飘天文学>最后一片叶子的作者是谁 > 第33章 the it and the endu（第1页）
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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