from that time been
guarded against surprise by strong towers, beneath the arched
foundations of which the river now flowed. It was towards the tower of
exit that Conrad made the best of his way.

The sentries either did not see the boy approaching through the gloom,
or did not consider him dangerous, for he succeeded in creeping
unhindered beneath the vaulted archway that spanned the river. All
soon grew quite dark around him as he waded on, and he found himself
obliged to make his hands do the work of eyes. He had not proceeded
far in this fashion, when he suddenly found further progress barred by
a strong iron grating reaching down into the bed of the river and up to
the stonework above his head. How was he to pass this unexpected
obstacle? He cautiously rapped and felt the bars one by one, until, to
his great delight, he found that the last bar could be quite easily
pushed aside, thus leaving an opening through which the slender lad
found but little difficulty in forcing his body. As he came to each of
the two similar gratings that barred his way farther up the tunnel, he
found the same course practicable. He continued to follow the
subterranean bed of the stream for some distance farther, until it
emerged into the open air again in a tanner's yard, and Conrad could
leave the wet path he had followed so long. He did not let the grass
grow under his feet, and very soon was listening cautiously at his
mother's door. Hearing no sound, he stepped on tiptoe into the room.
No one was to be seen, though a lamp was burning on the table. He
crept across to the door of the bedroom, and thought he heard sounds of
breathing. As he opened the door, a feeble ray of light streamed
through the crevice, and he saw his mother lying in bed, with the
faithful cat sitting beside her as her only companion. Puss,
recognising the boy, began to purr and wave her tail, but the blind
woman seemed to be stupefied by the burning heat of fever.

'Mother! mother!' cried Conrad, at first softly, then louder; at last
he ventured to pull the sleeve of her night-dress.

The blind woman sat up suddenly. 'What is it?' she cried. 'Who is
calling me?'

'It is I, mother,' said Conrad, with chattering teeth; for by this time
the cold seemed to have spread from his wet feet all over his body.

'And have you come for me at last, my darling child?' said his mother,
in tones of rapture. 'How often have I prayed that God would send you
to t