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- Эдгар Алан По
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The
vibration
of
the
pendulum
was
at
right
angles
to
my
length
.
I
saw
that
the
crescent
was
designed
to
cross
the
region
of
the
heart
.
It
would
fray
the
serge
of
my
robe
--
it
would
return
and
repeat
its
operations
--
again
--
and
again
.
Notwithstanding
terrifically
wide
sweep
(
some
thirty
feet
or
more
)
and
the
its
hissing
vigor
of
its
descent
,
sufficient
to
sunder
these
very
walls
of
iron
,
still
the
fraying
of
my
robe
would
be
all
that
,
for
several
minutes
,
it
would
accomplish
.
And
at
this
thought
I
paused
.
I
dared
not
go
farther
than
this
reflection
.
I
dwelt
upon
it
with
a
pertinacity
of
attention
--
as
if
,
in
so
dwelling
,
I
could
arrest
here
the
descent
of
the
steel
.
I
forced
myself
to
ponder
upon
the
sound
of
the
crescent
as
it
should
pass
across
the
garment
--
upon
the
peculiar
thrilling
sensation
which
the
friction
of
cloth
produces
on
the
nerves
.
I
pondered
upon
all
this
frivolity
until
my
teeth
were
on
edge
.
Down
--
steadily
down
it
crept
.
I
took
a
frenzied
pleasure
in
contrasting
its
downward
with
its
lateral
velocity
.
To
the
right
--
to
the
left
--
far
and
wide
--
with
the
shriek
of
a
damned
spirit
;
to
my
heart
with
the
stealthy
pace
of
the
tiger
!
I
alternately
laughed
and
howled
as
the
one
or
the
other
idea
grew
predominant
.
Down
--
certainly
,
relentlessly
down
!
It
vibrated
within
three
inches
of
my
bosom
!
I
struggled
violently
,
furiously
,
to
free
my
left
arm
.
This
was
free
only
from
the
elbow
to
the
hand
.
I
could
reach
the
latter
,
from
the
platter
beside
me
,
to
my
mouth
,
with
great
effort
,
but
no
farther
.
Could
I
have
broken
the
fastenings
above
the
elbow
,
I
would
have
seized
and
attempted
to
arrest
the
pendulum
.
I
might
as
well
have
attempted
to
arrest
an
avalanche
!
Down
--
still
unceasingly
--
still
inevitably
down
!
I
gasped
and
struggled
at
each
vibration
.
I
shrunk
convulsively
at
its
every
sweep
.
My
eyes
followed
its
outward
or
upward
whirls
with
the
eagerness
of
the
most
unmeaning
despair
;
they
closed
themselves
spasmodically
at
the
descent
,
although
death
would
have
been
a
relief
,
oh
!
how
unspeakable
!
Still
I
quivered
in
every
nerve
to
think
how
slight
a
sinking
of
the
machinery
would
precipitate
that
keen
,
glistening
axe
upon
my
bosom
.
It
was
hope
that
prompted
the
nerve
to
quiver
--
the
frame
to
shrink
.
It
was
hope
--
the
hope
that
triumphs
on
the
rack
--
that
whispers
to
the
death-condemned
even
in
the
dungeons
of
the
Inquisition
.
I
saw
that
some
ten
or
twelve
vibrations
would
bring
the
steel
in
actual
contact
with
my
robe
,
and
with
this
observation
there
suddenly
came
over
my
spirit
all
the
keen
,
collected
calmness
of
despair
.
For
the
first
time
during
many
hours
--
or
perhaps
days
--
I
thought
.
It
now
occurred
to
me
that
the
bandage
,
or
surcingle
,
which
enveloped
me
,
was
unique
.
I
was
tied
by
no
separate
cord
.
The
first
stroke
of
the
razorlike
crescent
athwart
any
portion
of
the
band
,
would
so
detach
it
that
it
might
be
unwound
from
my
person
by
means
of
my
left
hand
.
But
how
fearful
,
in
that
case
,
the
proximity
of
the
steel
!
The
result
of
the
slightest
struggle
how
deadly
!
Was
it
likely
,
moreover
,
that
the
minions
of
the
torturer
had
not
foreseen
and
provided
for
this
possibility
!
Was
it
probable
that
the
bandage
crossed
my
bosom
in
the
track
of
the
pendulum
?
Dreading
to
find
my
faint
,
and
,
as
it
seemed
,
in
last
hope
frustrated
,
I
so
far
elevated
my
head
as
to
obtain
a
distinct
view
of
my
breast
.
The
surcingle
enveloped
my
limbs
and
body
close
in
all
directions
--
save
in
the
path
of
the
destroying
crescent
.
Scarcely
had
I
dropped
my
head
back
into
its
original
position
,
when
there
flashed
upon
my
mind
what
I
can
not
better
describe
than
as
the
unformed
half
of
that
idea
of
deliverance
to
which
I
have
previously
alluded
,
and
of
which
a
moiety
only
floated
indeterminately
through
my
brain
when
I
raised
food
to
my
burning
lips
.
The
whole
thought
was
now
present
--
feeble
,
scarcely
sane
,
scarcely
definite
--
but
still
entire
.
I
proceeded
at
once
,
with
the
nervous
energy
of
despair
,
to
attempt
its
execution
.
For
many
hours
the
immediate
vicinity
of
the
low
framework
upon
which
I
lay
,
had
been
literally
swarming
with
rats
.
They
were
wild
,
bold
,
ravenous
;
their
red
eyes
glaring
upon
me
as
if
they
waited
but
for
motionlessness
on
my
part
to
make
me
their
prey
.
"
To
what
food
,
"
I
thought
,
"
have
they
been
accustomed
in
the
well
?
"
They
had
devoured
,
in
spite
of
all
my
efforts
to
prevent
them
,
all
but
a
small
remnant
of
the
contents
of
the
dish
.
I
had
fallen
into
an
habitual
see-saw
,
or
wave
of
the
hand
about
the
platter
:
and
,
at
length
,
the
unconscious
uniformity
of
the
movement
deprived
it
of
effect
.
In
their
voracity
the
vermin
frequently
fastened
their
sharp
fangs
in
my
fingers
.
With
the
particles
of
the
oily
and
spicy
viand
which
now
remained
,
I
thoroughly
rubbed
the
bandage
wherever
I
could
reach
it
;
then
,
raising
my
hand
from
the
floor
,
I
lay
breathlessly
still
.
