the works of edgar allan poe-3-第16部分

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reason　for　suspecting　to　be　on　board…　were　assembled　in　the　cabin；
with　the　exception　of　Allen；　the　watch；　and　his　gigantic　stature　（be
was　six　feet　six　inches　high）　was　too　familiar　in　their　eyes　to
permit　the　notion　that　he　was　the　apparition　before　them　to　enter
their　minds　even　for　an　instant。　Add　to　these　considerations　the
awe…inspiring　nature　of　the　tempest；　and　that　of　the　conversation
brought　about　by　Peters；　the　deep　impression　which　the　loathsomeness
of　the　actual　corpse　had　made　in　the　morning　upon　the　imaginations　of
the　men；　the　excellence　of　the　imitation　in　my　person；　and　the
uncertain　and　wavering　light　in　which　they　beheld　me；　as　the　glare　of
the　cabin　lantern；　swinging　violently　to　and　fro；　fell　dubiously　and
fitfully　upon　my　figure；　and　there　will　be　no　reason　to　wonder　that
the　deception　had　even　more　than　the　entire　effect　which　we　had
anticipated。　The　mate　sprang　up　from　the　mattress　on　which　he　was
lying；　and；　without　uttering　a　syllable；　fell　back；　stone　dead；　upon
the　cabin　floor；　and　was　hurled　to　the　leeward　like　a　log　by　a　heavy
roll　of　the　brig。　Of　the　remaining　seven；　there　were　but　three　who
had　at　first　any　degree　of　presence　of　mind。　The　four　others　sat　for
some　time　rooted　apparently　to　the　floor；　the　most　pitiable　objects
of　horror　and　utter　despair　my　eyes　ever　encountered。　The　only
opposition　we　experienced　at　all　was　from　the　cook；　John　Hunt；　and
Richard　Parker；　but　they　made　but　a　feeble　and　irresolute　defence。
The　two　former　were　shot　instantly　by　Peters；　and　I　felled　Parker
with　a　blow　on　the　head　from　the　pump…handle　which　I　had　brought　with
me。　In　the　meantime；　Augustus　seized　one　of　the　muskets　lying　on　the
floor　now　but　three　remaining；　but　by　this　time　they　had　become
aroused　from　their　lethargy；　and　perhaps　began　to　see　that　a
deception　had　been　practised　upon　them；　for　they　fought　with　great
resolution　and　fury；　and；　but　for　the　immense　muscular　strength　of
Peters；　might　have　ultimately　got　the　better　of　us。　These　three　men
were　　Jones；　　Greely；　and　Absolom　Hicks。　Jones　had　thrown
Augustus　to　the　floor；　stabbed　him　in　several　places　along　the　right
arm；　and　would　no　doubt　have　soon　dispatched　him　（as　neither　Peters
nor　myself　could　immediately　get　rid　of　our　own　antagonists）；　had　it
not　been　for　the　timely　aid　of　a　friend；　upon　whose　assistance　we；
surely；　had　never　depended。　This　friend　was　no　other　than　Tiger。　With
a　low　growl；　he　bounded　into　the　cabin；　at　a　most　critical　moment　for
Augustus；　and　throwing　himself　upon　Jones；　pinned　him　to　the　floor　in
an　instant。　My　friend；　however；　was　now　too　much　injured　to　render　us
any　aid　whatever；　and　I　was　so　encumbered　with　my　disguise　that　I
could　do　but　little。　The　dog　would　not　leave　his　hold　upon　the　throat
of　Jones　　Peters；　nevertheless；　was　far　more　than　a　match　for　the
two　men　who　remained；　and　would；　no　doubt；　have　dispatched　them
sooner；　had　it　not　been　for　the　narrow　space　in　which　he　had　to　act；
and　the　tremendous　lurches　of　the　vessel。　Presently　he　was　enabled　to
get　hold　of　a　heavy　stool；　several　of　which　lay　about　the　floor。　With
this　he　beat　out　the　brains　of　Greely　as　he　was　in　the　act　of
discharging　a　musket　at　me；　and　immediately　afterward　a　roll　of　the
brig　throwing　him　in　contact　with　Hicks；　he　seized　him　by　the　throat；
and；　by　dint　of　sheer　strength；　strangled　him　instantaneously。　Thus；
in　far　less　time　than　I　have　taken　to　tell　it；　we　found　ourselves
masters　of　the　brig。

