The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1860-01-19
WASHINGTON. d. G..
For the National Era.
A PALACE IN GENOA.
BY EDWARD sPENCEI
XI-Coniinued.

did it sting me? i shiver to my very heart,
cannot think, for horror! Their venom, too is
intense, they say. Scarce six hours between
the bite and death And such deathi Livid,
swollen, racked as if hot lead were flowing in
ones veins, and the mad widness of fierce de-
liruml This loathsome den grows
more and more insupportable. Its cracks and
corners full of hideous reptiles, lizards sporting
over me as / sleep, and the damp, Shiny walls
and floor reeking with foul exudations, the very
smell of which is sickening. What wonder
am III {? IL breeds its own malaria, such a den
as this. Thank God, my work is nearly over,
and then | shall leave here. Too late, per-
haps. Aye, this dampness, this mephitic air,
has done its work already. My bones are full
Of creeping chills--my head throbs-my face is
aushed-my pulse jerks and dances, madly,
under my finger. Fatedl / know what this
us-delirium-deathl just too,
when | am becoming reconciled to lfe-when
have prospect ahead-a chance of redemp-
ton and security Oh, was ever more accused
lot than minel What is it2 l felt
no pain, see no mark. Could that
reptile have stung me? This is very strange
have never known sensations before like these.
What can it be? My limbs are numb and
chilli can scarce move my feet-scarce lift
my hand to INV brow. How it throbs, and burns,
and swells, as if it were single great fevered
pulse, into which thousand hearts were fore
ing their serpent-poisoned blood |! What is this
tightness in my chest this pressure of ten
thousand pounds upon me n Am / dying? II
| but close my eyes second, how my head
reels, like staggering ship, that, squallstruck,
pauses, shivering, in her maddened course.
What can it mean? All,
fool! triple, insensate fool, so dreading death
yet sealing fate with your own rash hand What
means it, indeedl ed-killed-selfslai
involuntary suicide Why take the drug SO
rashly, doubling the dose? Ha thou black
Accursed fend dest thou grin at me, and
mock me thou, deeming myself safe within
thy bottle prison2 Hell burn thee Thus
dash thee now against the wall none 9th er
shalt thou kill Death is that its
meaning? SO soon Oh, Father of Mercies.
thought to make my peaceLf-I have wished
we'll for menl i have done some
things well y and Thou-Thou art
Judge of my purposes, and
they say Hell is paved with many, fully as good
as mine. Were it not too
late
And so, drowned in the supplying fumes of
the foul drug, numb with instant fear Of Death
To Seepl Wretched exped lent of panic
stricken wretch, was Sleep, for him
We shall not dwell upon his Dreams. In
sleep, they came before him, and peered into
his face, grotesque, distorted images of himself
Sleep was no longer to him Deaths half
BROTHER" who, with drowsy wand, bids all the
world to rest For him, instead of knitting
up the ravelled sleeve of care" il rehearsed the
nightly task of Penelope unweaving what had
been woven by day. 1t was, in effect, simply
his Introduction to another world, world more
active than the world he walked in, world
which he entered by no ivory gate," but,
through a dismal dungeon-door, over which
was written " Through me is the way into
eternal pain; through me the way among the
people lost " a world where Chaos was the
order, aud "Tohu- Bohu" Sovereign and Pom
tiff. Thither the foul Homuneuus of the bot
tie was wont to lead him. to drag him on, and
'finging him into the midst of the spectres who
.peopled this Nifelheina, this "Cloud- Goblin
Land" delighted to see them make sport of
him.
Very soon after he had begun to put himself
IN the power of Opium, his dreams had taken
the general form of Nightmares. Either he
the point of achieving limitless fortune,
but for some -misadventure or, there was a
paper mislaid, upon which depended countless
millions; or, the ship which was coming into
port with store of gold for him, sank before his
eyes; or, there was an error in his calculations,
which he could not correct; or, he saw the rob-
bers spoi! him, without power of outcry, or of
pursuit; or, the slaves ran away with his swift
ships; or the Telegraph gave false rumors; or,
the money proved to be counterfeit, when re-
| ceiyed; or the horse that was about to win for
him, fell and broke his neck, or some such phan-
tasma infested perpetually his vision, as soon as
he closed his eyes in sleep.
BY and by, the dreams assumed another and
more painful character. For instance, he was
in Wall street, with all the burden of his shame
and disgrace upon his shoulders, and no way OF
escape. He ran hither and thither, he climbed
long flights of stairs, plunged down into gloomy
celars, but-all was Wall street, everywhere he
went was Wall street-Wall street, with all
those familiar faces sneering, all those myriad
fingers pointed at him, even the fingers of the
dirty news bows and no chance of escape for
him Trinity steeple still pursued him with
lis shadow, and its chimes still rang in his ear !:
You are thief a thief thief! You are a
THE r." or, he had his money twas made,
aud stored away-but, alas he could not use If.
For, down there, in the cell, the notes in the
desk, and the coins in bags, rustled and clinked
perpetual chorus, that contin1ally grew loud.
er and louder Embezzled t..nds e'nbezzled
funds ," they cried, in soprano, tenor, and
bass growing louder each moment. Hush! 1
shall be betrayed My children will hear, and
the very people in the street, Quick, George,
bring an anvil Beat upon the wall, till the sweat
eomesl Sing with me- so we drown the cursed
cry But ever and ever rises the chorus !" EN-
6e2zied funds! embezzted finds" louder each
Il
4 Or, there is some foul mark upon his cheek,
say, that he cannot wash away. The people OF
the street see it, and avoid him, crossing over to
the other side, and following him at distance,
but turning their heads whenever looks round.
1t IS loathsome mark, brand OF intamy,
and, so long as it is there, he cannot, dare not,
rest He sees how his family shun him, and
marks the contest they have to undergo between
ioathing and affection. Even he is sickened
By it, and hates himself for it. Eagerly be
Punges into bath, but it will not out; eagerly
he uses the razor till the skin itself is pared
OF, yet the damned spot abides there still.
ii All! how he clutches at it, tears it, digs into
with torturing, bloody fingers, shrieking and
hyng-all in vain
Again: The Telegraph is at his service. he
las complete control of it, and thousand mes.
sengefs are ready to bring him his advices,
running hot-foot, and bearing the yellow-en-
'eioped missives aloft in their hands. Here
comes one: Latest Nescs. Failure of Beale
1s'yd the torgeri Ruin eUeryschere Horrible
I " among acidotos and orphans! PshaU!
1 1oSs At aside! another yellotc enrelope: Many
thousands Starring for bread. All crying ont