The thought of escape at once occurred to Charlie.  Could he reach the window, which was without glass and a mere opening in the wall, without awakening his guard, he could drop out and make for Allan Ramsay’s.  As soon as he tried to move, however, he found that this idea was for the present impracticable.  He felt too weak to lift his head, and, at the slight rustle of straw caused by the attempt, the man opposite roused himself with a start.

He gave another slight movement, and then again lay quiet with his eyes closed.  The man came across and spoke, but he made no sign.  Some more wine was poured between his lips, then the man returned to his former position, and all was quiet.

As he lay thinking his position over, Charlie thought that those who had set his assailants to their work must have had two objects—­the one to put a stop to his efforts to organize an agitation against the king, the second to find out, by questioning him, who were those with whom he had been in communication, in order that they might be arrested, and their property confiscated.  He could see no other reason why his life should be spared by his assailants, for it would have been easier, and far less troublesome, to run him through as he lay senseless on the ground, than to carry him off and keep him a prisoner.

This idea confirmed the suspicion he had first entertained, that the assault had been organized by Ben Soloman.  He could have no real interest in the king, for he was ready to join in the organization against him, could he have obtained his own terms.  He might intend to gain credit with the royal party, by claiming to have stopped a dangerous plot, and at the same time to benefit himself, by bringing about the expulsion or death of many of his foreign trade rivals.  For this end, the Jew would desire that he should be taken alive, in order to serve as a witness against the others.

“He will not get any names from me,” he said.  “Besides, none of them have promised to take any active measures against Augustus.  I did not ask them to do so.  There is no high treason in trying to influence public opinion.  Still, it is likely enough that the Jew wants to get me to acknowledge that an insurrection was intended, and will offer me my freedom, if I will give such testimony.  As I am altogether in his power, the only thing to do is to pretend to be a great deal worse than I am, and so to gain time, till I am strong enough to try to get away from this place.”

All this was not arrived at, at once, but was the result of half-dreamy cogitation extending over hours, and interrupted by short snatches of sleep.  He was conscious that, from time to time, someone came into the room and spoke to his guard; and that, three or four times, wine was poured between his lips.  Once he was raised up, and fresh cloths, dipped in water, and bandages applied to his head.

In the evening, two or three men came in, and he believed that he recognized the voice of one of them as that of Ben Soloman.  One of the men addressed him suddenly and sharply in Swedish.