The Rupa Book Of Great Escape Stories

by Ruskin Bond

  The inquisitors and their secretary had set out for the mainland. Lorenzo had supplied the wants of the captives, and was preparing for his carousal, and the field was thus left clear for Casanova's operations. As the clock struck twelve, Balbi began his final attack on the floor; and in a few minutes a piece of the last plank and the ceiling fell in, and was speedily followed by the worker himself Casanova now took the stiletto, and leaving the monk with his companion, he himself passed into the upper cell to reconnoitre. At first sight he perceived that Count Asquino was not a man fitted for making perilous exertions. On being told how the escape was to be effected, the count, who was seventy years of age, replied that he had no wings, without which it would be impossible to descend from the roof He candidly owned that he had not courage enough to face the peril which must be encountered, and would therefore stay where he was, and pray for those who had more strength and fewer fears.

  Casanova now examined the roof, and found it break so easily, that he doubted not of being able to make a practicable breach in less than an hour. Returning to his own cell, he cut up clothes, napkins, and sheets, and converted them all into a hundred feet of rope, the pieces of which he took special care to noose together in the firmest manner. He then packed up his clothes, his silk mantle, and some linen. The whole party then removed to the cell of the count. Desiring Balbi to get ready his package, Casanova set to work to enlarge the opening in the roof On looking out, he became aware that the light of the moon and the fineness of the night would not allow of their entering upon their enterprise till a later hour. St Mark's Place was full of people, some of whom could scarcely fail to see them scrambling about the roof In three hours the moon would set, and they could then proceed. As money was an indispensable article, the loan of fifty sequins was requested from the count, who, however, would only lend them two, with which they were compelled to remain satisfied. The spy would not make the attempt to escape with them; his courage failed him, and Casanova gladly left him behind. The moon had now sunk below the horizon, and it was time to depart. But here we will give Casanova's own words:

  'I placed on Balbi's shoulder the bundle of cord, and on the other his packet, and loaded myself in the same manner. We then dressed in our vest only, and with our hats on our heads, looked through the opening I had made. I went first. Notwithstanding the mist, every object was visible enough. Kneeling and creeping, I thrust my weapon between the joints of the lead plates; holding with one hand by that, and with the other by the plank on which the lead plate had lain, which I had removed, I raised myself on the roof. Balbi, in following me, grasped my band behind, so I resembled a beast of burden, which must draw as well as carry; in this manner I had to ascend a steep and slippery roof side. When we were half-way up this dangerous place, Balbi desired me to stop a moment, for that one of his bundles had fallen off, and had probably only rolled down to the gutter. My first thought was to give him a push that would send him after it, but Heaven enabled me to contain myself; the punishment would have fallen upon me as well as him, for without his help I could do nothing. I asked if the bundle was gone; and when I heard that it contained his black gown, two shirts, and a manuscript, I consoled him for its loss; he sighed and followed me, still holding by my clothes.

  'After I had climbed over about sixteen lead plates, I reached the ridge of the roof; I set myself astride on it, and the monk imitated me. Our backs were turned towards the island of St Georgio Maggiore, and two hundred steps before us was the cupola of St Mark's, a part of the ducal palace, wherein the chapel of the Doge is more magnificent than any king's. Here we took off our bundles. He placed his ropes between his legs; but on laying his hat upon them, it rolled down the roof and fell into the canal. He looked on this as a bad omen, and complained that he had now lost hat, gown, shirts, and manuscript; but I remarked to him that it was fortunate the hat had fallen to the right and not to the left, for otherwise it would have alarmed the sentinel in the arsenal.

