the works of edgar allan poe-3-第6部分

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phosphorus…box　and　tapers。　The　former　I　found　after　some　little
trouble；　but；　not　discovering　the　tapers　as　soon　as　I　had　expected
（for　I　remembered　very　nearly　the　spot　in　which　I　had　placed　them）；　I
gave　up　the　search　for　the　present；　and　bidding　Tiger　lie　quiet；
began　at　once　my　journey　toward　the　trap。

　　　　In　this　attempt　my　great　feebleness　became　more　than　ever
apparent。　It　was　with　the　utmost　difficulty　I　could　crawl　along　at
all；　and　very　frequently　my　limbs　sank　suddenly　from　beneath　me；
when；　falling　prostrate　on　my　face；　I　would　remain　for　some　minutes
in　a　state　bordering　on　insensibility。　Still　I　struggled　forward　by
slow　degrees；　dreading　every　moment　that　I　should　swoon　amid　the
narrow　and　intricate　windings　of　the　lumber；　in　which　event　I　had
nothing　but　death　to　expect　as　the　result。　At　length；　upon　making　a
push　forward　with　all　the　energy　I　could　command；　I　struck　my
forehead　violently　against　the　sharp　corner　of　an　iron…bound　crate。
The　accident　only　stunned　me　for　a　few　moments；　but　I　found；　to　my
inexpressible　grief；　that　the　quick　and　violent　roll　of　the　vessel
had　thrown　the　crate　entirely　across　my　path；　so　as　effectually　to
block　up　the　passage。　With　my　utmost　exertions　I　could　not　move　it　a
single　inch　from　its　position；　it　being　closely　wedged　in　among　the
surrounding　boxes　and　ship…furniture。　It　became　necessary；　therefore；
enfeebled　as　I　was；　either　to　leave　the　guidance　of　the　whipcord　and
seek　out　a　new　passage；　or　to　climb　over　the　obstacle；　and　resume　the
path　on　the　other　side。　The　former　alternative　presented　too　many
difficulties　and　dangers　to　be　thought　of　without　a　shudder。　In　my
present　weak　state　of　both　mind　and　body；　I　should　infallibly　lose　my
way　if　I　attempted　it；　and　perish　miserably　amid　the　dismal　and
disgusting　labyrinths　of　the　hold。　I　proceeded；　therefore；　without
hesitation；　to　summon　up　all　my　remaining　strength　and　fortitude；　and
endeavour；　as　I　best　might；　to　clamber　over　the　crate。

　　　　Upon　standing　erect；　with　this　end　in　view；　I　found　the
undertaking　even　a　more　serious　task　than　my　fears　had　led　me　to
imagine。　On　each　side　of　the　narrow　passage　arose　a　complete　wall　of
various　heavy　lumber；　which　the　least　blunder　on　my　part　might　be　the
means　of　bringing　down　upon　my　head；　or；　if　this　accident　did　not
occur；　the　path　might　be　effectually　blocked　up　against　my　return　by
the　descending　mass；　as　it　was　in　front　by　the　obstacle　there。　The
crate　itself　was　a　long　and　unwieldy　box；　upon　which　no　foothold
could　be　obtained。　In　vain　I　attempted；　by　every　means　in　my　power；
to　reach　the　top；　with　the　hope　of　being　thus　enabled　to　draw　myself
up。　Had　I　succeeded　in　reaching　it；　it　is　certain　that　my　strength
would　have　proved　utterly　inadequate　to　the　task　of　getting　over；　and
it　was　better　in　every　respect　that　I　failed。　At　length；　in　a
desperate　effort　to　force　the　crate　from　its　ground；　I　felt　a　strong
vibration　in　the　side　next　me。　I　thrust　my　hand　eagerly　to　the　edge
of　the　planks；　and　found　that　a　very　large　one　was　loose。　With　my
pocket…knife；　which；　luckily；　I　had　with　me；　I　succeeded；　after　great
labour；　in　prying　it　entirely　off；　and　getting　it　through　the
aperture；　discovered；　to　my　exceeding　joy；　that　there　were　no　boards
on　the　opposite　side　　in　other　words；　that　the　top　was　wanting；　it
being　the　bottom　through　which　I　had　forced　my　way。　I　now　met　with　no
important　difficulty　in　proceeding　along　the　line　until　I　finally
reached　the　nail。　With　a　beating　heart　I　stood　erect；　and　with　a
gentle　touch　pressed　against　the　cover　of　the　trap。　It　did　not　rise
as　soon　as　I　had　expected；　and　I　pressed　it　with　somewhat　more
determination；　still　dreading　lest　some　other　person　than　Augustus
might　be　in　his　state…room。　The　door；　however；　to　my　astonishment；
remained　steady；　and　I　became　somewhat　uneasy；　for　I　knew　that　it　had
formerly　required　but　little　or　no　effort　to　remove　it。　I　pushed　it
strongly　　it　was　nevertheless　firm：　with　all　my　strength　　it
still　did　not　give　way：　with　rage；　with　fury；　with　despair　　it　set
at　defiance　my　utmost　efforts；　and　it　was　evident；　from　the
unyielding　nature　of　the　resistance；　that　the　hole　had　either　been
discovered　and　effectually　nailed　up；　or　that　some　immense　weight　had
been　placed　upon　it；　which　it　was　useless　to　think　of　removing。

