Uponawaking，andstretchingforthanarm，Ifoundbesidemealoafandapitcherwithwater。Iwastoomuchexhaustedtoreflectuponthiscircumstance，butateanddrankwithavidity。Shortlyafterward，Iresumedmytouraroundtheprison，andwithmuchtoilcameatlastuponthefragmentoftheserge。UptotheperiodwhenIfellIhadcountedfifty-twopaces，anduponresumingmywalk，Ihadcountedforty-eightmore；whenIarrivedattherag。Therewereinall，then，ahundredpaces；and，admittingtwopacestotheyard，I
presumedthedungeontobefiftyyardsincircuit。Ihadmet，however，withmanyanglesinthewall，andthusIcouldformnoguessattheshapeofthevault；forvaultIcouldnothelpsupposingittobe。
Ihadlittleobjectcertainlynohopetheseresearches；butavaguecuriositypromptedmetocontinuethem。Quittingthewall，I
resolvedtocrosstheareaoftheenclosure。AtfirstIproceededwithextremecaution，forthefloor，althoughseeminglyofsolidmaterial，wastreacherouswithslime。Atlength，however，Itookcourage，anddidnothesitatetostepfirmly；endeavoringtocrossinasdirectalineaspossible。Ihadadvancedsometenortwelvepacesinthismanner，whentheremnantofthetornhemofmyrobebecameentangledbetweenmylegs。Isteppedonit，andfellviolentlyonmyface。
Intheconfusionattendingmyfall，Ididnotimmediatelyapprehendasomewhatstartlingcircumstance，whichyet，inafewsecondsafterward，andwhileIstilllayprostrate，arrestedmyattention。Itwasthismychinrestedupontheflooroftheprison，butmylipsandtheupperportionofmyhead，althoughseeminglyatalesselevationthanthechin，touchednothing。Atthesametimemyforeheadseemedbathedinaclammyvapor，andthepeculiarsmellofdecayedfungusarosetomynostrils。Iputforwardmyarm，andshudderedtofindthatIhadfallenattheverybrinkofacircularpit，whoseextent，ofcourse，Ihadnomeansofascertainingatthemoment。Gropingaboutthemasonryjustbelowthemargin，Isucceededindislodgingasmallfragment，andletitfallintotheabyss。FormanysecondsIhearkenedtoitsreverberationsasitdashedagainstthesidesofthechasminitsdescent；atlengththerewasasullenplungeintowater，succeededbyloudechoes。Atthesamemomenttherecameasoundresemblingthequickopening，andasrapidclosingofadooroverhead，whileafaintgleamoflightflashedsuddenlythroughthegloom，andassuddenlyfadedaway。
Isawclearlythedoomwhichhadbeenpreparedforme，andcongratulatedmyselfuponthetimelyaccidentbywhichIhadescaped。
Anotherstepbeforemyfall，andtheworldhadseenmenomore。Andthedeathjustavoided，wasofthatverycharacterwhichIhadregardedasfabulousandfrivolousinthetalesrespectingtheInquisition。Tothevictimsofitstyranny，therewasthechoiceofdeathwithitsdirestphysicalagonies，ordeathwithitsmosthideousmoralhorrors。Ihadbeenreservedforthelatter。Bylongsufferingmynerveshadbeenunstrung，untilItrembledatthesoundofmyownvoice，andhadbecomeineveryrespectafittingsubjectforthespeciesoftorturewhichawaitedme。
Shakingineverylimb，Igropedmywaybacktothewall；resolvingtheretoperishratherthanrisktheterrorsofthewells，ofwhichmyimaginationnowpicturedmanyinvariouspositionsaboutthedungeon。InotherconditionsofmindImighthavehadcouragetoendmymiseryatoncebyaplungeintooneoftheseabysses；butnowI
wastheveriestofcowards。NeithercouldIforgetwhatIhadreadofthesepitsthatthesuddenextinctionoflifeformednopartoftheirmosthorribleplan。
Agitationofspiritkeptmeawakeformanylonghours；butatlengthIagainslumbered。Uponarousing，Ifoundbymyside，asbefore，aloafandapitcherofwater。Aburningthirstconsumedme，andI
emptiedthevesselatadraught。Itmusthavebeendrugged；forscarcelyhadIdrunk，beforeIbecameirresistiblydrowsy。Adeepsleepfelluponmeasleeplikethatofdeath。Howlongitlastedofcourse，Iknownot；butwhen，onceagain，Iunclosedmyeyes，theobjectsaroundmewerevisible。Byawildsulphurouslustre，theoriginofwhichIcouldnotatfirstdetermine，Iwasenabledtoseetheextentandaspectoftheprison。
