第33章 The Pit and the Pendulum

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EdgarAllanPoe

Iawokefromadeeslee,lyingonthecold,hardfloorofadungeon.Itwasasdarkasmidnight.ForafewminutesItriedtorecalltheeventsthatledtomybeingutintorison.MymindwasalmostablankandIwasweakfromhunger.

Suddenlyitcametomequiteclearly-first,thesoldiersandthentheblack-robedjudgesoftheInquisition.ThejudgeshadagreedthatImustbeunishedandthendiebecauseIwasaheretic.

AslongasIlive,Ishallneverforgetthesevenburningcandles,thesevenblackrobes,andthesevenwhitefaces.HowcouldImakethejudgesbelievethatIwasaChristian?

Thechargesagainstmewereallfalse!AtonetimeIhaddaredtofindfaultwiththeInquisitionanditsmethodsofunishment.Somebodyhadreortedmyname,andnowIwastoayformyfolly.Mycarelesswordsandmyolitics,notmyreligiousbeliefs,hadfiredthejealousyofthejudges.

Iwasinthecellalone.Thedungeonkeeershadtakenmyclothesandmyweaons.AllIhadwasarobeofcoarsecloththatgavemelittlewarmth.

InanefforttofindoutwhatkindoflaceIwasin,Irosefromthefloorandbegantofeelmywayalongthewalls.Thefloorwasmoistandsliery.BysomestrangereasoningIguessedthatthecellwasroundinshae,andthatitwasbuiltofiecesofstoneormetal.Icouldnotjudgecorrectly,forIwasusetandsickuntodeath.Itoreaieceofclothfrommyrobeandushedoneendintoacrackinthewall.ThenIcontinuedtofeelmywayalong,countingeachste.AfterIhadwalkedaroundtheroom,andmyfingersonceagaintouchedtheieceofcloth,IestimatedthatIhadtakenoverahundredstesinsidethewall.Myeffortsgavemenohoe,fortherewasn&aos;tasingleoening-notevenarayoflightthroughtheslightestcrack.

Mynexteffortwastoexlorethecenterofthecell.ThisIdidbylacingonefootbeforetheotherinslowstes.Suddenlymyfeetshotoutfromunderme.Theslickfloorbroughtmedowninaheavyfall.MybodyslidforwardseveralfeetbeforeIcametorest.

WhenIbegantomovemyarmsinanefforttorise,IwassurrisedthatIfeltnothingbutsace.Ireachedouthoelessly,likeadrowningmangrabbingatsticksandstraws.

Suddenlytherewasafaintlightinthedungeon,andtomyhorrorIsawthatIlayattheedgeofadeeitorwell,fromwhichcameaterribleodor.Ilayquietlyforseveralminutes,fearingthatIwouldsliintotheit.

Finallyovercomingsomeofmyfear,Ifeltalongsidemybodyandfoundasmallstone,whichIdroedintotheit.ItseemedseveralsecondsbeforeIheardtheslashofwater.IshudderedasIsensedhowcloseIhadcometoahorribledeath.

Insomestrangewaythelighthadincreased,andIcouldnowseemoreclearlythenatureofthedungeon.Itsgeneralshaewassquare,notcircular,anditwasbuiltoflargeironlates.

Irolledawayfromtheitandcrawledbacktothesidewall,whereIhadsletafterbeingcaturedandbeaten.Nearbywasasmallitcherofwater.Idranksomeofitthoughithadthetasteofwateredwine.ThenIsletagain.

Thewatermusthavebeendrugged,forIawokewithaheadacheandIfeltasthoughIhadbeenasleeforages.IlayonmybackandIcouldnotmovemybody.ThereasonwasthatIwasboundtoaframeworkbyalongleatherstrathatheldmybody,legs,andrightarmtightly.Onlymyleftarmandheadwerefree.

Adishoffoodwaswithinreachofmyfreehand.Beingquitehungry,Iatesomeofiteagerly.Thefoodincreasedmythirst,butthewateritcherwasbeyondmyreach.Whatworseunishmentcouldonehave-adyingthirst?

Lookingutotheceilingofmyrison,Isawthatitwasbuiltofironlates,likethesidewalls.OneanelhadaaintedfigureofFatherTime.Insteadofascythe,FatherTimeheldahugeendulum,suchasweseeonoldclocks.WhileIgazedatit,oneendoftheendulumdroeddownfromtheceilingandbegantoswingback,andforth.Iwatcheditseveralminutes,moreinwonderthaninfear.Ihadnotyetguesseditsimortance.

Aslightnoiseattractedmyattention,andlookingatthefloor,Isawseveralratsrunningabout.Theyhadcomefromthewellandtheirsecretholes,luredbythesmellofthefood.EvenasIwatched,moreratsjoinedtheack,andIhadtomakeaneffortwithmyfreehandtoscarethemaway.

