第33章ThePitandthePendulum
EdgarAllanPoe
Iawokefromadeepsleep，lyingonthecold，hardfloorofaduwasasdarkasmidnight。Forafewmiriedtorecalltheeventsthatledtomybeingputintoprison。MymindwasalmostablankandIwasweakfromhunger。
&equiteclearly-first，thesoldiersaheblack-robedjudgesoftheInquisition。ThejudgeshadagreedthatImustbepuhendiebecauseIwasaheretic。
AslongasIlive，Ishallthesevenburnihesevenblackrobes，aefaakethejudgesbelievethatIwasa?
Thechargesagainstmewereallfalse!AtoimeIhaddaredtofindfaultwiththeInquisitionahodsofpu。Somebodyhadreportedmyname，andnoayformyfolly。Mycarelessolitiyreligiousbeliefs，hadfiredthejealousyofthejudges。
Iwasinthee。Thedungeoakenmyyons。AllIhadwasarobeofcoarsecloththatgavemelittle>
IofindoutwhatkindofplaceIwasiheflantofeelmywayalohefloorwasmoistandslippery。Bysereasothecellwasroundiitwasbuiltofpieetal。Iotjudgecorrectly，forIsetandsitodeath。Itoreapieyrobeandpushedooathewall。ThenIuedtofeelmywayalong，geachstep。AfterIhadwalkedaroundtheroom，andmyfiouchedthepieceofcloth，IestimatedthatIhadtakenoverahuepsihewall。Myeffavemehereos;tasievenarayoflightthroughtheslightestcrack。
&loretheterofthecell。ThisIdidbyplaefootbeforetheotherinslowsteps。Suddeoutfromuheslickflhtmedowninaheavyfall。MybodyslidforwardseveralfeetbeforeIcametorest。
Wheomovemyarmsiorise，IrisedthatIfeltnothingbutspace。Ireachedouthopelessly，likeadrowningmangrabbingatstidstraws。
&herewasafaintlightintheduomyhorrorIsawthatIlayattheedgeofadeeppitorwell，fromwhichcameaterribleodor。IlayquietlyforseveralmihatIwouldslipi。
Finallysomeofmyfear，Ifeltalongsidemybodyandfoundasmallstone，whichIdroppediseemedseveralsedsbeforeIheardthesplashofwater。IshudderedasIsensedhowcloseIhadetoahorribledeath。
IrahelighthadindIoreclearlythehedusgeneralshapewassquare，notcirditwasbuilteironplates。
Irolledawayfromthepitaothesidewall，tafterbeingcapturedaen。Nearbyitcherofwater。Idrahoughithadthetasteofwateredwiagain。
&ermusthavebeendrugged，forIawokewithaheadadIfeltasthoughIhadbeenasleepfes。IlayonmybadIybody。ThereasonwasthatIwasboundtoaframeworkbyalohatheldmybody，legs，andrightarmtightly。Oarmandheadwerefree。
Adishoffoodwaswithinreayfreehaehungry，Iatesomeofiteagerly。Thefoodihirst，buttheitcherwasbeyoworsepuehave-adyingthirst?
Lookinguptotheyprison，IsawthatitwasbuiltofirohesideanelhadapaintedfigureofFatherTime。Insteadofascythe，FatherTimeheldahugependulum，suchasweseeonoldclocks。WhileIgazedatit，ohependulumdroppeddownfromthedbegantoswingbadforth。Iwatcheditseveralminutes，moreihaninfear。Ihadguesseditsimportance。
Aslightedmyattention，andlookingatthefloor，Isawseveralratsrunningabout。Theyhadthewellaholes，luredbythesmellofthefood。EvenasIwatched，moreratsjoihepadIhadtomakeahmyfreehandtoscarethema>
ImusthavelaintherehalfanhourwhenIagainlookedupward。Ahissingsoundwarnedmeofdanger。Iwasamazedtoseethatthependulumhadeitsbroadsweep。Agaiheawfulfearofdeathwhehatthependulumitselfwasatshapedknife。
TherewasnolongeraionaboutthedoomtileInquisitionhadpreparedforme。Nofatecouldbeworsethanfailingintothehorriblepit，butnowIfae>
Down-thebladegingbadforth，faraterror，Isawthatwitheaeybreast。
Down-thebladeswungandhissed，aimedatmyheart。Itethatheldmynervesfromshock?Itethatkeptmealive，fagthisdevilishmaeofslo>
Down-thebladeswung，wofeetfrommybody。IwassurethatIellthecoldsteelasitreaakethefinalstrokes。
Down-dowruggledtofreemyshoulders。Myleftarmwasfreetomyleftshoulder。Icouldreachmyfooddishbutnofarther。HadIbeeobreakthestrapthatheldmyrightarm，Imighthavegrabbedholdofthependuluma。
&hemaewaslthependulumslowly，andIsawthatitwouldtakesometimeforthebladethmyrobe-thenitwouldbemyflesh，myribs，andthe。
Down-downitowIcouldseethehissingbladebarelyafootaboveme。
FormanyhourstheframeworkuponwhichIlayhadbeenswarmingwithrats。Theyhadbeeealmostofmyfoodinthedish。Ioscarethemaway，myhandwavediiohuteheehoughte-aprayerfulhope。
Withthepiecesoffoodthatremaihedish，IrubbedthestrapwhereverIcouldreaIlaystill。Atfirsttheratsdidn'tuandwhyIkeptquiet。Thenaboldoheframeworkarap。Thatwasasignalfeneralrush。Forthfromthewelltheyhurriediroopsaograpinmaheyraheirfoulodorfilledmewithhust。IbecamesosickthatIwouldhaveweledaquickstrokeofthedeath-dealingblade。
&ofthebladedidhem。Avoidingitsstrokes，theygrapintopieces。
AtlastIwasfree-oosoorokeofthebladeyrobeaasharpstingofpaiamomehependulumswungonitsbackwardstroke，Irolledofftheframeworkontothefloor。Foramome，Iwasfree。
DidIsayIwasfree?TheverymomentIrolledawayfromthetrap，someunseeoppedthependulum，andIwatcheditbeingdrawnthroughaheg。Free?Teddeath，butnowIbecameawarethatIfaceddeathinanotherway，foralreadythelightwithinthegedintlow。Theironplateswerebeiedinsome。Ifeltthewarmththat。IsatonthefloorasifihecellwasgettinghotterandIellthehotiron。
Asegelamyprisowallsweremovingtowardme，fmetotheterofthecell。Asthewallsbegantoglow，mylungsstruggledwiththehotair。Woulditohurlmyselfianddrowninitscoolwatersthaheburningpainofhotiron?
Thehefoulodorofthepitandthoughtofthetlesshus。"Death，"Icried，"ahatofthepit!"Fool!Ikironwastofortothepit。
Ipulledback-butthegressedmeclosertothehole。Atlengththereos;tarainchofsolidgrouforme。Iuger，forIhadlosttilewilltolive。Iydespair。
Idroppedtomyknees，knowingthatinafewseybodywouldbefallingiersbelow。
Wasitadream?No，itwasreal-Iheardahumofhumaherewasaloudblastoftrumpets!ThenIheardasouhuhefierywallsweremovingback!
&hedungeonwasfullylighted，andafriendlyarmpulledmefromtheedgeofthepit。ThehelpinghandwasthatofGeneralLaSalleoftheFrencharmy。Thearmyhadeoledo[Spain]andhadcapturedtheheadquartersoftheInquisition。IwasluckythattheFrene!