e stripped by ten athletes?"

The drowsy porter turned over and answered;--"And how am I to know but
what you have murdered that fellow-traveler of yours that you came here
with last night, and are running away to save yourself? And now I
remember that I saw Tartarus through a hole in the earth just at that
hour, and Cerberus looking ready to eat me up."

Then I came to the conclusion that the worthy Meroe had not spared my
throat out of pity, but to reserve me for the cross. So, on returning to
my chamber, I thought over some speedy method of putting an end to
myself; but fortune had provided me with no weapon for self-destruction,
except the bedstead. "Now, bedstead," said I, "most dear to my soul,
partner with me in so many sorrows, fully conscious and a spectator of
this night's events, and whom alone when accused I can adduce as a
witness of my innocence--do thou supply me (who would fain hasten to the
shades below) a welcome instrument of death."

Thus saying, I began to undo the bed-cord. I threw one end of it over a
small beam projecting above the window, fastened it there, and made a
slip-knot at the other end. Then I mounted on the bed, and thus elevated
for my own destruction, put my head into the noose and kicked away my
support with one foot; so that the noose, tightened about my throat by
the strain of my weight, might stop my breath. But the rope, which was
old and rotten, broke in two; and falling from aloft, I tumbled heavily
upon Socrates, who was lying close by, and rolled with him on the floor.

Lo and behold! at that very instant the porter burst into the room,
bawling out, "Where are you, you who were in such monstrous haste to be
off at midnight, and now lie snoring, rolled up in the bed-clothes?"

At these words--whether awakened by my fall or by the rasping voice of
the porter, I know not--Socrates was the first to start up; and he
exclaimed, "Evidently travelers have good reason for detesting these
hostlers. This nuisance here, breaking in without being asked,--most
likely to steal something,--has waked me out of a sound sleep by his
outrageous bellowing."

On hearing him speak I jumped up briskly, in an ecstasy of unhoped-for
joy:--"Faithfulest of porters," I exclaimed, "my friend, my own father,
and my brother,--behold him whom you, in your drunken fit, falsely
accuse me of having murdered."

So saying, I embraced Socrates, and was for loading him with kisses; but
he repulsed me with c