He not only failed in making any impression, but seemed to increase the difficulties, for after an hour's toil he had broken the nail and slightly bent the iron bar.
Completely overcome by fatigue, with strained muscles, and bruised hands; streaming with perspiration, and with lips so parched that he would gladly have parted with a treasure if he had possessed it for a draught of water; he sank against the wall, and while in this state was seized with, a sudden and strange alarm.

He fancied that the turnkeys had discovered his flight and were in pursuit of him,--that they had climbed up the chimney,--entered the Red Room,--tracked him from door to door, and were now only detained by the gate which he had left unbroken in the chapel.

He even thought he could detect the voice of Jonathan, urging and directing them.
So strongly was he impressed with this idea, that grasping the iron bar with both hands, he dashed it furiously against the door, making the passage echo with the blows.
By degrees, his fears vanished, and hearing nothing, he grew calmer.

His spirits revived, and encouraging himself with the idea that the present impediment, though the greatest, was the last, he set himself seriously to consider how it might best be overcome.
On reflection, it occurred to him that he might, perhaps, be able to loosen the iron fillet; a notion no sooner conceived than executed.

With incredible labour, and by the aid of both spike and nail, he succeeded in getting the point of the bar beneath the fillet.