upon your not getting out.
Believe me, if you do not know already, that there is nothing like fear
for making a good watch-dog. Farewell, friend Fairfax! You have been
instrumental in sending a good many men into durance vile; you can tell
me later how you like being there yourself."

With that he went out, shutting the door behind him. I heard the key
turn in the lock, and a bolt shot at top and bottom. I thereupon went to
the window and examined it, only to discover that it was made secure on
the outside by large iron bars. So far as I could see, there was no
other way of escape from the room.

Though I laid down on the bed I did not sleep; my thoughts would not
permit of that. The face of the woman who had trusted me so profoundly
was before me continually, gazing at me with sweet reproachful eyes. Oh!
what a fool I had been to accept that rascal's invitation! The more I
thought of it, the angrier I became with myself. Now, goodness only knew
how long I should be confined in this wretched place, and what would
happen during my absence from the world!

At last the dawn broke, and with it, a weird sickly light penetrated
the room. I sprang from my bed and approached the window, only to find
that it overlooked a small courtyard, the latter being stoneflagged and
surrounded by high walls. I could see that, even if I were able to
squeeze my way out between the bars, I should be powerless to scale the
walls. At a rough guess these were at least twelve feet high, and
without a foothold of any sort or description. This being so I was
completely at the mercy of the men in the house. Indeed, a rat caught in
a trap, was never more firmly laid by the heels than I. At about
half-past seven o'clock a small trap-door, which I had not noticed near
the ground and the main door, was opened, and a grimy hand made its way
in and placed upon the floor a cup of coffee and a roll. Then it was
closed once more and made secure. I drank the coffee and munched the
roll, and, if the truth must be confessed, poor as they were felt the
better for both.

At mid-day a bowl of miserable soup was handed in; darkness, however,
had fallen some considerable time before I could detect any sound in the
hall outside that might be taken to mean the coming of my evening meal.
At last there was a clatter of feet, the bolts shot back, the key turned
in the lock, and the door opened. A man carrying a lantern entered,
followed by two others, and as the ligh