opened inward, and was soon conquered. The sun set before I had
ended this, and the fourth was to be cut away as the second had
been. My strength failed; both my hands were raw; I rested awhile,
began again, and had made a cut of a foot long, when my knife
snapped, and the broken blade dropped to the ground!

God of Omnipotence! what was I at this moment? Was there, God of
Mercies! was there ever creature of Thine more justified than I in
despair? The moon shone very clear; I cast a wild and distracted
look up to heaven, fell on my knees, and in the agony of my soul
sought comfort: but no comfort could be found; nor religion nor
philosophy had any to give. I cursed not Providence, I feared not
annihilation, I dared not Almighty vengeance; God the Creator was
the disposer of my fate; and if He heaped afflictions upon me He had
not given me strength to support, His justice would not therefore
punish me. To Him, the Judge of the quick and dead, I committed my
soul, seized the broken knife, gashed through the veins of my left
arm and foot, sat myself tranquilly down, and saw the blood flow.
Nature, overpowered fainted, and I know not how long I remained,
slumbering, in this state. Suddenly I heard my own name, awoke, and
again heard the words, "Baron Trenck!" My answer was, "Who calls?"
And who indeed was it--who but my honest grenadier Gelfhardt--my
former faithful friend in the citadel! The good, the kind fellow
had got upon the rampart, that he might comfort me.

"How do you do?" said Gelfhardt. "Weltering in my blood," answered
I; "to-morrow you will find me dead."--"Why should you die?" replied
he. "It is much easier for you to escape here than from the
citadel! Here is no sentinel, and I shall soon find means to
provide you with tools; if you can only break out, leave the rest to