yards；　so　that　we　both　rolled　together　on　the　ground。　　As　soon　as
  he　could　breathe　he　cursed　me　beyond　belief；　wept　over　his　finger；
  which　he　had　broken；　and　cursed　me　again。　　I　bade　him　be　still　and
  think　shame　of　himself　to　be　so　great　a　cry…baby。　　Did　he　not　hear
  the　round　going　by　above？　I　asked；　and　who　could　tell　but　what　the
  noise　of　his　fall　was　already　remarked；　and　the　sentinels　at　the
  very　moment　leaning　upon　the　battlements　to　listen？
  The　round；　however；　went　by；　and　nothing　was　discovered；　the　third
  man　came　to　the　ground　quite　easily；　the　fourth　was；　of　course；
  child's　play；　and　before　there　were　ten　of　us　collected；　it　seemed
  to　me　that；　without　the　least　injustice　to　my　comrades；　I　might
  proceed　to　take　care　of　myself。
  I　knew　their　plan：　they　had　a　map　and　an　almanack；　and　designed　for
  Grangemouth；　where　they　were　to　steal　a　ship。　　Suppose　them　to　do
  so；　I　had　no　idea　they　were　qualified　to　manage　it　after　it　was
  stolen。　　Their　whole　escape；　indeed；　was　the　most　haphazard　thing
  imaginable；　only　the　impatience　of　captives　and　the　ignorance　of
  private　soldiers　would　have　entertained　so　misbegotten　a　device；
  and　though　I　played　the　good　comrade　and　worked　with　them　upon　the
  tunnel；　but　for　the　lawyer's　message　I　should　have　let　them　go
  without　me。　　Well；　now　they　were　beyond　my　help；　as　they　had　always
  been　beyond　my　counselling；　and；　without　word　said　or　leave　taken；
  I　stole　out　of　the　little　crowd。　　It　is　true　I　would　rather　have
  waited　to　shake　hands　with　Laclas；　but　in　the　last　man　who　had
  descended　I　thought　I　recognised　Clausel；　and　since　the　scene　in
  the　shed　my　distrust　of　Clausel　was　perfect。　　I　believed　the　man　to
  be　capable　of　any　infamy；　and　events　have　since　shown　that　I　was
  right。
  CHAPTER　VII　…　SWANSTON　COTTAGE
  I　HAD　two　views。　　The　first　was；　naturally；　to　get　clear　of
  Edinburgh　Castle　and　the　town；　to　say　nothing　of　my　fellow…
  prisoners；　the　second　to　work　to　the　southward　so　long　as　it　was
  night；　and　be　near　Swanston　Cottage　by　morning。　　What　I　should　do
  there　and　then；　I　had　no　guess；　and　did　not　greatly　care；　being　a
  devotee　of　a　couple　of　divinities　called　Chance　and　Circumstance。
  Prepare；　if　possible；　where　it　is　impossible；　work　straight
  forward；　and　keep　your　eyes　open　and　your　tongue　oiled。　　Wit　and　a
  good　exterior　…　there　is　all　life　in　a　nutshell。
  I　had　at　first　a　rather　chequered　journey：　got　involved　in　gardens；
  butted　into　houses；　and　had　even　once　the　misfortune　to　awake　a
  sleeping　family；　the　father　of　which；　as　I　suppose；　menaced　me　from
  the　window　with　a　blunderbuss。　　Altogether；　though　I　had　been　some
  time　gone　from　my　companions；　I　was　still　at　no　great　distance；
  when　a　miserable　accident　put　a　period　to　the　escape。　　Of　a　sudden
  the　night　was　divided　by　a　scream。　　This　was　followed　by　the　sound
  of　something　falling；　and　that　again　by　the　report　of　a　musket　from
