snatched his sword from his side, on which my eyes had
some time been fixed, sprang out of the door, tumbled the sentinel from
the top to the bottom of the stairs, passed the men who happened to be
drawn up before the prison door to relieve the guard, attacked them sword
in hand, threw them suddenly into surprise by the manner in which I laid
about me, wounded four of them, made way through the rest, sprang over
the breastwork of the ramparts, and, with my sword drawn in my hand,
immediately leaped this astonishing height without receiving the least
injury. I leaped the second wall with equal safety and good fortune.
None of their pieces were loaded; no one durst leap after me, and in
order to pursue, they must go round through the town and gate of the
citadel; so that I had the start full half an hour.

A sentinel, however, in a narrow passage, endeavoured to oppose my
flight, but I parried his fixed bayonet, and wounded him in the face. A
second sentinel, meantime, ran from the outworks, to seize me behind, and
I, to avoid him, made a spring at the palisadoes; there I was unluckily
caught by the foot, and received a bayonet wound in the upper lip; thus
entangled, they beat me with the butt-end of their muskets, and dragged
me back to prison, while I struggled and defended myself like a man grown
desperate.

Certain it is, had I more carefully jumped the palisadoes, and despatched
the sentinel who opposed me, I might have escaped, and gained the
mountains. Thus might I have fled to Bohemia, after having, at noonday,
broken from the fortress of Glatz, sprung past all its sentinels, over
all its walls, and passed with impunity, in despite of the guard, who
were under arms, ready to oppose me. I should not, having a sword, have
feared any single opponent, and was able to contend with the swiftest
runners.

That good fortune which had so far attended me forsook me at the
palisadoes, where hope was at an end. The severities of imprisonment
were increased; two sentinels and an under officer were locked in with
me, and were themselves guarded by sentinels without; I was beaten and
wounded by the butt-ends of their muskets, my right foot was sprained, I
spat blood, and my wounds were not cured in less than a month.

CHAPTER V.

I was now first informed that the King had only condemned me to a year's
imprisonment, in order to learn whether his suspicions were well founded.
My mother had petitioned for me, and