the works of edgar allan poe-2-第35部分

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massy　and　heavy；　tapering　from　the　edge　into　a　solid　and　broad
structure　above。　It　was　appended　to　a　weighty　rod　of　brass；　and　the
whole　hissed　as　it　swung　through　the　air。

I　could　no　longer　doubt　the　doom　prepared　for　me　by　monkish　ingenuity
in　torture。　My　cognizance　of　the　pit　had　become　known　to　the
inquisitorial　agents　　the　pit　whose　horrors　had　been　destined　for
so　bold　a　recusant　as　myself　　the　pit；　typical　of　hell；　and
regarded　by　rumor　as　the　Ultima　Thule　of　all　their　punishments。　The
plunge　into　this　pit　I　had　avoided　by　the　merest　of　accidents；　I　knew
that　surprise；　or　entrapment　into　torment；　formed　an　important
portion　of　all　the　grotesquerie　of　these　dungeon　deaths。　Having
failed　to　fall；　it　was　no　part　of　the　demon　plan　to　hurl　me　into　the
abyss；　and　thus　（there　being　no　alternative）　a　different　and　a　milder
destruction　awaited　me。　Milder！　I　half　smiled　in　my　agony　as　I
thought　of　such　application　of　such　a　term。

What　boots　it　to　tell　of　the　long；　long　hours　of　horror　more　than
mortal；　during　which　I　counted　the　rushing　vibrations　of　the　steel！
Inch　by　inch　　line　by　line　　with　a　descent　only　appreciable　at
intervals　that　seemed　ages　　down　and　still　down　it　came！　Days
passed　　it　might　have　been　that　many　days　passed　　ere　it　swept　so
closely　over　me　as　to　fan　me　with　its　acrid　breath。　The　odor　of　the
sharp　steel　forced　itself　into　my　nostrils。　I　prayed　　I　wearied
heaven　with　my　prayer　for　its　more　speedy　descent。　I　grew　frantically
mad；　and　struggled　to　force　myself　upward　against　the　sweep　of　the
fearful　scimitar。　And　then　I　fell　suddenly　calm；　and　lay　smiling　at
the　glittering　death；　as　a　child　at　some　rare　bauble。

There　was　another　interval　of　utter　insensibility；　it　was　brief；　for；
upon　again　lapsing　into　life　there　had　been　no　perceptible　descent　in
the　pendulum。　But　it　might　have　been　long；　for　I　knew　there　were
demons　who　took　note　of　my　swoon；　and　who　could　have　arrested　the
vibration　at　pleasure。　Upon　my　recovery；　too；　I　felt　very　　oh；
inexpressibly　sick　and　weak；　as　if　through　long　inanition。　Even　amid
the　agonies　of　that　period；　the　human　nature　craved　food。　With
painful　effort　I　outstretched　my　left　arm　as　far　as　my　bonds
permitted；　and　took　possession　of　the　small　remnant　which　had　been
spared　me　by　the　rats。　As　I　put　a　portion　of　it　within　my　lips；　there
rushed　to　my　mind　a　half　formed　thought　of　joy　　of　hope。　Yet　what
business　had　I　with　hope？　It　was；　as　I　say；　a　half　formed　thought　
man　has　many　such　which　are　never　completed。　I　felt　that　it　was　of
joy　　of　hope；　but　felt　also　that　it　had　perished　in　its　formation。
In　vain　I　struggled　to　perfect　　to　regain　it。　Long　suffering　had
nearly　annihilated　all　my　ordinary　powers　of　mind。　I　was　an　imbecile
　an　idiot。

The　vibration　of　the　pendulum　was　at　right　angles　to　my　length。　I　saw
that　the　crescent　was　designed　to　cross　the　region　of　the　heart。　It
would　fray　the　serge　of　my　robe　　it　would　return　and　repeat　its
operations　　again　　and　again。　Notwithstanding　terrifically　wide
sweep　（some　thirty　feet　or　more）　and　the　its　hissing　vigor　of　its
descent；　sufficient　to　sunder　these　very　walls　of　iron；　still　the
fraying　of　my　robe　would　be　all　that；　for　several　minutes；　it　would
accomplish。　And　at　this　thought　I　paused。　I　dared　not　go　farther　than
this　reflection。　I　dwelt　upon　it　with　a　pertinacity　of　attention　
as　if；　in　so　dwelling；　I　could　arrest　here　the　descent　of　the　steel。
I　forced　myself　to　ponder　upon　the　sound　of　the　crescent　as　it　should
pass　across　the　garment　　upon　the　peculiar　thrilling　sensation
which　the　friction　of　cloth　produces　on　the　nerves。　I　pondered　upon
all　this　frivolity　until　my　teeth　were　on　edge。

