"That wasn't the trial. That was the enquiry!"

"Then when will the trial come off?"

"You'll learn the _result_ of the trial soon enough!" and he slammed the
door to prevent further discussion.

I was completely flabbergasted. I scratched my head and endeavoured to
collect my thoughts. Surely I could not have heard aright. Yet the man
must know what he was talking about. The more I pondered the more
perplexed I became. Then the head-gaoler's stress upon the word
"_result_!" What did that portend? New fears crept into my mind. So when
M----, the under-gaoler, came round next morning, I badgered him, but he
would say no more than that the trial had not yet come off.

I was completely unnerved and now commenced to fear the worst. If the
ordeal I experienced on the Wednesday night was not the trial, then what
on earth was it? I made up my mind to find out. I rang the bell wildly
and demanded to see the Commandant. He sent down word to say he could
not see me. But I was insistent, and at last, to avoid further worry, he
conceded an audience.

As I entered the office of the Commandant I was surprised to see him
handling my little camera. At my entrance he slipped it into his desk.
He looked at me curiously, and then grunted,

"What do you want?"

"I wish to know when my trial is coming off. I thought I was tried last