night, and every kind of tool carefully kept from me.
The straw which had been hitherto allowed me was removed, under pretence that it
was adapted for concealment; and the only conveniences with which I was indulged
were a chair and a blanket.
    A prospect of some alleviation in no long time opened upon me; but this my
usual ill fortune rendered abortive. The keeper once more made his appearance,
and with his former constitutional and ambiguous humanity. He pretended to be
surprised at my want of every accommodation. He reprehended in strong terms my
attempt to escape, and observed that there must be an end of civility from
people in his situation, if gentlemen after all would not know when they were
well. It was necessary in cases the like of this to let the law take its course,
and it would be ridiculous in me to complain, if after a regular trial things
should go hard with me. He was desirous of being in every respect my friend if I
would let him. - In the midst of this circumlocution and preamble, he was called
away from me for something relating to the business of his office. In the mean
time I ruminated upon his overtures; and, detesting as I did the source from
which I conceived them to flow, I could not help reflecting how far it would be
possible to extract from them the means of escape. - But my meditations in this
case were vain. The keeper returned no more during the remainder of that day,
and on the next an incident occurred which put an end to all expectations from
his kindness.
    An active mind, which has once been forced into any particular train, can
scarcely be persuaded to desert it as hopeless. I had studied my chains during
the extreme anguish that I endured from the pressure of the fetter upon the
ancle which had been sprained; and, though from the swelling and acute
sensibility of the part I had found all attempts at relief in that instance
impracticable, I obtained from the coolness of my investigation another and
apparently superior advantage. During the night my dungeon was in a complete
state of darkness; but, when the door was open the case was somewhat different.
The passage indeed into which it opened was so narrow, and the opposite dead
wall so near, that it was but a glimmering and melancholy light that entered my
apartment, even at full noon, and when the door was at its widest extent. But my
eyes, after a practice of two or three weeks, accommodated themselves to this
circumstance, and I learned to distinguish the minutest objects. One day, as I
was