To live at liberty is doubtless much better than living in a prison;
but, even here, the reflection that God is present with us, that
worldly joys are brief and fleeting, and that true happiness is to
be sought in the conscience, not in external objects, can give a
real zest to life. In less than one month I had made up my mind, I
will not say perfectly, but in a tolerable degree, as to the part I
should adopt. I saw that, being incapable of the mean action of
obtaining impunity by procuring the destruction of others, the only
prospect that lay before me was the scaffold, or long protracted
captivity. It was necessary that I should prepare myself. I will
live, I said to myself, so long as I shall be permitted, and when
they take my life, I will do as the unfortunate have done before me;
when arrived at the last moment, I can die. I endeavoured, as much
as possible, not to complain, and to obtain every possible enjoyment
of mind within my reach. The most customary was that of recalling
the many advantages which had thrown a charm round my previous life;
the best of fathers, of mothers, excellent brothers and sisters,
many friends, a good education, and a taste for letters. Should I
now refuse to be grateful to God for all these benefits, because He
had pleased to visit me with misfortune? Sometimes, indeed, in
recalling past scenes to mind, I was affected even to tears; but I
soon recovered my courage and cheerfulness of heart.

At the commencement of my captivity I was fortunate enough to meet
with a friend. It was neither the governor, nor any of his under-
jailers, nor any of the lords of the process-chamber. Who then?--a
poor deaf and dumb boy, five or six years old, the offspring of
thieves, who had paid the penalty of the law. This wretched little
orphan was supported by the police, with several other boys in the
same condition of life. They all dwelt in a room opposite my own,