  the　Castle　battlements。　　It　was　strange　to　hear　the　alarm　spread
  through　the　city。　　In　the　fortress　drums　were　beat　and　a　bell　rung
  backward。　　On　all　hands　the　watchmen　sprang　their　rattles。　　Even　in
  that　limbo　or　no…man's…land　where　I　was　wandering；　lights　were　made
  in　the　houses；　sashes　were　flung　up；　I　could　hear　neighbouring
  families　converse　from　window　to　window；　and　at　length　I　was
  challenged　myself。
  'Wha's　that？'　cried　a　big　voice。
  I　could　see　it　proceeded　from　a　big　man　in　a　big　nightcap；　leaning
  from　a　one…pair　window；　and　as　I　was　not　yet　abreast　of　his　house；
  I　judged　it　was　more　wise　to　answer。　　This　was　not　the　first　time　I
  had　had　to　stake　my　fortunes　on　the　goodness　of　my　accent　in　a
  foreign　tongue；　and　I　have　always　found　the　moment　inspiriting；　as
  a　gambler　should。　　Pulling　around　me　a　sort　of　great…coat　I　had
  made　of　my　blanket；　to　cover　my　sulphur…coloured　livery；　…　'A
  friend！'　said　I。
  'What　like's　all　this　collieshangie？'　said　he。
  I　had　never　heard　of　a　collieshangie　in　my　days；　but　with　the
  racket　all　about　us　in　the　city；　I　could　have　no　doubt　as　to　the
  man's　meaning。
  'I　do　not　know；　sir；　really；'　said　I；　'but　I　suppose　some　of　the
  prisoners　will　have　escaped。'
  'Bedamned！'　says　he。
  'Oh；　sir；　they　will　be　soon　taken；'　I　replied：　'it　has　been　found
  in　time。　　Good　morning；　sir！'
  'Ye　walk　late；　sir？'　he　added。
  'Oh；　surely　not；'　said　I；　with　a　laugh。　　'Earlyish；　if　you　like！'
  which　brought　me　finally　beyond　him；　highly　pleased　with　my
  success。
  I　was　now　come　forth　on　a　good　thoroughfare；　which　led　（as　well　as
  I　could　judge）　in　my　direction。　　It　brought　me　almost　immediately
  through　a　piece　of　street；　whence　I　could　hear　close　by　the
  springing　of　a　watchman's　rattle；　and　where　I　suppose　a　sixth　part
  of　the　windows　would　be　open；　and　the　people；　in　all　sorts　of　night
  gear；　talking　with　a　kind　of　tragic　gusto　from　one　to　another。
  Here；　again；　I　must　run　the　gauntlet　of　a　half…dozen　questions；　the
  rattle　all　the　while　sounding　nearer；　but　as　I　was　not　walking
  inordinately　quick；　as　I　spoke　like　a　gentleman；　and　the　lamps　were
  too　dim　to　show　my　dress；　I　carried　it　off　once　more。　　One　person；
  indeed；　inquired　where　I　was　off　to　at　that　hour。
  I　replied　vaguely　and　cheerfully；　and　as　I　escaped　at　one　end　of
  this　dangerous　pass　I　could　see　the　watchman's　lantern　entering　by
  the　other。　　I　was　now　safe　on　a　dark　country　highway；　out　of　sight
  of　lights　and　out　of　the　fear　of　watchmen。　　And　yet　I　had　not　gone
  above　a　hundred　yards　before　a　fellow　made　an　ugly　rush　at　me　from
  the　roadside。　　I　avoided　him　with　a　leap；　and　stood　on　guard；
  cursing　my　empty　hands；　wondering　whether　I　had　to　do　with　an
  officer　or　a　mere　footpad；　and　scarce　knowing　which　to　wish。　　My
  assailant　stood　a　little；　in　the　thick　darkness　I　could　see　him　bob
  and　sidle　as　though　he　were　feinting　at　me　for　an　advantageous
  onfall。　　Then　he　spoke。
  'My　goo'　frien'；'　says　he；　and　at　the　first　word　I　pricked　my　ears；
