the works of edgar allan poe-2-第10部分

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watch_；　when　we　weighed　and　started　for　home；　so　as　to　make　the　worst
of　the　Str鰉　at　slack　water；　which　we　knew　would　be　at　eight。

　　　　〃We　set　out　with　a　fresh　wind　on　our　starboard　quarter；　and　for
some　time　spanked　along　at　a　great　rate；　never　dreaming　of　danger；
for　indeed　we　saw　not　the　slightest　reason　to　apprehend　it。　All　at
once　we　were　taken　aback　by　a　breeze　from　over　Helseggen。　This　was
most　unusual　…　something　that　had　never　happened　to　us　before　…　and　I
began　to　feel　a　little　uneasy；　without　exactly　knowing　why。　We　put
the　boat　on　the　wind；　but　could　make　no　headway　at　all　for　the
eddies；　and　I　was　upon　the　point　of　proposing　to　return　to　the
anchorage；　when；　looking　astern；　we　saw　the　whole　horizon　covered
with　a　singular　copper…colored　cloud　that　rose　with　the　most　amazing
velocity。

　　　　〃In　the　meantime　the　breeze　that　had　headed　us　off　fell　away；　and
we　were　dead　becalmed；　drifting　about　in　every　direction。　This　state
of　things；　however；　did　not　last　long　enough　to　give　us　time　to　think
about　it。　In　less　than　a　minute　the　storm　was　upon　us　…　in　less　than
two　the　sky　was　entirely　overcast　…　and　what　with　this　and　the
driving　spray；　it　became　suddenly　so　dark　that　we　could　not　see　each
other　in　the　smack。

　　　　〃Such　a　hurricane　as　then　blew　it　is　folly　to　attempt　describing。
The　oldest　seaman　in　Norway　never　experienced　any　thing　like　it。　We
had　let　our　sails　go　by　the　run　before　it　cleverly　took　us　；　　but；　at
the　first　puff；　both　our　masts　went　by　the　board　as　if　they　had　been
sawed　off　…　the　mainmast　taking　with　it　my　youngest　brother；　who　had
lashed　himself　to　it　for　safety。

　　　　〃Our　boat　was　the　lightest　feather　of　a　thing　that　ever　sat　upon
water。　It　had　a　complete　flush　deck；　with　only　a　small　hatch　near　the
bow；　and　this　hatch　it　had　always　been　our　custom　to　batten　down　when
about　to　cross　the　Str鰉；　by　way　of　precaution　against　the　chopping
seas。　But　for　this　circumstance　we　should　have　foundered　at　once　…
for　we　lay　entirely　buried　for　some　moments。　How　my　elder　brother
escaped　destruction　I　cannot　say；　for　I　never　had　an　opportunity　of
ascertaining。　For　my　part；　as　soon　as　I　had　let　the　foresail　run；　I
threw　myself　flat　on　deck；　with　my　feet　against　the　narrow　gunwale　of
the　bow；　and　with　my　hands　grasping　a　ring…bolt　near　the　foot　of　the
fore…mast。　It　was　mere　instinct　that　prompted　me　to　do　this　…　which
was　undoubtedly　the　very　best　thing　I　could　have　done　…　for　I　was　too
much　flurried　to　think。

　　　　〃For　some　moments　we　were　completely　deluged；　as　I　say；　and　all
this　time　I　held　my　breath；　and　clung　to　the　bolt。　When　I　could　stand
it　no　longer　I　raised　myself　upon　my　knees；　still　keeping　hold　with
my　hands；　and　thus　got　my　head　clear。　Presently　our　little　boat　gave
herself　a　shake；　just　as　a　dog　does　in　coming　out　of　the　water；　and
thus　rid　herself；　in　some　measure；　of　the　seas。　I　was　now　trying　to
get　the　better　of　the　stupor　that　had　come　over　me；　and　to　collect　my
senses　so　as　to　see　what　was　to　be　done；　when　I　felt　somebody　grasp
my　arm。　It　was　my　elder　brother；　and　my　heart　leaped　for　joy；　for　I
had　made　sure　that　he　was　overboard　…　but　the　next　moment　all　this
joy　was　turned　into　horror　…　for　he　put　his　mouth　close　to　my　ear；
and　screamed　out　the　word　'_Moskoe…str鰉　！　_'

