the works of edgar allan poe-2-第6部分

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approaching　us。　At　length；　on　the　edge　of　the　horizon；　we　discovered
a　black　speck；　which　rapidly　increased　in　size　until　we　made　it　out
to　be　a　vast　monster；　swimming　with　a　great　part　of　its　body　above
the　surface　of　the　sea。　It　came　toward　us　with　inconceivable
swiftness；　throwing　up　huge　waves　of　foam　around　its　breast；　and
illuminating　all　that　part　of　the　sea　through　which　it　passed；　with　a
long　line　of　fire　that　extended　far　off　into　the　distance。

〃'As　the　thing　drew　near　we　saw　it　very　distinctly。　Its　length　was
equal　to　that　of　three　of　the　loftiest　trees　that　grow；　and　it　was　as
wide　as　the　great　hall　of　audience　in　your　palace；　O　most　sublime　and
munificent　of　the　Caliphs。　Its　body；　which　was　unlike　that　of
ordinary　fishes；　was　as　solid　as　a　rock；　and　of　a　jetty　blackness
throughout　all　that　portion　of　it　which　floated　above　the　water；　with
the　exception　of　a　narrow　blood…red　streak　that　completely　begirdled
it。　The　belly；　which　floated　beneath　the　surface；　and　of　which　we
could　get　only　a　glimpse　now　and　then　as　the　monster　rose　and　fell
with　the　billows；　was　entirely　covered　with　metallic　scales；　of　a
color　like　that　of　the　moon　in　misty　weather。　The　back　was　flat　and
nearly　white；　and　from　it　there　extended　upwards　of　six　spines；　about
half　the　length　of　the　whole　body。

〃'The　horrible　creature　had　no　mouth　that　we　could　perceive；　but；　as
if　to　make　up　for　this　deficiency；　it　was　provided　with　at　least　four
score　of　eyes；　that　protruded　from　their　sockets　like　those　of　the
green　dragon…fly；　and　were　arranged　all　around　the　body　in　two　rows；
one　above　the　other；　and　parallel　to　the　blood…red　streak；　which
seemed　to　answer　the　purpose　of　an　eyebrow。　Two　or　three　of　these
dreadful　eyes　were　much　larger　than　the　others；　and　had　the
appearance　of　solid　gold。

〃'Although　this　beast　approached　us；　as　I　have　before　said；　with　the
greatest　rapidity；　it　must　have　been　moved　altogether　by　necromancy…
for　it　had　neither　fins　like　a　fish　nor　web…feet　like　a　duck；　nor
wings　like　the　seashell　which　is　blown　along　in　the　manner　of　a
vessel；　nor　yet　did　it　writhe　itself　forward　as　do　the　eels。　Its　head
and　its　tail　were　shaped　precisely　alike；　only；　not　far　from　the
latter；　were　two　small　holes　that　served　for　nostrils；　and　through
which　the　monster　puffed　out　its　thick　breath　with　prodigious
violence；　and　with　a　shrieking；　disagreeable　noise。

〃'Our　terror　at　beholding　this　hideous　thing　was　very　great；　but　it
was　even　surpassed　by　our　astonishment；　when　upon　getting　a　nearer
look；　we　perceived　upon　the　creature's　back　a　vast　number　of　animals
about　the　size　and　shape　of　men；　and　altogether　much　resembling　them；
except　that　they　wore　no　garments　（as　men　do）；　being　supplied　（by
nature；　no　doubt）　with　an　ugly　uncomfortable　covering；　a　good　deal
like　cloth；　but　fitting　so　tight　to　the　skin；　as　to　render　the　poor
wretches　laughably　awkward；　and　put　them　apparently　to　severe　pain。
On　the　very　tips　of　their　heads　were　certain　square…looking　boxes；
which；　at　first　sight；　I　thought　might　have　been　intended　to　answer
as　turbans；　but　I　soon　discovered　that　they　were　excessively　heavy
and　solid；　and　I　therefore　concluded　they　were　contrivances　designed；
by　their　great　weight；　to　keep　the　heads　of　the　animals　steady　and
safe　upon　their　shoulders。　Around　the　necks　of　the　creatures　were
fastened　black　collars；　（badges　of　servitude；　no　doubt；）　such　as　we
keep　on　our　dogs；　only　much　wider　and　infinitely　stiffer；　so　that　it
was　quite　impossible　for　these　poor　victims　to　move　their　heads　in
any　direction　without　moving　the　body　at　the　same　time；　and　thus　they
were　doomed　to　perpetual　contemplation　of　their　noses　　a　view
puggish　and　snubby　in　a　wonderful；　if　not　positively　in　an　awful
degree。

