nary intelligence, asking in which canto of Ariosto's poem I
should find the day of my deliverance prophesied. Afterwards I
composed an inverted pyramid of the numbers derived from the words in
the question, and by subtracting nine from each pair of figures I had
nine for a remainder. I concluded that the prophecy I sought must be
in the ninth canto. I pursued the same method to arrive at the line
and stanza containing the oracle, and I found _seven_ as the number of
the stanza, and _one_ for the line.

I took up the poem, my heart beating as though I really had the most
entire confidence in this oracle. I opened it, turned over the leaves,
and read these words:--

"Fra il fin d'Ottobre e il capo di Novembre."

The perfect appropriateness of the line struck me as so remarkable
that, though I cannot say that I altogether believed in the oracle,
the reader will forgive me if I confess I did my utmost to verify it.
The curious part of the matter is, that between the last of October
and the beginning of November there is but the one instant of
midnight; and it was exactly as the clock struck midnight on the 31st
of October that I quitted my prison, as the reader will presently
learn....

The hour strikes. Hark! the angel!

Soradaci was about to fall on his face, but I assured him that this
was superfluous. In three minutes the hole was pierced through; the
board fell at my feet, and Father Balbi slid into my arms.

"Your task is done," said I, "and now mine begins."

We embraced, and he gave me my crowbar and a pair of scissors. I
desired Soradaci to trim our beards, but I could not help laughing as
I saw the creature, open-mouthed, staring at this strange angel, who
looked more like a demon. Though utterly bewildered, he cut our beards
to perfection.

Being impatient to survey the locality, I desired the monk to remain
with Soradaci, for I would not leave him alone, and I went out. I
found the hole rather narrow; however, I got through. I got above the
cell in which the Count lay; I went down and cordially embraced the
venerable gentleman. I saw a man of a figure ill suited to surmount
the difficulties of such an escape over a steep roof covered with
sheet lead. He asked me what my plan was, and told me that he thought
I had been rather heedless in my action.

"I only want to go on," said I, "step by step to liberty or death."

"If you imagine," said he, "that you can pierce the roof and find a
way along