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

bright visions that had vanished; and recoiling
from the present. which clung to him as
poisoned garment
When he grew more calm, he surveyed his
gloomy dungeon. Alas! the stronger light of
day only served to confirm what the gloomy
indistinctness of the preceding evening had
partially disclosed, the utter impossbility of
escape. AS, however, his eyes wandered
round and round, and from place to place, he
noticed two circumstances which excited his
surprise and curiosity The one, he thought,
might be fancy, but the other was positive
His pitcher Of water, and the dish which con-
tanned his food had been removed from his
side while he slept, and now stood near the
door. Were he ever inclined to doubt this, by
supposing he had mistaken the spot where he
saw them over night, he could not, for the
pitcher now in his dungeon was neither of the
same form nor color as the other, while the
food was changed for some other of better
quality He had been visited therefore during
the night. But how had the person obtained
entrance? Could he have slept so soundly,
that the unlocking and opening of those pom
derous portals were effected without waking
him? He would have said this was not possi-
BILE, but that in doing SO, be must admit a
greater difficulty, an entrance by other means
ofwhich he was convinced there existed none
1t was not intended, then, that he should be
left to perish from hunger But the secret and
mysterious mode of supplying him with food
seemed to indicate he was to have no oppor-
tunity of communicating with human being
The other circumstance which had attracted
his notice. was the disappearance as he be-
lieved, of one of the seven grated windows that
ran along the top ofhis prison. He felt con-
fident that he had observed and counted them;
and there was something peculiar in their
form, as we'll as in the manner of their arrange
ment at unequal distances. 1t was so much
easier, however, to SUPPOSE he was mistaken,
than that a portion of the solid iron, which
formed the walls could nave escaped from its
position, that he soon dismissed the thought
from his mind
Vivensio partook of the food that was before
him, without apprehension. 1t might be
poisoned; but if it were he knew he could not
escape death, should such be the design of
Tolf, and the quickest death would be the
specdiest release
The day passed wearily and goomily; though
not without a faint hope that by keeping watch
at night, he might observe when the person
came again to bring him food, which he sup
l., l. =. Al. L
| The mere thought of being approached by a
| living creature, and the opportunity it might
| present of learning the doom prepared, or pre-
pairing, for him, impaired some comfort Be-
sides, if he came alone, might he not in a fur-
Gus onset overpower him? Or he might be
accessible to pity, or the influence of such mum
ifccnt rewards as he could besow, if once more
at liberty and master of himself Say he were
armed The worst that could befall, if nor
bribc, nor prayers, nor force prevailed, was a
faithful blow, which, though dealt in damned
cause, might work desired end. There was
no chance so desperate, but it looked lovely in
Vivensios eyes, compared with the idea of be-
ing totally abandoned.
HC ulHhI SdlnS, anu ' lNSllSlb
Morning came, and Vivensio was confounded (!
He must have slumbered without knowing it..
Sleep must have stolen over him when cx-
hausted by fatigue, and in that interval Of
fevcrsh repose, he had been baiilcd for there
stood his repcniShed pitcher Of water, and
there hisday's meal! Nor was this all. Cast
ing looks towards the windows of his dungeon,
he counted but FIVE Here was no deception {;
and he was now convinced there had been none
the day before But what did all this poitend {?
Into what strange and mysterious den had he
been cast He gazed till his eyes ached: he
could discover nothing to explain the mystery.
That it was so, he knew. Why it was so, he
racked his imagination in vain to conjecture
He examined the doors. A simple circum-
stance convinced him they had not been open
| ed
wisp Of straw, which he had carlessly
thrown against them the preceding day, as he
| passed to and fro, remained where he had cast
it, though it must have been displaced by the
slightest motion of either of the doors. This
was evidence that could not be disputed; and
| it followed there must be some secret machinery
in the walls by which n person could enter
He inspected them closely. They appeared to
him one solid and compact mass of iron, or
joined, il joined they were, with such nice art,
that no mark Of division was perceptible.-
Again and again he surveyed them--and the
noor-and the roof-and that range Of vision
ary windows, as he was now almost tempted
to consider them; he could discover nothing, alb
solutely nothing, to relieve his doubt or salts
fy his curiosity Sometimes he fancied that
altogether the dungeon had a more contracted
appearance-that it looked smaller; but this
he ascribed to fancy, and the impression nat
urally produced upon his mind by the undc-
niabe disappearance Of two of the windows.
With intense anxiety, Vivensio looked for
ward to the return Of night and as it approach
cd, he resolved that no tracherous sleep should
again betray him. Instead of seeking his bed
OF fstraw, he continued to walk up and down his
dungeon till daylight, straining his eyes
in every direction through the darkness,
to watch for any appearance that might explain
| these mysteries While thus engaged, and as