the works of edgar allan poe-1-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


which　is　your　left　eye？〃

　　　　〃Oh；　my　golly；　Massa　Will！　aint　dis　here　my　lef　eye　for　sartain？〃　
roared　the　terrified　Jupiter；　placing　his　hand　upon　his　right　organ　
of　vision；　and　holding　it　there　with　a　desperate　pertinacity；　as　if　
in　immediate　dread　of　his　master's　attempt　at　a　gouge。

　　　　〃I　thought　so！　…　I　knew　it！　hurrah！〃　vociferated　Legrand；　letting　
the　negro　go；　and　executing　a　series　of　curvets　and　caracols；　much　to　
the　astonishment　of　his　valet；　who；　arising　from　his　knees；　looked；　
mutely；　from　his　master　to　myself；　and　then　from　myself　to　his　
master。

　　　　〃Come！　we　must　go　back；〃　said　the　latter；　〃the　game's　not　up　
yet；〃　and　he　again　led　the　way　to　the　tulip…tree。

　　　　〃Jupiter；〃　said　he；　when　we　reached　its　foot；　〃come　here！　was　the　
skull　nailed　to　the　limb　with　the　face　outwards；　or　with　the　face　to　
the　limb？〃

　　　　〃De　face　was　out；　massa；　so　dat　de　crows　could　get　at　de　eyes　
good；　widout　any　trouble。〃

　　　　〃Well；　then；　was　it　this　eye　or　that　through　which　you　dropped　
the　beetle？〃　…　here　Legrand　touched　each　of　Jupiter's　eyes。

　　　　〃Twas　dis　eye；　massa　…　de　lef　eye　…　jis　as　you　tell　me；〃　and　here　
it　was　his　right　eye　that　the　negro　indicated。

　　　　〃That　will　do　…　must　try　it　again。〃

　　　　Here　my　friend；　about　whose　madness　I　now　saw；　or　fancied　that　I　
saw；　certain　indications　of　method；　removed　the　peg　which　marked　the　
spot　where　the　beetle　fell；　to　a　spot　about　three　inches　to　the　
westward　of　its　former　position。　Taking；　now；　the　tape　measure　from　
the　nearest　point　of　the　trunk　to　the　peg；　as　before；　and　continuing　
the　extension　in　a　straight　line　to　the　distance　of　fifty　feet；　a　
spot　was　indicated；　removed；　by　several　yards；　from　the　point　at　
which　we　had　been　digging。

　　　　Around　the　new　position　a　circle；　somewhat　larger　than　in　the　
former　instance；　was　now　described；　and　we　again　set　to　work　with　the　
spades。　I　was　dreadfully　weary；　but；　scarcely　understanding　what　had　
occasioned　the　change　in　my　thoughts；　I　felt　no　longer　any　great　
aversion　from　the　labor　imposed。　I　had　become　most　unaccountably　
interested　…　nay；　even　excited。　Perhaps　there　was　something；　amid　all　
the　extravagant　demeanor　of　Legrand　…　some　air　of　forethought；　or　of　
deliberation；　which　impressed　me。　I　dug　eagerly；　and　now　and　then　
caught　myself　actually　looking；　with　something　that　very　much　
resembled　expectation；　for　the　fancied　treasure；　the　vision　of　which　
had　demented　my　unfortunate　companion。　At　a　period　when　such　vagaries　
of　thought　most　fully　possessed　me；　and　when　we　had　been　at　work　
perhaps　an　hour　and　a　half；　we　were　again　interrupted　by　the　violent　
howlings　of　the　dog。　His　uneasiness；　in　the　first　instance；　had　been；　
evidently；　but　the　result　of　playfulness　or　caprice；　but　he　now　
assumed　a　bitter　and　serious　tone。　Upon　Jupiter's　again　attempting　to　
muzzle　him；　he　made　furious　resistance；　and；　leaping　into　the　hole；　
tore　up　the　mould　frantically　with　his　claws。　In　a　few　seconds　he　had　
uncovered　a　mass　of　human　bones；　forming　two　complete　skeletons；　
intermingled　with　several　buttons　of　metal；　and　what　appeared　to　be　
the　dust　of　decayed　woollen。　One　or　two　strokes　of　a　spade　upturned　
the　blade　of　a　large　Spanish　knife；　and；　as　we　dug　farther；　three　or　
four　loose　pieces　of　gold　and　silver　coin　came　to　light。

