- end_line
- 3158
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:05.590Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3114
- text
- At length, after what seemed all the prophetic days and years of
Daniel, morning broke. The benevolent light entered the cell, soothing
his frenzy, as if it had been some smiling human face—nay, the Squire
himself, come at last to redeem him from thrall. Soon his dumb ravings
entirely left him, and gradually, with a sane, calm mind, he revolved
all the circumstances of his condition.
He could not be mistaken; something fatal must have befallen his
friend. Israel remembered the Squire’s hinting that in case of the
discovery of his clandestine proceedings it would fare extremely hard
with him, Israel was forced to conclude that this same unhappy
discovery had been made; that owing to some untoward misadventure his
good friend had been carried off a State-prisoner to London; that prior
to his going the Squire had not apprised any member of his household
that he was about to leave behind him a prisoner in the wall; this
seemed evident from the circumstance that, thus far, no soul had
visited that prisoner. It could not be otherwise. Doubtless the Squire,
having no opportunity to converse in private with his relatives or
friends at the moment of his sudden arrest, had been forced to keep his
secret, for the present, for fear of involving Israel in still worse
calamities. But would he leave him to perish piecemeal in the wall? All
surmise was baffled in the unconjecturable possibilities of the case.
But some sort of action must speedily be determined upon. Israel would
not additionally endanger the Squire, but he could not in such
uncertainty consent to perish where he was. He resolved at all hazards
to escape, by stealth and noiselessly, if possible; by violence and
outcry, if indispensable.
Gliding out of the cell, he descended the stone stairs, and stood
before the interior of the jamb. He felt an immovable iron knob, but no
more. He groped about gently for some bolt or spring. When before he
had passed through the passage with his guide, he had omitted to notice
by what precise mechanism the jamb was to be opened from within, or
whether, indeed, it could at all be opened except from without.
He was about giving up the search in despair, after sweeping with his
two hands every spot of the wall-surface around him, when chancing to
turn his whole body a little to one side, he heard a creak, and saw a
thin lance of light. His foot had unconsciously pressed some spring
laid in the floor. The jamb was ajar. Pushing it open, he stood at
liberty, in the Squire’s closet.
- title
- Chunk 7