Колодец и маятник

           Withasteadymovement—cautious,sidelong,shrinking,andslow—Islidfromtheembraceofthebandageandbeyondthereachofthescimitar. Forthemoment,atleast,Iwasfree. 

           Free!—andinthegraspoftheInquisition! Ihadscarcelysteppedfrommywoodenbedofhorroruponthestoneflooroftheprison,whenthemotionofthehellishmachineceasedandIbehelditdrawnup,bysomeinvisibleforce,throughtheceiling. ThiswasalessonwhichItookdesperatelytoheart. Myeverymotionwasundoubtedlywatched. Free! —Ihadbutescapeddeathinoneformofagony,tobedelivereduntoworsethandeathinsomeother. WiththatthoughtIrolledmyevesnervouslyaroundonthebarriersofironthathemmedmein. Somethingunusual—somechangewhich,atfirst,Icouldnotappreciatedistinctly—itwasobvious,hadtakenplaceintheapartment. Formanyminutesofadreamyandtremblingabstraction,Ibusiedmyselfinvain,unconnectedconjecture. Duringthisperiod,Ibecameaware,forthefirsttime,oftheoriginofthesulphurouslightwhichilluminedthecell. Itproceededfromafissure,abouthalfaninchinwidth,extendingentirelyaroundtheprisonatthebaseofthewalls,whichthusappeared,andwere,completelyseparatedfromthefloor. Iendeavored,butofcourseinvain,tolookthroughtheaperture. 

           AsIarosefromtheattempt,themysteryofthealterationinthechamberbrokeatonceuponmyunderstanding.