〃'When　the　monster　had　nearly　reached　the　shore　where　we　stood；　it
suddenly　pushed　out　one　of　its　eyes　to　a　great　extent；　and　emitted
from　it　a　terrible　flash　of　fire；　accompanied　by　a　dense　cloud　of
smoke；　and　a　noise　that　I　can　compare　to　nothing　but　thunder。　As　the
smoke　cleared　away；　we　saw　one　of　the　odd　man…animals　standing　near
the　head　of　the　large　beast　with　a　trumpet　in　his　hand；　through　which
（putting　it　to　his　mouth）　he　presently　addressed　us　in　loud；　harsh；
and　disagreeable　accents；　that；　perhaps；　we　should　have　mistaken　for
language；　had　they　not　come　altogether　through　the　nose。

〃'Being　thus　evidently　spoken　to；　I　was　at　a　loss　how　to　reply；　as　I
could　in　no　manner　understand　what　was　said；　and　in　this　difficulty　I
turned　to　the　porter；　who　was　near　swooning　through　affright；　and
demanded　of　him　his　opinion　as　to　what　species　of　monster　it　was；
what　it　wanted；　and　what　kind　of　creatures　those　were　that　so　swarmed
upon　its　back。　To　this　the　porter　replied；　as　well　as　he　could　for
trepidation；　that　he　had　once　before　heard　of　this　sea…beast；　that　it
was　a　cruel　demon；　with　bowels　of　sulphur　and　blood　of　fire；　created
by　evil　genii　as　the　means　of　inflicting　misery　upon　mankind；　that
the　things　upon　its　back　were　vermin；　such　as　sometimes　infest　cats
and　dogs；　only　a　little　larger　and　more　savage；　and　that　these　vermin
had　their　uses；　however　evil　　for；　through　the　torture　they　caused
the　beast　by　their　nibbling　and　stingings；　it　was　goaded　into　that
degree　of　wrath　which　was　requisite　to　make　it　roar　and　commit　ill；
and　so　fulfil　the　vengeful　and　malicious　designs　of　the　wicked　genii。

〃This　account　determined　me　to　take　to　my　heels；　and；　without　once
even　looking　behind　me；　I　ran　at　full　speed　up　into　the　hills；　while
the　porter　ran　equally　fast；　although　nearly　in　an　opposite
direction；　so　that；　by　these　means；　he　finally　made　his　escape　with
my　bundles；　of　which　I　have　no　doubt　he　took　excellent　care　
although　this　is　a　point　I　cannot　determine；　as　I　do　not　remember
that　I　ever　beheld　him　again。

〃'For　myself；　I　was　so　hotly　pursued　by　a　swarm　of　the　men…vermin
（who　had　come　to　the　shore　in　boats）　that　I　was　very　soon　overtaken；
bound　hand　and　foot；　and　conveyed　to　the　beast；　which　immediately
swam　out　again　into　the　middle　of　the　sea。

〃'I　now　bitterly　repented　my　folly　in　quitting　a　comfortable　home　to
peril　my　life　in　such　adventures　as　this；　but　regret　being　useless；　I
made　the　best　of　my　condition；　and　exerted　myself　to　secure　the
goodwill　of　the　man…animal　that　owned　the　trumpet；　and　who　appeared
to　exercise　authority　over　his　fellows。　I　succeeded　so　well　in　this
endeavor　that；　in　a　few　days；　the　creature　bestowed　upon　me　various
tokens　of　his　favor；　and　in　the　end　even　went　to　the　trouble　of
teaching　me　the　rudiments　of　what　it　was　vain　enough　to　denominate
its　language；　so　that；　at　length；　I　was　enabled　to　converse　with　it
readily；　and　came　to　make　it　comprehend　the　ardent　desire　I　had　of
seeing　the　world。