InitssizeIhadbeengreatlymistaken。Thewholecircuitofitswallsdidnotexceedtwenty-fiveyards。Forsomeminutesthisfactoccasionedmeaworldofvaintrouble；vainindeed！forwhatcouldbeoflessimportance，undertheterriblecircumstanceswhichenvironedme，thenthemeredimensionsofmydungeon？Butmysoultookawildinterestintrifles，andIbusiedmyselfinendeavorstoaccountfortheerrorIhadcommittedinmymeasurement。Thetruthatlengthflasheduponme。InmyfirstattemptatexplorationIhadcountedfifty-twopaces，uptotheperiodwhenIfell；Imustthenhavebeenwithinapaceortwoofthefragmentofserge；infact，Ihadnearlyperformedthecircuitofthevault。Ithenslept，anduponawaking，I
musthavereturneduponmystepsthussupposingthecircuitnearlydoublewhatitactuallywas。MyconfusionofmindpreventedmefromobservingthatIbeganmytourwiththewalltotheleft，andendeditwiththewalltotheright。
Ihadbeendeceived，too，inrespecttotheshapeoftheenclosure。
InfeelingmywayIhadfoundmanyangles，andthusdeducedanideaofgreatirregularity；sopotentistheeffectoftotaldarknessupononearousingfromlethargyorsleep！Theanglesweresimplythoseofafewslightdepressions，orniches，atoddintervals。Thegeneralshapeoftheprisonwassquare。WhatIhadtakenformasonryseemednowtobeiron，orsomeothermetal，inhugeplates，whosesuturesorjointsoccasionedthedepression。Theentiresurfaceofthismetallicenclosurewasrudelydaubedinallthehideousandrepulsivedevicestowhichthecharnelsuperstitionofthemonkshasgivenrise。Thefiguresoffiendsinaspectsofmenace，withskeletonforms，andothermorereallyfearfulimages，overspreadanddisfiguredthewalls。Iobservedthattheoutlinesofthesemonstrositiesweresufficientlydistinct，butthatthecolorsseemedfadedandblurred，asiffromtheeffectsofadampatmosphere。Inownoticedthefloor，too，whichwasofstone。InthecentreyawnedthecircularpitfromwhosejawsIhadescaped；butitwastheonlyoneinthedungeon。
AllthisIsawindistinctlyandbymucheffort：formypersonalconditionhadbeengreatlychangedduringslumber。Inowlayuponmyback，andatfulllength，onaspeciesoflowframeworkofwood。TothisIwassecurelyboundbyalongstrapresemblingasurcingle。Itpassedinmanyconvolutionsaboutmylimbsandbody，leavingatlibertyonlymyhead，andmyleftarmtosuchextentthatIcould，bydintofmuchexertion，supplymyselfwithfoodfromanearthendishwhichlaybymysideonthefloor。Isaw，tomyhorror，thatthepitcherhadbeenremoved。Isaytomyhorror；forIwasconsumedwithintolerablethirst。Thisthirstitappearedtobethedesignofmypersecutorstostimulate：forthefoodinthedishwasmeatpungentlyseasoned。
Lookingupward，Isurveyedtheceilingofmyprison。Itwassomethirtyorfortyfeetoverhead，andconstructedmuchasthesidewalls。Inoneofitspanelsaverysingularfigurerivetedmywholeattention。ItwasthepaintedfigureofTimeasheiscommonlyrepresented，savethat，inlieuofascythe，heheldwhat，atacasualglance，Isupposedtobethepicturedimageofahugependulumsuchasweseeonantiqueclocks。Therewassomething，however，intheappearanceofthismachinewhichcausedmetoregarditmoreattentively。WhileIgazeddirectlyupwardatitforitspositionwasimmediatelyovermyownIfanciedthatIsawitinmotion。Inaninstantafterwardthefancywasconfirmed。Itssweepwasbrief，andofcourseslow。Iwatcheditforsomeminutes，somewhatinfear，butmoreinwonder。Weariedatlengthwithobservingitsdullmovement，I
turnedmyeyesupontheotherobjectsinthecell。
Aslightnoiseattractedmynotice，and，lookingtothefloor，Isawseveralenormousratstraversingit。Theyhadissuedfromthewell，whichlayjustwithinviewtomyright。Eventhen，whileIgazed，theycameupintroops，hurriedly，withravenouseyes，alluredbythescentofthemeat。Fromthisitrequiredmucheffortandattentiontoscarethemaway。
Itmighthavebeenhalfanhour，perhapsevenanhour，forincastmyIcouldtakebutimperfectnoteoftimebeforeIagaincastmyeyesupward。WhatIthensawconfoundedandamazedme。Thesweepofthependulumhadincreasedinextentbynearlyayard。Asanaturalconsequence，itsvelocitywasalsomuchgreater。Butwhatmainlydisturbedmewastheideathathadperceptiblydescended。Inowobservedwithwhathorroritisneedlesstosaythatitsnetherextremitywasformedofacrescentofglitteringsteel，aboutafootinlengthfromhorntohorn；thehornsupward，andtheunderedgeevidentlyaskeenasthatofarazor。Likearazoralso，itseemedmassyandheavy，taperingfromtheedgeintoasolidandbroadstructureabove。Itwasappendedtoaweightyrodofbrass，andthewholehissedasitswungthroughtheair。
