Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-01-23
D. c., SATURDAY. JANUARY %, 1858.

and dashing towards the quarter from whence
it seemed to proceed, he stumbled over some
thing which hejudged to be the water ever. The
rush of cold air was no longer perceptible; and
as Vivensio stretched out his hands, he found
himself close to the walls. He remained
motionless for considerable time, but nothing
occurred during the remainder Of the night to
excite his attention, though he continued to
watch with unabated vigilance.
The first approaches ofthe morning were visi-
BILE through the grated windows, breaking with
faint divisions Of light the darkness that still
pervaded every other part long before Viven-
sio was enabled to distinguish any object in
his dungeon. Instinctivcly and fearfully he
turned his eyes, hot and inhamed with watch
ing, towards them. There were FOUR! He
could sec only four: but it might be that some
! intervening object prevented the fifth from be-
coming perceptible: and he waited impatienty
to ascertain if it were so. As the light strength
ened, however, and penetrated every corner of
the cell, other objects of amazement struck his
sight. On the ground lay the broken frag-
ments of the pitcher he had used the day be-
fore, and at small distance from them, nearer
to the WALL stood the one he had noticed the
first night 1t was filled with water and be-
side it was his food. He was now certain,
that, by some mechanical contrivance an
opening was obtained through the iron wall,
and that through this opening the current of
air had found entrance But how noiseless
For had feather almost waved at the time he
must have heard it. Again he examined that
part of the wall but both to sight and touch
it appeared one even and uniform surface,
while to repeated and violent blows, there was
no reverberating sound indicative of hollow
ness.
This perplexing mystery had for time with
drawn his thoughts from the windows, but
now, directing his eyes again towards them he
saw that the fifth had disappeared in the same
manner as the preceding two, without the least
distinguishable alteration of external appear
ances. The remaining four looked as the
seven had originally looked; that is, occupying,
at irregular distances, the top Of the wall on
that side Of the dungeon. The tall folding
door, too, still seemed to stand beneath, in the
centre ofthese four, as it had at first stood in
the centre of the seven. But he could no long
err doubt, what on the preceding day, he fancied
might be the effect of visual deception. The
dungeon a0as smaller. The roofhad lowered
and the opposite ends had contracted the in.
termediate distance by space, equal, he thought
to that over which the three windows had ex-
tended. He was bewidered in vain imaginings
to account for these things. Some frightful
purpose-some develish torture of mind or
body-some unheard-o Of device for producing
exquisite misery, lurked, he was sure, in what
had taken place.
Oppressed with this belief and distracted
more by the dreadful uncertainty Of whatever
fate impended, than he could be dismayed, he
thought, by the knowledge Of the worst, he
sat ruminating, hour after hour, yielding his
fears in succession to every haggard fancy.
At last horrible suspicion flashed suddenly
across his mind, and he started up with a fran
tic air. eyes! he exclaimed, looking wildly
around his dungeon, and shuddering as he
spoke" Yesl it must be so see it-I feel
the maddening truth like scorching flames up
on my BRAIN Eternal God support me it
must be so Yes, yes, that is to be my fate!
Yon roof will descend-these walls will hem
me round-and slowly, slowly, crush me in
their iron arms Lord God look down upon
me and in mercy strike me with instant death
Oh, fend-oh, DEVILS this your revenge?" "
| Il, tbn -,
agony tears burst from him, and the sweat
stood in large drops upon his face-he sobbed
aloud-hc tore his hair-he rolled about like
one suffering intoerable anguish of body, and
would have bitten the iron floor beneath him
he breathed fearful curses upon Tolf, and the
next moment passionate prayers to heaven for
immediate death Then the violence of his
grief became exhausted, and he lay still, weep
ing as a child would weep. The twilight OF
departing day shed its gloom around him ere
he arose from that posture Of utter and hope.
less aorrow. He had taken no food Not one
drop Of water had cooled the fever Of his parch-
ed lips. Sleep had not visited his eyes for six
and thirty hours. He was faint with hunger
weary with watching, and with the excess Of
his emotions. He tasted Of his food he drank
with avidity Of the water; and reelng like a
drunken man to his straw, cast himself upon
it to brood again over the appalling image that
had fastened itself upon his almost frenzied
thoughts
lie slept But his slumbers were not
tranquil He resisted, as long as he could
their approach; and when, at last enfeebed
nature yielded to their influence, he found nc
oblivion from his cares. Terrible dreams
haunted him-ghostly visions narrowed up his
imagination--he shouted and screamed, as il
he already felt the dungeons ponderous ROO
descending on him--he breathcd hard and
thick, as though writhing between its iron
walls Then would he spring up stare wild.
ly about hm-strctch forth his hands, TO be
sure he yet had space enough to live--and
muttering some incohercnt words, sink down
again, to pass through the same fierce vicissi.
tudcs of delicious sleep.
The morning of the fourth day dawned upon
Vivenzio, but it was high noon before his mind
shook off its stupor, or he awoke to full con,
sciousnEss of his situation. And what fixed