the works of edgar allan poe-1-第6部分

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place　it　in　her　bands。　

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Unparalleled　Adventures　of

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　One　Hans　Pfaal　｛*1｝

BY　late　accounts　from　Rotterdam；　that　city　seems　to　be　in　a　high　　
state　of　philosophical　excitement。　Indeed；　phenomena　have　there　　
occurred　of　a　nature　so　completely　unexpected　　so　entirely　novel　　
so　utterly　at　variance　with　preconceived　opinions　　as　to　leave　no　
doubt　on　my　mind　that　long　ere　this　all　Europe　is　in　an　uproar；　all　
physics　in　a　ferment；　all　reason　and　astronomy　together　by　the　ears。

It　appears　that　on　the　　　day　of　　　（I　am　not　positive　about　
the　date）；　a　vast　crowd　of　people；　for　purposes　not　specifically　
mentioned；　were　assembled　in　the　great　square　of　the　Exchange　in　the　
well…conditioned　city　of　Rotterdam。　The　day　was　warm　　unusually　so　
for　the　season　　there　was　hardly　a　breath　of　air　stirring；　and　the　
multitude　were　in　no　bad　humor　at　being　now　and　then　besprinkled　with　
friendly　showers　of　momentary　duration；　that　fell　from　large　white　
masses　of　cloud　which　chequered　in　a　fitful　manner　the　blue　vault　of　
the　firmament。　Nevertheless；　about　noon；　a　slight　but　remarkable　
agitation　became　apparent　in　the　assembly：　the　clattering　of　ten　
thousand　tongues　succeeded；　and；　in　an　instant　afterward；　ten　
thousand　faces　were　upturned　toward　the　heavens；　ten　thousand　pipes　
descended　simultaneously　from　the　corners　of　ten　thousand　mouths；　and　
a　shout；　which　could　be　compared　to　nothing　but　the　roaring　of　
Niagara；　resounded　long；　loudly；　and　furiously；　through　all　the　
environs　of　Rotterdam。

The　origin　of　this　hubbub　soon　became　sufficiently　evident。　From　
behind　the　huge　bulk　of　one　of　those　sharply…defined　masses　of　cloud　
already　mentioned；　was　seen　slowly　to　emerge　into　an　open　area　of　
blue　space；　a　queer；　heterogeneous；　but　apparently　solid　substance；　
so　oddly　shaped；　so　whimsically　put　together；　as　not　to　be　in　any　
manner　comprehended；　and　never　to　be　sufficiently　admired；　by　the　
host　of　sturdy　burghers　who　stood　open…mouthed　below。　What　could　it　
be？　In　the　name　of　all　the　vrows　and　devils　in　Rotterdam；　what　could　
it　possibly　portend？　No　one　knew；　no　one　could　imagine；　no　one　　not　
even　the　burgomaster　Mynheer　Superbus　Von　Underduk　　had　the　
slightest　clew　by　which　to　unravel　the　mystery；　so；　as　nothing　more　
reasonable　could　be　done；　every　one　to　a　man　replaced　his　pipe　
carefully　in　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　and　cocking　up　his　right　eye　
towards　the　phenomenon；　puffed；　paused；　waddled　about；　and　grunted　
significantly　　then　waddled　back；　grunted；　paused；　and　finally　　
puffed　again。

