But, strange to say! I was neither
astonished nor horror-stricken. If I felt any emotion at all, it was a
kind of chuckling satisfaction at the cleverness I was about to
display in extricating myself from this dilemma; and I never, for a
moment, looked upon my ultimate safety as a question susceptible of
doubt. For a few minutes I remained wrapped in the profoundest
meditation. I have a distinct recollection of frequently compressing
my lips, putting my forefinger to the side of my nose, and making
use of other gesticulations and grimaces common to men who, at ease in
their arm-chairs, meditate upon matters of intricacy or importance.
Having, as I thought, sufficiently collected my ideas, I now, with
great caution and deliberation, put my hands behind my back, and
unfastened the large iron buckle which belonged to the waistband of my
inexpressibles. This buckle had three teeth, which, being somewhat
rusty, turned with great difficulty on their axis. I brought them,
however, after some trouble, at right angles to the body of the
buckle, and was glad to find them remain firm in that position.
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