　　　　〃No　one　ever　will　know　what　my　feelings　were　at　that　moment。　I
shook　from　head　to　foot　as　if　I　had　had　the　most　violent　fit　of　the
ague。　I　knew　what　he　meant　by　that　one　word　well　enough　…　I　knew　what
he　wished　to　make　me　understand。　With　the　wind　that　now　drove　us　on；
we　were　bound　for　the　whirl　of　the　Str鰉；　and　nothing　could　save　us　！

　　　　〃You　perceive　that　in　crossing　the　Str鰉　_channel_；　we　always
went　a　long　way　up　above　the　whirl；　even　in　the　calmest　weather；　and
then　had　to　wait　and　watch　carefully　for　the　slack　…　but　now　we　were
driving　right　upon　the　pool　itself；　and　in　such　a　hurricane　as　this　！
　'To　be　sure；'　I　thought；　'we　shall　get　there　just　about　the　slack　…
there　is　some　little　hope　in　that'　…　but　in　the　next　moment　I　cursed
myself　for　being　so　great　a　fool　as　to　dream　of　hope　at　all。　I　knew
very　well　that　we　were　doomed；　had　we　been　ten　times　a　ninety…gun
ship。

　　　　〃By　this　time　the　first　fury　of　the　tempest　had　spent　itself；　or
perhaps　we　did　not　feel　it　so　much；　as　we　scudded　before　it；　but　at
all　events　the　seas；　which　at　first　had　been　kept　down　by　the　wind；
and　lay　flat　and　frothing；　now　got　up　into　absolute　mountains。　A
singular　change；　too；　had　come　over　the　heavens。　Around　in　every
direction　it　was　still　as　black　as　pitch；　but　nearly　overhead　there
burst　out；　all　at　once；　a　circular　rift　of　clear　sky　…　as　clear　as　I
ever　saw　…　and　of　a　deep　bright　blue　…　and　through　it　there　blazed
forth　the　full　moon　with　a　lustre　that　I　never　before　knew　her　to
wear。　She　lit　up　every　thing　about　us　with　the　greatest　distinctness
…　but；　oh　God；　what　a　scene　it　was　to　light　up　！

　　　　〃I　now　made　one　or　two　attempts　to　speak　to　my　brother　…　but；　in
some　manner　which　I　could　not　understand；　the　din　had　so　increased
that　I　could　not　make　him　hear　a　single　word；　although　I　screamed　at
the　top　of　my　voice　in　his　ear。　Presently　he　shook　his　head；　looking
as　pale　as　death；　and　held　up　one　of　his　finger；　as　if　to　say
_'listen　！　'_

　　　　〃At　first　I　could　not　make　out　what　he　meant　…　but　soon　a　hideous
thought　flashed　upon　me。　I　dragged　my　watch　from　its　fob。　It　was　not
going。　I　glanced　at　its　face　by　the　moonlight；　and　then　burst　into
tears　as　I　flung　it　far　away　into　the　ocean。　_It　had　run　down　at
seven　o'clock　！　　We　were　behind　the　time　of　the　slack；　and　the　whirl
of　the　Str鰉　was　in　full　fury　！_

　　　　〃When　a　boat　is　well　built；　properly　trimmed；　and　not　deep　laden；
the　waves　in　a　strong　gale；　when　she　is　going　large；　seem　always　to
slip　from　beneath　her　…　which　appears　very　strange　to　a　landsman　…
and　this　is　what　is　called　_riding_；　in　sea　phrase。　Well；　so　far　we
had　ridden　the　swells　very　cleverly　；　　but　presently　a　gigantic　sea
happened　to　take　us　right　under　the　counter；　and　bore　us　with　it　as
it　rose　…　up　…　up　…　as　if　into　the　sky。　I　would　not　have　believed
that　any　wave　could　rise　so　high。　And　then　down　we　came　with　a　sweep；
a　slide；　and　a　plunge；　that　made　me　feel　sick　and　dizzy；　as　if　I　was
falling　from　some　lofty　mountain…top　in　a　dream。　But　while　we　were　up
I　had　thrown　a　quick　glance　around　…　and　that　one　glance　was　all
sufficient。　I　saw　our　exact　position　in　an　instant。　The　Moskoe…Str鰉
whirlpool　was　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　dead　ahead　…　but　no　more　like
the　every…day　Moskoe…Str鰉；　than　the　whirl　as　you　now　see　it　is　like
a　mill…race。　If　I　had　not　known　where　we　were；　and　what　we　had　to
expect；　I　should　not　have　recognised　the　place　at　all。　As　it　was；　I
involuntarily　closed　my　eyes　in　horror。　The　lids　clenched　themselves
together　as　if　in　a　spasm。

