He laid himself close to the
ground, and happily overheard the word of the night, as it was given to
the new watch. This providential circumstances saved his life.
Finding no mode of egress from this place but by the postern at which
the sentinel was stationed, or by attempting a passage through a small
adjoining tower, the door of which stood open, he considered a moment,
and then deciding for the tower, stole unobserved into it. Fortunately
no person was there; but Edwin found it full of spare arms, with two or
three vacant couches in different corners, where he supposed the
officers on guard occassionally reposed; several watch-cloaks lay on
the floor. He readily apprehended the use he might make of this
circumstance, and throwing one of them over his shoulders climbed to a
large embrasure in the wall, and, forcing himself through it, dropped
to a declivity on the other side, which shelved down to the cliff,
wherein he saw the square tower.
He had scarcely alighted on firm ground, when a sentinel, followed by
two others presented pikes, approached him, and demanded the word.
"Montjoy!" was his reply. "Why leap the embrasure?" said one.
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