"He was ordered to confine himself to his own room--his food was brought to him--this looked like the confirmation of his fears. His heart swelled high: 'They think to treat me like a child, but I will show myself independent--wherever my mother is, she is better than they all--if she is imprisoned, I will free her, or I will remain with her; how glad she will be to see me--how happy shall we be again together! My father may have all the rest of the world to himself, when I am with my mother, in a cavern or a dungeon, I care not where.' "Night came on--he went to bed--he even slept, and awoke terrified to think that the opportune hour might be overpassed--daylight was dawning faintly in the east; the clocks of London struck four--he was still in time--every one in the house slept; he rose and dressed--he had nearly ten guineas of his own, this was all his possession, he had counted them the night before--he opened the door of his chamber--daylight was struggling with darkness, and all was very still--he stepped out, he descended the stairs, he got into the hall--every accustomed object seemed new and strange at that early hour, and he looked with some dismay at the bars and bolts of the house door--he feared making a noise, and rousing some servant, still the thing must be attempted; slowly and cautiously he pushed back the bolts, he lifted up the chain--it fell from his hands with terrific clatter on the stone pavement--his heart was in his mouth--he did not fear punishment, but he feared ill success; he listened as well as his throbbing pulses permitted--all was still--the key of the door was in the lock, it turned easily at his touch, and in another moment the door was open; the fresh air blew upon his cheeks--the deserted street was before him. He closed the door after him, and with a sort of extra caution locked it on the outside, and then took to his heels, throwing the key down a neighbouring street. When out of sight of his home, he walked more slowly, and began to think seriously of the course to pursue. To find his mother!--all the world had been trying to find her, and had not succeeded--but he believed that by some means she would hear of his escape and come to him--but whither go in the first instance?--his heart replied, to Cumberland, to Dromore--there he had lived with his mother--there had he lost her--he felt assured that in its neighbourhood he should again be restored to her.