　　　　〃It　could　not　have　been　more　than　two　minutes　afterward　until　we
suddenly　felt　the　waves　subside；　and　were　enveloped　in　foam。　The　boat
made　a　sharp　half　turn　to　larboard；　and　then　shot　off　in　its　new
direction　like　a　thunderbolt。　At　the　same　moment　the　roaring　noise　of
the　water　was　completely　drowned　in　a　kind　of　shrill　shriek　…　such　a
sound　as　you　might　imagine　given　out　by　the　waste…pipes　of　many
thousand　steam…vessels；　letting　off　their　steam　all　together。　We　were
now　in　the　belt　of　surf　that　always　surrounds　the　whirl　；　　and　I
thought；　of　course；　that　another　moment　would　plunge　us　into　the
abyss　…　down　which　we　could　only　see　indistinctly　on　account　of　the
amazing　velocity　with　which　we　wore　borne　along。　The　boat　did　not
seem　to　sink　into　the　water　at　all；　but　to　skim　like　an　air…bubble
upon　the　surface　of　the　surge。　Her　starboard　side　was　next　the　whirl；
and　on　the　larboard　arose　the　world　of　ocean　we　had　left。　It　stood
like　a　huge　writhing　wall　between　us　and　the　horizon。

　　　　〃It　may　appear　strange；　but　now；　when　we　were　in　the　very　jaws　of
the　gulf；　I　felt　more　composed　than　when　we　were　only　approaching　it。
Having　made　up　my　mind　to　hope　no　more；　I　got　rid　of　a　great　deal　of
that　terror　which　unmanned　me　at　first。　I　suppose　it　was　despair　that
strung　my　nerves。

　　　　〃It　may　look　like　boasting　…　but　what　I　tell　you　is　truth　…　I
began　to　reflect　how　magnificent　a　thing　it　was　to　die　in　such　a
manner；　and　how　foolish　it　was　in　me　to　think　of　so　paltry　a
consideration　as　my　own　individual　life；　in　view　of　so　wonderful　a
manifestation　of　God's　power。　I　do　believe　that　I　blushed　with　shame
when　this　idea　crossed　my　mind。　After　a　little　while　I　became
possessed　with　the　keenest　curiosity　about　the　whirl　itself。　I
positively　felt　a　_wish_　to　explore　its　depths；　even　at　the　sacrifice
I　was　going　to　make　；　　and　my　principal　grief　was　that　I　should　never
be　able　to　tell　my　old　companions　on　shore　about　the　mysteries　I
should　see。　These；　no　doubt；　were　singular　fancies　to　occupy　a　man's
mind　in　such　extremity　…　and　I　have　often　thought　since；　that　the
revolutions　of　the　boat　around　the　pool　might　have　rendered　me　a
little　light…headed。

　　　　〃There　was　another　circumstance　which　tended　to　restore　my
self…possession　；　　and　this　was　the　cessation　of　the　wind；　which
could　not　reach　us　in　our　present　situation　…　for；　as　you　saw
yourself；　the　belt　of　surf　is　considerably　lower　than　the　general　bed
of　the　ocean；　and　this　latter　now　towered　above　us；　a　high；　black；
mountainous　ridge。　If　you　have　never　been　at　sea　in　a　heavy　gale；　you
can　form　no　idea　of　the　confusion　of　mind　occasioned　by　the　wind　and
spray　together。　They　blind；　deafen；　and　strangle　you；　and　take　away
all　power　of　action　or　reflection。　But　we　were　now；　in　a　great
measure；　rid　of　these　annoyances　…　just　us　death…condemned　felons　in
prison　are　allowed　petty　indulgences；　forbidden　them　while　their　doom
is　yet　uncertain。

　　　　〃How　often　we　made　the　circuit　of　the　belt　it　is　impossible　to
say。　We　careered　round　and　round　for　perhaps　an　hour；　flying　rather
than　floating；　getting　gradually　more　and　more　into　the　middle　of　the
surge；　and　then　nearer　and　nearer　to　its　horrible　inner　edge。　All
this　time　I　had　never　let　go　of　the　ring…bolt。　My　brother　was　at　the
stern；　holding　on　to　a　small　empty　water…cask　which　had　been　securely
lashed　under　the　coo