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第33章 the it and the endu（第1页）

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!

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