest　degree　clouded　and　confused。　He　now　knew
that　some　accident　had　occurred；　and　that　he　was　in　the　water；
although　his　mouth　was　above　the　surface；　and　he　could　breathe　with
some　freedom。　Possibly；　at　this　period　the　deck　was　drifting　rapidly
before　the　wind；　and　drawing　him　after　it；　as　he　floated　upon　his
back。　Of　course；　as　long　as　he　could　have　retained　this　position；　it
would　have　been　nearly　impossible　that　he　should　be　drowned。
Presently　a　surge　threw　him　directly　athwart　the　deck；　and　this　post
he　endeavored　to　maintain；　screaming　at　intervals　for　help。　just
before　he　was　discovered　by　Mr。　Henderson；　he　had　been　obliged　to
relax　his　hold　through　exhaustion；　and；　falling　into　the　sea；　had
given　himself　up　for　lost。　During　the　whole　period　of　his　struggles
he　had　not　the　faintest　recollection　of　the　Ariel；　nor　of　the　matters
in　connexion　with　the　source　of　his　disaster。　A　vague　feeling　of
terror　and　despair　had　taken　entire　possession　of　his　faculties。　When
he　was　finally　picked　up；　every　power　of　his　mind　had　failed　him；
and；　as　before　said；　it　was　nearly　an　hour　after　getting　on　board　the
Penguin　before　he　became　fully　aware　of　his　condition。　In　regard　to
myself…　I　was　resuscitated　from　a　state　bordering　very　nearly　upon
death　（and　after　every　other　means　had　been　tried　in　vain　for　three
hours　and　a　half）　by　vigorous　friction　with　flannels　bathed　in　hot
oil…　a　proceeding　suggested　by　Augustus。　The　wound　in　my　neck；
although　of　an　ugly　appearance；　proved　of　little　real　consequence；
and　I　soon　recovered　from　its　effects。

　　　　The　Penguin　got　into　port　about　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning；
after　encountering　one　of　the　severest　gales　ever　experienced　off
Nantucket。　Both　Augustus　and　myself　managed　to　appear　at　Mr。
Barnard's　in　time　for　breakfast…　which；　luckily；　was　somewhat　late；
owing　to　the　party　over　night。　I　suppose　all　at　the　table　were　too
much　fatigued　themselves　to　notice　our　jaded　appearance…　of　course；
it　would　not　have　borne　a　very　rigid　scrutiny。　Schoolboys；　however；
can　accomplish　wonders　in　the　way　of　deception；　and　I　verily　believe
not　one　of　our　friends　in　Nantucket　had　the　slightest　suspicion　that
the　terrible　story　told　by　some　sailors　in　town　of　their　having　run
down　a　vessel　at　sea　and　drowned　some　thirty　or　forty　poor　devils；
had　reference　either　to　the　Ariel；　my　companion；　or　myself。　We　two
have　since　very　frequently　talked　the　matter　over…　but　never　without
a　shudder。　In　one　of　our　conversations　Augustus　frankly　confessed　to
me；　that　in　his　whole　life　he　had　at　no　time　experienced　so
excruciating　a　sense　of　dismay；　as　when　on　board　our　little　boat　he
first　discovered　the　extent　of　his　intoxication；　and　felt　himself
sinking　beneath　its　influence。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　1　~~~