Icouldnolongerdoubtthedoompreparedformebymonkishingenuityintorture。Mycognizanceofthepithadbecomeknowntotheinquisitorialagentsthepitwhosehorrorshadbeendestinedforsoboldarecusantasmyselfthepit，typicalofhell，andregardedbyrumorastheUltimaThuleofalltheirpunishments。TheplungeintothispitIhadavoidedbythemerestofaccidents，Iknewthatsurprise，orentrapmentintotorment，formedanimportantportionofallthegrotesquerieofthesedungeondeaths。Havingfailedtofall，itwasnopartofthedemonplantohurlmeintotheabyss；andthustherebeingnoalternativeadifferentandamilderdestructionawaitedme。Milder！IhalfsmiledinmyagonyasI
thoughtofsuchapplicationofsuchaterm。
Whatbootsittotellofthelong，longhoursofhorrormorethanmortal，duringwhichIcountedtherushingvibrationsofthesteel！
Inchbyinchlinebylinewithadescentonlyappreciableatintervalsthatseemedagesdownandstilldownitcame！Dayspasseditmighthavebeenthatmanydayspassedereitsweptsocloselyovermeastofanmewithitsacridbreath。Theodorofthesharpsteelforceditselfintomynostrils。IprayedIweariedheavenwithmyprayerforitsmorespeedydescent。Igrewfranticallymad，andstruggledtoforcemyselfupwardagainstthesweepofthefearfulscimitar。AndthenIfellsuddenlycalm，andlaysmilingattheglitteringdeath，asachildatsomerarebauble。
Therewasanotherintervalofutterinsensibility；itwasbrief；for，uponagainlapsingintolifetherehadbeennoperceptibledescentinthependulum。Butitmighthavebeenlong；forIknewthereweredemonswhotooknoteofmyswoon，andwhocouldhavearrestedthevibrationatpleasure。Uponmyrecovery，too，Ifeltveryoh，inexpressiblysickandweak，asifthroughlonginanition。Evenamidtheagoniesofthatperiod，thehumannaturecravedfood。WithpainfuleffortIoutstretchedmyleftarmasfarasmybondspermitted，andtookpossessionofthesmallremnantwhichhadbeensparedmebytherats。AsIputaportionofitwithinmylips，thererushedtomymindahalfformedthoughtofjoyofhope。YetwhatbusinesshadIwithhope？Itwas，asIsay，ahalfformedthought
manhasmanysuchwhicharenevercompleted。Ifeltthatitwasofjoyofhope；butfeltalsothatithadperishedinitsformation。
InvainIstruggledtoperfecttoregainit。Longsufferinghadnearlyannihilatedallmyordinarypowersofmind。Iwasanimbecileanidiot。
Thevibrationofthependulumwasatrightanglestomylength。Isawthatthecrescentwasdesignedtocrosstheregionoftheheart。Itwouldfraythesergeofmyrobeitwouldreturnandrepeatitsoperationsagainandagain。Notwithstandingterrificallywidesweepsomethirtyfeetormoreandtheitshissingvigorofitsdescent，sufficienttosundertheseverywallsofiron，stillthefrayingofmyrobewouldbeallthat，forseveralminutes，itwouldaccomplish。AndatthisthoughtIpaused。Idarednotgofartherthanthisreflection。Idweltuponitwithapertinacityofattention
asif，insodwelling，Icouldarrestherethedescentofthesteel。
Iforcedmyselftoponderuponthesoundofthecrescentasitshouldpassacrossthegarmentuponthepeculiarthrillingsensationwhichthefrictionofclothproducesonthenerves。Ipondereduponallthisfrivolityuntilmyteethwereonedge。
Downsteadilydownitcrept。Itookafrenziedpleasureincontrastingitsdownwardwithitslateralvelocity。Totheright
totheleftfarandwidewiththeshriekofadamnedspirit；tomyheartwiththestealthypaceofthetiger！Ialternatelylaughedandhowledastheoneortheotherideagrewpredominant。
Downcertainly，relentlesslydown！Itvibratedwithinthreeinchesofmybosom！Istruggledviolently，furiously，tofreemyleftarm。
Thiswasfreeonlyfromtheelbowtothehand。Icouldreachthelatter，fromtheplatterbesideme，tomymouth，withgreateffort，butnofarther。CouldIhavebrokenthefasteningsabovetheelbow，I
wouldhaveseizedandattemptedtoarrestthependulum。Imightaswellhaveattemptedtoarrestanavalanche！