　　　　At　sight　of　these　the　joy　of　Jupiter　could　scarcely　be　
restrained；　but　the　countenance　of　his　master　wore　an　air　of　extreme　
disappointment　He　urged　us；　however；　to　continue　our　exertions；　and　
the　words　were　hardly　uttered　when　I　stumbled　and　fell　forward；　
having　caught　the　toe　of　my　boot　in　a　large　ring　of　iron　that　lay　
half　buried　in　the　loose　earth。

　　　　We　now　worked　in　earnest；　and　never　did　I　pass　ten　minutes　of　
more　intense　excitement。　During　this　interval　we　had　fairly　unearthed　
an　oblong　chest　of　wood；　which；　from　its　perfect　preservation　and　
wonderful　hardness；　had　plainly　been　subjected　to　some　mineralizing　
process　…　perhaps　that　of　the　Bi…chloride　of　Mercury。　This　box　was　
three　feet　and　a　half　long；　three　feet　broad；　and　two　and　a　half　feet　
deep。　It　was　firmly　secured　by　bands　of　wrought　iron；　riveted；　and　
forming　a　kind　of　open　trelliswork　over　the　whole。　On　each　side　of　
the　chest；　near　the　top；　were　three　rings　of　iron　…　six　in　all　…　by　
means　of　which　a　firm　hold　could　be　obtained　by　six　persons。　Our　
utmost　united　endeavors　served　only　to　disturb　the　coffer　very　
slightly　in　its　bed。　We　at　once　saw　the　impossibility　of　removing　so　
great　a　weight。　Luckily；　the　sole　fastenings　of　the　lid　consisted　of　
two　sliding　bolts。　These　we　drew　back　…　trembling　and　panting　with　
anxiety。　In　an　instant；　a　treasure　of　incalculable　value　lay　gleaming　
before　us。　As　the　rays　of　the　lanterns　fell　within　the　pit；　there　
flashed　upwards　a　glow　and　a　glare；　from　a　confused　heap　of　gold　and　
of　jewels；　that　absolutely　dazzled　our　eyes。

　　　　I　shall　not　pretend　to　describe　the　feelings　with　which　I　gazed。　
Amazement　was；　of　course；　predominant。　Legrand　appeared　exhausted　
with　excitement；　and　spoke　very　few　words。　Jupiter's　
countenance　wore；　for　some　minutes；　as　deadly　a　pallor　as　it　is　
possible；　in　nature　of　things；　for　any　negro's　visage　to　assume。　He　
seemed　stupified　…　thunderstricken。　Presently　he　fell　upon　his　knees　
in　the　pit；　and；　burying　his　naked　arms　up　to　the　elbows　in　gold；　let　
them　there　remain；　as　if　enjoying　the　luxury　of　a　bath。　At　length；　
with　a　deep　sigh；　he　exclaimed；　as　if　in　a　soliloquy；

　　　　〃And　dis　all　cum　ob　de　goole…bug！　de　putty　goole　bug！　de　poor　
little　goole…bug；　what　I　boosed　in　dat　sabage　kind　ob　style！　Aint　you　
shamed　ob　yourself；　nigger？　…　answer　me　dat！〃

　　　　It　became　necessary；　at　last；　that　I　should　arouse　both　master　
and　valet　to　the　expediency　of　removing　the　treasure。　It　was　growing　
late；　and　it　behooved　us　to　make　exertion；　that　we　might　get　every　
thing　housed　before　daylight。　It　was　difficult　to　say　what　should　be　
done；　and　much　time　was　spent　in　deliberation　…　so　confused　were　the　
ideas　of　all。　We；　finally；　lightened　the　box　by　removing　two　thirds　
of　its　contents；　when　we　were　enabled；　with　some　trouble；　to　raise　it　
from　the　hole。　The　articles　taken　out　were　deposited　among　the　
brambles；　and　the　dog　left　to　guard　them；　with　strict　orders　from　
Jupiter　neither；　upon　any　pretence；　to　stir　from　the　spot；　nor　to　
open　his　mouth　until　our　return。　We　then　hurriedly　made　for　home　with　
the　chest；　reaching　the　hut　in　safety；　but　after　excessive　toil；　at　
one　o'clock　in　the　morning。　Worn　out　as　we　were；　it　was　not　in　human　
nature　to　do　more　immediately。　We　rested　until　two；　and　had　supper；　
starting　for　the　hills　immediately　afterwards；　armed　with　three　stout　
sacks；　which；　by　good　luck；　were　upon　the　premises。　A　little　before　
four　we　arrived　at　the　pit；　divided　the　remainder　of　the　booty；　as　
equally　as　might　be；　among　us；　and；　leaving　the　holes　unfilled；　again　
set　out　for　the　hut；　at　which；　for　the　second　time；　we　deposited　our　
golden　burthens；　just　as　the　first　faint　streaks　of　the　dawn　gleamed　
from　over　the　tree…tops　in　the　East。

