The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1860-01-19


since dead to dream, but his humility sufficed
not, even although it assumed the guise of shiv
ering, chill-struck, blighted terror, crouching
like the lap-wing to the very dirt. Such hideous
dreams! He dreamt Of coin, which, when be
touched 1t, chung to his fingers with the tenacity
OF burning phosphorus, eating in to the bone
with the heat of the very burning lake that
burneth with fire and birthstone. His treasure.
freighted ships, himself on board, now sunk,
mastless, storm-opprest, now the spoil of fire
fioated off helmless, after the shreking crews
had ceased to know more pain. SO the dreams
rushed on. bearing him ever nearer He'll.
de was In his cell, be dreamt, and, weary
with long work, and strain of heavy thought, be
had lain down to try and rest for q while, until
the leaden obstruction should pass away, and
free his limbs once more. The smoky lamp
waned slowly, and its feeble flicker lent q spec.
trail character to the long shadows of the room.
An, this damned gnawing at my vitals thought
he. The rats-how they gnaw mellow they
listen at the cricks and crevices of nv broken
heart Arsenic, now, or strychnine-and, am
free.' So-so-they have almost eaten thei,
way out, though. / wonder tits
strange, now, such queer shadowsl Shadows
said? Perhaps, It's passing strange
surely! Over there, for instance, that black
y shadow? ** living, close
priest, upon the floor, just by the rusty ring
bolt, where Giovanni Rocco was
chained, perhaps. The flags are worn into hol
lows, just there-he must have been able to
| take only three steps in his chafed walk-three
forward, and three back again-then repeat
That black thing there. What no
Man, ghost, devil-why PROSTATE thus7 Thou
canst not rival me in wOe-equal me then in
endurance. Come forth He is gerry tall-for
| oil ho1Io
What strange pale face it is--livid 1 should
| call 1.-THE more so for that unearthly black
robe. Coming this way, too, with
shutting, dubious, irregular steps. Does i,
smile, or frown? The light of those eyes is the
| light of the arbuncle-lurid-gnite in He'll
Nearer. Hal the thin
blue lips move-what says he? 81 aorote upon
the waU - Iprayed - humJled myself an
hundred yedrs--yet here 1 stayed. Now-the
| ring is rusted-the letters are broken and
haze sscorn vengeance 7" n Stop friend
what would you? Twas not mel Back,
| say-touch me not with those skinny fingers
! Back Art mad ? What would he
do2 ALL his grip is like iron! l am nothing
in his arms. = Ho! 1 strangle! Down
iend, mailman, murderer, down. y
Cod What is it in his skinny hand? \
Off off l say-'tis Tarantula
Is he gone ? Twas a
fearful dream How the cold sweat stands in
beady drops upon my brow, and trickles down
my breast. / thought /. should have been
| strangled; and the Tarantula! Christ
These visions will drive me mad. Hal What
means it? This pain-my hand is swollen,
and burns, and aches, with a dull leaden ache,
as if This puncture, from which a
black blood-drop slowly oozes-how came il
here? Can it be? How rapidly my hand
swells-it seems black already-and the burn.
ing, and the quick, shooting pain, like thou.
sand pricking needles, goes even to my shoulder.
w hat can 1t be?. That shadow
was it real That herrid vision-aoas it a
vision? God The Tarantulal feel it now
How the swelling waxes-like very Elephan-
tiasis--how the thick poison, seething in my
blood, is borne up, and scorches all my brain.
Oh, j cannot endure it / shall grow mad,
mad! | burn-I scorch-my blood is dry as
dust-my parched tongue cleaves to my crack
ed jaws-dry as potsherd Is this death-or
am l dead, and in the lake that burneth L?
Father Abraham, drop of water, to cool this
thirst of the desert The Simeon has burst
over me, and dried up my blood, and all the
juices of my body-even my Joints are stiff, for
lack of moisture n Oh, George, George
die-poisoned- Notwithstanding. Quick
bring me to my family ere diei 4
Wife, children-hal why shrink ye from me
so? Why do We weep, and cry out, and clasp
hands before your eyes? Oh, mer-
cy mercy spare me, spare me thisl These
scales upon my face--this skin, all dry, and
haky, and white as snow! SO &C.
hazi went forth from the holy prophets pres.
ence. GodI To be a leper and I'M
clean, in the foulest of all uncleanness shall
grow mad-mad Hal hal Why not laugh
Is not this my stoe-my acolyte's white robe ?
Aye-I GO FORTH to be initiate in the rare, wild
mysteries of ith-lord of the sewer and ken
nel-vice-regent of dung-heaps, and shambles,
and ghettos Wife, son, daughter, come hther !
Why so tardy, so slack in your Joy and con-
gratulations? Kiss me Am not lovely :?
To-day, wed marble bride-and this is my
bridal veil. Why not? Is not hoary Blanc so
crowned-hath not proud, selfposed Jungtrau
robe and veil like this {? y 4 Away would
ye share my foulness! See / will embrace
you, then. They cannot call us negroes, now.
n Wife thy hair begins to drop-thy
hand is scaly. Helen hast powder
ed over all that peachy bloom of thine with lily
ho | together let us sing " Care killed cat"
/ am kin to the fend, now, the iend who took
the shape of the Black Dog,
"For he was ehastly speechless, wan.
Like m OF whom the story ram
He spoke the spectre-hound in man,
SCOTS Lay Of the Last Minstrel, Canto W.
Only, my hound is white as milk
Away! touch me not-unhand me I ] am the
pestience If / touch one, you die. y
No madhouse for me-sooner death Ha, Sir
Priest, canst exercise this demon that haunts
me? What! take mel = = Ha ha! run ye-
run, run. There is q ship makes sail-down the
streets, through the throng, DER the quay fly
to the ship, to her hold-white as milk--so
sleep--while the creak Of the bars in the cap
stan confesses me safe-safe and freel So
sleep, tired and weary-sleep soundly, in those
white nightgarments of mine.
have slept long. Is it not midnight? All
is dark around me. / stretch out my hand to
touch the wall of my cell-ah-what is this
Where am L? This strange, pitching motion
of my couch Does the earth quake? So
l remember am at sea--snd the ship rolls
Hark, how many noises on deck there drag
ging of cables finging down of chains, catter
of quick feet, moving to and fro. Hark how
the sullen waves plash up against the counter !
What hum of voices is that hear beneath me,
with now and then moan, as of some one in
pain-strange sounds these, for shipboard.
Such can often be heard at night by him who
watches near some hospital, where wounded,
and fever-stricken, and fierce pained, the pa
tients wait YEARLY for the long, sleepless hours
to drag by. But here ?-strange. Hank again.
Note the quick, harsh tones of authority Be
lay there! sheet homel let go all Note the
prompt tread Of the men, the creak of the
strained blocks, the rush Of ropes. Note the
whistling, the plants, the shrieks of the rising
wind among the cordage-the ships uneasy
quiver-the impatient plunge of her to meet
the waves. A storm must be brewing-a gale.
Aye, hear them now: on matches, down gra-
tings, and lash! Twill be storm. But what
ooro of II Gonna 7 root Nou tho first