A. T. Quiller-Couch

“ I look'd down. A yard below my feet the beam of the gallows gleam'd palely out of the darkness. Here was my chance. I let my hands slip down the last foot or so of rope, hung for a moment, then dropp'd for the beam.
My feet miss'd it, as I intended they should; but I flung both arms out and caught it, bringing myself up with a jerk. While yet I hung clawing, I heard a footstep coming through the gateway between the two wards. ”

“ There was scarce time to drop on my knees before a couple of troopers loung'd in, demanding mull'd beer. The girl bustled about to serve them, while the pair lean'd their elbows on the counter, and in this easy attitude began to chat.
“A shrewd night!”
“Aye, a very freezing frost! Lucky that soldiering is not all sentry-work, or I for one 'ud ensue my natural trade o' plumbing. But let's be cheerful: for the voice o' the turtle is heard i' the land.” ”

“ He was merry enough over the job, and paused every now and again to fling a remark to a little group of soldiers that stood idling below, where the fellow's work-bag and a great coil of rope rested by the ladder's foot.
“Reckon, Sammy,” said one, pulling a long tobacco pipe from his mouth and spitting, “'tis a long while since thy last job o' the sort.”
“Aye, lad: terrible disrepair this place has fall'n into. But send us a cheerful heart, say I! Instead o' the viper an' owl, shall henceforward be hangings of men an' all manner o' diversion.” ”

“ Minute follow'd minute, and left me still descending, six inches at a time, and looking neither above nor below, but always at the grey wall that seem'd sliding up in front of me. The first dizziness was over, but a horrible aching of the arms had taken the place of it. 'Twas growing intolerable, when suddenly my legs, that sought to close round the rope, found space only. ”

“ But now, as I look'd down on that coil of rope lying directly below, a prettier scheme struck me. I sat down on the floor of my cell and pull'd off my boots and stockings.
'Twas such a pretty plan that I got into a fever of impatience. Drawing off a stocking and picking out the end of the yarn, I began to unravel the knitting for dear life, until the whole lay, a heap of thread, on the floor. ”

“ Order the coach around at the barbican in twenty minutes from now—twenty minutes, mind, without fail. And say—'twill save time—the fellow's to drive me to Mistress Finch's house in St. Thomas' Street—sharp!”
As the man departed on his errand, the Earl laid down His Majesty's letter.
“Hang the fellow,” he said, “if they want it: the blame, if any, will be theirs. But, in the name of Heaven, Colonel, don't fail in lending me this thousand men! 'Twill finish the war out of hand.” ”

“ I stood in the munition room of the Castle.
But what chiefly took my notice was a great door, studded with iron nails, that barr'd all exit from the place. Over the barrels I crept toward it, keeping the lantern high, in dread of firing any loose powder. 'Twas fast lockt.
I think that, for a moment or two, I could have wept. But in a while the thought struck me that with the knife in my pocket 'twas possible to cut away the wood around the lock. “Courage!” said I: and pulling it forth, knelt down to work.
Luck in life has always used me better than my deserts. ”

“ There was scarce time to slip back, and hide behind the screen, before the door latch was lifted, and two men enter'd, laughing yet.
“Business, my lord—business,” said the first ('twas Colonel Essex) : “I have much to do to-night.”
“Sure,” the other answer'd, “I thought we had settled it. You are to lend me a thousand out of your garrison——”
“Which, on my own part, I would willingly do. Only I beg you to consider, my lord, that my position here hangs on a thread. The extreme men are already against me: they talk of replacing me by Fiennes——”
“Nat Fiennes is no soldier.” ”

“ She nodded.
“You are but a weak girl,” said I, meditating.
“Aye: but there's a dozen troopers on the landing below.”
“Then, my dear, you must lock me up,” I decided gloomily, and fell to whistling—
“Vivre en tout cas,
C'est le grand soulas—”
A workman's hammer in the court below chim'd in, beating out the tune, and driving the moral home. I heard a low sob behind me. The jailor's daughter was going.
“Lend me your bodkin, my dear, for a memento.” ”

“ There's a staple to drive in, too. I tell you I'm dry, and want my beer.”
He whipp'd his apron round his waist, and gathering up his nails, went down the ladder. At the foot he pick'd up his bag, shoulder'd the ladder, and loung'd away, leaving the coil of rope lying there. Presently the soldiers saunter'd off also, and the court was empty.
Now up to this moment I had but one idea of avoiding my fate, and that was to kill myself. 'Twas to this end I had borrow'd the bodkin of the maid. Afterwards I had a notion of flinging myself from the window as they came for me. ”

“ Mark me.”
“Stirring, striving times!”
“You may say so! 'A hath fifteen thousand men, the Earl, no farther off than Taunton—why, my dear, how pale you look, to be sure!”
“'Tis my head that aches,” answer'd the girl.
The men finish'd their drink, and saunter'd out. I crept from under the counter, and look'd at her.
“Father 'll kill me for this!”
“Then you shall say—Is it forward or back I must go?”
“Neither.” She pull'd up a trap close beside her feet, and pointed out a ladder leading down to the darkness. “The courts are full of troopers,” she added. ”

“ The lamp's rays scarce illumin'd the far corners; but in one of these stood a great leathern screen, and over the fireplace near it a rack was hanging, full of swords, pistols, and walking canes. Stepping toward it I caught sight of Anthony's sword, suspended there amongst the rest (they had taken it from me on the day of my examination) ”

“ Clearly I was suspected to know a great deal beyond what appear'd in the letter: and no doubt poor Anthony Killigrew had receiv'd some verbal message from His Majesty which he lived not long enough to transmit to me. As 'twas, I kept silence; and the Colonel in return would tell me nothing of what had befallen Delia.
One fine, frosty morning, then, when I had lain in this distress just four weeks, the door of my cell open'd, and there appear'd a young woman, not uncomely, bringing in my bread and water. She was the jailor's daughter, and wore a heavy bunch of keys at her girdle. ”

“ At the bottom we turn'd sharp to the left along a broader thoroughfare: and then suddenly drew up.
“Are we come?” I wonder'd. But no: 'twas the city gate, and here we had to wait for three minutes at least, till the sentries recogniz'd the Colonel's coach and open'd the doors to us. They stood on this side and that, presenting arms, as we rattled through ”