nd sleep, whilst the
physician moved to his heart's core lay still on his couch, thinking to
whom he might apply, to remove his child out of the reach of that
dreadful man. "If however there is no escape, she must from the outset
at the first examination declare herself guilty," Erastus concluded in
silence, "thus she will escape at least the disgrace and torture of the
rack. God of Justice, forgive us this negation of the truth. We are too
weak, to withstand this temptation ... I acknowledge thy handiwork," he
added in deep grief "Thou wouldest free me from my error by bitter
means." Thus spake the prisoner full of repentance, for he had himself
in a firm belief in allegiance to the devil, and witchcraft, written a
book on the Influences of Demons, and sanctioned the violence of the
authorities, alas that he could not recall it. "Let it be to thee, as
thou hast said." And the strong man pressed his face to his pillow and
wept bitterly.

After a while he fancied he heard hammering and the sound of a chisel
on the outside wall. For a time all was still and then it began anew.
He rose quietly so as not to wake Lydia and stepped up to the window.
He was right, it was no deception, the knocking began again and this
time seemed much closer. But the wall was too thick, he could only have
looked out by creeping over to the ledge of the window. His heart beat
with expectation. He had friends after all who worked to set him free.
After a time it seemed to him as if he heard whispering near his
window. But the whispering ceased on his opening the casement. Still he
heard the breaking away of small stones from the wall, and could
plainly distinguish two voices below; then all was again quiet and his
attentive ear only heard the nightwind howling round the thick Tower,
and the knotty branches of the old chestnuts as they creaked and
groaned. Shivering the disappointed prisoner returned to his bed,
utterly uncertain whether he would dare venture on an attempt at
flight, if on the morrow an occasion presented itself. On his own
account he would never have done so, but on account of the danger to
which his child was exposed, he would have willingly exposed himself to
the calumny of his enemies, in case Lydia could only escape the widely
extended jaws of the horrible monster who had already seized her with
his claws. He listened for a long time on his couch, as sleep had
forsaken him, to hear whether the knocking were renewed, but he h