, his liberty, his reputation
restored; mankind perhaps, struck with the injustice he had suffered, would have
shown themselves eager to balance his misfortunes and obliterate his disgrace.
But this man died; and I remained alive! I, who, though not less wrongfully
treated than he, had no hope of reparation, must be marked as long as I lived
for a villain, and in my death probably held up to the scorn and detestation of
my species!
    Such were some of the immediate reflections which the fate of this
unfortunate martyr produced in my mind. Yet my intercourse with Brightwel was
not in the review without its portion of comfort. I said, This man has seen
through the veil of calumny that over-shades me; he has understood, and has
loved me. Why should I despair? May I not meet hereafter with men ingenuous like
him, who shall do me justice and sympathise with my calamity? With that
consolation I will be satisfied. I will rest in the arms of friendship, and
forget the malignity of the world. Henceforth I will be contented with tranquil
obscurity, with the cultivation of sentiment and wisdom, and the exercise of
benevolence within a narrow circle. It was thus that my mind became excited to
the project I was about to undertake.
    I had no sooner meditated the idea of an escape, than I determined upon the
following method of facilitating the preparations for it. I undertook to
ingratiate myself with my keeper. In the world I have generally found such
persons as had been acquainted with the outline of my story, regarding me with a
sort of loathing and abhorrence, which made them avoid me with as much care as
if I had been spotted with the plague. The idea of my having first robbed my
patron, and then endeavouring to clear myself by charging him with subornation
against me, placed me in a class distinct from and infinitely more guilty than
that of common felons. But this man was too good a master of his profession to
entertain aversion against a fellow creature upon such a score. He considered
the persons committed to his custody merely as so many human bodies for whom he
was responsible that they should be forthcoming in time and place; and the
difference of innocence and guilt he looked down upon as an affair beneath his
attention. I had not therefore the prejudices to encounter in recommending
myself to him, that I have found so peculiarly obstinate in many other cases.
Add to which, the same motive, whatever it was, that had made him so profuse in
his offers a little before, had probably its influence on the present occasion
