directions　an　abominable　precipice　surrounds　it；　down　the　face　of
  which　（if　anywhere　at　all）　we　must　regain　our　liberty。　　By　our
  concurrent　labours　in　many　a　dark　night；　working　with　the　most
  anxious　precautions　against　noise；　we　had　made　out　to　pierce　below
  the　curtain　about　the　south…west　corner；　in　a　place　they　call　the
  DEVIL'S　ELBOW。　　I　have　never　met　that　celebrity；　nor　（if　the　rest
  of　him　at　all　comes　up　to　what　they　called　his　elbow）　have　I　the
  least　desire　of　his　acquaintance。　　From　the　heel　of　the　masonry；
  the　rascally；　breakneck　precipice　descended　sheer　among　waste
  lands；　scattered　suburbs　of　the　city；　and　houses　in　the　building。
  I　had　never　the　heart　to　look　for　any　length　of　time　…　the　thought
  that　I　must　make　the　descent　in　person　some　dark　night　robbing　me
  of　breath；　and；　indeed；　on　anybody　not　a　seaman　or　a　steeple…jack；
  the　mere　sight　of　the　DEVIL'S　ELBOW　wrought　like　an　emetic。
  I　don't　know　where　the　rope　was　got；　and　doubt　if　I　much　cared。　　It
  was　not　that　which　gravelled　me；　but　whether；　now　that　we　had　it；
  it　would　serve　our　turn。　　Its　length；　indeed；　we　made　a　shift　to
  fathom　out；　but　who　was　to　tell　us　how　that　length　compared　with
  the　way　we　had　to　go？　　Day　after　day；　there　would　be　always　some　of
  us　stolen　out　to　the　DEVIL'S　ELBOW　and　making　estimates　of　the
  descent；　whether　by　a　bare　guess　or　the　dropping　of　stones。　　A
  private　of　pioneers　remembered　the　formula　for　that　…　or　else
  remembered　part　of　it　and　obligingly　invented　the　remainder。　　I　had
  never　any　real　confidence　in　that　formula；　and　even　had　we　got　it
  from　a　book；　there　were　difficulties　in　the　way　of　the　application
  that　might　have　daunted　Archimedes。　　We　durst　not　drop　any
  considerable　pebble　lest　the　sentinels　should　hear；　and　those　that
  we　dropped　we　could　not　hear　ourselves。　　We　had　never　a　watch　…　or
  none　that　had　a　second…hand；　and　though　every　one　of　us　could　guess
  a　second　to　a　nicety；　all　somehow　guessed　it　differently。　　In
  short；　if　any　two　set　forth　upon　this　enterprise；　they　invariably
  returned　with　two　opinions；　and　often　with　a　black　eye　in　the
  bargain。　　I　looked　on　upon　these　proceedings；　although　not　without
  laughter；　yet　with　impatience　and　disgust。　　I　am　one　that　cannot
  bear　to　see　things　botched　or　gone　upon　with　ignorance；　and　the
  thought　that　some　poor　devil　was　to　hazard　his　bones　upon　such
  premises；　revolted　me。　　Had　I　guessed　the　name　of　that　unhappy
  first　adventurer；　my　sentiments　might　have　been　livelier　still。
  The　designation　of　this　personage　was　indeed　all　that　remained　for
  us　to　do；　and　even　in　that　we　had　advanced　so　far　that　the　lot　had
  fallen　on　Shed　B。　　It　had　been　determined　to　mingle　the　bitter　and
  the　sweet；　and　whoever　went　down　first；　the　whole　of　his　shed…mates
  were　to　follow　next　in　order。　　This　caused　a　good　deal　of　joy　in
  Shed　B；　and　would　have　caused　more　if　it　had　not　still　remained　to
  choose　our　pioneer。　　In　view　of　the　ambiguity　in　which　we　lay　as　to