CHAPTER　2



　　　　IN　no　affairs　of　mere　prejudice；　pro　or　con；　do　we　deduce
inferences　with　entire　certainty；　even　from　the　most　simple　data。　It
might　be　supposed　that　a　catastrophe　such　as　I　have　just　related
would　have　effectually　cooled　my　incipient　passion　for　the　sea。　On
the　contrary；　I　never　experienced　a　more　ardent　longing　for　the　wild
adventures　incident　to　the　life　of　a　navigator　than　within　a　week
after　our　miraculous　deliverance。　This　short　period　proved　amply　long
enough　to　erase　from　my　memory　the　shadows；　and　bring　out　in　vivid
light　all　the　pleasurably　exciting　points　of　color；　all　the
picturesqueness；　of　the　late　perilous　accident。　My　conversations　with
Augustus　grew　daily　more　frequent　and　more　intensely　full　of
interest。　He　had　a　manner　of　relating　his　stories　of　the　ocean　（more
than　one　half　of　which　I　now　suspect　to　have　been　sheer　fabrications）
well　adapted　to　have　weight　with　one　of　my　enthusiastic　temperament
and　somewhat　gloomy　although　glowing　imagination。　It　is　strange；　too；
that　he　most　strongly　enlisted　my　feelings　in　behalf　of　the　life　of　a
seaman；　when　he　depicted　his　more　terrible　moments　of　suffering　and
despair。　For　the　bright　side　of　the　painting　I　had　a　limited
sympathy。　My　visions　were　of　shipwreck　and　famine；　of　death　or
captivity　among　barbarian　hordes；　of　a　lifetime　dragged　out　in　sorrow
and　tears；　upon　some　gray　and　desolate　rock；　in　an　ocean
unapproachable　and　unknown。　Such　visions　or　desires…　for　they
amounted　to　desires…　are　common；　I　have　since　been　assured；　to　the
whole　numerous　race　of　the　melancholy　among　men…　at　the　time　of　which
I　speak　I　regarded　them　only　as　prophetic　glimpses　of　a　destiny　which
I　felt　myself　in　a　measure　bound　to　fulfil。　Augustus　thoroughly
entered　into　my　state　of　mind。　It　is　probable；　indeed；　that　our
intimate　communion　had　resulted　in　a　partial　interchange　of
character。

　　　　About　eighteen　months　after　the　period　of　the　Ariel's　disaster；
the　firm　of　Lloyd　and　Vredenburgh　（a　house　connected　in　some　manner
with　the　Messieurs　Enderby；　I　believe；　of　Liverpool）　were　engaged　in
repairing　and　fitting　out　the　brig　Grampus　for　a　whaling　voyage。　She
was　an　old　hulk；　and　scarcely　seaworthy　when　all　was　done　to　her　that
could　be　done。　I　hardly　know　why　she　was　chosen　in　preference　to
other　good　vessels　belonging　to　the　same　owners　　but　so　it　was。　Mr。
Barnard　was　appointed　to　command　her；　and　Augustus　was　going　with
him。　While　the　brig　was　getting　ready；　he　frequently　urged　upon　me
the　excellency　of　the　opportunity　now　offered　for　indulging　my　desire
of　travel。　He　found　me　by　no　means　an　unwilling　listener　　yet　the
matter　could　not　be　so　easily　arranged。　My　father　made　no　direct
opposition；　but　my　mother　went　into　hysterics　at　the　bare　mention　of
the　design；　and；　more　than　all；　my　grandfather；　from　whom　I　expected
much；　vowed　to　cut　me　off　with　a　shilling　if　I　should　ever　broach　the
subject　to　him　again。　These　difficulties；　however；　so　far　from
abating　my　desire；　only　added　fuel　to　the　flame。　I　determined　to　go
at　all　hazards；　and；　having　made　known　my　intentions　to　Augustus；　we
set　about　arranging　a　plan　by　which　it　might　be　accomplished。　In　the
meantime　I　forbore　speaking　to　any　of　my　relations　in　regard　to　the
voyage；　and；　as　I　busied　myself　ostensibly　with　my　usual　studies；　it
was　supposed　that　I　had　abandoned　the　design。　I　have　since　frequently
examined　my　conduct　on　this　occasion　with　sentiments　of　displeasure
as　well　as　of　surprise。　The　intense　hypocrisy　I　made　use　of　for　the
furtherance　of　my　project…　an　hypocrisy　pervading　every　word　and
action　of　my　life　for　so　long　a　period　of　time…　could　only　have　been
rendered　tolerable　to　myself　by　the　wild　and　burning　expectation　with
which　I　looked　forward　to　the　fulfilment　of　my　long…cherished　visions
of　travel。

