pon a platform of the castle,
situated at the north, a deep cistern had been made in the rock. Towards
the middle of the seventeenth century, the water had been emptied from
this cistern in order to transform it into a prison for a wretched youth
who had murdered his own father in the most barbarous manner, but who
was too young to be condemned to death." In this den, which since 1799
had been used as a state prison, Pepe and five other political offenders
were confined. It was six feet wide and twenty-two long; only in the
centre could they stand upright: it was so dark that a lamp was kept
constantly burning; the rain entered through the only opening that gave
air; and two prisoners, who had already been there some time, declared
that they had counted twenty-two species of insects. Fortunately for
him, Pepe was not kept long in this dismal cell, although his next
prison, a dungeon cut in the rock, in the very deepest vault of the
castle of St. Catherine, on the island of Favignana, was but little
preferable. Here, however, he obtained books, and was able to complete
his education, which had been interrupted by the revolution. "My passion
for study," he says, "was carried to such an extent, that I felt pain
and regret whenever I did not devote to it, either in reading or
writing, fourteen hours a-day. During the three years of my
imprisonment, my application was unremitting, and I owe to it that I did
not fall into the habits, so common to prisoners, of smoking and
drinking."

Most graphically told, the chapters relating to General Pepe's
imprisonment, are as amusing as any romance. More than once did he and
his fellow-captive muse over an escape, and ponder its possibilities.
These were very remote. At last they devised a plan, which they thought
would ensure their transfer to a less rigorous confinement, whence they
might find means of flight. Twenty galley slaves were imprisoned in the
castle. At night they occupied the same apartment with Pepe; in the
day-time they were set to work in different parts of the fortress. These
men were easily persuaded to adopt an ingenious plan of escape devised
by Pepe, who, with his friend, was to remain behind, "upon the plea
that, as the government attached far more importance to the custody of
state prisoners, than to that of common criminals, our company would
prove more dangerous than useful to them." The fact was, that the
chances were a hundred to one against the escape. Neve