light proceeding from a corner of the very niche where I had fixed
the candle between two stones. I approached and put my hand to the
place; a strong draught blew through a hole large enough to admit the
passage of three fingers. I quickly relighted my torch, and examining
this hole and the back of the niche attentively, found that four blocks
of granite in the wall had been removed and their places supplied by
thick square logs cut from the trunks of trees. These logs were quite
loosely fitted. I took them out easily one by one, and then came upon a
close pile of brushwood. As I gradually cleared this away a large
aperture disclosed itself wide enough for any man to pass through
without trouble. My heart beat with the rapture of expected liberty; I
clambered up--I looked--thank God! I saw the landscape--the sky! In two
minutes I stood outside the vault on the soft grass, with the high arch
of heaven above me, and the broad Bay of Naples glittering deliciously
before my eyes! I clapped my hands and shouted for pure joy! I was
free! Free to return to life, to love, to the arms of my beautiful
Nina--free to resume the pleasant course of existence on the gladsome
earth--free to forget, if I could, the gloomy horrors of my premature
burial. If Carmelo Neri had heard the blessings I heaped upon his
head--he would for once have deemed himself a saint rather than a
brigand. What did I not owe to the glorious ruffian! Fortune and
freedom! for it was evident that this secret passage into the Romani
vault had been cunningly contrived by himself or his followers for
their own private purposes. Seldom has any man been more grateful to
his best benefactor than I was to the famous thief upon whose grim
head, as I knew, a price had been set for many months. The poor wretch
was in hiding. Well! the authorities should get no aid from me, I
resolved; even if I were to discover his whereabouts. Why should I
betray him? He had unconsciously done more for me than my best friend.
Nay, what friends will you find at all in the world when you need
substantial good? Few, or none. Touch the purse--test the heart!

What castles in the air I built as I stood rejoicing in the morning
light and my newly acquired liberty--what dreams of perfect happiness
flitted radiantly before my fancy! Nina and I would love each other
more fondly than before, I thought--our separation had been brief, but
terrible--and the idea of what it might have been would endear