ly impressed with the ambiguousness which would necessarily
rest upon my motives, and the scrutiny to which they would be subjected.
I shuddered at the bare possibility of being ranked with thieves. These
reflections again gave edge to my ingenuity in search of the means of
escape. I had carefully attended to the circumstances of their entrance.
Possibly the act of locking had been unnoticed; but was it not likewise
possible that this person had been mistaken? The key was gone. Would
this have been the case if the door were unlocked?

My fears, rather than my hopes, impelled me to make the experiment. I
drew back the latch, and, to my unspeakable joy, the door opened.

I passed through and explored my way to the staircase. I descended till
I reached the bottom. I could not recollect with accuracy the position
of the door leading into the court, but, by carefully feeling along the
wall with my hands, I at length discovered it. It was fastened by
several bolts and a lock. The bolts were easily withdrawn, but the key
was removed. I knew not where it was deposited. I thought I had reached
the threshold of liberty, but here was an impediment that threatened to
be insurmountable.

But, if doors could not be passed, windows might be unbarred. I
remembered that my companion had gone into a door on the left hand, in
search of a light. I searched for this door. Fortunately it was fastened
only by a bolt. It admitted me into a room which I carefully explored
till I reached a window. I will not dwell on my efforts to unbar this
entrance. Suffice it to say that, after much exertion and frequent
mistakes, I at length found my way into the yard, and thence passed into
the court.

CHAPTER V.

Now I was once more on public ground. By so many anxious efforts had I
disengaged myself from the perilous precincts of private property. As
many stratagems as are usually made to enter a house had been employed
by me to get out of it. I was urged to the use of them by my fears; yet,
so far from carrying off spoil, I had escaped with the loss of an
essential part of my dress.

I had now leisure to reflect. I seated myself on the ground and reviewed
the scenes through which I had just passed. I began to think that my
industry had been misemployed. Suppose I had met the person on his first
entrance into his chamber? Was the truth so utterly wild as not to have
found credit? Since the door was locked, and there was no other avenue,
wha