Instantly，heuttersaloudcry，burstsintotears，andfallsonhiskneesatmyfeet，claspingmylegsinbothhisarmsandbowinghisheadtotheground。
Someyearsago，thismanatmyfeet，whoseover-fraughtheartisheavingasifitwouldburstfromhisbreast，andwhosetearsarewetuponthedressIwear，wasagalley-slaveintheNorthofItaly。Hewasapoliticaloffender，havingbeenconcernedinthethenlastrising，andwassentencedtoimprisonmentforlife。Thathewouldhavediedinhischains，iscertain，butforthecircumstancethattheEnglishmanhappenedtovisithisprison。
ItwasoneofthevileoldprisonsofItaly，andapartofitwasbelowthewatersoftheharbour。Theplaceofhisconfinementwasanarchedunder-groundandunder-watergallery，withagrill-gateattheentrance，throughwhichitreceivedsuchlightandairasitgot。Itsconditionwasinsufferablyfoul，andastrangercouldhardlybreatheinit，orseeinitwiththeaidofatorch。Attheupperendofthisdungeon，andconsequentlyintheworstposition，asbeingthefurthestremovedfromlightandair，theEnglishmanfirstbeheldhim，sittingonanironbedsteadtowhichhewaschainedbyaheavychain。HiscountenanceimpressedtheEnglishmenashavingnothingincommonwiththefacesofthemalefactorswithwhomhewasassociated，andhetalkedwithhim，andlearnthowhecametobethere。
WhentheEnglishmanemergedfromthedreadfuldenintothelightofday，heaskedhisconductor，thegovernorofthejail，whyGiovanniCarlaverowasputintotheworstplace？
’Becauseheisparticularlyrecommended，’wasthestringentanswer。
’Recommended，thatistosay，fordeath？’
’Excuseme；particularlyrecommended，’wasagaintheanswer。
’Hehasabadtumourinhisneck，nodoubtoccasionedbythehardshipofhismiserablelife。Ifhecontinuestobeneglected，andheremainswhereheis，itwillkillhim。’
’Excuseme，Icandonothing。Heisparticularlyrecommended。’
TheEnglishmanwasstayinginthattown，andhewenttohishomethere；butthefigureofthismanchainedtothebedsteadmadeitnohome，anddestroyedhisrestandpeace。HewasanEnglishmanofanextraordinarilytenderheart，andhecouldnotbearthepicture。
Hewentbacktotheprisongrate；wentbackagainandagain，andtalkedtothemanandcheeredhim。Heusedhisutmostinfluencetogetthemanunchainedfromthebedstead，wereitonlyforeversoshortatimeintheday，andpermittedtocometothegrate。Itlookalongtime，buttheEnglishman’sstation，personalcharacter，andsteadinessofpurpose，woreoutoppositionsofar，andthatgracewasatlastaccorded。Throughthebars，whenhecouldthusgetlightuponthetumour，theEnglishmanlancedit，anditdidwell，andhealed。Hisstronginterestintheprisonerhadgreatlyincreasedbythistime，andheformedthedesperateresolutionthathewouldexerthisutmostself-devotionandusehisutmostefforts，togetCarlaveropardoned。
Iftheprisonerhadbeenabrigandandamurderer，ifhehadcommittedeverynon-politicalcrimeintheNewgateCalendarandoutofit，nothingwouldhavebeeneasierthanforamanofanycourtorpriestlyinfluencetoobtainhisrelease。Asitwas，nothingcouldhavebeenmoredifficult。Italianauthorities，andEnglishauthoritieswhohadinterestwiththem，alikeassuredtheEnglishmanthathisobjectwashopeless。Hemetwithnothingbutevasion，refusal，andridicule。Hispoliticalprisonerbecameajokeintheplace。ItwasespeciallyobservablethatEnglishCircumlocution，andEnglishSocietyonitstravels，wereashumorousonthesubjectasCircumlocutionandSocietymaybeonanysubjectwithoutlossofcaste。But，theEnglishmanpossessedandproveditwellinhislifeacourageveryuncommonamongus:hehadnottheleastfearofbeingconsideredabore，inagoodhumanecause。Sohewentonpersistentlytrying，andtrying，andtrying，togetGiovanniCarlaveroout。Thatprisonerhadbeenrigorouslyre-chained，afterthetumouroperation，anditwasnotlikelythathismiserablelifecouldlastverylong。
Oneday，whenallthetownknewabouttheEnglishmanandhispoliticalprisoner，therecametotheEnglishman，acertainsprightlyItalianAdvocateofwhomhehadsomeknowledge；andhemadethisstrangeproposal。’GivemeahundredpoundstoobtainCarlavero’srelease。IthinkIcangethimapardon，withthatmoney。ButIcannottellyouwhatIamgoingtodowiththemoney，normustyoueveraskmethequestionifIsucceed，normustyoueveraskmeforanaccountofthemoneyifIfail。’TheEnglishmandecidedtohazardthehundredpounds。Hedidso，andheardnotanotherwordofthematter。Forhalfayearandmore，theAdvocatemadenosign，andneveronce’tookon’inanyway，tohavethesubjectonhismind。TheEnglishmanwasthenobligedtochangehisresidencetoanotherandmorefamoustownintheNorthofItaly。
Hepartedfromthepoorprisonerwithasorrowfulheart，asfromadoomedmanforwhomtherewasnoreleasebutDeath。
