on foot would be remarked by every soul I met."

Three days passed without incident, but at dinner-time on the fourth he
thought that the warder, as he placed the hunch of bread on the table,
gave him a significant glance. As soon as the door was closed he seized
the bread and pulled it to pieces. Inside was a tiny pellet of paper. He
opened and smoothed it out. In a female hand was written in tiny
characters: "_The Inquisition has demanded you. You will be handed over
to-morrow. If it be possible, make an escape to-night. If you can do so,
turn to your right from the front of the prison, take the second street on
the left, and knock three times on the fifth door on the right-hand side.
A friend will be awaiting you. If you cannot escape, hope still. We will
try other means. Destroy this when read._"

Stephen read it through three or four times to be sure that he had his
instructions by heart, then he put the paper into his mouth, chewed it up
and swallowed it.

"It must be done when they bring in my supper," he said to himself. "I
know that I am the last to be served in this corridor, for I can hear them
stop at the door next to me before they come here. That is an advantage,
as they would go straight down the corridor on leaving me. The first thing
is to tear up these two rugs into strips, and make ropes for binding them.
Of course I shall have to tackle the soldier first. The warder has
evidently been bribed and he will make no resistance. When I have once
overpowered the soldier, I may get some hints from the other as to which
is my best way of getting out of this. Of course this is Filippo's doing.
What a good fellow he is to run such a risk! There is one thing, if I once
get fairly out of the cell I will be killed rather than be taken and
handed over to the Inquisition."

Although he had not once been visited between meals, he thought it prudent
not to begin the work of making his rope until the sun was getting low.
When it did so he tore up the blankets, twisted and knotted together the
strips, and then sat down to await the coming of the jailers. He had
already tried to wrench off one of the legs of the table, but it was too
heavy and strongly made for him to succeed. He then thought of using the
chair, but he could not feel certain of stunning the soldier with the
first blow, and the latter might fire off his musket, or shout so loudly
as to give the alarm; he therefore determined to trust to his hands alone.