the works of edgar allan poe-3-第6章

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I　then　forced　the　blade　of　my　pen…knife　through　them；　until　I　met
with　some　hard　obstacle。　Scraping　against　it；　I　discovered　it　to　be　a
solid　mass　of　iron；　which；　from　its　peculiar　wavy　feel　as　I　passed
the　blade　along　it；　I　concluded　to　be　a　chain…cable。　The　only　course
now　left　me　was　to　retrace　my　way　to　the　box；　and　there　either　yield
to　my　sad　fate；　or　try　so　to　tranquilize　my　mind　as　to　admit　of　my
arranging　some　plan　of　escape。　I　immediately　set　about　the　attempt；
and　succeeded；　after　innumerable　difficulties；　in　getting　back。　As　I
sank；　utterly　exhausted；　upon　the　mattress；　Tiger　threw　himself　at
full　length　by　my　side；　and　seemed　as　if　desirous；　by　his　caresses；
of　consoling　me　in　my　troubles；　and　urging　me　to　bear　them　with
fortitude。

　　　　The　singularity　of　his　behavior　at　length　forcibly　arrested　my
attention。　After　licking　my　face　and　hands　for　some　minutes；　he　would
suddenly　cease　doing　so；　and　utter　a　low　whine。　Upon　reaching　out　my
hand　toward　him；　I　then　invariably　found　him　lying　on　his　back；　with
his　paws　uplifted。　This　conduct；　so　frequently　repeated；　appeared
strange；　and　I　could　in　no　manner　account　for　it。　As　the　dog　seemed
distressed；　I　concluded　that　he　had　received　some　injury；　and；　taking
his　paws　in　my　hands；　I　examined　them　one　by　one；　but　found　no　sign
of　any　hurt。　I　then　supposed　him　hungry；　and　gave　him　a　large　piece
of　ham；　which　he　devoured　with　avidity　　afterward；　however；
resuming　his　extraordinary　manoeuvres。　I　now　imagined　that　he　was
suffering；　like　myself；　the　torments　of　thirst；　and　was　about
adopting　this　conclusion　as　the　true　one；　when　the　idea　occurred　to
me　that　I　had　as　yet　only　examined　his　paws；　and　that　there　might
possibly　be　a　wound　upon　some　portion　of　his　body　or　head。　The　latter
I　felt　carefully　over；　but　found　nothing。　On　passing　my　hand；
however；　along　his　back；　I　perceived　a　slight　erection　of　the　hair
extending　completely　across　it。　Probing　this　with　my　finger；　I
discovered　a　string；　and　tracing　it　up；　found　that　it　encircled　the
whole　body。　Upon　a　closer　scrutiny；　I　came　across　a　small　slip　of
what　had　the　feeling　of　letter　paper；　through　which　the　string　had
been　fastened　in　such　a　manner　as　to　bring　it　immediately　beneath　the
left　shoulder　of　the　animal。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　2　~~~

CHAPTER　3



　　　　THE　thought　instantly　occurred　to　me　that　the　paper　was　a　note
from　Augustus；　and　that　some　unaccountable　accident　having　happened
to　prevent　his　relieving　me　from　my　dungeon；　he　had　devised　this
method　of　acquainting　me　with　the　true　state　of　affairs。　Trembling
with　eagerness；　I　now　commenced　another　search　for　my　phosphorus
matches　and　tapers。　I　had　a　confused　recollection　of　having　put　them
carefully　away　just　before　falling　asleep；　and；　indeed；　previously　to
my　last　journey　to　the　trap；　I　had　been　able　to　remember　the　exact
spot　where　I　had　deposited　them。　But　now　I　endeavored　in　vain　to　call
it　to　mind；　and　busied　myself　for　a　full　hour　in　a　fruitless　and
vexatious　search　for　the　missing　articles；　never；　surely；　was　there　a
more　tantalizing　state　of　anxiety　and　suspense。　At　length；　while
groping　about；　with　my　head　close　to　the　ballast；　near　the　opening　of
the　box；　and　outside　of　it；　I　perceived　a　faint　glimmering　of　light
in　the　direction　of　the　steerage。　Greatly　surprised；　I　endeavored　to
make　my　way　toward　it；　as　it　appeared　to　be　but　a　few　feet　from　my
position。　Scarcely　had　I　moved　with　this　intention；　when　I　lost　sight
of　the　glimmer　entirely；　and；　before　I　could　bring　it　into　view
again；　was　obliged　to　feel　along　by　the　box　until　I　had　exactly
resumed　my　original　situation。　Now；　moving　my　head　with　caution　to
and　fro；　I　found　that；　by　proceeding　slowly；　with　great　care；　in　an
opposite　direction　to　that　in　which　I　had　at　first　started；　I　was
enabled　to　draw　near　the　light；　still　keeping　it　in　view。　Presently　I
came　directly　upon　it　（having　squeezed　my　way　through　innumerable
narrow　windings）；　and　found　that　it　proceeded　from　some　fragments　of
my　matches　lying　in　an　empty　barrel　turned　upon　its　side。　I　was
wondering　how　they　came　in　such　a　place；　when　my　hand　fell　upon　two
or　three　pieces　of　taper　wax；　which　had　been　evidently　mumbled　by　the
dog。　I　concluded　at　once　that　he　had　devoured　the　whole　of　my　supply
of　candles；　and　I　felt　hopeless　of　being　ever　able　to　read　the　note
of　Augustus。　The　small　remnants　of　the　wax　were　so　mashed　up　among
other　rubbish　in　the　barrel；　that　I　despaired　of　deriving　any　service
from　them；　and　left　them　as　they　were。　The　phosphorus；　of　which　there
was　only　a　speck　or　two；　I　gathered　up　as　well　as　I　could；　and
returned　with　it；　after　much　difficulty；　to　my　box；　where　Tiger　had
all　the　while　remained。

