Колодець і маятник

           ScarcelyhadIdroppedmyheadbackintoitsoriginalposition,whenthereflasheduponmymindwhatIcannotbetterdescribethanastheunformedhalfofthatideaofdeliverancetowhichIhavepreviouslyalluded,andofwhichamoietyonlyfloatedindeterminatelythroughmybrainwhenIraisedfoodtomyburninglips. Thewholethoughtwasnowpresent—feeble,scarcelysane,scarcelydefinite—butstillentire. Iproceededatonce,withthenervousenergyofdespair,toattemptitsexecution. 

           FormanyhourstheimmediatevicinityofthelowframeworkuponwhichIlay,hadbeenliterallyswarmingwithrats. Theywerewild,bold,ravenous;theirredeyesglaringuponmeasiftheywaitedbutformotionlessnessonmyparttomakemetheirprey. “Towhatfood,”Ithought,“havetheybeenaccustomedinthewell?” 

           Theyhaddevoured,inspiteofallmyeffortstopreventthem,allbutasmallremnantofthecontentsofthedish. Ihadfallenintoanhabitualsee-saw,orwaveofthehandabouttheplatter:and,atlength,theunconsciousuniformityofthemovementdepriveditofeffect. Intheirvoracitytheverminfrequentlyfastenedtheirsharpfangsinmyfingers. Withtheparticlesoftheoilyandspicyviandwhichnowremained,IthoroughlyrubbedthebandagewhereverIcouldreachit;then,raisingmyhandfromthefloor,Ilaybreathlesslystill. 

           Atfirsttheravenousanimalswerestartledandterrifiedatthechange—atthecessationofmovement.