  'After looking about me a little, I bid the monk remain quite still here till my return, and climbed along the roof, my dagger in my hand. I crept in this manner for an hour, trying to find a place to which I might fasten my rope to enable me to descend; but all the places I looked down into were enclosed ones, and there were insuperable difficulties in getting to the canonica on the other side of the Church; yet everything must be attempted, and I must hazard it without allowing myself to think too long on the danger. But about two-thirds of the way down the side of the roof I observed a dormer window, which probably led to some passage, leading to the dwelling-places not within the limits of the prisons, and I thought I should find some of the doors going out of it open at daybreak. If any one should meet us, and take us for state prisoners, he would find, I determined, some difficulty in detaining us. With this consideration, with one leg stretched out towards the window, I let myself gently slide down till I reached the little roof of it that ran parallel to the great one, and set myself upon it. I then leaned over, and by feeling discovered it to be a window, with small round panes of glass cased in lead, behind a grating. To penetrate this required a file, and I had only my stiletto. Bitterly disappointed, and in great embarrassment, I seemed incapable of coming to a determination, when the clock of St Mark's striking midnight awakened my fainting resolution. I remembered that this sound announced the beginning of All Saints' Day: when misfortune drives a strong mind to devotion, there is always a little superstition mingled with it; that bell aroused me to action, and promised me victory. Lying on my stomach, and stretching over, I struck violently against the grating with my dagger in the hope of forcing it in. In a quarter of an hour four of the wooden squares were broken, and my hand grasped the wood-work; the panes of glass were speedily demolished, for I heeded not the cutting of my hand.

  'I now returned to the top of the roof, and crept back to my companion. I found him in a dreadful rage, cursing me for having left him two hours; he at last thought I must have fallen over, and was about to return to his prison. He asked me what were my intentions. 'You will soon see,' I said; and packing our bundles on our necks, I bid him follow me. When we reached the roof of the window, I explained to him what I had done, and what I intended to do. I asked his advice as to the best mode of getting in at it. It would be easy for the first man, as the second would hold the rope; but what would this last one do? In leaping down from the window to the floor he might break a leg; for we knew nothing of the space between. The monk instantly proposed I should let him down first, and afterwards think how I should get in myself. I was sufficiently master of myself to conceal my indignation at this proposal, and to proceed to execute his wish. I tied a rope round my companion, and sitting astride of the window roof, let him down to the window, telling him to rest on his elbows on the roof, and to put his feet through the hole I had made I then lay down again on the roof, and told him to be satisfied that I would hold the rope fast.

  'Balbi came safely down upon the floor, untied himself, and I drew the rope back to me; but in doing this I found that the space from the window to the floor was ten times my arm's length; it was impossible, therefore, to jump this. Balbi called to me to throw the rope to him, but I took care not to follow his absurd and selfish counsel. I now determined on returning to the great roof; where I discovered a cupola at a place I had not yet been; it brought me to a stage laid with lead plates, and which had a trap-door covered with two folding shutters. I found here a tub full of fresh lime, building tools, and a tolerably long ladder; the latter, of course, attracted my particular attention. I tied my rope round one of the rings, and climbing up the roof again, drew the ladder after me. The ladder I must contrive to put in at the window, and it was twelve times the length of my arm. Now I missed the help of the monk. I let the ladder down to the gutter, so that one end leaned against the window; the other stood in the gutter; I drew it up to me again as I leaned over, and endeavoured to get the end in at the window, but in vain; it always came over the roof; and the morning might come and
find me here, and bring Lorenzo soon after it. I determined to slide down to the gutter, in order to give the ladder the right direction. This gutter of marble yielded me a resting-place, where I lay at length on it; and I succeeded in putting the ladder a foot into the window, which diminished its weight considerably. But it was necessary to push it in two feet more; I then should only have to climb back to the window roof, and by means of the line draw it entirely in. To effect this I was compelled to raise myself on my knees; while doing so they slipped off the gutter, and I lay with my whole breast and elbows upon it.

