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？”

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