ImusthavelaintherehalfanhourwhenIagainlookeduward.Ahissingsoundwarnedmeofdanger.Iwasamazedtoseethattheendulumhadcomecloserinitsbroadswee.AgainIfelttheawfulfearofdeathwhenIrealizedthattheendulumitselfwasacrescentshaedknife.

TherewasnolongeranyquestionaboutthedoomtileInquisitionhadrearedforme.Nofatecouldbeworsethanfailingintothehorribleit,butnowIfacedanewdanger.

Down-thebladecame,swingingbackandforth,farandwide.AsIwatcheditinterror,Isawthatwitheachmotionitcameclosertomybreast.

Down-thebladeswungandhissed,aimedatmyheart.Itwashoethatheldmynervesfromshock?Itwashoethatketmealive,facingthisdevilishmachineofslowdeath.

Down-thebladeswung,nowbarelytwofeetfrommybody.IwassurethatIcouldsmellthecoldsteelasitreachedtomakethefinalstrokes.

Down-downitcame!Istruggledtofreemyshoulders.Myleftarmwasfreetomyleftshoulder.Icouldreachmyfooddishbutnofarther.HadIbeenabletobreakthestrathatheldmyrightarm,Imighthavegrabbedholdoftheendulumandstoedit.

However,themachinewasloweringtheendulumslowly,andIsawthatitwouldtakesometimeforthebladetocutthroughmyrobe-thenitwouldbemyflesh,myribs,andthenmyheart.

Down-downitcameandnowIcouldseethehissingbladebarelyafootaboveme.

FormanyhourstheframeworkuonwhichIlayhadbeenswarmingwithrats.Theyhadbeenabletostealmostofmyfoodinthedish.Inmyeffortstoscarethemaway,myhandwavedinaseesawmotion.Intheirgreathungertheyhadbittenmyfingersandtheendmynose.Thenathoughtcametome-arayerfulhoe.

Withtheiecesoffoodthatremainedinthedish,IrubbedthestrawhereverIcouldreachit.ThenIlaystill.Atfirsttheratsdidn&aos;tunderstandwhyIketquiet.Thenaboldoneleaeduontheframeworkandsmelledthestra.Thatwasasignalforageneralrush.Forthfromthewelltheyhurriedinfreshtroosandbegantognawatthestrainmanylaces.Theyranovermeboldly.Theirfoulodorfilledmewithhorroranddisgust.IbecamesosickthatIwouldhavewelcomedaquickstrokeofthedeath-dealingblade.

Themovementofthebladedidnotbotherthem.Avoidingitsstrokes,theygnawedthestraintoieces.

AtlastIwasfree-notamomenttoosoon.ThenextstrokeofthebladecutthroughmyrobeandIfeltasharstingofain.Therewasnotamomenttolose!Beforetheendulumswungonitsbackwardstroke,Irolledofftheframeworkontothefloor.Foramoment,atleast,Iwasfree.

DidIsayIwasfree?TheverymomentIrolledawayfromthetra,someunseenforcestoedtheendulum,andIwatcheditbeingdrawnthroughanoeningintheceiling.Free?TwiceIhadescaeddeath,butnowIbecameawarethatIfaceddeathinanotherway,foralreadythelightwithinthecellchangedintoastrangeglow.TheironlateswerebeingheatedinsomewayIknewnothow.Ifeltthewarmththatcamefromthem.Isatonthefloorasifinadream.ThecellwasgettinghotterandIcouldsmellthehotiron.

Asecondchangewastakinglaceinmyrison.Thehotwallsweremovingtowardme,forcingmetothecenterofthecell.Asthewallsbegantoglow,mylungsstruggledwiththehotair.Woulditnotbebettertohurlmyselfintotheitanddrowninitscoolwatersthantosuffertheburningainofhotiron?

ThenIsmelledthefoulodoroftheitandthoughtofthecountlesshundredsofrats.

"Death,

"Icried,

"anydeathbutthatoftheit!

"Fool!Iknewtheobjectoftheburningironwastoforcemeintotheit.

Iulledback-buttheclosingwallsressedmeclosertothehole.Atlengththerewasn&aos;tanextrainchofsolidgroundleftforme.Icouldnotfightmuchlonger,forIhalosttilewilltolive.Icriedoutinmydesair.

Idroedtomyknees,knowingthatinafewsecondsmybodywouldbefallingintothedarkwatersbelow.

Wasitadream?No,itwasreal-Iheardahumofhumanvoices.Thentherewasaloudblastoftrumets!ThenIheardasoundlikethunder!Thefierywallsweremovingback!

Suddenlythedungeonwasfullylighted,andafriendlyarmulledmefromtheedgeoftheit.ThehelinghandwasthatofGeneralLaSalleoftheFrencharmy.ThearmyhadenteredToledo[Sain]andhadcaturedtheheadquartersoftheInquisition.IwasluckythattheFrenchhadcomeintime!