I observe that in our own day a great many persons commit suicide during the first twenty-four hours of the solitary cell.

This is doubtless why our Jairi abstain so carefully from the impertinence of watching their little experiment upon the human soul at that particular stage of it.
As the sun declined, Gerard's heart too sank and sank; with the waning light even the embers of hope went out.

He was faint, too, with hunger; for he was afraid to eat the food Ghysbrecht had brought him; and hunger alone cows men.

He sat upon the chest, his arms and his head drooping before him, a picture of despondency.

Suddenly something struck the wall beyond him very sharply, and then rattled on the floor at his feet.