　　　　　What　to　do　next　I　could　not　tell。　The　hold　was　so　intensely　dark
that　I　could　not　see　my　hand；　however　close　I　would　hold　it　to　my
face。　The　white　slip　of　paper　could　barely　be　discerned；　and　not　even
that　when　I　looked　at　it　directly；　by　turning　the　exterior　portions
of　the　retina　toward　it…　that　is　to　say；　by　surveying　it　slightly
askance；　I　found　that　it　became　in　some　measure　perceptible。　Thus　the
gloom　of　my　prison　may　be　imagined；　and　the　note　of　my　friend；　if
indeed　it　were　a　note　from　him；　seemed　only　likely　to　throw　me　into
further　trouble；　by　disquieting　to　no　purpose　my　already　enfeebled
and　agitated　mind。　In　vain　I　revolved　in　my　brain　a　multitude　of
absurd　expedients　for　procuring　light…　such　expedients　precisely　as　a
man　in　the　perturbed　sleep　occasioned　by　opium　would　be　apt　to　fall
upon　for　a　similar　purpose…　each　and　all　of　which　appear　by　turns　to
the　dreamer　the　most　reasonable　and　the　most　preposterous　of
conceptions；　just　as　the　reasoning　or　imaginative　faculties　flicker；
alternately；　one　above　the　other。　At　last　an　idea　occurred　to　me
which　seemed　rational；　and　which　gave　me　cause　to　wonder；　very
justly；　that　I　had　not　entertained　it　before。　I　placed　the　slip　of
paper　on　the　back　of　a　book；　and；　collecting　the　fragments　of　the
phosphorus　matches　which　I　had　brought　from　the　barrel；　laid　them
together　upon　the　paper。　I　then；　with　the　palm　of　my　hand；　rubbed　the
whole　over　quickly；　yet　steadily。　A　clear　light　diffused　itself
immediately　throughout　the　whole　surface；　and　had　there　been　any
writing　upon　it；　I　should　not　have　experienced　the　least　difficulty；
I　am　sure；　in　reading　it。　Not　a　syllable　was　there；　however…　nothing
but　a　dreary　and　unsatisfactory　blank；　the　illumination　died　away　in
a　few　seconds；　and　my　heart　died　away　within　me　as　it　went。

　　　　　I　have　before　stated　more　than　once　that　my　intellect；　for　some
period　prior　to　this；　had　been　in　a　condition　nearly　bordering　on
idiocy。　There　were；　to　be　sure；　momentary　intervals　of　perfect
sanity；　and；　now　and　then；　even　of　energy；　but　these　were　few。　It
must　be　remembered　that　I　had　been；　for　many　days　certainly；　inhaling
the　almost　pestilential　atmosphere　of　a　close　hold　in　a　whaling
vessel；　and　for　a　long　portion　of　that　time　but　scantily　supplied
with　water。　For　the　last　fourteen　or　fifteen　hours　I　had　none…　nor
had　I　slept　during　that　time。　Salt　provisions　of　the　most　exciting
kind　had　been　my　chief；　and；　indeed；　since　the　loss　of　the　mutton；　my
only　supply　of　food；　with　the　exception　of　the　sea…biscuit；　and　these
latter　were　utterly　useless　to　me；　as　they　were　too　dry　and　hard　to
be　swallowed　in　the　swollen　and　parched　condition　of　my　throat。　I　was
now　in　a　high　state　of　fever；　and　in　every　respect　exceedingly　ill。
This　will　account　for　the　fact　that　many　miserable　hours　of
despondency　elapsed　after　my　last　adventure　with　the　phosphorus；
before　the　thought　suggested　itself　that　I　had　examined　only　one　side
of　the　paper。　I　shall　not　attempt　to　describe　my　feelings　of　rage
（for　I　believe　I　was　more　angry　than　any　thing　else）　when　the
egregious　oversight　I　had　committed　flashed　suddenly　upon　my
perception。　The　blunder　itself　would　have　been　unimportant；　had　not
my　own　folly　and　impetuosity　rendered　it　otherwise…　in　my
disappointment　at　not　finding　some　words　upon　the　slip；　I　had
childishly　torn　it　in　pieces　and　thrown　it　away；　it　was　impossible　to
say　where。