　　　　My　sensations　were　those　of　extreme　horror　and　dismay。　In　vain　I
attempted　to　reason　on　the　probable　cause　of　my　being　thus　entombed。
I　could　summon　up　no　connected　chain　of　reflection；　and；　sinking　on
the　floor；　gave　way；　unresistingly；　to　the　most　gloomy　imaginings；　in
which　the　dreadful　deaths　of　thirst；　famine；　suffocation；　and
premature　interment　crowded　upon　me　as　the　prominent　disasters　to　be
encountered。　At　length　there　returned　to　me　some　portion　of　presence
of　mind。　I　arose；　and　felt　with　my　fingers　for　the　seams　or　cracks　of
the　aperture。　Having　found　them；　I　examined　them　closely　to　ascertain
if　they　emitted　any　light　from　the　state…room；　but　none　was　visible。
I　then　forced　the　blade　of　my　pen…knife　through　them；　until　I　met
with　some　hard　obstacle。　Scraping　against　it；　I　discovered　it　to　be　a
solid　mass　of　iron；　which；　from　its　peculiar　wavy　feel　as　I　passed
the　blade　along　it；　I　concluded　to　be　a　chain…cable。　The　only　course
now　left　me　was　to　retrace　my　way　to　the　box；　and　there　either　yield
to　my　sad　fate；　or　try　so　to　tranquilize　my　mind　as　to　admit　of　my
arranging　some　plan　of　escape。　I　immediately　set　about　the　attempt；
and　succeeded；　after　innumerable　difficulties；　in　getting　back。　As　I
sank；　utterly　exhausted；　upon　the　mattress；　Tiger　threw　himself　at
full　length　by　my　side；　and　seemed　as　if　desirous；　by　his　caresses；
of　consoling　me　in　my　troubles；　and　urging　me　to　bear　them　with
fortitude。

　　　　The　singularity　of　his　behavior　at　length　forcibly　arrested　my
attention。　After　licking　my　face　and　hands　for　some　minutes；　he　would
suddenly　cease　doing　so；　and　utter　a　low　whine。　Upon　reaching　out　my
hand　toward　him；　I　then　invariably　found　him　lying　on　his　back；　with
his　paws　uplifted。　This　conduct；　so　frequently　repeated；　appeared
strange；　and　I　could　in　no　manner　account　for　it。　As　the　dog　seemed
distressed；　I　concluded　that　he　had　received　some　injury；　and；　taking
his　paws　in　my　hands；　I　examined　them　one　by　one；　but　found　no　sign
of　any　hurt。　I　then　supposed　him　hungry；　and　gave　him　a　large　piece
of　ham；　which　he　devoured　with　avidity　　afterward；　however；
resuming　his　extraordinary　manoeuvres。　I　now　imagined　that　he　was
suffering；　like　myself；　the　torments　of　thirst；　and　was　about
adopting　this　conclusion　as　the　true　one；　when　the　idea　occurred　to
me　that　I　had　as　yet　only　examined　his　paws；　and　that　there　might
possibly　be　a　wound　upon　some　portion　of　his　body　or　head。　The　latter
I　felt　carefully　over；　but　found　nothing。　On　passing　my　hand；
however；　along　his　back；　I　perceived　a　slight　erection　of　the　hair
extending　completely　across　it。　Probing　this　with　my　finger；　I
discovered　a　string；　and　tracing　it　up；　found　that　it　encircled　the
whole　body。　Upon　a　closer　scrutiny；　I　came　across　a　small　slip　of
what　had　the　feeling　of　letter　paper；　through　which　the　string　had
been　fastened　in　such　a　manner　as　to　bring　it　immediately　beneath　the
left　shoulder　of　the　animal。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　2　~~~

