Year: 1860

1t was evening when Vivenzio enter
ed his dungeon and the approaching
shades of night wrapped itgin total dark
ness, as he paced up and down, revolving
in his mind these terrible forebodings.-


No tolling bell from castle, or uoighbor.
ing church or convent, struck upon his
ear to tell how the hours passed. Ere
quently he would stop and listen for some
sound that might betoken the vicinity OF
man; but the solitude of the desert, the
silence Of the tomb, are not SO still and
deep as the oppressive desolation by which
he was encompassed His heart sunk
within him, and he threw himself defect
edly down upon his couch of straw
Here sleep gradually obliterated the con-
scousness of misery, and bland dreams
waited his delighted spirit to scenes which
were once glowing realities for him, in
whose ravishing illusions he soon lost the
remembrance that he was Toli's pris.
oner.


When he awoke, it was daylight; but
how long he had slept he knew not II
might he early morning, or it might be
sultry noon, for he could measure time
by no other note of its progress than
light and darkness. He had been so hap
\ pv in his sleep, amid friends who loved
him, and the sweet endearments of life
that in the first moments of waking, his
startled mind seemed to admit the knowl-
edge of his situation, as il it had burst
upon it for the first time, fresh in all its
appalling horrors. He gazed round with
an air of doubt and amazement, and took
up handful Of the straw upon which he
lay, as though he would ask himself what
it meant. But memory, too faithful to her
office, soon unveiled the melancholy past,
while reason, shuddering at the task,
flashed before his eyes the tremendous
future. The contrast overpowered him.
He remained for some time lamenting,
like truth, the bright visions that had
vanished and recoilng from the present,
which clung to him as a poisoned gar.
ment


When he grewmore calm, he surveyed
his gloomy dungeon. Alas! the stronger
light of day only served to confirm what
the gloomy ndistinctness of the prcced.
inc evening had partially disclosed, the
utter impossiblity Of escape AS howcv-
er, his eyes wandered round and round
from place to place, he noticed two cir
cnmStances which excited his surprise aud
curiosity. The one, he thought, might
he fancy hut the other was positive
His pitcher Of water, and the dish which
contained his food, had been removed
from his side while he slept, and now
stood near the door. Were he even in
clincd 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 or 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 ponder
ous portals were effected without waking
him? He would have said this was i'm,
possible, but that in doing so, he must
admit greater difficulty, an entrance by
other means, of which he was convinced
there existed none. 1t was not intend
ed, then, that he should be left to perish
from hunger. But the secret and mys-
tcrious mode OF supplying him with food,
seemed to Indicate that he was to have
no opportunity Of communicating with
human being.


The other circumstance which had at
tracted his notice, was the disappearance,
as he believed of one of the seven grated
windows that ran along the top Of his
prison. He felt confident that he had
observed and counted them; for he was
rather surprised at their number, and
there was something peculiar in
their shape, as well as in the man
ner of their arrangement, at unequal dis
tances. 1t was so much easier, however,
t. suppose he was mistaken, than that a
portion of the solid iron, which formed
the walls, could have escaped from its
position, that he soon dismissed the thougt
from his mind.


Vivenzio partool Of the fool that was
before him, without apprehension. 1t
might be poisoned; but if it were he knew
NC COuiu uVb cSVtpo ucdtIi, Suouiu SuCu
be the design of Tolf, and the quickest
death would be the speediest release.


The day passed YEARLY and gloomily;
though not without faint hope that by
keeping watch at night, he might observe
when the person came again to bring him
food, which he supposed he would do in
the same manner as before. The mere
thought of being approached by a living
creature, and the opportunity it might
present of learning the doom prepared,
or preparing for him, impaired some com.
fort. Besides, il he came alone, might
he not by furious onset ovcrpower him?
Or he might be accessible to pity, or the
influence of such munifcent rewards az
he could bestow, if once more at liberty
and master of himself. Say he were
armed. The worst that could befall, if
not bribe nor prayers nor force prevailed,
was friendly blow, which, though dealt
in damned cause, might work desired
end. There was no chance so desperate,
but it looked lovely in Vivenzio's eyes,
compared with the idea Of being totally
abandoned.


The night came, and Vivenzio watch
ed, Morning came, and Vivenzio was con-
founded. He must have slumbered with.
out knowingit Sleep must have stolen
over him when exhausted by fatigue, and