pocket-knife,
he stepped to the door and commenced his labor. The first door was not
difficult, it opened from within. In half an hour the work was done, and
Trenck advanced and extended his hands before him till they encountered
another obstacle. This was the second door. But here was indeed a weary
task. The door opened on the outside and a heavy cross-bar besides the
lock secured it. It was necessary to cut entirely through the door above
the bar, and spring over it. Trenck did not despair--bravely, unwearily,
he went to work--the perspiration fell from his brow and mingled with
the blood which trickled from his lacerated hands. Trenck did not regard
it; he felt no pain, no exhaustion. Freedom stood before the frowning
citadel, and awaited his coming. At last it was achieved; with trembling
hands he lifted the upper part of the door from the hinges and sprang
into the outer room.

Here light and sunshine greeted him. Weary months had gone by since
he had seen the sun--the soft light of heaven on the fresh green of
earth--and now all this was his once more. There was a small window in
this corridor, and not too high for him to look abroad. He turned his
eyes, filled with tears of the purest joy, upon the cloudless heavens;
he followed with longing eyes the flight of the doves, who moved like
a black cloud across the sky and disappeared on the horizon. He inhaled
with long-drawn breath the fresh, glad air, which appeared to him laden
with the fragrance of all the flowers of the world. He gave himself
up for a few moments to this first rapturous enjoyment, then conquered
himself and examined his surroundings with a thoughtful, searching eye.

He saw that his prison was built against the first wall of the fortress,
and was exactly opposite an entrance, before which stood a high
palisade; this he must climb before he could reach the outer wall. But
the night was long, and he saw that the guard patrolling upon the
wall disappeared from time to time for more than five minutes; he must
therefore have some distance to walk before he returned to the same
spot. While his back was turned, must Trenck climb the palisade and
wall.

Trenck sprang back upon the floor with a glad and happy heart. What he
had seen of the free, outer world had given him new life. With cheerful
resolution he stepped to the third door. This was constructed like the
first, and gave him but little trouble--it was soon opened, and Trenck
passed on the o