Down　　steadily　down　it　crept。　I　took　a　frenzied　pleasure　in
contrasting　its　downward　with　its　lateral　velocity。　To　the　right　
to　the　left　　far　and　wide　　with　the　shriek　of　a　damned　spirit；　to
my　heart　with　the　stealthy　pace　of　the　tiger！　I　alternately　laughed
and　howled　as　the　one　or　the　other　idea　grew　predominant。

Down　　certainly；　relentlessly　down！　It　vibrated　within　three　inches
of　my　bosom！　I　struggled　violently；　furiously；　to　free　my　left　arm。
This　was　free　only　from　the　elbow　to　the　hand。　I　could　reach　the
latter；　from　the　platter　beside　me；　to　my　mouth；　with　great　effort；
but　no　farther。　Could　I　have　broken　the　fastenings　above　the　elbow；　I
would　have　seized　and　attempted　to　arrest　the　pendulum。　I　might　as
well　have　attempted　to　arrest　an　avalanche！

Down　　still　unceasingly　　still　inevitably　down！　I　gasped　and
struggled　at　each　vibration。　I　shrunk　convulsively　at　its　every
sweep。　My　eyes　followed　its　outward　or　upward　whirls　with　the
eagerness　of　the　most　unmeaning　despair；　they　closed　themselves
spasmodically　at　the　descent；　although　death　would　have　been　a
relief；　oh！　how　unspeakable！　Still　I　quivered　in　every　nerve　to　think
how　slight　a　sinking　of　the　machinery　would　precipitate　that　keen；
glistening　axe　upon　my　bosom。　It　was　hope　that　prompted　the　nerve　to
quiver　　the　frame　to　shrink。　It　was　hope　　the　hope　that　triumphs
on　the　rack　　that　whispers　to　the　death…condemned　even　in　the
dungeons　of　the　Inquisition。

I　saw　that　some　ten　or　twelve　vibrations　would　bring　the　steel　in
actual　contact　with　my　robe；　and　with　this　observation　there　suddenly
came　over　my　spirit　all　the　keen；　collected　calmness　of　despair。　For
the　first　time　during　many　hours　　or　perhaps　days　　I　thought。　It
now　occurred　to　me　that　the　bandage；　or　surcingle；　which　enveloped
me；　was　unique。　I　was　tied　by　no　separate　cord。　The　first　stroke　of
the　razorlike　crescent　athwart　any　portion　of　the　band；　would　so
detach　it　that　it　might　be　unwound　from　my　person　by　means　of　my　left
hand。　But　how　fearful；　in　that　case；　the　proximity　of　the　steel！　The
result　of　the　slightest　struggle　how　deadly！　Was　it　likely；　moreover；
that　the　minions　of　the　torturer　had　not　foreseen　and　provided　for
this　possibility！　Was　it　probable　that　the　bandage　crossed　my　bosom
in　the　track　of　the　pendulum？　Dreading　to　find　my　faint；　and；　as　it
seemed；　in　last　hope　frustrated；　I　so　far　elevated　my　head　as　to
obtain　a　distinct　view　of　my　breast。　The　surcingle　enveloped　my　limbs
and　body　close　in　all　directions　　save　in　the　path　of　the
destroying　crescent。

Scarcely　had　I　dropped　my　head　back　into　its　original　position；　when
there　flashed　upon　my　mind　what　I　cannot　better　describe　than　as　the
unformed　half　of　that　idea　of　deliverance　to　which　I　have　previously
alluded；　and　of　which　a　moiety　only　floated　indeterminately　through
my　brain　when　I　raised　food　to　my　burning　lips。　The　whole　thought　was
now　present　　feeble；　scarcely　sane；　scarcely　definite；　　but　still
entire。　I　proceeded　at　once；　with　the　nervous　energy　of　despair；　to
attempt　its　execution。

For　many　hours　the　immediate　vicinity　of　the　low　framework　upon　which
I　lay；　had　been　literally　swarming　with　rats。　They　were　wild；　bold；
ravenous；　their　red　eyes　glaring　upon　me　as　if　they　waited　but　for
motionlessness　on　my　part　to　make　me　their　prey。　〃To　what　food；〃　I
thought；　〃have　they　been　accustomed　in　the　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　th