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Mr. Arthur Machen has translated Casanova's account of his escape from the Leads," the stifling cells directly under the roof of the prison in Venice (Seeker). Casanova's self- complacence and arrogance are irritating even now. His contemporaries must have been grateful for his crimes, for they at least gave them a good excuse for getting rid of him. Continually at large he would have been unbearable. He must have some credit, however, for his resource and courage. After a few weeks in prison he managed to pull out of his ceiling an iron bar which he sharpened with great pains against a loose bit of marble he found lying in his cell. With this tool he scraped and dug till he had made a hole in the boards of the floor that almost penetrated the ceiling below. Unfortunately, he was moved to another cell at this point, and had to begin all over again. This time he got the help of a monk who was imprisoned above him, with whom he exchanged books on which were written messages in Latin, the gaoler himself blithely acting as messenger. The monk began the work once more, boring a hole through his floor and Casanova's ceiling. But just as the work was being finished they were held up again, for another man was put into Casanova's cell. It is almost impossible to believe that this man was bullied into thinking that if he wanted his sins forgiven lie must kneel down with eyes shut while an angel made preparations to deliver Casanova ; still Casanova certainly did get free of the prison, and his adventures in doing so were so marvellous that perhaps it was hardly worth his while to invent any extra wonders.
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