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!
