No one would ever know how he had suffered, what terrific pangs had assailed him.

He could not see now how he had done it, and he was quite sure that he could never go through such an ordeal again.

The rack would be almost as welcome.
Ned did not know it, but a deep red flush had come into each pale cheek.
He removed most of his clothes, and put his head forward between the iron bar and the window sill.

The head went through and the shoulders followed.

He drew back, breathing a deep and mighty breath of triumph.
Yet he had known that it would be so.