that law of nature which gives every man a right to defend his
honour defamed, and seek by every possible means to regain his
liberty: that such had been my sole purpose in every enterprise I
had formed, and such should still continue to be, for I was
determined to persist, till I should either be crowned with success,
or lose my life in the attempt.

Things thus remained: every precaution was taken except that I was
not put in irons; it being a law in Prussia that no gentleman or
officer can be loaded with chains, unless he has first for some
crime been delivered over to the executioner; and certainly this had
not been my case.

The soldiers were withdrawn from my chamber; but the greatest ill
was I had expended all my money, and my kind mistress, at Berlin,
with whom I had always corresponded, and which my persecutors could
not prevent, at last wrote -


"My tears flow with yours; the evil is without remedy--I dare no
more--escape if you can. My fidelity will ever be the same, when it
shall be possible for me to serve you.--Adieu, unhappy friend: you
merit a better fate."


This letter was a thunderbolt:- my comfort, however, still was that
the officers were not suspected, and that it was their duty to visit
my chamber several times a day, and examine what passed: from which
circumstance I felt my hopes somewhat revive. Hence an adventure
happened which is almost unexampled in tales of knight-errantry.