　　　　The　only　person　of　our　opponents　who　was　left　alive　was　Richard
Parker。　This　man；　it　will　be　remembered；　I　had　knocked　down　with　a
blow　from　the　pump…handle　at　the　commencement　of　the　attack。　He　now
lay　motionless　by　the　door　of　the　shattered　stateroom；　but；　upon
Peters　touching　him　with　his　foot；　he　spoke；　and　entreated　for　mercy。
His　head　was　only　slightly　cut；　and　otherwise　he　had　received　no
injury；　having　been　merely　stunned　by　the　blow。　He　now　got　up；　and；
for　the　present；　we　secured　his　hands　behind　his　back。　The　dog　was
still　growling　over　Jones；　but；　upon　examination；　we　found　him
completely　dead；　the　blood　issuing　in　a　stream　from　a　deep　wound　in
the　throat；　inflicted；　no　doubt；　by　the　sharp　teeth　of　the　animal。

　　　　It　was　now　about　one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　the　wind　was
still　blowing　tremendously。　The　brig　evidently　laboured　much　more
than　usual；　and　it　became　absolutely　necessary　that　something　should
be　done　with　a　view　of　easing　her　in　some　measure。　At　almost　every
roll　to　leeward　she　shipped　a　sea；　several　of　which　came　partially
down　into　the　cabin　during　our　scuffle；　the　hatchway　having　been　left
open　by　myself　when　I　descended。　The　entire　range　of　bulwarks　to
larboard　had　been　swept　away；　as　well　as　the　caboose；　together　with
the　jollyboat　from　the　counter。　The　creaking　and　working　of　the
mainmast；　too；　gave　indication　that　it　was　nearly　sprung。　To　make
room　for　more　stowage　in　the　afterhold；　the　heel　of　this　mast　had
been　stepped　between　decks　（a　very　reprehensible　practice；
occasionally　resorted　to　by　ignorant　ship…builders）；　so　that　it　was
in　imminent　danger　of　working　from　its　step。　But；　to　crown　all　our
difficulties；　we　plummed　the　well；　and　found　no　less　than　seven　feet
of　water。

　　　　Leaving　the　bodies　of　the　crew　lying　in　the　cabin；　we　got　to　work
immediately　at　the　pumps…　Parker；　of　course；　being　set　at　liberty　to
assist　us　in　the　labour。　Augustus's　arm　was　bound　up　as　well　as　we
could　effect　it；　and　he　did　what　he　could；　but　that　was　not　much。
However；　we　found　that　we　could　just　manage　to　keep　the　leak　from
gaining　upon　us　by　having　one　pump　constantly　going。　As　there　were
only　four　of　us；　this　was　severe　labour；　but　we　endeavoured　to　keep
up　our　spirits；　and　looked　anxiously　for　daybreak；　when　we　hoped　to
lighten　the　brig　by　cutting　away　the　mainmast。

　　　　In　this　manner　we　passed　a　night　of　terrible　anxiety　and　fatigue；
and；　when　the　day　at　length　broke；　the　gale　had　neither　abated　in　the
least；　nor　were　there　any　signs　of　its　abating。　We　now　dragged　the
bodies　on　deck　and　threw　them　overboard。　Our　next　care　was　to　get　rid
of　the　mainmast。　The　necessary　preparations　having　been　made；　Peters
cut　away　at　the　mast　（having　found　axes　in　the　cabin）；　while　the　rest
of　us　stood　by　the　stays　and　lanyards。　As　the　brig　gave　a　tremendous
lee…lurch；　the　word　was　given　to　cut　away　the　weather…lanyards；　which
being　done；　the　whole　mass　of　wood　and　rigging　plunged　into　the　sea；
clear　of　the　brig；　and　without　doing　any　material　injury。　We　now
found　that　the　vessel　did　not　labour　quite　as　much　as　before；　but　our
situation　was　still　exceedingly　precarious；　and　in　spite　of　the
utmost　exertions；　we　could　not　gain　upon　the　leak　without　the　aid　of
both　pumps。　The　little　assistance　which　Augustus　could　render　us　was
not　really　of　any　importance。　To　add　to　our　distress；　a　heavy　sea；
striking　the　brig　to　the　windward；　threw　her　off　several　points　from
the　wind；　and；　before　she　could　regain　her　position；　another　broke
completely　over　her；　and　hurled　her　full　upon　her　beam…ends。　The
ballast　now　shifted　in　a　mass　to　leeward　（the　stowage　had　been
knocking　about　perfectly　at　random　for　some　time）；　and　for　a　few
moments　we　thought　nothing　could　save　us　from　capsizing。　Presently；
however；　we　partially　righted；　but　the　ballast　still　retaining　its
place　to　larboard；　we　lay　so　much　along　that　it　was　useless　to　think
of　working　the　pumps；　which　indeed　we　could　not　have　done　much　longer
in　any　case；　as　our　hands　were　entirely　raw　with　the　excessive　labour
we　had　undergone；　and　were　bleeding　in　the　most　horrible　manner。

