Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-10-12

'"i'iy o'to'e W pcrsuade himself IL was the In
tention of a contriver, to rack the miserable
wretch who might be immured there. with the
anticipation merely of fate, from which. in
the very crisis of his agony, he was to be re-
prieved
Gladly would he have chung even to this DOS
sibility, if his heart would have let him but he
felt a dreadful assurance of his fallacy. And
what matchless inhumanity it was to doom the
sufferer to such lingering torment--to lead him
day by day to SO appalling u death, unsupport-
ed by the consultations of religion, unyisited by
any human being, abandoned to himself, desert
ed Of all, and denied even the sad privilege of
knowing that his cruel destiny would awaken
pity Alas he was to perish alone he was to
wait slow coming torture, whose most exquis-
ito pangs would Be inflicted by that very soIi-
tude and that tardy coming
1t is not death fear" he exclaimed, "but
the death must prepare for! Methinks, too, |
could meet even that--all horrible and revolving
as it is-if it might overtake me now. But
where shall find forttude to tarry till it colne1
How can outlve the three long days and nights
to ive' There is no power in me to bid the hid
eous spectre hence-none to make it familiar to
my thoughts or myself, patient of his GRAND
My thoughts, rather flee to me, and grow mad
in looking at it. Oh for u deep sleep to fall
upon me SO, in death likeness might embrace
death itself, and drink no more of the cup that
is presented to Inc, than my iainting spirit has
already tasted -
In the midst of these lamentations, Vivenzio
noticed that his accustomed meal, with pitch
er of water had been conveyed into his dungeon.
But this circumstance no longer excited his sur
prise. His mind was overwhelmed with others
of far greater magnitude. 1t suggested how
ever, u feeble hope of dcliverance; and there is
no hope 50 feeble, as not to yield some support
to IA heart bending under despair. He resolved
to watch, during the ensuing night, for the
signs which he had before Observed and should
he again feel the gentle, trcmuous motion of
the floor, or the current of air. to seize that mo-
ment to give audible expression to his misery.
Some person must be near him and within reach
of his voccsat the instant when the food was
supplied; some one, perhaps, susceptible of
pity. Or if MOTTO be told that his apprchensions
were just, and that his fate was to be what he
forcbodcd ,and would be preferable to suspense
which hung upon the possibility of his worst
fears being visionary.
The night came and as the hour approached
when Vivcnzio imagined he might expect the
signs, he stood fixed and silent as statue. lie
feared to breathe, almost, lest he might lose any
svark Ss5-fd warn HIM of tiIeir coming
While thus listening, with every faculty of mind
and body strained to an agony Of attention
it occurred to him he should be more sensible
of the motion, if he stretched himself along the
iron floor lie accordingly laid himself softly
down, and had not been long in that position
whcn-yes he WAS certain OF 1.-THE floor mogec
under him He slrans up, and in voice saf-
: focated nearly with emotion, called aloud He
1 pausod-the motion coas4d-he felt no stream
of ar--all WAS hushcd-no voice answered tc
; his-hc burst into tears, and AS he sunk to tht
! ground, in renewed anguish exclaimed-
"Oh, my God my God Yoa alone hay
power to save me now, Or strengthen rae for TIL
y trial yon permit.
Another morning dawned upon the wretchot
captive, and the fatal index of his dom nat ii
D eyes Two windows and two dlys-Anl al
wauld be over Fresh food, fresh water Til
) mysterious visit had been paid, though he ha
n mplorcd it in vain. But how awfully WAS hi
t prayer answered in whas he now saw Tn
: root of the dungeon was within Il foot Of hi
. head. The two ends were 50 n,lr that in si
PAGES he trod the space between then. Vivon
IL zio shudderod AS he gazcd, and his steps trwei
= sed the narrow area. Bat his feelings no lor
Q ger vented themselves in frantic wllings. Wit
u folded arms and clanchcd teeth, with eyes tina
J Were blooIshot from much Watching, and tixe,
= with a vacant stare upon the grolnd, with
!, hard quick breathing anda hurried walk, h
y strol, backwards and forwards in silent musin
u for several hours. What mind shall c9aceiye
), what tognue shall utter, or what pen desert
" the dark and terrible character of his thoughts
. Like the fate that moulded them, they bad n
10 similitude in the wide range of this worlds az
10 ony for man. Suddenly he stopped, and hi
i eyes were rivetsd upon that part of the Wa
II which was over his bed OF straw. Words al
inscribed there A human language traced b
i human hand lie rlsheI towards them, bu
II his blood freezes as he reads
y 81, Ludovico Sforza, tempted by the gold o
=" the Prince Of Tolf, spent three years in contr
: wing and executing this accurscd triumph of m
= art. When it was completed, the perGdiol
IL Tolf, more devil than man, who conducted m
!" hither one morning, to be witness, he said,
u its perfection, doomed mo to be the first victi
II of my own porncioas skill lest, as he declared
III | should dvulge the secret, or repeat the efo
70 of my ingenuity. May God pardon him, as
i' hopo he will me, that ministered to this unha
IL lowed purpose! Miserable wretch, whoever the
art, fall on thy knees and invoke, as | ha
i'll done, His sustaining mercy, who alone can nar
rs rs thee to meet the vengeance Of Tolf, armed wi
u" this tremendous engine, which in a few hou
d will crash you, as it will the needy wretch wi
es made it,"
he A deep groan burst from Vivsnzio. He sto
e like one trlnsfxai, with diated eyes, expand
We nostrils, and quivering lips, gazing at this fat
nd inscription. 1t was as if voice from the Sc
nd ulchre had sounded in his ears, =" Prepare
n Hope fersook him. There was his sentence
d. corded in those dismal words. The future sto
ct unveiled before him, ghastly appalling
re brain already feels the descending horror,