Onething，however，annoyedmenotalittle。Theboxdidnotgointotheextrastate-room。ItwasdepositedinWyatt’sown；andthere，too，itremained，occupyingverynearlythewholeofthefloornodoubttotheexceedingdiscomfortoftheartistandhiswife；thisthemoreespeciallyasthetarorpaintwithwhichitwasletteredinsprawlingcapitals，emittedastrong，disagreeable，and，tomyfancy，apeculiarlydisgustingodor。Onthelidwerepaintedthewords
　　“Mrs。AdelaideCurtis，Albany，NewYork。ChargeofCorneliusWyatt，Esq。Thissideup。Tobehandledwithcare。”
　　Now，IwasawarethatMrs。AdelaideCurtis，ofAlbany，wastheartist’swife’smother，butthenIlookeduponthewholeaddressasamystification，intendedespeciallyformyself。Imadeupmymind，ofcourse，thattheboxandcontentswouldnevergetfarthernorththanthestudioofmymisanthropicfriend，inChambersStreet，NewYork。
　　Forthefirstthreeorfourdayswehadfineweather，althoughthewindwasdeadahead；havingchoppedroundtothenorthward，immediatelyuponourlosingsightofthecoast。Thepassengerswere，consequently，inhighspiritsanddisposedtobesocial。Imustexcept，however，Wyattandhissisters，whobehavedstiffly，and，I
　　couldnothelpthinking，uncourteouslytotherestoftheparty。
　　Wyatt’sconductIdidnotsomuchregard。Hewasgloomy，evenbeyondhisusualhabitinfacthewasmorosebutinhimIwaspreparedforeccentricity。Forthesisters，however，Icouldmakenoexcuse。
　　Theysecludedthemselvesintheirstateroomsduringthegreaterpartofthepassage，andabsolutelyrefused，althoughIrepeatedlyurgedthem，toholdcommunicationwithanypersononboard。
　　Mrs。Wyattherselfwasfarmoreagreeable。Thatistosay，shewaschatty；andtobechattyisnoslightrecommendationatsea。Shebecameexcessivelyintimatewithmostoftheladies；and，tomyprofoundastonishment，evincednoequivocaldispositiontocoquetwiththemen。Sheamusedusallverymuch。Isay“amused“-andscarcelyknowhowtoexplainmyself。Thetruthis，IsoonfoundthatMrs。W。wasfaroftenerlaughedatthanwith。Thegentlemensaidlittleabouther；buttheladies，inalittlewhile，pronouncedher“agood-heartedthing，ratherindifferentlooking，totallyuneducated，anddecidedlyvulgar。”Thegreatwonderwas，howWyatthadbeenentrappedintosuchamatch。Wealthwasthegeneralsolution-butthisIknewtobenosolutionatall；forWyatthadtoldmethatsheneitherbroughthimadollarnorhadanyexpectationsfromanysourcewhatever。“Hehadmarried。”hesaid，“forlove，andforloveonly；andhisbridewasfarmorethanworthyofhislove。”WhenIthoughtoftheseexpressions，onthepartofmyfriend，IconfessthatIfeltindescribablypuzzled。Coulditbepossiblethathewastakingleaveofhissenses？WhatelsecouldI
　　think？He，sorefined，sointellectual，sofastidious，withsoexquisiteaperceptionofthefaulty，andsokeenanappreciationofthebeautiful！Tobesure，theladyseemedespeciallyfondofhim-
　　particularlysoinhisabsencewhenshemadeherselfridiculousbyfrequentquotationsofwhathadbeensaidbyher“belovedhusband，Mr。Wyatt。”Theword“husband“seemedforevertouseoneofherowndelicateexpressions-forever“onthetipofhertongue。”Inthemeantime，itwasobservedbyallonboard，thatheavoidedherinthemostpointedmanner，and，forthemostpart，shuthimselfupaloneinhisstate-room，where，infact，hemighthavebeensaidtolivealtogether，leavinghiswifeatfulllibertytoamuseherselfasshethoughtbest，inthepublicsocietyofthemaincabin。
　　Myconclusion，fromwhatIsawandheard，was，that，theartist，bysomeunaccountablefreakoffate，orperhapsinsomefitofenthusiasticandfancifulpassion，hadbeeninducedtounitehimselfwithapersonaltogetherbeneathhim，andthatthenaturalresult，entireandspeedydisgust，hadensued。Ipitiedhimfromthebottomofmyheartbutcouldnot，forthatreason，quiteforgivehisincommunicativenessinthematterofthe“LastSupper。”ForthisI
　　resolvedtohavemyrevenge。
　　Onedayhecameupondeck，and，takinghisarmashadbeenmywont，I
　　saunteredwithhimbackwardandforward。Hisgloom，howeverwhichI
