The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1881-10-22

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exhausted, and his hands swollen and benumbed
he dropped helpless down, and lay stunned for
considerable time by the fall
When he recovered, the glorious vision had
vanished. He was in darkness. He doubted
whether it was not dream that had passed be
fore his sleeping fancy; but gradually his scat
I tered thoughts returned, and with them came
remembrance. Yes he had looked once again
upon the gorgeous splendor of nature Once
again his eyes had trembled beneath their yelled
| lids at the suns radiance, and sought repose in
the soft verdure of the olive-tree or the gentle
swell of undulating waves. 0 that he were a
mariner, exposed upon those waves to the worst
fury of storm and tempest or a very wretch
lOathsome with disease plague-strcken, and his
body one leprous contagion from crown to sole
hunted forth to gasp out the remnant of infec-
tous life beneath those verdant trees so he might
shun the destiny upon whose edge he tottered
Vain thoughts like these would steal over his
mind from time to time in spite of himself; but
they scarcely moved it from that stupor into
which it had sunk, and which kept him, during
the whole night, like one who had been drugged
with opium. He was equally insensible to the
calls of hunger and of thirst, though the third
day was now commencing since even drop of
water had passed his lips He remained on the
ground, sometimes sitting, sometimes lying; at
intervals sleeping heavily, and when not sleep
ing silently brooding over what was to come, or
talking aloud, in disordered speech, of his wrongs,
of his friends, of his home and of those he loved
with a confused mingling of all.
In this pitiable condition, the sixth and last
morning dawned upon Vivenzio if dawn it might
be called, the dim obscure light which family
struggled through ONE SOLITARY window in his
dungeon. He could hardly be said to notice the
melancholy token. And yet he did notice it
for, as he raised his eyes and saw the portentous
sign, there was slight convulsive distortion of
his countenance But what did attract his notice.
and at the sight of which his agitation was ex-
cessive, was the change the iron bed had under
gone 1t was bed no longer. 1t stood before
him, the visible semblance of a funeral couch or
bier! When he beheld this, he started from the
ground; and, raising himself, suddenly struck
his head against the roof, which was now so low
that he could no longer stand upright Goods
will be done" was all he said as he crouched his
body, and placed his hand upon the bier: for
such it was. The iron bedstead had been so con-
trived by the mechanical art of Ludovico Sforza.
that, as the advancing walls came in contact with
Its head and feet. pressure was produced upon
springs, which, when made to play. set
IN motion very simple though ingeniously con-
trlved machinery that effected the transforma-
ton. The object was, of course, to heighten. in
the closing scene of this horrible drama. all the
feelings of despair and anguish which the pre-
han
-he last window was SO made as to admit onIv a |
'hadoWy KIND OF gloom rather than light that |
he wretched captive might be surrounded, as it |
Tere with every seeming preparation for ap-
death.
VivenZio seated himself on his bier Then he
melt and prayed feryently and sometimes tears
would gush from him. The air seemed thick
md he breathed with difficulty; or it might be
hat he tancled 1t was so, from the hot and mar
ow limits of his dungeon, which were now so
that he could neither stand up nor
ie down at his full length But his wasted
pirits and oppressed mind no longer struggled
With him. He was past hope, and fear shook
i'm nO more. Happy if thus revenge had struck
is final blow; for he would have fallen beneath
almost unconscious Of a pang But such
7thargy OF the soul, after such an excitement of
IS tiercest passions, had entered into the diabol-
al calculations of Tolf and the fell artifcer of
Is designs had imagined d counteracting device
The tolllng OF an enormous bell struck upon
le ears of FivenZio. He started It beat but
nee. The sound was 50 close and stunning that
seemed to shatter his very brain. while if
;hoed through the rocky passages like rever-
Grating peals OF thunder This was followed
Y sudden crash of the roof and walls as if
icy were about to fall upon and close around
I'M at once NlyenZlo screamed and instinct t
ely spread forth his arms as though he had
ants strength to hold them back They had /
owed nearer to him, and were now motionless q
lvenzlo looked up, and saw the roof almost a
uchlng his head, even as he sat covering be- Il
9ath it; and he felt that a further contraction a
but few inches only must commence the a
ghtful operation. Reused as he had been. C
now gasped for breath. His body shook b
olently; he was bent nearly double. His a
nds rested upon either wall, and his feet were
avn under him to avoid the pressure in "
mt. Thus he remained for more than an is
ur, when that deatening bell beat again, and fl
ain came the crash of horrid death. But the II
ncussion was now so great that If struck 81
venzo down. As he lay gathered up in ic
sened bulk, the bell beat loud and freouent: u
ash succeeded crash and on and on and on d
NE the mysterious engine of death, till vi T
nZio'S Snnt heraG oroanc uara baorJ M x.,1. ! Il