In the silent night he heard his own heart beat.
The free air breathed on his face, and gave him the courage to risk what we must all lose one day--for liberty.

Many dangers awaited him, but the greatest was the first getting on to the rope outside.

Gerard reflected.
Finally, he put himself in the attitude of a swimmer, his body to the waist being in the prison, his legs outside.

Then holding the inside rope with both hands, he felt anxiously with his feet for the outside rope, and when he had got it, he worked it in between the palms of his feet, and kept it there tight: then he uttered a short prayer, and, all the calmer for it, put his left hand on the sill and gradually wriggled out.

Then he seized the iron bar, and for one fearful moment hung outside from it by his right hand, while his left hand felt for the rope down at his knees; it was too tight against the wall for his fingers to get round it higher up.