История о корабле призраке

           Afterhaving,intheanguishofoursouls,supplicatedtheProphet,weventuredtomoveforward. Ateverystepwelookedaroundtoseeifsomethingnew,somethingstillmorehorrible,wouldnotpresentitself. Butallremainedasitwas—farandwide,nolivingthingbutourselves,andtheocean-world. Notoncedidwedaretospeakaloud,throughfearthatthedeadCaptaintherenailedtothemastwouldbendhisrigideyesuponus,orlestoneofthecorpsesshouldturnhishead. Atlastwearrivedatastaircase,whichledintothehold. Thereinvoluntarilywecametoahalt,andlookedateachother,forneitherofusexactlyventuredtoexpresshisthoughts. 

           "Master,"saidmyfaithfulservant, "somethingawfulhashappenedhere. Nevertheless,eveniftheshipdowntherebelowisfullofmurderers,stillwouldIrathersubmitmyselftotheirmercyorcruelty,thanspendalongertimeamongthesedeadbodies." Iagreedwithhim,andsowetookheart,anddescended,fullofapprehension. Butthestillnessofdeathprevailedherealso,andtherewasnosoundsavethatofourstepsuponthestairs. Westoodbeforethedoorofthecabin; Iappliedmyear,andlistened—therewasnothingtobeheard. Iopenedit. Theroompresentedaconfusedappearance;clothes,weapons,andotherarticles,laydisorderedtogether. Thecrew,oratleasttheCaptain,mustshortlybeforehavebeencarousing,fortheremainsofabanquetlayscatteredaround.