  the　length　of　the　rope　and　the　height　of　the　precipice　…　and　that
  this　gentleman　was　to　climb　down　from　fifty　to　seventy　fathoms　on　a
  pitchy　night；　on　a　rope　entirely　free；　and　with　not　so　much　as　an
  infant　child　to　steady　it　at　the　bottom；　a　little　backwardness　was
  perhaps　excusable。　　But　it　was；　in　our　case；　more　than　a　little。
  The　truth　is；　we　were　all　womanish　fellows　about　a　height；　and　I
  have　myself　been　put；　more　than　once；　HORS　DE　COMBAT　by　a　less
  affair　than　the　rock　of　Edinburgh　Castle。
  We　discussed　it　in　the　dark　and　between　the　passage　of　the　rounds；
  and　it　was　impossible　for　any　body　of　men　to　show　a　less
  adventurous　spirit。　　I　am　sure　some　of　us；　and　myself　first　among
  the　number；　regretted　Goguelat。　　Some　were　persuaded　it　was　safe；
  and　could　prove　the　same　by　argument；　but　if　they　had　good　reasons
  why　some　one　else　should　make　the　trial；　they　had　better　still　why
  it　should　not　be　themselves。　　Others；　again；　condemned　the　whole
  idea　as　insane；　among　these；　as　ill…luck　would　have　it；　a　seaman　of
  the　fleet；　who　was　the　most　dispiriting　of　all。　　The　height；　he
  reminded　us；　was　greater　than　the　tallest　ship's　mast；　the　rope
  entirely　free；　and　he　as　good　as　defied　the　boldest　and　strongest
  to　succeed。　　We　were　relieved　from　this　dead…lock　by　our　sergeant…
  major　of　dragoons。
  'Comrades；'　said　he；　'I　believe　I　rank　you　all；　and　for　that
  reason；　if　you　really　wish　it；　I　will　be　the　first　myself。　　At　the
  same　time；　you　are　to　consider　what　the　chances　are　that　I　may
  prove　to　be　the　last；　as　well。　　I　am　no　longer　young　…　I　was　sixty
  near　a　month　ago。　　Since　I　have　been　a　prisoner；　I　have　made　for
  myself　a　little　BEDAINE。　　My　arms　are　all　gone　to　fat。　　And　you
  must　promise　not　to　blame　me；　if　I　fall　and　play　the　devil　with　the
  whole　thing。'
  'We　cannot　hear　of　such　a　thing！'　said　I。　　'M。　Laclas　is　the　oldest
  man　here；　and；　as　such；　he　should　be　the　very　last　to　offer。　　It　is
  plain；　we　must　draw　lots。'
  'No；'　said　M。　Laclas；　'you　put　something　else　in　my　head！　　There　is
  one　here　who　owes　a　pretty　candle　to　the　others；　for　they　have　kept
  his　secret。　　Besides；　the　rest　of　us　are　only　rabble；　and　he　is
  another　affair　altogether。　　Let　Champdivers　…　let　the　noble　go　the
  first。'
  I　confess　there　was　a　notable　pause　before　the　noble　in　question
  got　his　voice。　　But　there　was　no　room　for　choice。　　I　had　been　so
  ill…advised；　when　I　first　joined　the　regiment；　as　to　take　ground　on
  my　nobility。　　I　had　been　often　rallied　on　the　matter　in　the　ranks；
  and　had　passed　under　the　by…names　of　MONSEIGNEUR　and　THE　MARQUIS。
  It　was　now　needful　I　should　justify　myself　and　take　a　fair　revenge。
  Any　little　hesitation　I　may　have　felt　passed　entirely　unnoticed；
  from　the　lucky　incident　of　a　round　happening　at　that　moment　to　go
  by。　　And　during　the　interval　of　silence　there　occurred　something
  that　sent　my　blood　to　the　boil。　　There　was　a　private　in　our　shed
