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than the eyes of cats； and five steps from one of the lanterns on
the ramparts it was already groping dark。 We made haste to lie
down。 Had our jailers been upon the watch； they must have observed
our conversation to die out unusually soon。 Yet I doubt if any of
us slept。 Each lay in his place； tortured at once with the hope of
liberty and the fear of a hateful death。 The guard call sounded；
the hum of the town declined by little and little。 On all sides of
us； in their different quarters； we could hear the watchman cry the
hours along the street。 Often enough； during my stay in England；
have I listened to these gruff or broken voices； or perhaps gone to
my window when I lay sleepless； and watched the old gentleman
hobble by upon the causeway with his cape and his cap； his hanger
and his rattle。 It was ever a thought with me how differently that
cry would re…echo in the chamber of lovers； beside the bed of
death； or in the condemned cell。 I might be said to hear it that
night myself in the condemned cell！ At length a fellow with a
voice like a bull's began to roar out in the opposite thoroughfare：
'Past yin o'cloak； and a dark； haary moarnin'。'
At which we were all silently afoot。
As I stole about the battlements towards the … gallows； I was about
to write … the sergeant…major； perhaps doubtful of my resolution；
kept close by me； and occasionally proffered the most indigestible
reassurances in my ear。 At last I could bear them no longer。
'Be so obliging as to let me be！' said I。 'I am neither a coward
nor a fool。 What do YOU know of whether the rope be long enough？
But I shall know it in ten minutes！'
The good old fellow laughed in his moustache； and patted me。
It was all very well to show the disposition of my temper before a
friend alone； before my assembled comrades the thing had to go
handsomely。 It was then my time to come on the stage； and I hope I
took it handsomely。
'Now； gentlemen；' said I； 'if the rope is ready； here is the
criminal！'
The tunnel was cleared； the stake driven； the rope extended。 As I
moved forward to the place； many of my comrades caught me by the
hand and wrung it； an attention I could well have done without。
'Keep an eye on Clausel！' I whispered to Laclas； and with that； got
down on my elbows and knees took the rope in both hands； and worked
myself； feet foremost； through the tunnel。 When the earth failed
under my feet； I thought my heart would have stopped； and a moment
after I was demeaning myself in mid…air like a drunken jumping…
jack。 I have never been a model of piety； but at this juncture
prayers and a cold sweat burst from me simultaneously。
The line was knotted at intervals of eighteen inches； and to the
inexpert it may seem as if it should have been even easy to
descend。 The trouble was； this devil of a piece of rope appeared
to be inspired； not with life alone； but with a personal malignity
against myself。 It turned to the one side； paused for a moment；
and then spun me like a toasting…jack to the other； slipped like an
eel from the clasp of my feet； kept me all the time in the most
outrageous fury of exertion； and dashed me at intervals against the
face of the rock。 I had no eyes to see with； and I doubt if there
was anything to see but darkness。 I must occasionally have caught
a gasp of breath； but it was quite unconscious。 And the whole
forces of my mind were so consumed with losing hold and getting it
again； that I could scarce have told whether I was going up or
coming down。
Of a sudden I knocked against the cliff with such a thump as almost
bereft me of my sense； and； as reason twinkled back； I was amazed
to find that I was in a state of rest； that the face of the
precipice here inclined outwards at an angle which relieved me
almost wholly of the burthen of my own weight； and that one of my
feet was safely planted on a ledge。 I drew one of the sweetest
breaths in my experience； hugged myself against the rope； and
closed my eyes in a kind of ecstasy of relief。 It occurred to me
next to see how far I was advanced on my unlucky journey； a point
on which I had not a shadow of a guess。 I looked up： there was
nothing above me but the blackness of the night and the fog。 I
craned timidly forward and looked down。 There； upon a floor of
darkness； I beheld a certain pattern of hazy lights； some of them
aligned as in thoroughfares； others standing apart as in solitary
houses； and before I could well realise it； or had in the least
estimated my distance； a wave of nausea and vertigo warned me to
lie back and close my eyes。 In this situation I had really but the
one wish； and that was： something else to think of！ Strange to
say； I got it： a veil was torn from my mind； and I saw what a fool
I was … what fools we had all been … and that I had no business to
be thus dangling between earth and heaven by my arms。 The only
thing to have done was to have attached me to a rope and lowered
me； and I had never the wit to see it till that moment！
I filled my lungs； got a good hold on my rope； and once more
launched myself on the descent。 As it chanced； the worst of the
danger was at an end； and I was so fortunate as to be never again
exposed to any violent concussion。 Soon after I must have passed
within a little distance of a bush of wallflower； for the scent of
it came over me with that impression of reality which characterises
scents in darkness。 This made me a second landmark； the ledge
being my first。 I began accordingly to compute intervals of time：
so much to the ledge； so much again to the wallflower； so much more
below。 If I were not at the bottom of the rock； I calculated I
must be near indeed to the end of the rope； and there was no doubt
that I was not far from the end of my own resources。 I began to be
light…headed and to be tempted to let go； … now arguing that I was
certainly arrived within a few feet of the level and could safely
risk a fall； anon persuaded I was still close at the top and it was
idle to continue longer on the rock。 In the midst of which I came
to a bearing on plain ground； and had nearly wept aloud。 My hands
were as good as flayed； my courage entirely exhausted； and； what
with the long strain and the sudden relief； my limbs shook under me
with more than the violence of ague； and I was glad to cling to the
rope。
But this was no time to give way。 I had （by God's single mercy）
got myself alive out of that fortress； and now I had to try to get
the others； my comrades。 There was about a fathom of rope to
spare； I got it by the end； and searched the whole ground
thoroughly for anything to make it fast to。 In vain： the ground
was broken and stony； but there grew not there so much as a bush of
furze。
'Now then；' thought I to myself； 'here begins a new lesson； and I
believe it will prove richer than the first。 I am not strong
enough to keep this rope extended。 If I do not keep it extended
the next man will be dashed against the precipice。 There is no
reason why he should have my extravagant good luck。 I see no
reason why he should not fall … nor any place for him to fall on
but my head。'
From where I was now standing there was occasionally visible； as
the fog lightened； a lamp in one of the barrack windows； which gave
me a measure of the height he had to fall and the horrid force that
he must strike me with。 What was yet worse； we had agreed to do
without signals： every so many minutes by Laclas' watch another man
was to be started from the battlements。 Now； I had seemed to
myself to be about half an hour in my descent； and it seemed near
as long again that I waited； straining on the rope for my next
comrade to begin。 I began to be afraid that our conspiracy was
out； that my friends were all secured； and that I should pass the
remainder of the night； and be discovered in the morning； vainly
clinging to the rope's end like a hooked fish upon an angle。 I
could not refrain； at this ridiculous image； from a chuckle of
laughter。 And the next moment I knew； by the jerking of the rope；
that my friend had crawled out of the tunnel and was fairly
launched on his descent。 It appears it was the sailor who had
insisted on succeeding me： as soon as my continued silence had
assured him the rope was long enough； Gautier； for that was his
name； had forgot his former arguments； and shown himself so
extremely forward； that Laclas had given way。 It was like the
fellow； who had no harm in him beyond an instinctive selfishness。
But he was like to have paid pretty dearly for the privilege。 Do
as I would； I could not keep the rope as I could have wished it；
and he ended at last by falling on me from a height of several
yards； so that we both rolled together on the ground。