dy secretly wished I might obtain
my freedom.

I shall never forget the noble manner in which I was treated on this
occasion by the Landgrave. This I personally acknowledged, some years
afterwards, in the city of Cassel, when I heard many things which
confirmed all my surmises concerning Vienna. The Landgrave received me
with all grace, favour, and distinction. I revere his memory, and seek
to honour his name. He was the friend of misfortune. When I not long
afterwards fell ill, he sent me his own physician, and meat from his
table, nor would he suffer me, during two months, to be wakened by the
sentinels. He likewise removed the dreadful collar from my neck; for
which he was severely reprimanded by the King, as he himself has since
assured me.

I might fill a volume with incidents attending two other efforts to
escape, but I will not weary the reader's patience with too much
repetition. I shall merely give an abstract of both.

When I had once more gained the officers, I made a new attempt at mining
my way out. Not wanting for implements, my chains and the flooring were
soon cut through, and all was so carefully replaced that I was under no
fear of examination. I here found my concealed money, pistols, and other
necessaries, but till I had rid myself of some hundredweight of sand, it
was impossible to proceed. For this purpose I made two different
openings in the floor: out of the real hole I threw a great quantity of
sand into my prison; after which I closed it with all possible care. I
then worked at the second with so much noise, that I was certain they
must hear me without. About midnight the doors began to thunder, and in
they came, detecting me, as I intended they should. None of them could
conceive why I should wish to break out under the door, where there was a
triple guard to pass. The sentinels remained, and in the morning
prisoners were sent to wheel away the sand. The hole was walled up and
boarded, and my fetters were renewed. They laughed at the ridiculousness
of my undertaking, but punished me by depriving me of my light and bed,
which, however, in a fortnight were both restored. Of the other hole,
out of which most of the earth had been thrown, no one was aware. The
major and lieutenant were too much my friends to remark that they had
removed thrice the quantity of sand the false opening could contain. They
supposed this strange attempt having failed, it would be my last, and
Bruck