Afteraboutanhour，thedooropened，andthebaker’smanappearedwithapailinhishand。Hewenttoapumpthatstoodinthestreet，andhavingfilledhispailreturnedwithitintotheshop。
Curdiestoleafterhim，foundthedooronthelatch，openeditverygently，peepedin，sawnobody，andentered。Rememberingperfectlyfromwhatshelfthebaker’swifehadtakentheloafshesaidwasthebest，andseeingjustoneuponit，heseizedit，laidthepriceofitonthecounter，andspedsoftlyout，andupthestreet。OncemoreinthedungeonbesideLina，hisfirstthoughtwastofastenupthedooragain，whichwouldhavebeeneasy，somanyironfragmentsofallsortsandsizeslayabout;buthebethoughthimselfthatifheleftitasitwas，andtheycametofindhim，theywouldconcludeatoncethattheyhadmadetheirescapebyit，andwouldlooknofarthersoastodiscoverthehole。Hethereforemerelypushedthedoorcloseandleftit。Thenoncemorecarefullyarrangingtheearthbehindtheshutter，sothatitshouldagainfallwithit，hereturnedtothecellar。
Andnowhehadtoconveytheloaftotheprincess。Ifhecouldventuretotakeithimself，well;ifnot，hewouldsendLina。Hecrepttothedooroftheservants’hall，andfoundthesleepersbeginningtostir。Onesaiditwastimetogotobed;another，thathewouldgotothecellarinstead，andhaveamugofwinetowakenhimup;whileathirdchallengedafourthtogivehimhisrevengeatsomegameorother。
’Oh，hangyourlosses！’answeredhiscompanion;’you’llsoonpickuptwiceasmuchaboutthehouse，ifyoubutkeepyoureyesopen。’
Perceivingtherewouldberiskinattemptingtopassthrough，andreflectingthattheportersinthegreathallwouldprobablybeawakealso，Curdiewentbacktothecellar，tookIrene’shandkerchiefwiththeloafinit，tieditroundLina’sneck，andtoldhertotakeittotheprincess。