ut a new plan always
made me give up the one I was on the point of accepting.

While I was immersed in this toilsome sea of thought, an event happened
which brought home to me the sad state of mind I was in.

I was standing up in the garret looking towards the top, and my glance
fell on the great beam, not shaking but turning on its right side, and
then, by slow and interrupted movement in the opposite direction, turning
again and replacing itself in its original position. As I lost my balance
at the same time, I knew it was the shock of an earthquake. Lawrence and
the guards, who just then came out of my room, said that they too, had
felt the earth tremble. In such despair was I that this incident made me
feel a joy which I kept to myself, saying nothing. Four or five seconds
after the same movement occurred, and I could not refrain from saying,

"Another, O my God! but stronger."

The guards, terrified with what they thought the impious ravings of a
desperate madman, fled in horror.

After they were gone, as I was pondering the matter over, I found that I
looked upon the overthrow of the Doge's palace as one of the events which
might lead to liberty; the mighty pile, as it fell, might throw me safe
and sound, and consequently free, on St. Mark's Place, or at the worst it
could only crush me beneath its ruins. Situated as I was, liberty reckons
for all, and life for nothing, or rather for very little. Thus in the
depths of my soul I began to grow mad.

This earthquake shock was the result of those which at the same time
destroyed Lisbon.

CHAPTER XXVII

Various Adventures--My Companions--I Prepare to Escape--
Change of Cell

To make the reader understand how I managed to escape from a place like
the Leads, I must explain the nature of the locality.

The Leads, used for the confinement of state prisoners, are in fact the
lofts of the ducal palace, and take their name from the large plates of
lead with which the roof is covered. One can only reach them through the
gates of the palace, the prison buildings, or by the bridge of which I
have spoken called the Bridge of Sighs. It is impossible to reach the
cells without passing through the hall where the State Inquisitors hold
their meetings, and their secretary has the sole charge of the key, which
he only gives to the gaoler for a short time in the early morning whilst
he is attending to the prisoners. This is done at day-break, because
otherwis