Should the thought
of gaining my liberty at the expense of a fellow-creature have made me
desist? I should have still persisted if my escape had meant death to the
whole body of Venetian guards, and even to the Inquisitors themselves.
Can the love of country, all holy though it be, prevail in the heart of
the man whose country is oppressing him?

My good humour did not prevent my companion having some bad quarters of
an hour. He was in love with Madame Alessandria, who had been a singer,
and was either the mistress or the wife of his friend Martinengo; and he
should have deemed himself happy, but the happier a lover is, so much the
more his unhappiness when he is snatched from the beloved object. He
sighed, wept, and declared that he loved a woman in whom all the noble
virtues were contained. I compassionated him, and took care not to
comfort him by saying that love is a mere trifle--a cold piece of comfort
given to lovers by fools, and, moreover, it is not true that love is a
mere trifle.

The week I had mentioned as the probable term of his imprisonment passed
quickly enough, and I lost my friend, but did not waste my time by
mourning for him; he was set free, and I was content. I did not beg him
to be discreet, for the least doubt on that score would have wounded his
noble spirit. During the week he was with me he only ate soup and fruit,
taking a little Canary wine. It was I who made good cheer in his stead
and greatly to his delight. Before he left we swore eternal friendship.

The next day Lawrence gave me an account of my money, and on finding that
I had a balance of four sequins I gave them to him, telling him it was a
present from me to his wife. I did not tell him that it was for the rent
of my lamp, but he was free to think so if he chose. Again betaking
myself to my work, and toiling without cessation, on the 23rd of August I
saw it finished. This delay was caused by an inevitable accident. As I
was hollowing out the last plank, I put my eye to a little hole, through
which I ought to have seen the hall of the Inquisitors-in fact, I did see
it, but I saw also at one side of the hole a surface about eight inches
thick. It was, as I had feared all the time it would be, one of the beams
which kept up the ceiling. I was thus compelled to enlarge my hole on the
other side, for the beam would have made it so narrow that a man of my
size could never have got through. I increased the hole, therefore, by a
fourth, w