登陆注册
5272000000057

第57章 CHAPTER XV.(2)

Having remained thus two months, and observed this method was invariable, I began to execute a project I had formed, of the possibility of which I was convinced.

Where the night-table and stove stood, the floor was bricked, and this paving extended to the wall that separated my casemate from the adjoining one, in which was no prisoner. My window was only guarded by a single sentinel; I therefore soon found, among those who successively relieved guard, two kind-hearted fellows, who described to me the situation of my prison; hence I perceived I might effect my escape, could I but penetrate into the adjoining casemate, the door of which was not shut. Provided I had a friend and a boat waiting for me at the Elbe, or could I swim across that river, the confines of Saxony were but a mile distant.

To describe my plan at length would lead to prolixity, yet I must enumerate some of its circumstances, as it was remarkably intricate and of gigantic labour.

I worked through the iron, eighteen inches long, by which the night-table was fastened, and broke off the clinchings of the nails, but preserved their heads, that I might put them again in their places, and all might appear secure to my weekly visitors. This procured me tools to raise up the brick floor, under which I found earth. My first attempt was to work a hole through the wall, seven feet thick behind, and concealed by the night-table. The first layer was of brick. I afterwards came to large hewn stones. I endeavoured accurately to number and remember the bricks, both of the flooring and the wall, so that I might replace them and all might appear safe. This having accomplished, I proceeded.

The day preceding visitation all was carefully replaced, and the intervening mortar as carefully preserved; the whole had, probably, been whitewashed a hundred times; and, that I might fill up all remaining interstices, I pounded the white stuff this afforded, wetted it, made a brush of my hair, then applied this plaster, washed it over, that the colour might be uniform, and afterwards stripped myself, and sat with my naked body against the place, by the heat of which it was dried.

While labouring, I placed the stones and bricks upon my bedstead, and had they taken the precaution to come at any other time in the week, the stated Wednesday excepted, I had inevitably been discovered; but, as no such ill accident befell me, in six months my Herculean labours gave me a prospect of success.

Means were to be found to remove the rubbish from my prison; all of which, in a wall so thick, it was impossible to replace; mortar and stone could not be removed. I therefore took the earth, scattered it about my chamber, and ground it under my feet the whole day, till I had reduced it to dust; this dust I strewed in the aperture of my window, making use of the loosened night-table to stand upon, I tied splinters from my bedstead together, with the ravelled yarn of an old stocking, and to this I affixed a tuft of my hair. I worked a large hole under the middle grating, which could not be seen when standing on the ground, and through this I pushed my dust with the tool I had prepared in the outer window, then, waiting till the wind should happen to rise, during the night I brushed it away, it was blown off, and no appearance remained on the outside. By this simple expedient I rid myself of at least three hundred weight of earth, and thus made room to continue my labours; yet, this being still insufficient, I had recourse to another artifice, which was to knead up the earth in the form of sausages, to resemble the human faeces: these I dried, and when the prisoner came to clean my dungeon, hastily tossed them into the night-table, and thus disencumbered myself of a pound or two more of earth each week. Ifurther made little balls, and, when the sentinel was walking, blew them, through a paper tube, out of the window. Into the empty space I put my mortar and stones, and worked on successfully.

I cannot, however, describe my difficulties after having penetrated about two feet into the hewn stone. My tools were the irons I had dug out, which fastened may bedstead and night-table. Acompassionate soldier also gave me an old iron ramrod and a soldier's sheath knife, which did me excellent service, more especially the latter, as I shall presently more fully show. With these two I cut splinters from my bedstead, which aided me to pick the mortar from the interstices of the stone; yet the labour of penetrating through this seven-feet wall was incredible; the building was ancient, and the mortar occasionally quite petrified, so that the whole stone was obliged to be reduced to dust. After continuing my work unremittingly for six months, I at length approached the accomplishment of my hopes, as I knew by coming to the facing of brick, which now was only between me and the adjoining casemate.

Meantime I found opportunity to speak to some of the sentinels, among whom was an old grenadier called Gelfhardt, whom I here name because he displayed qualities of the greatest and most noble kind.

From him I learned the precise situation of my prison, and every circumstance that might best conduce to my escape.

