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第33章 The Pit and the Pendulum(第1页)

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第33章ThePitandthePendulum

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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.

&ofthebladedidheAvoidingitsstrokes,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!

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