  'I exerted all my strength to draw my body up again, and lay myself on the gutter. I had fortunately no trouble with the ladder; it was now three feet in the window, and did not move. As soon as I found that I lay firm, I endeavoured to raise my right knee up to the level of the gutter. I had nearly succeeded, when the effort gave me a fit of the cramp, as paralysing as it was painful. What a moment! I lay for two minutes motionless; at length the pain subsided, and I succeeded in raising one knee after the other upon the marble again; I rested a few minutes, and then pushed the ladder still farther into the window. Sufficiently experienced in the laws of equilibrium by this adventure, I returned to the window roof, and drawing the ladder entirely in, my companion received the end of it, and secured it; I then threw in the rope and bundle, and soon rejoined him; after brief congratulations, I felt about to examine the dark and narrow place we were in.

  'We came to a grated window, which opened on my raising the latch, and we entered a large hall; we felt round the walls, and met with a table surrounded by arm-chairs. I at length found a window, opened the sash of it, and looked by starlight down a fearful depth; here was no descent by rope practicable. I returned to the place where we had left our things, and sat down in an arm-chair, where I was seized with such an invincible desire to sleep, that if I had been told it was death I should have welcomed it; the feeling was indescribable. At the third hour the noise of the monk awoke me; he said my sleeping at such a time and place was incomprehensible; but Nature had overcome me. I, however, gained a little strength by my rest.

  'I said as I arose that this was no prison, and that there must therefore be an exit somewhere. I searched till I found the large iron door, and opposite to it was a smaller one with a keyhole; I put my stiletto into it, and exclaimed, 'Heaven grant it may not be a cupboard!' After some efforts the lock yielded, and we entered a small room, in which was a table with a key upon it; I tried it; it opened, and I found myself in cupboards filed with papers, it being the archive-chamber. We ascended some steps, and passing through a glass door, entered the chancery of the Doge. I now knew where I was, and as in letting ourselves down we might get into a labyrinth of small courts, I seized an instrument with which the parchments are pierced to affix the seals. This tool I bid Balbi stick into the chink in the door, which I made with my bolt, and worked it about on all sides, not caring for the noise, till I had made a tolerable hole; but the prejecting splinters threatened to tear our skin and clothes, and it was five feet from the floor to the opening; for I had chosen the place where the planks were thinnest. I drew a chair to it, and the monk got on it; he stuck his arms and head through the opening, and I pushed the rest of him through into the chamber, the darkness of which did not alarm me. I knew where we were, and threw my bundle through to him, but left the rope behind. I had no one to aid me, on which account I placed a chair on the top of two others, and got through the aperture as far as my loins; when I desired Balbi to pull me through with all his force, regardless of the pain the laceration of flesh gave me. We hastened down two flights of steps, and arrived at the passage leading to the royal stairs as they are called; but these, wide as a town gate, were, as well as those beyond, shut with four wide doors; to force these would have required a petard.

  'I sat down by Balbi, calm and collected, and told him that my work was done, and that heaven and fortune would achieve the rest for us. To-day,' I continued, 'is all Saints' Day, and to-morrow All Souls', and it is not likely anybody should come here; if any one should come to open the doors, I will rescue myself, and do you follow me; if none come, I will remain here and die of hunger, for I can do no more,' Balbi's rage and desperation knew no bounds; but I kept my temper, and began to dress myself completely. If Balbi looked like a peasant, his dress at least was not in shreds and bloody like mine. I drew off my stockings, and found on each foot large wounds, for which I was indebted to the gutter and lead plates; I tore my handkerchief, and fastened the bandages with thread which I had about me. I put on my silk dress, which was ill-assorted with the weather, arranged my hair, and put on a shirt with lace ruffles, and silk stockings, and tossed my old clothes into a chair. I now had the appearance of a rake. I threw my handsome cloak on the monk's shoulders, and the fellow looked as if he had stolen it. I now approached a window, and, as I learned some two years afterwards in Paris, some loiterer below, who saw me, informed the keeper of the palace of it, who, fearing that he had locked some one in by mistake, came to release us. I heard the noise of steps coming up the stairs, and looking through a chink, saw only one man, with some keys in his hand. I commanded Balbi to observe the strictest silence, and hiding my stiletto under my clothes, placed myself close to the door, so that I needed only one step to reach the stairs. The door was opened, and the old man was so astonished at my appearance, that I was able silently and quickly to pass by him, the monk following me. Assuming then a sedate pace, I took the direction to the great staircase: Balbi wanted to go to the church to the right, for the sake of the sanctuary, forgetting that in Venice there was no sanctuary against state crimes and capital offences; but at last he followed me.

