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第33章 The Pit and the Pendulum（第1页）

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!