The mystery was soon solved; the commissioner appeared with a great stick, and paused at the threshold of the door to see that the linen, clothes, etc.

were hung up to air, the books opened, and the letters or papers suspended by strings.

No idea can be formed of the stupid nervous fear of this commissioner.

For instance, on passing through the first room on his way to my apartment, he saw the stalk of a bunch of grapes lying on the ground.

With fearful haste he thrust this trifling object aside with his stick, for fear his foot should strike against it in passing; and as he went he continually held his stick in rest, to keep us plague-struck people at a respectful distance.
On the seventh day of our incarceration we were all sent to our rooms at nine o'clock in the morning.