CHAPTER　3



　　　　THE　thought　instantly　occurred　to　me　that　the　paper　was　a　note
from　Augustus；　and　that　some　unaccountable　accident　having　happened
to　prevent　his　relieving　me　from　my　dungeon；　he　had　devised　this
method　of　acquainting　me　with　the　true　state　of　affairs。　Trembling
with　eagerness；　I　now　commenced　another　search　for　my　phosphorus
matches　and　tapers。　I　had　a　confused　recollection　of　having　put　them
carefully　away　just　before　falling　asleep；　and；　indeed；　previously　to
my　last　journey　to　the　trap；　I　had　been　able　to　remember　the　exact
spot　where　I　had　deposited　them。　But　now　I　endeavored　in　vain　to　call
it　to　mind；　and　busied　myself　for　a　full　hour　in　a　fruitless　and
vexatious　search　for　the　missing　articles；　never；　surely；　was　there　a
more　tantalizing　state　of　anxiety　and　suspense。　At　length；　while
groping　about；　with　my　head　close　to　the　ballast；　near　the　opening　of
the　box；　and　outside　of　it；　I　perceived　a　faint　glimmering　of　light
in　the　direction　of　the　steerage。　Greatly　surprised；　I　endeavored　to
make　my　way　toward　it；　as　it　appeared　to　be　but　a　few　feet　from　my
position。　Scarcely　had　I　moved　with　this　intention；　when　I　lost　sight
of　the　glimmer　entirely；　and；　before　I　could　bring　it　into　view
again；　was　obliged　to　feel　along　by　the　box　until　I　had　exactly
resumed　my　original　situation。　Now；　moving　my　head　with　caution　to
and　fro；　I　found　that；　by　proceeding　slowly；　with　great　care；　in　an
opposite　direction　to　that　in　which　I　had　at　first　started；　I　was
enabled　to　draw　near　the　light；　still　keeping　it　in　view。　Presently　I
came　directly　upon　it　（having　squeezed　my　way　through　innumerable
narrow　windings）；　and　found　that　it　proceeded　from　some　fragments　of
my　matches　lying　in　an　empty　barrel　turned　upon　its　side。　I　was
wondering　how　they　came　in　such　a　place；　when　my　hand　fell　upon　two
or　three　pieces　of　taper　wax；　which　had　been　evidently　mumbled　by　the
dog。　I　concluded　at　once　that　he　had　devoured　the　whole　of　my　supply
of　candles；　and　I　felt　hopeless　of　being　ever　able　to　read　the　note
of　Augustus。　The　small　remnants　of　the　wax　were　so　mashed　up　among
other　rubbish　in　the　barrel；　that　I　despaired　of　deriving　any　service
from　them；　and　left　them　as　they　were。　The　phosphorus；　of　which　there
was　only　a　speck　or　two；　I　gathered　up　as　well　as　I　could；　and
returned　with　it；　after　much　difficulty；　to　my　box；　where　Tiger　had
all　the　while　remained。

　　　　　What　to　do　next　I　could　not　tell。　The　hold　was　so　intensely　dark
that　I　could　not　see　my　hand；　however　close　I　would　hold　it　to　my
face。　The　white　slip　of　paper　could　barely　be　discerned；　and　not　even
that　when　I　looked　at　it　directly；　by　turning　the　exterior　portions
of　the　retina　toward　it…　that　is　to　say；　by　surveying　it　slightly
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