　　　　Contrary　to　Parker's　advice；　we　now　proceeded　to　cut　away　the
foremast；　and　at　length　accomplished　it　after　much　difficulty；　owing
to　the　position　in　which　we　lay。　In　going　overboard　the　wreck　took
with　it　the　bowsprit；　and　left　us　a　complete　hulk。

　　　　So　far　we　had　had　reason　to　rejoice　in　the　escape　of　our
longboat；　which　had　received　no　damage　from　any　of　the　huge　seas
which　had　come　on　board。　But　we　had　not　long　to　congratulate
ourselves；　for　the　foremast　having　gone；　and；　of　course；　the　foresail
with　it；　by　which　the　brig　had　been　steadied；　every　sea　now　made　a
complete　breach　over　us；　and　in　five　minutes　our　deck　was　swept　from
stern　to　stern；　the　longboat　and　starboard　bulwarks　torn　off；　and
even　the　windlass　shattered　into　fragments。　It　was；　indeed；　hardly
possible　for　us　to　be　in　a　more　pitiable　condition。

　　　　At　noon　there　seemed　to　be　some　slight　appearance　of　the　gale's
abating；　but　in　this　we　were　sadly　disappointed；　for　it　only　lulled
for　a　few　minutes　to　blow　with　redoubled　fury。　About　four　in　the
afternoon　it　was　utterly　impossible　to　stand　up　against　the　violence
of　the　blast；　and；　as　the　night　closed　in　upon　us；　I　had　not　a　shadow
of　hope　that　the　vessel　would　hold　together　until　morning。

　　　　By　midnight　we　had　settled　very　deep　in　the　water；　which　was　now
up　to　the　orlop　deck。　The　rudder　went　soon　afterward；　the　sea　which
tore　it　away　lifting　the　after　portion　of　the　brig　entirely　from　the
water；　against　which　she　thumped　in　her　descent　with　such　a
concussion　as　would　be　occasioned　by　going　ashore。　We　had　all
calculated　that　the　rudder　would　hold　its　own　to　the　last；　as　it　was
unusually　strong；　being　rigged　as　I　have　never　seen　one　rigged　either
before　or　since。　Down　its　main　timber　there　ran　a　succession　of　stout
iron　hooks；　and　others　in　the　same　manner　down　the　stern…post。
Through　these　hooks　there　extended　a　very　thick　wrought…iron　rod；　the
rudder　being　thus　held　to　the　stern…post　and　swinging　freely　on　the
rod。　The　tremendous　force　of　the　sea　which　tore　it　off　may　be
estimated　by　the　fact；　that　the　hooks　in　the　stern…post；　which　ran
entirely　through　it；　being　clinched　on　the　inside；　were　drawn　every
one　of　them　completely　out　of　the　solid　wood。

　　　　We　had　scarcely　time　to　draw　breath　after　the　violence　of　this
shock；　when　one　of　the　most　tremendous　waves　I　had　then　ever　known
broke　right　on　board　of　us；　sweeping　the　companion…way　clear　off；
bursting　in　the　hatchways；　and　firing　every　inch　of　the　vessel　with
water。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　8　~~~

CHAPTER　9



　　　　LUCKILY；　just　before　night；　all　four　of　us　had　lashed　ourselves
firmly　to　the