  'I did not expect security in Venice. I knew I could not be safe till I had passed the frontiers; I stood now before the royal door of the ducal palace; but without looking at any one, which was the best way to avoid being looked at, I crossed the Piazzetta, and reaching the canal, entered the first gondola I found there. I cast a look behind us, and saw no gondola in pursuit of us. I rejoiced in the fine day, which was as glorious as could be wished, shining with the first rays of an incomparable sunshine. Reflecting on the dangers of the past, on the place where I had spent the preceding day, and on all the fortunately-concurring events which had so favoured me, gratitude filled my soul, and I raised in silence my thanks for the mercy of God. Overcome by the variety of emotions, I burst into tears, which relieved my heart from the oppression of a joy that seemed ready to burst it.'

  Such is the record of one of the most remarkable escapes from prison ever attempted. But although out of prison, Casanova was not free from danger, and many days, spent in weary wanderings and hairbreadth escapes from recapture, elapsed ere he successfully gained the Venetian frontier, and with a joyful heart crossed the border-line and found himself in safety.

  THE GIRL THEY COULDN'T HANG

  H. Maxwell

  n the year 1650, in a village near Oxford, a country girl was employed as servant to the house of one, Sir Thomas Read. Her name was Anne Green. She was a strong, plump girl, with some charm and much simplicity. It was not long before the son of the house seduced her.

  Some months after her arrival a small body was discovered in one of the offices of the house. It was examined—the report does not say by whom—and was reported to be that of a newly-born male child. In due course the child was traced to Anne. She was at once arrested and charged with murder before the Justices of the Peace, amongst whom was her employer.

  After three weeks in the Oxford gaol, friendless and half-frozen—it was mid-November—she was tried at the Assizes, found guilty, and condemned to death.

  An account of the trial, if it still exists, would be interesting reading; for, in the light of subsequent evidence, it is difficult to see upon what information she could have been convicted. However, she was, in the eyes of her judges, a 'fallen woman' and that went a long way towards condemning someone in 1650.

  The day of execution arrived and Anne Gree
n was taken to the scaffold in a cart which stopped under the gallows. She stood up, and the rope was adjusted about her neck.

  She sang a psalm, and said a few words in her own defence, and added a few strong home truths about the morals of the Read family.

  The cart was then driven away and the girl was left hanging. According to the report of an eye-witness, she hung for half an hour, during which time her sympathisers, in order to hasten her end, hung on to her legs, thumped her on the chest, lifted her up and jerked her down, until their exertions were stopped by the Sheriff, who was afraid the rope might break.

  At last the bruised body was allowed to be taken down and put into a coffin. By arrangement the coffin was taken to a private house for dissection. Here the 'corpse' was found to be still alive, and breathing in a rattling manner. A startled and officious bystander, thinking to extinguish the last faint spark of life, promptly jumped on her chest. Then a doctor came in, made a quick examination and decided to see if the girl could be fully restored. There followed that curious mixture of good sense and stupidity which characterised medical attention of the period. The doctor first forced open the teeth, which were tightly set, and poured some hot spirits down her throat. With helpers he rubbed the body all over for about a quarter of an hour. He let blood, and had difficulty in stopping it. He continued to pour spirits into her and to rub her and thump her for some two hours, and then did what should have been done at first—took her out of the coffin and put her into a warmed bed. After her feet and neck had been rubbed with warm oils, she began to open her eyes. Two more doctors came. They let more blood, applied plasters and continued the massage, until it was doubtful who was the more exhausted, the patient or the doctors. Next a woman was put into bed with the girl, to continue the massage and to act as a hot-water bottle.