　　　　In　pursuance　of　my　scheme　of　deception；　I　was　necessarily　obliged
to　leave　much　to　the　management　of　Augustus；　who　was　employed　for　the
greater　part　of　every　day　on　board　the　Grampus；　attending　to　some
arrangements　for　his　father　in　the　cabin　and　cabin　hold。　At　night；
however；　we　were　sure　to　have　a　conference　and　talk　over　our　hopes。
After　nearly　a　month　passed　in　this　manner；　without　our　hitting　upon
any　plan　we　thought　likely　to　succeed；　he　told　me　at　last　that　he　had
determined　upon　everything　necessary。　I　had　a　relation　living　in　New
Bedford；　a　Mr。　Ross；　at　whose　house　I　was　in　the　habit　of　spending
occasionally　two　or　three　weeks　at　a　time。　The　brig　was　to　sail　about
the　middle　of　June　（June；　1827）；　and　it　was　agreed　that；　a　day　or　two
before　her　putting　to　sea；　my　father　was　to　receive　a　note；　as　usual；
from　Mr。　Ross；　asking　me　to　come　over　and　spend　a　fortnight　with
Robert　and　Emmet　（his　sons）。　Augustus　charged　himself　with　the
inditing　of　this　note　and　getting　it　delivered。　Having　set　out　as
supposed；　for　New　Bedford；　I　was　then　to　report　myself　to　my
companion；　who　would　contrive　a　hiding…place　for　me　in　the　Grampus。
This　hiding…place；　he　assured　me；　would　be　rendered　sufficiently
comfortable　for　a　residence　of　many　days；　during　which　I　was　not　to
make　my　appearance。　When　the　brig　had　proceeded　so　far　on　her　course
as　to　make　any　turning　back　a　matter　out　of　question；　I　should　then；
he　said；　be　formally　installed　in　all　the　comforts　of　the　cabin；　and
as　to　his　father；　he　would　only　laugh　heartily　at　the　joke。　Vessels
enough　would　be　met　with　by　which　a　letter　might　be　sent　home
explaining　the　adventure　to　my　parents。

　　　　The　middle　of　June　at　length　arrived；　and　every　thing　had　been
matured。　The　note　was　written　and　delivered；　and　on　a　Monday　morning
I　left　the　house　for　the　New　Bedford　packet；　as　supposed。　I　went；
however；　straight　to　Augustus；　who　was　waiting　for　me　at　the　corner
of　a　street。　It　had　been　our　original　plan　that　I　should　keep　out　of
the　way　until　dark；　and　then　slip　on　board　the　brig；　but；　as　there
was　now　a　thick　fog　in　our　favor；　it　was　agreed　to　lose　no　time　in
secreting　me。　Augustus　led　the　way　to　the　wharf；　and　I　followed　at　a
little　distance；　enveloped　in　a　thick　seaman's　cloak；　which　he　had
brought　with　him；　so　that　my　person　might　not　be　easily　recognized。
just　as　we　turned　the　second　corner；　after　passing　Mr。　Edmund's　well；
who　should　appear；　standing　right　in　front　of　me；　and　looking　me　full
in　the　face；　but　old　Mr。　Peterson；　my　grandfather。　〃Why；　bless　my
soul；　Gordon；〃　said　he；　after　a　long　pause；　〃why；　why；…　whose　dirty
cloak　is　that　you　have　on？〃　〃Sir！〃　I　replied；　assuming；　as　well　as　I
could；　in　the　exigency　of　the　moment；　an　air　of　offended　surprise；
and　talking　in　the　gruffest　of　all　imaginable　tones…　〃sir！　you　are　a
sum'mat　mistaken…　my　name；　in　the　first　place；　bee'nt　nothing　at　all
like　Goddin；　and　I'd　want　you　for　to　know　better；　you　blackguard；
than　to　call　my　new　obercoat　a　darty　one。〃　For　my　life　I　could　hardly
refrain　from　screaming　with　laughter　at　the　odd　manner　in　which　the
old　gentleman　received　this　handsome　rebuke。　He　started　back　two　or
three　steps；　turned　first　pale　and　then　excessively　red；　threw　up　his
spectacles；　then；　putting　them　down；　ran　full　tilt　at　me；　with　his
umbrella　uplifted。　He　stopped　short；　however；　in　his　career；　as　if
struck　with　a　sudden　recollection；　and　presently；　turning　round；
hobbled　off　down　the　street；　shaking　all　the　while　with　rage；　and
muttering　between　his　teeth：　〃Won't　do　　new　glasses　　thought　it
was　Gordon　dd　good…for…nothing　salt　water　Long　Tom。〃

　　　After　this　narrow　escape　we　proceeded　with　greater　caution；　and
arrived　at　our　point　of　destination　in　safety。　There　were　only　one　or
two　of　the　hands　on　board；　and　these　were　busy　forward；　doing
something　to　the　forecastle　combings。　Captain　Barnard；　we　knew　very
well；　was　engaged　at　Lloyd　and　Vredenburgh's；　and　would　remain　there
until　late　in　the　evening；　so　we　had　little　to　apprehend　on　his
account。　Augustus　went　first　up　the　vessel's　side；　and　in　a　short
while　I　followed　him；　without　being　noticed　by　the　men　at　work。　We