the works of edgar allan poe-3-第8节

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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　then
remained　quiet。　Presently　I　relapsed　into　my　stupor；　from　which　I　was
again　awakened　in　a　similar　manner。　This　was　repeated　three　or　four
times；　until　finally　his　behaviour　inspired　me　with　so　great　a　degree
of　fear；　that　I　became　fully　aroused。　He　was　now　lying　close　by　the
door　of　the　box；　snarling　fearfully；　although　in　a　kind　of　undertone；
and　grinding　his　teeth　as　if　strongly　convulsed。　I　had　no　doubt
whatever　that　the　want　of　water　or　the　confined　atmosphere　of　the
hold　had　driven　him　mad；　and　I　was　at　a　loss　what　course　to　pursue。　I
could　not　endure　the　thought　of　killing　him；　yet　it　seemed　absolutely
necessary　for　my　own　safety。　I　could　distinctly　perceive　his　eyes
fastened　upon　me　with　an　expression　of　the　most　deadly　animosity；　and
I　expected　every　instant　that　he　would　attack　me。　At　last　I　could
endure　my　terrible　situation　no　longer；　and　determined　to　make　my　way
from　the　box　at　all　hazards；　and　dispatch　him；　if　his　opposition
should　render　it　necessary　for　me　to　do　so。　To　get　out；　I　had　to　pass
directly　over　his　body；　and　he　already　seemed　to　anticipate　my
design…　missing　himself　upon　his　fore。　legs　（as　I　perceived　by　the
altered　position　of　his　eyes）；　and　displayed　the　whole　of　his　white
fangs；　which　were　easily　discernible。　I　took　the　remains　of　the
ham…skin；　and　the　bottle　containing　the　liqueur；　and　secured　them
about　my　person；　together　with　a　large　carving…knife　which　Augustus
had　left　me…　then；　folding　my　cloak　around　me　as　closely　as　possible；
I　made　a　movement　toward　the　mouth　of　the　box。　No　sooner　did　I　do
this；　than　the　dog　sprang　with　a　loud　growl　toward　my　throat。　The
whole　weight　of　his　body　struck　me　on　the　right　shoulder；　and　I　fell
violently　to　the　left；　while　the　enraged　animal　passed　entirely　over
me。　I　had　fallen　upon　my　knees；　with　my　head　buried　among　the
blankets；　and　these　protected　me　from　a　second　furious　assault；
during　which　I　felt　the　sharp　teeth　pressing　vigorously　upon　the
woollen　which　enveloped　my　neck…　yet；　luckily；　without　being　able　to
penetrate　all　the　fold