〃'Washish　squashish　squeak；　Sinbad；　hey…diddle　diddle；　grunt　unt
grumble；　hiss；　fiss；　whiss；'　said　he　to　me；　one　day　after　dinner…　but
I　beg　a　thousand　pardons；　I　had　forgotten　that　your　majesty　is　not
conversant　with　the　dialect　of　the　Cock…neighs　（so　the　man…animals
were　called；　I　presume　because　their　language　formed　the　connecting
link　between　that　of　the　horse　and　that　of　the　rooster）。　With　your
permission；　I　will　translate。　'Washish　squashish；'　and　so　forth：　
that　is　to　say；　'I　am　happy　to　find；　my　dear　Sinbad；　that　you　are
really　a　very　excellent　fellow；　we　are　now　about　doing　a　thing　which
is　called　circumnavigating　the　globe；　and　since　you　are　so　desirous
of　seeing　the　world；　I　will　strain　a　point　and　give　you　a　free
passage　upon　back　of　the　beast。'〃

When　the　Lady　Scheherazade　had　proceeded　thus　far；　relates　the
〃Isitsoornot；〃　the　king　turned　over　from　his　left　side　to　his　right；
and　said：

〃It　is；　in　fact；　very　surprising；　my　dear　queen；　that　you　omitted；
hitherto；　these　latter　adventures　of　Sinbad。　Do　you　know　I　think　them
exceedingly　entertaining　and　strange？〃

The　king　having　thus　expressed　himself；　we　are　told；　the　fair
Scheherazade　resumed　her　history　in　the　following　words：

〃Sinbad　went　on　in　this　manner　with　his　narrative　to　the　caliph…　'I
thanked　the　man…animal　for　its　kindness；　and　soon　found　myself　very
much　at　home　on　the　beast；　which　swam　at　a　prodigious　rate　through
the　ocean；　although　the　surface　of　the　latter　is；　in　that　part　of　the
world；　by　no　means　flat；　but　round　like　a　pomegranate；　so　that　we
went　　so　to　say　　either　up　hill　or　down　hill　all　the　time。'

〃That　I　think；　was　very　singular；〃　interrupted　the　king。

〃Nevertheless；　it　is　quite　true；〃　replied　Scheherazade。

〃I　have　my　doubts；〃　rejoined　the　king；　〃but；　pray；　be　so　good　as　to
go　on　with　the　story。〃

〃I　will；〃　said　the　queen。　〃'The　beast；'　continued　Sinbad　to　the
caliph；　'swam；　as　I　have　related；　up　hill　and　down　hill　until；　at
length；　we　arrived　at　an　island；　many　hundreds　of　miles　in
circumference；　but　which；　nevertheless；　had　been　built　in　the　middle
of　the　sea　by　a　colony　of　little　things　like　caterpillars'〃　｛*1｝

〃Hum！〃　said　the　king。

〃'Leaving　this　island；'　said　Sinbad　　（for　Scheherazade；　it　must　be
understood；　took　no　notice　of　her　husband's　ill…mannered　ejaculation）
'leaving　this　island；　we　came　to　another　where　the　forests　were　of
solid　stone；　and　so　hard　that　they　shivered　to　pieces　the
finest…tempered　axes　with　which　we　endeavoured　to　cut　them　down。〃'
｛*2｝

〃Hum！〃　said　the　king；　again；　but　Scheherazade；　paying　him　no
attention；　continued　in　the　language　of　Sinbad。

〃'Passing　beyond　this　last　island；　we　reached　a　country　where　there
was　a　cave　that　ran　to　the　distance　of　thirty　or　forty　miles　within
the　bowels　of　the　earth；　and　that　contained　a　greater　number　of　far
more　spacious　and　more　magnificent　palaces　than　are　to　be　found　in
all　Damascus　and　Bagdad。　From　the　roofs　of　these　palaces　there　hung
myriads　of　gems；　liked　diamonds；　but　larger　than　men；　and　in　among
the　streets　of　towers　and　pyramids　and　temples；　there　flowed　immense
rivers　as　black　as　ebony；　and　swarming　with　fish　that　had　no　eyes。'〃
｛*3｝

〃Hum！〃　said　the　king。　〃'We　then　swam　into　a　region　of　the　sea　where
we　found　a　lofty　mountain；　down　whose　sides　there　streamed　torrents
of　melted　metal；　some　of　which　were　twelve　miles　wide　and　sixty　miles
long　｛*4｝；　while　from　an　abyss　on　the　summit；　issued　so　vast　a