Page:Iron shroud, or, Italian revenge (3).pdf/7

7 soundly, that the unlocking and opening of those ponderous portals were affected without waking him ? He would have said this was not possible, but that in doing so, he must admit a greater difficulty, on entrance by other means, of which he was convinced there existed none. It was not intended, then, that he should be left to perish from hunger. But the secret and mysterious mode of supplying him with food, seemed to indicate he was to have no opportunity of communicating with a human being. The other circumstance which had attracted 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 form, as well as in the manner of their arrangement, at equal distances It was so much easier, however, to 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 thought from his mind. Vivenzio partook of the food that was before him, without apprehension. It might be poisoned ; but if it were, he knew he could not escape death, should such be the design of Tolfi; and the quickest death would be the speediest release. The day passed wearily and gloomily ; though not without a 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 way as before. The mere thought of being approached by a living creature, and the opportunity it might present of learning the doom