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.