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

tracted dimensions ofhis mysterious prison were
now too gross and palpable to be the juggle Of
his heated Imagination Still lost in wonder at
the means, Vivenzio could put no cheat upon
his reason, as to the end. BY what horrible
ingenuity il was contrived that walls, and roof,
and windows, should thus silently and imper-
ceptibly, without noise and without motion al
most, fold, as it were within each other, he
knew not He only knew they did so; and he
| vainly strove to persuade himself it was the
intention Of the contriver to rack the miserable
wretch who might be immured there, with an
ticipation, merely, of a fate, from which, in the
very crisis fhis agony, he was to be reprieved.
| Gladly would he have chung even to this
| possibility, if his heart would have let him;
but he felt dreadful assurance of its fallacy.
And what matchless inhumanity it was to doom
the sufferer to such lingering torments-to lead
hin day by day to so appalling death, un-
supported by the consultations of religion, un-
visited by any human being, abandoned to
himself deserted of all, and denied even the
sad privilege of knowing thai his cruel destiny
would awaken PITY Alone he was to perish
alone he was to wait slow coming torture,
whose exquisite pangs would be inflicted by
that very solitude, and that tardy coming
at is not death that fear" he exclaimed,
"but the death must prepare for Methinks,
too, could meet even that-all horrible and
revolving as it is-f it might overtake me now.
But where shall find fortitude to tarry till it
come? How can outlve the three long DAYS
and nights have to live? There is no power
within me to bid the hideous spectre hence
none to make familiar to my thoughts, or my
self patient of its errand. My thoughts, rather,
will flee from me, and grow mad in looking
at it. Oh, for deep sleep to fall upon mel
that So in deaths likeness, might embrace
death itself, and drink no more of the cup that
is presented to me, than my fainting spirit has
already tasted"
In the midst Of these lamentations Vivenzio
noticed that his accustomed meal with the
pitcher of water, had been conveyed, as before,
into his dungeon. But this circumstance no
longer excited his surprise; his mind was over
whelmed with others of far greater magnitude,
1t suggested, however feeble hope of delive-
rance; and there is no hope so feeble as not to
yield some support to a heart bending under
despair He resolved to watch, during the en-
suing night, for the signs he had before OBJ
served; and should he again feel the gentle,
trem,lous motion ofthe floor, or the current of
air to seize that moment for giving audible
expression to his misery Some person must
be near him, and within reach of his voice. at
the instant when his food was supplied; some
o'e, perhaps, susceptible of pity Or if not to
C told even that his apprehensions were just,
and his fate 'oas to be what he foreboded,
would be preferable to a suspense which hung
upon the possibility of his worst fears being
visionary,
The night came; and as the hour approach
ed when Vivenzio imagined he might expect
the signs, he stood fixed and silent as a statue
He feared to breathe, almost lest he might
lose any sound which would warn him of their
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, probably, if Inc
stretched himself along the iron floor He ac-
cordingly laid himself softly down, and bad not
long been in that position when, ycs-he was
certain Of 1.-THE floor moved under him! He
sprang up, and in a voice suffocated nearly
with emotion, called aloud. He pauscd-the
motion ccased-he felt no stream of air-all
was hushed-no voice answered to his-he
burst into tears; and as he sunk to the ground.
in renewed anguish, exclaimed, oh my God
my God! You alone have power to save me
now, or strengthen IN for the trial you permit" :"
Another morning dawned upon the wretch
ed captive, and the fatal index Of his doom met
his eyes. Two windows!-and t,rO days-all
would be over! Fresh food-fresh water! The
mysterious visit had been paid though he had
implored il in vain. But how awfully was his
prayer answered in what he now saw! The
ro)f Of the dungeon was within foot of his
head The two ends were so near, that in six
PAGES he trod the space between them Viven-
zio shuddered as he gazed, and as his steps
travcrscd the narrowed area. But his feelings
no more vented themselves in frantic wailings
With folded arms, and clenched teeth, with
eyes that were bloodshot with much Watching
anu HAeu Wltn vacant BiaTc upon Jne ground
with hard, quick breathing, and q hurried
walk, he strode backwards and forwards in 81.
lent musing for several hours. What mind
shall conceive what, tongue utter, or what pen
describe the dark and terrible character ofthese
thoughts2 Like the fate that moulded them,
they had no similitude in the wide range Of this
worlds agony for man. Suddenly he stopped,
and his eyes were rivitcd upon that part of the
wall which was over his bed Of straw. Words
are inscribed there! A human language, traced
by human hand! He rushed towards them ;
but his blood freezes as he reads
81, Ludovico Sforza, tempted by the gold of
the Prince Of Tolf; spent three years in con-
irving and executing this actursed triumph of
my art. When it was completed, the perfidious
Tolf, more devil than man, who conducted me
hther one morning, to be witness, as he said
of its perfection, doomed me TO be the first vic
tim ofmy own pernicious skill; lest as he de-
clared, l should divulge the secret, or repeat
the effort of my ingenuity May God pardon
him, as l hope he will me, that ministered to