I perceived
a man at the window, who, by signs, invited me to approach him. As I
did so, he handed me through the grating, a couple of little sweet
cakes, and signified to me that I was to eat them quickly, without
letting any one see me do so, for if that was to happen it might be
all the worse for him. Although at this moment I felt a positive
aversion towards all kinds of food, yet with a great exertion, I
gulped them both down, because I did not wish either to anger or
injure him. He now left me, with a pleased countenance, promising to
provide me in future, with the same kind of food. I thanked him as
well as I was able, and wondered not a little, that a man, who to
judge from his appearance, was of the lowest rank in life, should
possess so much goodness of heart, as to resolve on comforting a
stranger, at his own peril. Pretty soon they brought me food, but as I
had not the least appetite, I sent it back untouched, as I did again
in the evening.

One object now wholly occupied my thoughts, and that was my escape
from imprisonment. With this view I examined my cage very carefully.
It was six feet long, about as broad, and some eight feet high.
Tolerably thick beams separated it from the passage, and in the wall
were a couple of windows, having on the outside, a strong wooden
grating, and within, paper curtains which could be rolled up or let
down. From one of these windows you looked out on a wall about two
feet distant, but the other commanded a beautiful view of mountains,
fields, and the sea. All the furniture which the apartment could boast
of, was a little bench, so small that one could hardly lie down on it,
and some mats spread out on the floor.

I was thoroughly convinced that with the aid of an ordinary knife, it
would be very easy to cut through the wooden grating of the window,
and that in a dark night, I could, with very little difficulty, find
my way into the court-yard and over the wall. But then, where was the
knife to come from, when they had not trusted us with even a needle?
And suppose that I was lucky enough to escape, whither could I turn my
steps? The fear too of aggravating the already hard lot of my
companions, turned aside any ideas which I might have entertained of
attempting a flight. Moreover, our guards were not by any means remiss
in their duties. During the whole night, I heard very plainly, people
walking round the walls, and striking the hours by means of a couple
of dry sticks