  called　Clausel；　a　man　of　a　very　ugly　disposition。　　He　had　made　one
  of　the　followers　of　Goguelat；　but；　whereas　Goguelat　had　always　a
  kind　of　monstrous　gaiety　about　him；　Clausel　was　no　less　morose　than
  he　was　evil…minded。　　He　was　sometimes　called　THE　GENERAL；　and
  sometimes　by　a　name　too　ill…mannered　for　repetition。　　As　we　all　sat
  listening；　this　man's　hand　was　laid　on　my　shoulder；　and　his　voice
  whispered　in　my　ear：　'If　you　don't　go；　I'll　have　you　hanged；
  Marquis！'
  As　soon　as　the　round　was　past　…　'Certainly；　gentlemen！'　said　I。　　'I
  will　give　you　a　lead；　with　all　the　pleasure　in　the　world。　　But；
  first　of　all；　there　is　a　hound　here　to　be　punished。　　M。　Clausel　has
  just　insulted　me；　and　dishonoured　the　French　army；　and　I　demand
  that　he　run　the　gauntlet　of　this　shed。'
  There　was　but　one　voice　asking　what　he　had　done；　and；　as　soon　as　I
  had　told　them；　but　one　voice　agreeing　to　the　punishment。　　The
  General　was；　in　consequence；　extremely　roughly　handled；　and　the
  next　day　was　congratulated　by　all　who　saw　him　on　his　NEW
  DECORATIONS。　　It　was　lucky　for　us　that　he　was　one　of　the　prime
  movers　and　believers　in　our　project　of　escape；　or　he　had　certainly
  revenged　himself　by　a　denunciation。　　As　for　his　feelings　towards
  myself；　they　appeared；　by　his　looks；　to　surpass　humanity；　and　I
  made　up　my　mind　to　give　him　a　wide　berth　in　the　future。
  Had　I　been　to　go　down　that　instant；　I　believe　I　could　have　carried
  it　well。　　But　it　was　already　too　late　…　the　day　was　at　hand。　　The
  rest　had　still　to　be　summoned。　　Nor　was　this　the　extent　of　my
  misfortune；　for　the　next　night；　and　the　night　after；　were　adorned
  with　a　perfect　galaxy　of　stars；　and　showed　every　cat　that　stirred
  in　a　quarter　of　a　mile。　　During　this　interval；　I　have　to　direct
  your　sympathies　on　the　Vicomte　de　Saint…Yves！　　All　addressed　me
  softly；　like　folk　round　a　sickbed。　　Our　Italian　corporal；　who　had
  got　a　dozen　of　oysters　from　a　fishwife；　laid　them　at　my　feet；　as
  though　I　were　a　Pagan　idol；　and　I　have　never　since　been　wholly　at
  my　ease　in　the　society　of　shellfish。　　He　who　was　the　best　of　our
  carvers　brought　me　a　snuff…box；　which　he　had　just　completed；　and
  which；　while　it　was　yet　in　hand；　he　had　often　declared　he　would　not
  part　with　under　fifteen　dollars。　　I　believe　the　piece　was　worth　the
  money　too！　　And　yet　the　voice　stuck　in　my　throat　with　which　I　must
  thank　him。　　I　found　myself；　in　a　word；　to　be　fed　up　like　a　prisoner
  in　a　camp　of　anthropophagi；　and　honoured　like　the　sacrificial　bull。
  And　what　with　these　annoyances；　and　the　risky　venture　immediately
  ahead；　I　found　my　part　a　trying　one　to　play。
  It　was　a　good　deal　of　a　relief　when　the　third　evening　closed　about
  the　castle　with　volumes　of　sea…fog。　　The　lights　of　Princes　Street
  sometimes　disappeared；　sometimes　blinked　across　at　us　no　brighter
  than　the　eyes　of　cats；　and　five　steps　from　one　of　the　lanterns　on
  the　ramparts　it　was　already　groping　dark。　　We　made　haste　to　lie
  down。　　Had　our　j