按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
idea。 The death's head at the corner diagonally opposite； had； in
the same manner； the air of a stamp； or seal。 But I was sorely put
out by the absence of all elseof the body to my imagined
instrumentof the text for my context。〃
〃I presume you expected to find a letter between the stamp and the
signature。〃
〃Something of that kind。 The fact is； I felt irresistibly
impressed with a presentiment of some vast good fortune impending。
I can scarcely say why。 Perhaps； after all； it was rather a desire
than an actual belief；but do you know that Jupiter's silly words；
about the bug being of solid gold； had a remarkable effect upon my
fancy？ And then the series of accidents and coincidentsthese
were so VERY extraordinary。 Do you observe how mere an accident it
was that these events should have occurred upon the SOLE day of all
the year in which it has been； or may be sufficiently cool for
fire； and that without the fire； or without the intervention of the
dog at the precise moment in which he appeared； I should never have
become aware of the death's head； and so never the possessor of the
treasure？〃
〃But proceedI am all impatience。〃
〃Well； you have heard； of course； the many stories currentthe
thousand vague rumors afloat about money buried； somewhere upon the
Atlantic coast； by Kidd and his associates。 These rumors must have
had some foundation in fact。 And that the rumors have existed so
long and so continuous； could have resulted； it appeared to me；
only from the circumstance of the buried treasures still REMAINING
entombed。 Had Kidd concealed his plunder for a time； and
afterwards reclaimed it； the rumors would scarcely have reached us
in their present unvarying form。 You will observe that the stories
told are all about money…seekers； not about money…finders。 Had the
pirate recovered his money； there the affair would have dropped。
It seemed to me that some accidentsay the loss of a memorandum
indicating its localityhad deprived him of the means of
recovering it； and that this accident had become known to his
followers； who otherwise might never have heard that the treasure
had been concealed at all； and who； busying themselves in vain；
because unguided； attempts to regain it； had given first birth； and
then universal currency； to the reports which are now so common。
Have you ever heard of any important treasure being unearthed along
the coast？〃
〃Never。〃
〃But that Kidd's accumulations were immense； is well known。 I took
it for granted； therefore； that the earth still held them； and you
will scarcely be surprised when I tell you that I felt a hope；
nearly amounting to certainty； that the parchment so strangely
found involved a lost record of the place of deposit。〃
〃But how did you proceed？〃
〃I held the vellum again to the fire； after increasing the heat；
but nothing appeared。 I now thought it possible that the coating
of dirt might have something to do with the failure： so I carefully
rinsed the parchment by pouring warm water over it； and； having
done this； I placed it in a tin pan； with the skull downward； and
put the pan upon a furnace of lighted charcoal。 In a few minutes；
the pan having become thoroughly heated； I removed the slip； and；
to my inexpressible joy； found it spotted； in several places； with
what appeared to be figures arranged in lines。 Again I placed it
in the pan； and suffered it to remain another minute。 Upon taking
it off； the whole was just as you see it now。〃
Here Legrand； having reheated the parchment； submitted it to my
inspection。 The following characters were rudely traced； in a red
tint； between the death's head and the goat：
〃53＋＋！305））6*；4826）4＋）4＋）。；806*；48！8＇60））85；1＋8*：＋（；：＋*8！83（88）5*！；
46（；88*96*？；8）*＋（；485）；5*！2：*＋（；4956*2（5*…4）8＇8*；4069285）；）6！8）4＋＋；
1（＋9；48081；8：8＋1；48！85；4）485！528806*81（＋9；48；（88；4（＋？34；48）4＋；161；：
188；＋？；〃
〃But；〃 said I； returning him the slip； 〃I am as much in the dark as
ever。 Were all the jewels of Golconda awaiting me upon my solution
of this enigma； I am quite sure that I should be unable to earn
them。〃
〃And yet；〃 said Legrand； 〃the solution is by no means so difficult
as you might be led to imagine from the first hasty inspection of
the characters。 These characters； as anyone might readily guess；
form a cipherthat is to say； they convey a meaning； but then from
what is known of Kidd； I could not suppose him capable of
constructing any of the more abstruse cryptographs。 I made up my
mind； at once； that this was of a simple speciessuch； however； as
would appear； to the crude intellect of the sailor； absolutely
insoluble without the key。〃
〃And you really solved it？〃
〃Readily； I have solved others of an abstruseness ten thousand
times greater。 Circumstances； and a certain bias of mind； have led
me to take interest in such riddles； and it may well be doubted
whether human ingenuity can construct an enigma of the kind which
human ingenuity may not； by proper application； resolve。 In fact；
having once established connected and legible characters； I
scarcely gave a thought to the mere difficulty of developing their
import。
〃In the present caseindeed in all cases of secret writingthe
first question regards the LANGUAGE of the cipher； for the
principles of solution； so far； especially； as the more simple
ciphers are concerned； depend upon； and are varied by； the genius
of the particular idiom。 In general； there is no alternative but
experiment （directed by probabilities） of every tongue known to him
who attempts the solution； until the true one be attained。 But；
with the cipher now before us； all difficulty was removed by the
signature。 The pun upon the word 'Kidd' is appreciable in no other
language than the English。 But for this consideration I should
have begun my attempts with the Spanish and French； as the tongues
in which a secret of this kind would most naturally have been
written by a pirate of the Spanish main。 As it was； I assumed the
cryptograph to be English。
〃You observe there are no divisions between the words。 Had there
been divisions the task would have been comparatively easy。 In
such cases I should have commenced with a collation and analysis of
the shorter words； and； had a word of a single letter occurred； as
is most likely； （a or I； for example；） I should have considered the
solution as assured。 But； there being no division； my first step
was to ascertain the predominant letters； as well as the least
frequent。 Counting all； I constructed a table thus：
Of the character 8 there are 33。
； 〃 26。
4 〃 19。
＋） 〃 16。
* 〃 13。
5 〃 12。
6 〃 11。
！1 〃 8。
0 〃 6。
92 〃 5。
：3 〃