　　consideredquitenaturalunderthecircumstances，seemedentirelyunabated。Hesaidlittle，andthatmoodily，andwithevidenteffort。
　　Iventuredajestortwo，andhemadeasickeningattemptatasmile。
　　Poorfellow！asIthoughtofhiswife，Iwonderedthathecouldhavehearttoputoneventhesemblanceofmirth。Ideterminedtocommenceaseriesofcovertinsinuations，orinnuendoes，abouttheoblongboxjusttolethimperceive，gradually，thatIwasnotaltogetherthebutt，orvictim，ofhislittlebitofpleasantmystification。Myfirstobservationwasbywayofopeningamaskedbattery。Isaidsomethingaboutthe“peculiarshapeofthatbox。”
　　and，asIspokethewords，Ismiledknowingly，winked，andtouchedhimgentlywithmyforefingerintheribs。
　　ThemannerinwhichWyattreceivedthisharmlesspleasantryconvincedme，atonce，thathewasmad。Atfirsthestaredatmeasifhefounditimpossibletocomprehendthewitticismofmyremark；butasitspointseemedslowlytomakeitswayintohisbrain，hiseyes，inthesameproportion，seemedprotrudingfromtheirsockets。Thenhegrewveryredthenhideouslypalethen，asifhighlyamusedwithwhatIhadinsinuated，hebeganaloudandboisterouslaugh，which，tomyastonishment，hekeptup，withgraduallyincreasingvigor，fortenminutesormore。Inconclusion，hefellflatandheavilyuponthedeck。WhenIrantouplifthim，toallappearancehewasdead。
　　Icalledassistance，and，withmuchdifficulty，webroughthimtohimself。Uponrevivinghespokeincoherentlyforsometime。Atlengthwebledhimandputhimtobed。Thenextmorninghewasquiterecovered，sofarasregardedhismerebodilyhealth。OfhismindI
　　saynothing，ofcourse。Iavoidedhimduringtherestofthepassage，byadviceofthecaptain，whoseemedtocoincidewithmealtogetherinmyviewsofhisinsanity，butcautionedmetosaynothingonthisheadtoanypersononboard。
　　SeveralcircumstancesoccurredimmediatelyafterthisfitofWyattwhichcontributedtoheightenthecuriositywithwhichIwasalreadypossessed。Amongotherthings，this：Ihadbeennervousdranktoomuchstronggreentea，andsleptillatnightinfact，fortwonightsIcouldnotbeproperlysaidtosleepatall。Now，mystate-roomopenedintothemaincabin，ordining-room，asdidthoseofallthesinglemenonboard。Wyatt’sthreeroomswereintheafter-cabin，whichwasseparatedfromthemainonebyaslightslidingdoor，neverlockedevenatnight。Aswewerealmostconstantlyonawind，andthebreezewasnotalittlestiff，theshipheeledtoleewardveryconsiderably；andwheneverherstarboardsidewastoleeward，theslidingdoorbetweenthecabinsslidopen，andsoremained，nobodytakingthetroubletogetupandshutit。Butmyberthwasinsuchaposition，thatwhenmyownstate-roomdoorwasopen，aswellastheslidingdoorinquestionandmyowndoorwasalwaysopenonaccountoftheheat，Icouldseeintotheafter-cabinquitedistinctly，andjustatthatportionofit，too，whereweresituatedthestate-roomsofMr。Wyatt。Well，duringtwonightsnotconsecutivewhileIlayawake，IclearlysawMrs。W。，abouteleveno’clockuponeachnight，stealcautiouslyfromthestate-roomofMr。
　　W。，andentertheextraroom，wheresheremaineduntildaybreak，whenshewascalledbyherhusbandandwentback。Thattheywerevirtuallyseparatedwasclear。Theyhadseparateapartmentsnodoubtincontemplationofamorepermanentdivorce；andhere，afterallI
　　thoughtwasthemysteryoftheextrastate-room。
　　Therewasanothercircumstance，too，whichinterestedmemuch。Duringthetwowakefulnightsinquestion，andimmediatelyafterthedisappearanceofMrs。Wyattintotheextrastate-room，Iwasattractedbycertainsingularcautious，subduednoisesinthatofherhusband。Afterlisteningtothemforsometime，withthoughtfulattention，Iatlengthsucceededperfectlyintranslatingtheirimport。Theyweresoundsoccasionedbytheartistinpryingopentheoblongbox，bymeansofachiselandmalletthelatterbeingapparentlymuffled，ordeadened，bysomesoftwoollenorcottonsubstanceinwhichitsheadwasenveloped。
