Read the selection below from the short story “The Pit and the Pendulum” by Edgar Allan Poe and use your knowledge of the story to answer the question that follows.

Down—steadily down it crept. I took a frenzied pleasure in contrasting its downward with its lateral velocity. To the right—to the left—far and wide—with the shriek of a darn spirit!


Which type of atmosphere does the passage above create?

frightening and disquieting
exciting and hopeful
romantic and content
mournful and disappointed