- description
- # Planning the Escape and Acquiring Disguise
## Overview
This is a subsection titled "Planning the Escape and Acquiring Disguise" from Chapter XIII of *Israel Potter* by Herman Melville. It appears in the text between lines 3204 and 3237 of the source file, [israel_potter.txt](arke:01KG89J1DKC9HHJRKY25JZBEXW). The subsection was extracted on January 30, 2026.
## Context
This subsection is part of [CHAPTER XIII. HIS ESCAPE FROM THE HOUSE, WITH VARIOUS ADVENTURES FOLLOWING.](arke:01KG8AJJ261FWJ1RK528BTY9AX) of the novel *Israel Potter*. The novel is part of the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. It follows the subsection [Realization and Hiding](arke:01KG8AK5MYREA2HVA9S0KZWFMH) and precedes the subsection [Donning the Disguise](arke:01KG8AK5MXMJ9BWXGCHP71JM4G).
## Contents
In this subsection, Israel Potter recovers from his initial shock at discovering the death of Squire Woodcock and formulates a plan to escape. He reasons that the household believes they have seen the Squire's ghost. He decides to use this superstition to his advantage by disguising himself as the Squire. He returns to the room where he was hidden and finds the Squire's clothing in a private closet, selecting a complete suit and a silver-headed cane to complete his disguise.
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:44.522Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- Planning the Escape and Acquiring Disguise
- end_line
- 3237
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:47:55.385Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3204
- text
- Recovering from his first amazement, Israel revolved these occurrences.
“No creature now in the house knows of the cell,” thought he. “Some
woman, the housekeeper, perhaps, first entered the room alone. Just as
she entered the jamb closed. The sudden report made her shriek; then,
afterwards, the noise of my fall prolonging itself, added to her
fright, while her repeated shrieks brought every soul in the house to
her, who aghast at seeing her lying in a pale faint, it may be, like a
corpse, in a room hung with crape for a man just dead, they also
shrieked out, and then with blended lamentations they bore the fainting
person away. Now this will follow; no doubt it _has_ followed ere
now:—they believe that the woman saw or heard the spirit of Squire
Woodcock. Since I seem then to understand how all these strange events
have occurred, since I seem to know that they have plain common causes,
I begin to feel cool and calm again. Let me see. Yes. I have it. By
means of the idea of the ghost prevailing among the frightened
household, by that means I will this very night make good my escape. If
I can but lay hands on some of the late Squire’s clothing, if but a
coat and hat of his, I shall be certain to succeed. It is not too early
to begin now. They will hardly come back to the room in a hurry. I will
return to it and see what I can find to serve my purpose. It is the
Squire’s private closet, hence it is not unlikely that here some at
least of his clothing will be found.”
With these, thoughts, he cautiously sprung the iron under foot, peeped
in, and, seeing all clear, boldly re-entered the apartment. He went
straight to a high, narrow door in the opposite wall. The key was in
the lock. Opening the door, there hung several coats, small-clothes,
pairs of silk stockings, and hats of the deceased. With little
difficulty Israel selected from these the complete suit in which he had
last seen his once jovial friend. Carefully closing the door, and
carrying the suit with him, he was returning towards the chimney, when
he saw the Squire’s silver-headed cane leaning against a corner of the
wainscot. Taking this also, he stole back to his cell.
- title
- Planning the Escape and Acquiring Disguise