"After supper, instead of going to bed, I shall hold myself in readiness
for leaving my room, and I shall leave it when I see the light
extinguished in the ante-room, while I shall take care that my candle be
so placed as not to shew any light outside, or to reflect my shadow. Once
out of my room, I shall have no difficulty in reaching the stairs, and my
escape will be accomplished. I shall go to Binetti's, leave the town by
his house, and wait for you at Furstenburg. No one can hinder you from
joining me in the course of a day or two. So when you see me ready in my
room, and this will be whilst the sentry is having his supper, put out
the candle on the table: you can easily manage to do so whilst snuffing
it. You will then take it to re-light it, and I shall seize that moment
to get off in the darkness. When you conclude that I have got out of the
ante-room, you can come back to the soldier with the lighted candle, and
you can help him to finish his bottle. By that time I shall be safe, and
when you tell him I have gone to bed he will come to the door, wish me
good night, and after locking the door and putting the key in his pocket
he will go away with you. It is not likely that he will come in and speak
to me when he hears I have gone to bed."

Nevertheless, as he might possibly take it into his head to come into the
room, I carefully arranged a wig-block in a night-cap on the pillow, and
huddled up the coverlet so as to deceive a casual glance.

All my plans were successful, as I heard afterwards from my Spaniard.
Whilst he was drinking with the sentry I was getting on my great coat,
girding on my hanger (I had no longer a sword), and putting my loaded
pistols in my pocket. As soon as the darkness told me that Le Duc had put
out the candle I went out softly, and reached the staircase without
making the least noise. Once there the rest was easy, for the stair led
into the passage, and the passage to the main door, which was always open
till nearly midnight.

I stepped out along the street, and at a quarter to twelve I got to
Binetti's, and found his wife looking out for me at the window. When I
was in the room, whence I intended to escape, we lost no time. I threw my
overcoat to Baletti, who was standing in the ditch below, up to the knees
in mud, and binding a strong cord round my waist I embraced the Binetti
and Baletti's wife, who lowered me down as gently as possible. Baletti
received me in his arms, I cut the