The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe
Section [1 | 2 | 3]
well ? "

they had devoured, in_spite of all my efforts to_prevent them, all but a small remnant of_the contents of_the dish .I had fallen into an habitual see- saw, or wave of_the hand about_the platter: and, at_length, the unconscious uniformity of_the movement deprived it of effect . in their voracity the vermin frequently fastened their sharp fangs in my fingers . with_the particles of_the oily and spicy viand which now remained, I thoroughly rubbed the bandage wherever I_could reach it; then, raising my hand from_the floor, I lay breathlessly still .

at first the ravenous animals were startled and terrified at_the change -- at_the cessation of movement . they shrank alarmedly back; many sought the well . but this_was only for a moment .I had_not counted in vain upon their voracity .Observing that I remained without motion, one_or_two of_the boldest leaped upon_the frame- work, and smelt at_the surcingle . this seemed the signal for a general rush . forth from_the well they hurried in fresh troops . they clung to_the wood -- they overran it, and leaped in hundreds upon my person . the measured movement of_the pendulum disturbed them not at all .Avoiding its strokes they busied themselves with_the anointed bandage . they pressed -- they swarmed upon me in ever accumulating heaps . they writhed upon my throat; their cold lips sought my own; i_was half stifled by their thronging pressure; disgust, for_which the world has no name, swelled my bosom, and chilled, with a heavy clamminess, my heart . yet one minute, and I_felt that_the struggle would_be over . plainly I perceived the loosening of_the bandage . I_knew that in more than one place it must_be already severed . with a more than human resolution I lay still .

nor had I erred in my calculations -- nor had I endured in vain .I at_length felt that i_was free . the surcingle hung in ribands from my body . but the stroke of_the pendulum already pressed upon my bosom . it had divided the serge of_the robe . it had cut through_the linen beneath . twice again it swung, and a sharp sense of pain shot through every nerve . but the moment of escape had arrived . at a wave of_my hand my deliverers hurried tumultuously away . with a steady movement -- cautious, sidelong, shrinking, and slow -- I slid from_the embrace of_the bandage and beyond the reach of_the scimitar . for_the moment, at_least, i_was free .

free ! -- and in_the grasp of_the inquisition ! I had scarcely stepped from my wooden bed of horror upon_the stone floor of_the prison, when_the motion of_the hellish machine ceased and I beheld it drawn up, by some invisible force, through_the ceiling . this_was a lesson which i_took desperately to heart . my every motion was undoubtedly watched . free ! -- I had but escaped death in one form of agony, to_be delivered unto worse than death in some other . with_that thought I rolled my eves nervously around on_the barriers of iron that hemmed me in . something unusual -- some change which, at first, I_could_not appreciate distinctly -- it_was obvious, had taken place in_the apartment . for many minutes of a dreamy and trembling abstraction, I busied myself in vain, unconnected conjecture . during this period, I became aware, for_the first time, of_the origin of_the sulphurous light which illumined the cell . it proceeded from a fissure, about half an inch in width, extending entirely around the prison at_the base of_the walls, which thus appeared, and were, completely separated from_the floor .I endeavored, but of_course in vain, to look through_the aperture .

as I arose from_the attempt, the mystery of_the alteration in_the chamber broke at once upon my understanding . I_have observed that, although the outlines of_the figures upon_the walls were sufficiently distinct, yet the colors seemed blurred and indefinite . these colors had now assumed, and were momentarily assuming, astartling and most intense brilliancy, that gave to_the spectral and fiendish portraitures an aspect that might_have thrilled even firmer nerves than my own . demon eyes, of a wild and ghastly vivacity, glared upon me in a thousand directions, where none had_been visible before, and gleamed with_the lurid lustre of a fire that I_could_not force my imagination to regard as unreal .

unreal ! -- even while I breathed there came to my nostrils the breath of_the vapour of heated iron ! asuffocating odour pervaded the prison ! a deeper glow settled each moment in_the eyes that glared at my agonies ! a richer tint of crimson diffused itself over the pictured horrors of blood .I panted ! I gasped for breath ! there could_be no_doubt of_the design of_my tormentors -- oh ! most unrelenting ! oh ! most demoniac of men ! I shrank from_the glowing metal to_the centre of_the cell .Amid the thought of_the fiery destruction that impended, the idea of_the coolness of_the well came over my soul like balm .I rushed to its deadly brink .I threw my straining vision below . the glare from_the enkindled roof illumined its inmost recesses . yet, for a wild moment, did my spirit refuse to comprehend the meaning of what I_saw . at_length it forced -- it wrestled its way into my soul -- it burned itself in upon my shuddering reason .-- Oh ! for a voice to_speak ! -- oh ! horror ! -- oh ! any horror but this ! with a shriek, I rushed from_the margin, and buried my face in my hands -- weeping bitterly .

the heat rapidly increased, and once again I looked up, shuddering as with a fit of_the ague . there had_been a second change in_the cell -- and now the change was obviously in_the form . as before, it_was in vain that I, at first, endeavoured to appreciate or understand what_was taking place . but not long was I left in doubt . the inquisitorial vengeance had_been hurried by my two- fold escape, and there_was to_be no more dallying with_the king of Terrors . the room had_been square . I_saw that two of_its iron angles were now acute -- two, consequently, obtuse . the fearful difference quickly increased with a low rumbling or moaning sound . in an instant the apartment had shifted its form into that of a lozenge . but the alteration stopped not here-I neither hoped nor desired it to stop . I_could_have clasped the red walls to my bosom as a garment of eternal peace ." death," I_said, " any death but that of_the pit ! " fool ! might I_have_not known that into_the pit it was_the object of_the burning iron to urge me ? could I resist its glow ? or, if even that, could I withstand its pressure and now, flatter and flatter grew the lozenge, with a rapidity that left me no time for contemplation . its centre, and of_course, its greatest width, came just over the yawning gulf .I shrank back -- but the closing walls pressed me resistlessly onward . at_length for_my seared and writhing body there_was no longer an inch of foothold on_the firm floor of_the prison .I struggled no more, but the agony of_my soul found vent in one loud, long, and final scream of despair . I_felt that I tottered upon_the brink -- I averted my eyes --

there_was a discordant hum of human voices ! there_was a loud blast as of many trumpets ! there_was a harsh grating as of a thousand thunders ! the fiery walls rushed back ! an outstretched arm caught my own as I fell, fainting, into_the abyss . it was_that of general Lasalle . the French army had entered Toledo . the inquisition was in_the hands of_its enemies .

Section [1 | 2 | 3]