Колодець і маятник

           —Oh!foravoicetospeak!—oh!horror!—oh!anyhorrorbutthis! Withashriek,Irushedfromthemargin,andburiedmyfaceinmyhands—weepingbitterly. 

           Theheatrapidlyincreased,andonceagainIlookedup,shudderingaswithafitoftheague. Therehadbeenasecondchangeinthecell—andnowthechangewasobviouslyintheform. Asbefore,itwasinvainthatI,atfirst,endeavouredtoappreciateorunderstandwhatwastakingplace. ButnotlongwasIleftindoubt. TheInquisitorialvengeancehadbeenhurriedbymytwo-foldescape,andtherewastobenomoredallyingwiththeKingofTerrors. Theroomhadbeensquare. Isawthattwoofitsironangleswerenowacute—two,consequently,obtuse. Thefearfuldifferencequicklyincreasedwithalowrumblingormoaningsound. Inaninstanttheapartmenthadshifteditsformintothatofalozenge. Butthealterationstoppednothere—Ineitherhopednordesiredittostop. Icouldhaveclaspedtheredwallstomybosomasagarmentofeternalpeace. “Death,”Isaid,“anydeathbutthatofthepit!” Fool! mightIhavenotknownthatintothepititwastheobjectoftheburningirontourgeme? CouldIresistitsglow? or,ifeventhat,couldIwithstanditspressure? Andnow,flatterandflattergrewthelozenge,witharapiditythatleftmenotimeforcontemplation. Itscentre,andofcourse,itsgreatestwidth,camejustovertheyawninggulf. Ishrankback—buttheclosingwallspressedmeresistlesslyonward.