　　　　　From　the　worst　part　of　this　dilemma　I　was　relieved　by　the
sagacity　of　Tiger。　Having　got；　after　a　long　search；　a　small　piece　of
the　note；　I　put　it　to　the　dog's　nose；　and　endeavored　to　make　him
understand　that　he　must　bring　me　the　rest　of　it。　To　my　astonishment；
（for　I　had　taught　him　none　of　the　usual　tricks　for　which　his　breed
are　famous；）　he　seemed　to　enter　at　once　into　my　meaning；　and；
rummaging　about　for　a　few　moments；　soon　found　another　considerable
portion。　Bringing　me　this；　he　paused　awhile；　and；　rubbing　his　nose
against　my　hand；　appeared　to　be　waiting　for　my　approval　of　what　he
had　done。　I　patted　him　on　the　head；　when　he　immediately　made　off
again。　It　was　now　some　minutes　before　he　came　back…　but　when　he　did
come；　he　brought　with　him　a　large　slip；　which　proved　to　be　all　the
paper　missing…　it　having　been　torn；　it　seems；　only　into　three　pieces。
Luckily；　I　had　no　trouble　in　finding　what　few　fragments　of　the
phosphorus　were　left…　being　guided　by　the　indistinct　glow　one　or　two
of　the　particles　still　emitted。　My　difficulties　had　taught　me　the
necessity　of　caution；　and　I　now　took　time　to　reflect　upon　what　I　was
about　to　do。　It　was　very　probable；　I　considered；　that　some　words　were
written　upon　that　side　of　the　paper　which　had　not　been　examined…　but
which　side　was　that？　Fitting　the　pieces　together　gave　me　no　clew　in
this　respect；　although　it　assured　me　that　the　words　（if　there　were
any）　would　be　found　all　on　one　side；　and　connected　in　a　proper
manner；　as　written。　There　was　the　greater　necessity　of　ascertaining
the　point　in　question　beyond　a　doubt；　as　the　phosphorus　remaining
would　be　altogether　insufficient　for　a　third　attempt；　should　I　fail
in　the　one　I　was　now　about　to　make。　I　placed　the　paper　on　a　book　as
before；　and　sat　for　some　minutes　thoughtfully　revolving　the　matter
over　in　my　mind。　At　last　I　thought　it　barely　possible　that　the
written　side　might　have　some　unevenness　on　its　surface；　which　a
delicate　sense　of　feeling　might　enable　me　to　detect。　I　determined　to
make　the　experiment　and　passed　my　finger　very　carefully　over　the　side
which　first　presented　itself。　Nothing；　however；　was　perceptible；　and
I　turned　the　paper；　adjusting　it　on　the　book。　I　now　again　carried　my
forefinger　cautiously　along；　when　I　was　aware　of　an　exceedingly
slight；　but　still　discernable　glow；　which　followed　as　it　proceeded。
This；　I　knew；　must　arise　from　some　very　minute　remaining　particles　of
the　phosphorus　with　which　I　had　covered　the　paper　in　my　previous
attempt。　The　other；　or　under　side；　then；　was　that　on　which　lay　the
writing；　if　writing　there　should　finally　prove　to　be。　Again　I　turned
the　note；　and　went　to　work　as　I　had　previously　done。　Having　rubbed　in
the　phosphorus；　a　brilliancy　ensued　as　before…　but　this　time　several
lines　of　MS。　in　a　large　hand；　and　apparently　in　red　ink；　became
distinctly　visible。　The　glimmer；　although　sufficiently　bright；　was
but　momentary。　Still；　had　I　not　been　too　greatly　excited；　there　would
have　been　ample　time　enough　for　me　to　peruse　the　whole　three
sentences　before　me…　for　I　saw　there　were　three。　In　my　anxiety；
however；