In　the　meantime；　however；　lower　and　still　lower　toward　the　goodly　
city；　came　the　object　of　so　much　curiosity；　and　the　cause　of　so　much　
smoke。　In　a　very　few　minutes　it　arrived　near　enough　to　be　accurately　
discerned。　It　appeared　to　be　　yes！　it　was　undoubtedly　a　species　of　
balloon；　but　surely　no　such　balloon　had　ever　been　seen　in　Rotterdam　
before。　For　who；　let　me　ask；　ever　heard　of　a　balloon　manufactured　
entirely　of　dirty　newspapers？　No　man　in　Holland　certainly；　yet　here；　
under　the　very　noses　of　the　people；　or　rather　at　some　distance　above　
their　noses　was　the　identical　thing　in　question；　and　composed；　I　have　
it　on　the　best　authority；　of　the　precise　material　which　no　one　had　
ever　before　known　to　be　used　for　a　similar　purpose。　It　was　an　
egregious　insult　to　the　good　sense　of　the　burghers　of　Rotterdam。　As　
to　the　shape　of　the　phenomenon；　it　was　even　still　more　reprehensible。　
Being　little　or　nothing　better　than　a　huge　foolscap　turned　upside　
down。　And　this　similitude　was　regarded　as　by　no　means　lessened　when；　
upon　nearer　inspection；　there　was　perceived　a　large　tassel　depending　
from　its　apex；　and；　around　the　upper　rim　or　base　of　the　cone；　a　
circle　of　little　instruments；　resembling　sheep…bells；　which　kept　up　a　
continual　tinkling　to　the　tune　of　Betty　Martin。　But　still　worse。　
Suspended　by　blue　ribbons　to　the　end　of　this　fantastic　machine；　there　
hung；　by　way　of　car；　an　enormous　drab　beaver　bat；　with　a　brim　
superlatively　broad；　and　a　hemispherical　crown　with　a　black　band　and　
a　silver　buckle。　It　is；　however；　somewhat　remarkable　that　many　
citizens　of　Rotterdam　swore　to　having　seen　the　same　hat　repeatedly　
before；　and　indeed　the　whole　assembly　seemed　to　regard　it　with　eyes　
of　familiarity；　while　the　vrow　Grettel　Pfaall；　upon　sight　of　it；　
uttered　an　exclamation　of　joyful　surprise；　and　declared　it　to　be　the　
identical　hat　of　her　good　man　himself。　Now　this　was　a　circumstance　
the　more　to　be　observed；　as　Pfaall；　with　three　companions；　had　
actually　disappeared　from　Rotterdam　about　five　years　before；　in　a　
very　sudden　and　unaccountable　manner；　and　up　to　the　date　of　this　
narrative　all　attempts　had　failed　of　obtaining　any　intelligence　
concerning　them　whatsoever。　To　be　sure；　some　bones　which　were　thought　
to　be　human；　mixed　up　with　a　quantity　of　odd…looking　rubbish；　had　
been　lately　discovered　in　a　retired　situation　to　the　east　of　
Rotterdam；　and　some　people　went　so　far　as　to　imagine　that　in　this　
spot　a　foul　murder　had　been　committed；　and　that　the　sufferers　were　in　
all　probability　Hans　Pfaall　and　his　associates。　But　to　return。

The　balloon　（for　such　no　doubt　it　was）　had　now　descended　to　within　a　
hundred　feet　of　the　earth；　allowing　the　crowd　below　a　sufficiently　
distinct　view　of　the　person　of　its　occupant。　This　was　in　truth　a　very　
droll　little　somebody。　He　could　not　have　been　more　than　two　feet　in　
height；　but　this　altitude；　little　as　it　was；　would　have　been　
sufficient　to　destroy　his　equilibrium；　and　tilt　him　over　the　edge　of　
his　tiny　car；　but　for　the　intervention　of　a　circular　rim　reaching　as　
high　as　the　breast；　and　rigged　on　to　the　cords　of　the　balloon。　The　
body　of　the　little　man　was　more　than　proportionately　broad；　giving　to　
his　entire　figure　a　rotundity　highly　absurd。　His　feet；　of　course；　
could　not　be　seen　at　all；　although　a　horny　substance　of　suspicious　
nature　was　occasionally　protruded　through　a　rent　in　the　bottom　of　the　
car；　or　to　speak　more　properly；　in　the　top　of　the　hat。　His　hands　were　
enormously　large。　His　hair　was　extremely　gray；　and　collected　in　a　cue　
behind。　His　nose　was　prodigiously　long；　crooked；　and　inflammatory；　
his　eyes　full；　brilliant；　and　acute；　his　chin　and　cheeks；　although　
wrinkled　with　age；　were　broad；　puffy；　and　double；　but　of　ears　of　any　
kind　or　character　there　was　not　a　semblance　to　be　discovered　upon　any　
portion　of　his　head。　This　odd　little　gentleman　was　dressed　in　a　loose　
surtout　of　sky…blue　satin；　with　tight　breeches　to　match；　fastened　
with　silver　buckles　at　the　knees。　His　vest　was　of　some　bright　yellow　
material；　a　white　taffety　cap　was　set　jauntily　on　one　side　of　his　
head；　and；　to　complete　his　equipment；　a　blood…red　silk　handkerchief　
enveloped　his　throat；　and　fell　down；　in　a　dainty　manner；　upon　his　
bosom；　in　a　fantastic　bow…knot　of　super…eminent　dimensions。

