but forming a curve by its own weight; and in the centre, reaching to
within twenty or thirty feet of the surface of the water, from which point,
other chains are attached, reaching horizontally to the towers on either
side. It is needless to say, that during the day this great chain is
lowered into the water when vessels desire to enter; but at night, it is
again raised; and there being rumours of war at this period, no ships were
admitted during the night,--the chain being a security against an enemy
entering, and cutting out vessels under favour of the darkness.

[By aid of a telescope, he recognises on the opposite tower a fair
prisoner, "the lovely Isabel," who had been confined there upwards of a
year for conspiring to murder her first husband. The hero by aid of the
chain, swings to Isabel's tower, where they concert an escape.]

As Isabel pressed closer to me, I felt, that, although far from agreeable
to sojourn in such a place, even with Isabel, this would yet be greatly
preferable to solitude. But to such a project, many serious difficulties
presented themselves: I represented to Isabel, that if I did not reach the
opposite tower that night, it would be discovered, when the food put into
my cell remained untasted, that I was gone; and as the conclusion would
necessarily be, that I had leaped into the sea, no more food would be put
into my cell, and consequently, when I did return, I should die of hunger.
"But," said Isabel, "why return ever? Providence seems to delight in
throwing us together,--and if, as unhappily seems too true, the doom of
both of us be to live and die in these towers, why should we not----"

"Live and die together, you would say;" and, in truth, there was reason
in this proposal of Isabel. "Why, indeed, should we not?" said I; but in
yielding so readily to this suggestion, I looked farther than Isabel did.
Isabel had doubtless many charms,--and here, I should at least have nothing