  'my　goo'　frien'；　will　you　oblishe　me　with　lil　neshary　infamation？
  Whish　roa'　t'　Cramond？'
  I　laughed　out　clear　and　loud；　stepped　up　to　the　convivialist；　took
  him　by　the　shoulders　and　faced　him　about。　　'My　good　friend；'　said
  I；　'I　believe　I　know　what　is　best　for　you　much　better　than
  yourself；　and　may　God　forgive　you　the　fright　you　have　given　me！
  There；　get　you　gone　to　Edinburgh！'　　And　I　gave　a　shove；　which　he
  obeyed　with　the　passive　agility　of　a　ball；　and　disappeared
  incontinently　in　the　darkness　down　the　road　by　which　I　had　myself
  come。
  Once　clear　of　this　foolish　fellow；　I　went　on　again　up　a　gradual
  hill；　descended　on　the　other　side　through　the　houses　of　a　country
  village；　and　came　at　last　to　the　bottom　of　the　main　ascent　leading
  to　the　Pentlands　and　my　destination。　　I　was　some　way　up　when　the
  fog　began　to　lighten；　a　little　farther；　and　I　stepped　by　degrees
  into　a　clear　starry　night；　and　saw　in　front　of　me；　and　quite
  distinct；　the　summits　of　the　Pentlands；　and　behind；　the　valley　of
  the　Forth　and　the　city　of　my　late　captivity　buried　under　a　lake　of
  vapour。　　I　had　but　one　encounter　…　that　of　a　farm…cart；　which　I
  heard；　from　a　great　way　ahead　of　me；　creaking　nearer　in　the　night；
  and　which　passed　me　about　the　point　of　dawn　like　a　thing　seen　in　a
  dream；　with　two　silent　figures　in　the　inside　nodding　to　the　horse's
  steps。　　I　presume　they　were　asleep；　by　the　shawl　about　her　head　and
  shoulders；　one　of　them　should　be　a　woman。　　Soon；　by　concurrent
  steps；　the　day　began　to　break　and　the　fog　to　subside　and　roll　away。
  The　east　grew　luminous　and　was　barred　with　chilly　colours；　and　the
  Castle　on　its　rock；　and　the　spires　and　chimneys　of　the　upper　town；
  took　gradual　shape；　and　arose；　like　islands；　out　of　the　receding
  cloud。　　All　about　me　was　still　and　sylvan；　the　road　mounting　and
  winding；　with　nowhere　a　sign　of　any　passenger；　the　birds　chirping；
  I　suppose　for　warmth；　the　boughs　of　the　trees　knocking　together；
  and　the　red　leaves　falling　in　the　wind。
  It　was　broad　day；　but　still　bitter　cold　and　the　sun　not　up；　when　I
  came　in　view　of　my　destination。　　A　single　gable　and　chimney　of　the
  cottage　peeped　over　the　shoulder　of　the　hill；　not　far　off；　and　a
  trifle　higher　on　the　mountain；　a　tall　old　white…washed　farmhouse
  stood　among　the　trees；　beside　a　falling　brook；　beyond　were　rough
  hills　of　pasture。　　I　bethought　me　that　shepherd　folk　were　early
  risers；　and　if　I　were　once　seen　skulking　in　that　neighbourhood　it
  might　prove　the　ruin　of　my　prospects；　took　advantage　of　a　line　of
  hedge；　and　worked　myself　up　in　its　shadow　till　I　was　come　under　the
  garden　wall　of　my　friends'　house。　　The　cottage　was　a　little　quaint
  place　of　many　rough…cast　gables　and　grey　roofs。　　It　had　something
  the　air　of　a　rambling　infinitesimal　cathedral；　the　body　of　it
  rising　in　the　midst　two　storeys　high；　with　a　steep…pitched　roof；
  and　sending　out　upon　all　hands　（as　it　were　chap