Having　descended；　as　I　said　before；　to　about　one　hundred　feet　from　
the　surface　of　the　earth；　the　little　old　gentleman　was　suddenly　
seized　with　a　fit　of　trepidation；　and　appeared　disinclined　to　make　
any　nearer　approach　to　terra　firma。　Throwing　out；　therefore；　a　
quantity　of　sand　from　a　canvas　bag；　which；　he　lifted　with　great　
difficulty；　he　became　stationary　in　an　instant。　He　then　proceeded；　in　
a　hurried　and　agitated　manner；　to　extract　from　a　side…pocket　in　his　
surtout　a　large　morocco　pocket…book。　This　he　poised　suspiciously　in　
his　hand；　then　eyed　it　with　an　air　of　extreme　surprise；　and　was　
evidently　astonished　at　its　weight。　He　at　length　opened　it；　and　
drawing　there　from　a　huge　letter　sealed　with　red　sealing…wax　and　tied　
carefully　with　red　tape；　let　it　fall　precisely　at　the　feet　of　the　
burgomaster；　Superbus　Von　Underduk。　His　Excellency　stooped　to　take　it　
up。　But　the　aeronaut；　still　greatly　discomposed；　and　having　
apparently　no　farther　business　to　detain　him　in　Rotterdam；　began　at　
this　moment　to　make　busy　preparations　for　departure；　and　it　being　
necessary　to　discharge　a　portion　of　ballast　to　enable　him　to　
reascend；　the　half　dozen　bags　which　he　threw　out；　one　after　another；　
without　taking　the　trouble　to　empty　their　contents；　tumbled；　every　
one　of　them；　most　unfortunately　upon　the　back　of　the　burgomaster；　and　
rolled　him　over　and　over　no　less　than　one…and…twenty　times；　in　the　
face　of　every　man　in　Rotterdam。　It　is　not　to　be　supposed；　however；　
that　the　great　Underduk　suffered　this　impertinence　on　the　part　of　the　
little　old　man　to　pass　off　with　impunity。　It　is　said；　on　the　
contrary；　that　during　each　and　every　one　of　his　one…and　twenty　
circumvolutions　he　emitted　no　less　than　one…and…twenty　distinct　and　
furious　whiffs　from　his　pipe；　to　which　he　held　fast　the　whole　time　
with　all　his　might；　and　to　which　he　intends　holding　fast　until　the　
day　of　his　death。

In　the　meantime　the　balloon　arose　like　a　lark；　and；　soaring　far　away　
above　the　city；　at　length　drifted　quietly　behind　a　cloud　similar　to　
that　from　which　it　had　so　oddly　emerged；　and　was　thus　lost　forever　to　
the　wondering　eyes　of　the　good　citiezns　of　Rotterdam。　All　attention　
was　now　directed　to　the　letter；　the　descent　of　which；　and　the　
consequences　attending　thereupon；　had　proved　so　fatally　subversive　of　
both　person　and　personal　dignity　to　his　Excellency；　the　illustrious　
Burgomaster　Mynheer　Superbus　Von　Underduk。　That　functionary；　however；　
had　not　failed；　during　his　circumgyratory　movements；　to　bestow　a　
thought　upon　the　important　subject　of　securing　the　packet　in　
question；　which　was　seen；　upon　inspection；　to　have　fallen　into　the　
most　proper　hands；　being　actually　addressed　to　himself　and　Professor　
Rub…a…dub；　in　their　official　capacities　of　President　and　
Vice…President　of　the　Rotterdam　College　of　Astronomy。　It　was　
accordingly　opened　by　those　dignitaries　upon　the　spot；　and　found　to　
contain　the　following　extraordinary；　and　indeed　very　serious；　
communications。

To　their　Excellencies　Von　Underduk　and　Rub…a…dub；　President　and　
Vice…President　of　the　States'　College　of　Astronomers；　in　the　city　of　
Rotterdam。

〃Your　Excellencies　may　perhaps　be　able　to　remember　an　humble　artizan；　
by　name　Hans　Pfaall；　and　by　occupation　a　mender　of　bellows；　who；　with