and went away, saying that he would have the remainder of my effects
brought to me. I sat on my arm-chair as motionless as a statue, waiting
for the storm, but not fearing it. What overwhelmed me was the
distressing idea that all my pains and contrivances were of no use,
nevertheless I felt neither sorry nor repentant for what I had done, and
I made myself abstain from thinking of what was going to happen, and thus
kept myself calm.

Lifting up my soul to God I could not help thinking that this misfortune
was a Divine punishment for neglecting to escape when all was ready.
Nevertheless, though I could have escaped three days sooner, I thought my
punishment too severe, all the more as I had put off my escape from
motives of prudence, which seemed to me worthy of reward, for if I had
only consulted my own impatience to be gone I should have risked
everything. To controvert the reasons which made me postpone my flight to
the 27th of August, a special revelation would have been requisite; and
though I had read "Mary of Agrada" I was not mad enough for that.




CHAPTER XXVIII

The Subterranean Prisons Known as the Wells--Lawrence's Vengeance--I
Enter into a Correspondence With Another Prisoner, Father Balbi: His
Character--I Plan With Him a Means of Escape--How I Contrived to Let Him
Have My Pike I Am Given a Scoundrelly Companion: His Portrait.

I was thus anxious and despairing when two of the guards brought me my
bed. They went back to fetch the rest of my belongings, and for two hours