Nothing was wanting but money to buy a boat, and crossing the Elbe with Gelfhardt, to take refuge in Saxony. By Gelfhardt's means Ibecame acquainted with a kind-hearted girl, a Jewess, and a native of Dessau, Esther Heymannin by name, and whose father had been ten years in prison. This good, compassionate maiden, whom I had never seen, won over two other grenadiers, who gave her an opportunity of speaking to me every time they stood sentinel. By tying my splinters together, I made a stick long enough to reach beyond the palisades that were before my window, and thus obtained paper, another knife, and a file.

同类推荐
  • 林泉随笔

    林泉随笔

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 本草纲目拾遗

    本草纲目拾遗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 清庵莹蟾子语录

    清庵莹蟾子语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 藏斋诗话

    藏斋诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金阙帝君三元真一经

    金阙帝君三元真一经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 在自己心中盖一座花园

    在自己心中盖一座花园

    在去顺化的火车上,我刚举起相机,迎面一个黑瘦的老妇走过来问我:“你是中国人吗?”她说的是汉语。她说隔着几排座看到我的样子,就猜到我应该是中国人,因为越南人无疑不会拍这么普通的车厢,她兴奋地说:“太好了,我已经好久没遇到中国人了,都没机会说中国话。”但若不是她开口,我第一眼也吃不准她是哪里人——她的衣着打扮看上去好像和车厢里的某个越南老妇没多大差别;她问我“去寮国怎么走”,以及她那随身带的标着诸如“西贡”、“永珍”之类地名的地图,使我一度还误以为她来自台湾地区,后来才知道那是她在胡志明市跟华侨学的——她甚至不知道“寮国”在国内叫“老挝”。
  • 重阳教化集

    重阳教化集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 业绩才是硬道理

    业绩才是硬道理

    在市场的大草原上,胜者永远是竞争力强的狼。在“弱肉强食”的动物界,狼族的竞争尤其强烈。狼不但要面对与其他动物种类之间的竞争,而且还要面对狼群之间的激烈竞争。
  • 许家印决策恒大的66金典

    许家印决策恒大的66金典

    《许家印决策恒大的66金典》全景勾勒出了许家印带领恒大成长,发展的关键时刻,还原当事人所思所想,给读者更多启发与思索。许家印与恒大地产财富内幕,不仅仅是财富真相,也是一部传奇的创业史。从孤寒少年到中国首富,他的刚性化的管理体制,恰恰与房地产行业准金融、决策点集中的特点合拍。而足球也是先烧钱、再挣钱的生意,因此才有了许家印不断地复制自己,复制恒大的成功。恒大的成功以及辉煌对于许家印来说是水到渠成的,他的眼光、心胸、魄力、强势和铁腕,使恒大创造了一个又一个“神话”,这背后又有着怎样的商业筹划?其实,许家印在商界的大手笔、大动作,是以经营者高超的决策艺术为依托的。
  • 杜司空席上赋

    杜司空席上赋

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 应你一世漂泊

    应你一世漂泊

    生活永远不止眼前的狗血这句话总在桐若雨身上是再合适不过的。父母出意外,高贵身世浮出水面,男人陪在自己身边……偶像剧一样的情节,让她无所适从。曾经说道,我们所有的心痛,都是自己把刀子刺向心脏的,即便你不情愿,都会不自觉的这么做。时间让该亲近的人变得越来越疏离,即便是那句苍白无力的“我等你”也换不来最开始的感觉。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 匡谬正俗

    匡谬正俗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 乡饮酒礼

    乡饮酒礼

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 重生之逆天狂妃

    重生之逆天狂妃

    双女主穿越,穿越遇本尊。剖腹取子,所幸大难不死。做成人彘,遗世苟活。凤凰涅槃重生,欺我者,杀!瞒我者,杀!逆我者,片甲不留!女魔头成亲,嫁的是冥王又如何!“与彼共醉兮,桃花飞往兮,偷偷弄墨涂画君脸兮~夫君宠我上天兮~”“你爱的人原本也只是个凡人,是你的注视让她镀上了金身~”“老大说她百无禁忌天下第一!”“是啊,在我的世界里,她百无禁忌天下第一!”情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 破译

    破译

    有一种战场没有硝烟,但有杀戮,那是更加残酷的人性毁灭。有一群英雄没有名字,只有代号,但是他们的事迹永世留传。密码战破译智慧的潜伏,间谍战——深入敌后的暗算。一本书读懂军事战争密码的制作原理和破译原理。一本书看透数国势力复杂的间谍、反间谍、多重间谍、谍中谍的谍战精华。一本书纪念和歌颂为胜利而奋战的无数无名英雄。