Downstillunceasinglystillinevitablydown！Igaspedandstruggledateachvibration。Ishrunkconvulsivelyatitseverysweep。Myeyesfolloweditsoutwardorupwardwhirlswiththeeagernessofthemostunmeaningdespair；theyclosedthemselvesspasmodicallyatthedescent，althoughdeathwouldhavebeenarelief，oh！howunspeakable！StillIquiveredineverynervetothinkhowslightasinkingofthemachinerywouldprecipitatethatkeen，glisteningaxeuponmybosom。Itwashopethatpromptedthenervetoquivertheframetoshrink。Itwashopethehopethattriumphsontherackthatwhisperstothedeath-condemnedeveninthedungeonsoftheInquisition。
Isawthatsometenortwelvevibrationswouldbringthesteelinactualcontactwithmyrobe，andwiththisobservationtheresuddenlycameovermyspiritallthekeen，collectedcalmnessofdespair。ForthefirsttimeduringmanyhoursorperhapsdaysIthought。Itnowoccurredtomethatthebandage，orsurcingle，whichenvelopedme，wasunique。Iwastiedbynoseparatecord。Thefirststrokeoftherazorlikecrescentathwartanyportionoftheband，wouldsodetachitthatitmightbeunwoundfrommypersonbymeansofmylefthand。Buthowfearful，inthatcase，theproximityofthesteel！Theresultoftheslighteststrugglehowdeadly！Wasitlikely，moreover，thattheminionsofthetorturerhadnotforeseenandprovidedforthispossibility！Wasitprobablethatthebandagecrossedmybosominthetrackofthependulum？Dreadingtofindmyfaint，and，asitseemed，inlasthopefrustrated，Isofarelevatedmyheadastoobtainadistinctviewofmybreast。Thesurcingleenvelopedmylimbsandbodycloseinalldirectionssaveinthepathofthedestroyingcrescent。
ScarcelyhadIdroppedmyheadbackintoitsoriginalposition，whenthereflasheduponmymindwhatIcannotbetterdescribethanastheunformedhalfofthatideaofdeliverancetowhichIhavepreviouslyalluded，andofwhichamoietyonlyfloatedindeterminatelythroughmybrainwhenIraisedfoodtomyburninglips。Thewholethoughtwasnowpresentfeeble，scarcelysane，scarcelydefinite，butstillentire。Iproceededatonce，withthenervousenergyofdespair，toattemptitsexecution。
FormanyhourstheimmediatevicinityofthelowframeworkuponwhichIlay，hadbeenliterallyswarmingwithrats。Theywerewild，bold，ravenous；theirredeyesglaringuponmeasiftheywaitedbutformotionlessnessonmyparttomakemetheirprey。“Towhatfood。”I
thought，“havetheybeenaccustomedinthewell？”