grenadier
Gelfhardt--my former faithful friend in the citadel! The good, the kind
fellow had got upon the rampart, that he might comfort me.

"How do you do?" said Gelfhardt. "Weltering in my blood," answered I;
"to-morrow you will find me dead."--"Why should you die?" replied he. "It
is much easier for you to escape here than from the citadel! Here is no
sentinel, and I shall soon find means to provide you with tools; if you
can only break out, leave the rest to me. As often as I am on guard, I
will seek opportunity to speak to you. In the whole Star-Fort, there are
but two sentinels: the one at the entrance, and the other at the guard-
house. Do not despair; God will succour you; trust to me." The good
man's kindness and discourse revived my hopes: I saw the possibility of
an escape. A secret joy diffused itself through my soul. I immediately
tore my shirt, bound up my wounds, and waited the approach of day; and
the sun soon after shone through the window, to me, with unaccustomed
brightness.

Let the reader judge how far it was chance, or the effect of Divine
providence, that in this dreadful hour my heart again received hope. Who
was it sent the honest Gelfhardt, at such a moment, to my prison? For,
had it not been for him, I had certainly, when I awoke from my slumbers,
cut more effectually through my arteries.

Till noon I had time to consider what might further be done: yet what
could be done, what expected, but that I should now be much more cruelly
treated, and even more insupportably ironed than before--finding, as they
must, the doors cut through and my fetters shaken off?

After mature consideration, I therefore made the following resolution,
which succeeded happily, and even beyond my hopes. Before I proceed,
however, I will speak a few words concerning my situation at this moment.
It is impossible to describe how much I was exhausted. The prison swam
with blood; and certainly but little was left in my body. With painful
wounds, swelled and torn hands, I there stood shirtless, felt an
inclination to sleep almost irresistible, and scarcely had strength to
keep my legs, yet was I obliged to rouse myself, that I might execute my
plan.

With the bar that separated my hands, I loosened the bricks of my seat,
which, being newly laid, was easily done, and heaped them up in the
middle of my prison. The inner door was quite open, and with my chains I
so barricaded the upper half of the second as