　　　　We　were　now　thoroughly　broken　down；　but　the　intense　excitement　of　
the　time　denied　us　repose。　After　an　unquiet　slumber　of　some　three　or　
four　hours'　duration；　we　arose；　as　if　by　preconcert；　to　make　
examination　of　our　treasure。

　　　　The　chest　had　been　full　to　the　brim；　and　we　spent　the　whole　day；　
and　the　greater　part　of　the　next　night；　in　a　scrutiny　of　its　
contents。　There　had　been　nothing　like　order　or　arrangement。　Every　
thing　had　been　heaped　in　promiscuously。　Having　assorted　all　with　
care；　we　found　ourselves　possessed　of　even　vaster　wealth　than　we　had　
at　first　supposed。　In　coin　there　was　rather　more　than　four　hundred　
and　fifty　thousand　dollars　…　estimating　the　value　of　the　pieces；　as　
accurately　as　we　could；　by　the　tables　of　the　period。　There　was　not　a　
particle　of　silver。　All　was　gold　of　antique　date　and　of　great　variety　
…　French；　Spanish；　and　German　money；　with　a　few　English　guineas；　and　
some　counters；　of　which　we　had　never　seen　specimens　before。　There　
were　several　very　large　and　heavy　coins；　so　worn　that　we　could　make　
nothing　of　their　inscriptions。　There　was　no　American　money。　The　value　
of　the　jewels　we　found　more　difficulty　in　estimating。　There　were　
diamonds　…　some　of　them　exceedingly　large　and　fine　…　a　hundred　and　
ten　in　all；　and　not　one　of　them　small；　eighteen　rubies　of　remarkable　
brilliancy；　…　three　hundred　and　ten　emeralds；　all　very　beautiful；　and　
twenty…one　sapphires；　with　an　opal。　These　stones　had　all　been　broken　
from　their　settings　and　thrown　loose　in　the　chest。　The　settings　
themselves；　which　we　picked　out　from　among　the　other　gold；　appeared　
to　have　been　beaten　up　with　hammers；　as　if　to　prevent　identification。　
Besides　all　this；　there　was　a　vast　quantity　of　solid　gold　ornaments；　
…　nearly　two　hundred　massive　finger　and　earrings；　…　rich　chains　…　
thirty　of　these；　if　I　remember；　…　eighty…three　very　large　and　heavy　
crucifixes；　…　five　gold　censers　of　great　value；　…　a　prodigious　golden　
punch　bowl；　ornamented　with　richly　chased　vine…leaves　and　
Bacchanalian　figures；　with　two　sword…handles　exquisitely　embossed；　
and　many　other　smaller　articles　which　I　cannot　recollect。　The　weight　
of　these　valuables　exceeded　three　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　
avoirdupois；　and　in　this　estimate　I　have　not　included　one　hundred　and　
ninety…seven　superb　gold　watches；　three　of　the　number　being　worth　
each　five　hundred　dollars；　if　one。　Many　of　them　were　very　old；　and　as　
time　keepers　valueless；　the　works　having　suffered；　more　or　less；　from　
corrosion　…　but　all　were　richly　jewelled　and　in　cases　of　great　worth。　
We　estimated　the　entire　contents　of　the　chest；　that　night；　at　a　
million　and　a　half　of　dollars；　and　upon　the　subsequent　disposal　of　
the　trinkets　and　jewels　（a　　few　being　retained　for　our　own　
use）；　it　was　found　that　we　had　greatly　undervalued　the　treasure。　
When；　at　length；　we　had　concluded　our　examination；　and　the　intense　
excitement　of　the　time　had；　in　some　measure；　subsided；　Legrand；　who　
saw　that　I　was　dying　with　impatience　for　a　solution　of　this　most　
extraordinary　riddle；　entered　into　a　full　detail　of　all　the　
circumstances　con