ily.

"'The same!'

"'Welcome, comrade, welcome!' cried he, and shook my hands violently.
'That is brave, that I have you at last, mine host of the Sun. Day and
night have I been thinking how to get you. I know you well. I know
all. I have reckoned on you long ago.'

"'Reckoned on me! For what?'

"'The whole country round is full of you. You have enemies! A bailiff
has oppressed you, Wolf! They have ruined you, and the wrongs you have
suffered cry aloud to Heaven.'

"The man became warm. 'Because you have shot a few hogs, which the
prince feeds in our fields they have dragged you about for years in the
house of correction and the fortification, they have robbed you of your
house and business and made you a beggar. Has it come to this,
brother, that a man is worth no more than a hare? Are we not better
than brutes of the field? And a fellow like you could suffer that?'

"'Could I alter it?'

"'That we shall see. But tell me, whence do you come, and what do you
purpose?'

"I began to tell him all my history. The man, without waiting till I
had finished it, sprung up with joyous impatience, and drew me after
him. 'Come, brother host of the Sun,' said he, 'now you are ripe, now
I have you when I wanted you. I shall get honour by you. Follow me.'

"'Where will you take me?'

"'Do not stop to ask, but follow.' He then forcibly dragged me along.

"We had proceeded about a quarter of a mile. The wood became more and
more steep, pathless and wild, neither of us uttered a word, until at
last my leader's whistle startled me out of my meditations. I raised
my eyes, we were standing on the edge of a steep rock, which was bowed
down into a deep cleft. A second whistle answered from the interior
hollow of the rock, and a ladder slowly rose from the abyss, as of its
own accord. My conductor descended first, and told me to wait till he
returned. 'I must first chain up my dog,' said he, 'you are strange
here, and the beast would tear you to pieces.'

"I now stood alone before the abyss, and well I knew that I was alone.
The improvidence of my leader did not escape my attention. It only
required a hearty resolution to draw up the ladder; then I should have
been free, and my flight would have been secure. I confess that I
perceived that. I looked down into the abyss, which was now to receive
me, and it dimly reminded me of the descent into hell, from which there
is no redemption. I began to shudder