the works of edgar allan poe-3-第7部分

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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；　to　read　all　at　once；　I　succeeded　only　in　reading　the　seven
concluding　words；　which　thus　appeared…　〃blood…　your　life　depends　upon
lying　close。〃

　　　　　Had　I　been　able　to　ascertain　the　entire　contents　of　the　note…the
full　meaning　of　the　admonition　which　my　friend　had　thus　attempted　to
convey；　that　admonition；　even　although　it　should　have　revealed　a
story　of　disaster　the　most　unspeakable；　could　not；　I　am　firmly
convinced；　have　imbued　my　mind　with　one　tithe　of　the　harrowing　and
yet　indefinable　horror　with　which　I　was　inspired　by　the　fragmentary
warning　thus　received。　And　〃blood；〃　too；　that　word　of　all　words…　so
rife　at　all　times　with　mystery；　and　suffering；　and　terror…　how　trebly
full　of　import　did　it　now　appear…　how　chilly　and　heavily　（disjointed；
as　it　thus　was；　from　any　foregoing　words　to　qualify　or　render　it
distinct）　did　its　vague　syllables　fall；　amid　the　deep　gloom　of　my
prison；　into　the　innermost　recesses　of　my　soul！

　　　　　Augustus　had；　undoubtedly；　good　reasons　for　wishing　me　to　remain
concealed；　and　I　formed　a　thousand　surmises　as　to　what　they　could　be…
but　I　could　think　of　nothing　affording　a　satisfactory　solution　of　the
mystery。　just　after　returning　from　my　last　journey　to　the　trap；　and
before　my　attention　had　been　otherwise　directed　by　the　singular
conduct　of　Tiger；　I　had　come　to　the　resolution　of　making　myself　heard
at　all　events　by　those　on　board；　or；　if　I　could　not　succeed　in　this
directly；　of　trying　to　cut　my　way　through　the　orlop　deck。　The　half
certainty　which　I　felt　of　being　able　to　accomplish　one　of　these　two
purposes　in　the　last　emergency；　had　given　me　courage　（which　I　should
not　otherwise　have　had）　to　endure　the　evils　of　my　situation。　The　few
words　I　had　been　able　to　read；　however；　had　cut　me　off　from　these
final　resources；　and　I　now；　for　the　first　time；　felt　all　the　misery
of　my　fate。　In　a　paroxysm　of　despair　I　threw　myself　again　upon　the
mattress；　where；　for　about　the　period　of　a　day　and　night；　I　lay　in　a
kind　of　stupor；　relieved　only　by　momentary　intervals　of　reason　and
recollection。

　　　　　At　length　I　once　more　arose；　and　busied　myself　in　reflection
upon　the　horrors　which　encompassed　me。　For　another　twenty…four　hours
it　was　barely　possible　that　I　might　exist　without　water…　for　a　longer
time　I　could　not　do　so。　During　the　first　portion　of　my　imprisonment　I
had　made　free　use　of　the　cordials　with　which　Augustus　had　supplied
me；　but　they　only　served　to　excite　fever；　without　in　the　least　degree
assuaging　thirst。　I　had　now　only　about　a　gill　left；　and　this　was　of　a
species　of　strong　peach　liqueur　at　which　my　stomach　revolted。　The
sausages　were　entirely　consumed；　of　the　ham　nothing　remained　but　a
small　piece　of　the　skin；　and　all　the　biscuit；　except　a　few　fragments
of　one；　had　been　eaten　by　Tiger。　To　add　to　my　troubles；　I　found　that
my　headache　was　increasing　momentarily；　and　with　it　the　species　of
delirium　which　had　distressed　me　more　or　less　since　my　first　falling
asleep。　For　some　hours　past　it　had　been　with　the　greatest　difficulty
I　could　breathe　at　all；　and　now　each　attempt　at　so　doing　was　attended
with　the　most　depressing　spasmodic　action　of　the　chest。　But　there　was
still　another　and　very　different　source　of　disquietude；　and　one；
indeed；　whose　harassing　terrors　had　been　the　chief　means　of　arousing
me　to　exertion　from　my　stupor　on　the　mattress。　It　arose　from　the
demeanor　of　the　dog。

　　　　　I　first　observed　an　alteration　in　his　conduct　while　rubbing　in
the　phosphorus　on　the　paper　in　my　last　attempt。　As　I　rubbed；　he　ran
his　nose　against　my　hand　with　a　slight　snarl；　but　I　was　too　greatly
excited　at　the　time　to　pay　much　attention　to　the　circumstance。　Soon
afterward；　it　will　be　remembered；　I　threw　myself　on　the　mattress；　and
fell　into　a　species　of　lethargy。　Presently　I　became　aware　of　a
singular　hissing　sound　close　at　my　ears；　and　discovered　it　to　proceed
from　Tiger；　who　was　panting　and　wheezing　in　a　state　of　the　greatest
apparent　excitement；　his　eyeballs　flashing　fiercely　through　the
gloom。　I　spoke　to　him；　when　he　replied　with　a　low　growl；　and　t