　　InthismannerIfanciedIcoulddistinguishtheprecisemomentwhenhefairlydisengagedthelidalso，thatIcoulddeterminewhenheremoveditaltogether，andwhenhedepositedituponthelowerberthinhisroom；thislatterpointIknew，forexample，bycertainslighttapswhichthelidmadeinstrikingagainstthewoodenedgesoftheberth，asheendeavoredtolayitdownverygentlytherebeingnoroomforitonthefloor。Afterthistherewasadeadstillness，andIheardnothingmore，uponeitheroccasion，untilnearlydaybreak；
　　unless，perhaps，Imaymentionalowsobbing，ormurmuringsound，soverymuchsuppressedastobenearlyinaudibleif，indeed，thewholeofthislatternoisewerenotratherproducedbymyownimagination。Isayitseemedtoresemblesobbingorsighing-but，ofcourse，itcouldnothavebeeneither。Iratherthinkitwasaringinginmyownears。Mr。Wyatt，nodoubt，accordingtocustom，wasmerelygivingthereintooneofhishobbiesindulginginoneofhisfitsofartisticenthusiasm。Hehadopenedhisoblongbox，inordertofeasthiseyesonthepictorialtreasurewithin。Therewasnothinginthis，however，tomakehimsob。Irepeat，therefore，thatitmusthavebeensimplyafreakofmyownfancy，distemperedbygoodCaptainHardy’sgreentea。justbeforedawn，oneachofthetwonightsofwhichIspeak，IdistinctlyheardMr。Wyattreplacethelidupontheoblongbox，andforcethenailsintotheiroldplacesbymeansofthemuffledmallet。Havingdonethis，heissuedfromhisstate-room，fullydressed，andproceededtocallMrs。W。fromhers。
　　Wehadbeenatseasevendays，andwerenowoffCapeHatteras，whentherecameatremendouslyheavyblowfromthesouthwest。Wewere，inameasure，preparedforit，however，astheweatherhadbeenholdingoutthreatsforsometime。Everythingwasmadesnug，alowandaloft；
　　andasthewindsteadilyfreshened，welayto，atlength，underspankerandforetopsail，bothdouble-reefed。
　　Inthistrimwerodesafelyenoughforforty-eighthourstheshipprovingherselfanexcellentsea-boatinmanyrespects，andshippingnowaterofanyconsequence。Attheendofthisperiod，however，thegalehadfreshenedintoahurricane，andouraftersailsplitintoribbons，bringingussomuchinthetroughofthewaterthatweshippedseveralprodigiousseas，oneimmediatelyaftertheother。Bythisaccidentwelostthreemenoverboardwiththecaboose，andnearlythewholeofthelarboardbulwarks。Scarcelyhadwerecoveredoursenses，beforetheforetopsailwentintoshreds，whenwegotupastormstaysailandwiththisdidprettywellforsomehours，theshipheadingtheseamuchmoresteadilythanbefore。
　　Thegalestillheldon，however，andwesawnosignsofitsabating。
　　Theriggingwasfoundtobeill-fitted，andgreatlystrained；andonthethirddayoftheblow，aboutfiveintheafternoon，ourmizzen-mast，inaheavylurchtowindward，wentbytheboard。Foranhourormore，wetriedinvaintogetridofit，onaccountoftheprodigiousrollingoftheship；and，beforewehadsucceeded，thecarpentercameaftandannouncedfourfeetofwaterinthehold。Toaddtoourdilemma，wefoundthepumpschokedandnearlyuseless。
　　Allwasnowconfusionanddespairbutaneffortwasmadetolightentheshipbythrowingoverboardasmuchofhercargoascouldbereached，andbycuttingawaythetwomaststhatremained。Thisweatlastaccomplishedbutwewerestillunabletodoanythingatthepumps；and，inthemeantime，theleakgainedonusveryfast。
　　Atsundown，thegalehadsensiblydiminishedinviolence，andastheseawentdownwithit，westillentertainedfainthopesofsavingourselvesintheboats。AteightP。M。，thecloudsbrokeawaytowindward，andwehadtheadvantageofafullmoonapieceofgoodfortunewhichservedwonderfullytocheerourdroopingspirits。
　　Afterincrediblelaborwesucceeded，atlength，ingettingthelongboatoverthesidewithoutmaterialaccident，andintothiswecrowdedthewholeofthecrewandmostofthepassengers。Thispartymadeoffimmediately，and，afterundergoingmuchsuffering，finallyarrived，insafety，atOcracokeInlet，onthethirddayafterthewreck。
　　Fourteenpassengers，withthecaptain，remainedonboard，resolvingtotrusttheirfortunestothejolly-boatatthestern。Welowereditwithoutdifficulty，althoughitwasonlybyamiraclethatwepreventeditfromswampingasittouchedthewater。Itcontained，whenafloat，thecaptainandhiswife，Mr。Wyattandparty，aMexicanofficer，wife，fourchildren，andmyself，withanegrovalet。