TheEnglishmanlivedinhisnewplaceofabodeanotherhalf-yearandmore，andhadnotidingsofthewretchedprisoner。Atlength，oneday，hereceivedfromtheAdvocateacool，concise，mysteriousnote，tothiseffect。’Ifyoustillwishtobestowthatbenefituponthemaninwhomyouwereonceinterested，sendmefiftypoundsmore，andIthinkitcanbeensured。’Now，theEnglishmanhadlongsettledinhismindthattheAdvocatewasaheartlesssharper，whohadpreyeduponhiscredulityandhisinterestinanunfortunatesufferer。So，hesatdownandwroteadryanswer，givingtheAdvocatetounderstandthathewaswisernowthanhehadbeenformerly，andthatnomoremoneywasextractablefromhispocket。
Helivedoutsidethecitygates，somemileortwofromthepost-
office，andwasaccustomedtowalkintothecitywithhislettersandpostthemhimself。Onalovelyspringday，whentheskywasexquisitelyblue，andtheseaDivinelybeautiful，hetookhisusualwalk，carryingthislettertotheAdvocateinhispocket。Ashewentalong，hisgentleheartwasmuchmovedbythelovelinessoftheprospect，andbythethoughtoftheslowlydyingprisonerchainedtothebedstead，forwhomtheuniversehadnodelights。Ashedrewnearerandnearertothecitywherehewastoposttheletter，hebecameveryuneasyinhismind。Hedebatedwithhimself，wasitremotelypossible，afterall，thatthissumoffiftypoundscouldrestorethefellow-creaturewhomhepitiedsomuch，andforwhomhehadstrivensohard，toliberty？HewasnotaconventionallyrichEnglishman-veryfarfromthat-but，hehadasparefiftypoundsatthebanker’s。Heresolvedtoriskit。
Withoutdoubt，GODhasrecompensedhimfortheresolution。
Hewenttothebanker’s，andgotabillfortheamount，andencloseditinalettertotheAdvocatethatIwishIcouldhaveseen。HesimplytoldtheAdvocatethathewasquiteapoorman，andthathewassensibleitmightbeagreatweaknessinhimtopartwithsomuchmoneyonthefaithofsovagueacommunication；
but，thatthereitwas，andthatheprayedtheAdvocatetomakeagooduseofit。Ifhedidotherwisenogoodcouldevercomeofit，anditwouldlieheavyonhissouloneday。
Withinaweek，theEnglishmanwassittingathisbreakfast，whenheheardsomesuppressedsoundsofagitationonthestaircase，andGiovanniCarlaveroleapedintotheroomandfelluponhisbreast，afreeman！
ConsciousofhavingwrongedtheAdvocateinhisownthoughts，theEnglishmanwrotehimanearnestandgratefulletter，avowingthefact，andentreatinghimtoconfidebywhatmeansandthroughwhatagencyhehadsucceededsowell。TheAdvocatereturnedforanswerthroughthepost，’Therearemanythings，asyouknow，inthisItalyofours，thataresafestandbestnotevenspokenof-farlesswrittenof。Wemaymeetsomeday，andthenImaytellyouwhatyouwanttoknow；nothere，andnow。’But，thetwoneverdidmeetagain。TheAdvocatewasdeadwhentheEnglishmangavememytrust；andhowthemanhadbeensetfree，remainedasgreatamysterytotheEnglishman，andtothemanhimself，asitwastome。
But，Iknewthis:-herewastheman，thissultrynight，onhiskneesatmyfeet，becauseIwastheEnglishman’sfriend；herewerehistearsuponmydress；herewerehissobschokinghisutterance；
herewerehiskissesonmyhands，becausetheyhadtouchedthehandsthathadworkedouthisrelease。Hehadnoneedtotellmeitwouldbehappinesstohimtodieforhisbenefactor；IdoubtifIeversawreal，sterling，ferventgratitudeofsoul，beforeorsince。
Hewasmuchwatchedandsuspected，hesaid，andhadhadenoughtodotokeephimselfoutoftrouble。This，andhisnothavingprosperedinhisworldlyaffairs，hadledtohishavingfailedinhisusualcommunicationstotheEnglishmanfor-asInowremembertheperiod-sometwoorthreeyears。But，hisprospectswerebrighter，andhiswifewhohadbeenveryillhadrecovered，andhisfeverhadlefthim，andhehadboughtalittlevineyard，andwouldIcarrytohisbenefactorthefirstofitswine？Ay，thatIwouldItoldhimwithenthusiasm，andnotadropofitshouldbespilledorlost！
Hehadcautiouslyclosedthedoorbeforespeakingofhimself，andhadtalkedwithsuchexcessofemotion，andinaprovincialItaliansodifficulttounderstand，thatIhadmorethanoncebeenobligedtostophim，andbeghimtohavecompassiononmeandbeslowerandcalmer。Bydegreeshebecameso，andtranquillywalkedbackwithmetothehotel。There，IsatdownbeforeIwenttobedandwroteafaithfulaccountofhimtotheEnglishman:whichIconcludedbysayingthatIwouldbringthewinehome，againstanydifficulties，everydrop。
Earlynextmorning，whenIcameoutatthehoteldoortopursuemyjourney，IfoundmyfriendwaitingwithoneofthoseimmensebottlesinwhichtheItalianpeasantsstoretheirwine-abottleholdingsomehalf-dozengallons-boundroundwithbasket-workforgreatersafetyonthejourney。Iseehimnow，inthebrightsunshine，tearsofgratitudeinhiseyes，proudlyinvitingmyattentiontothiscorpulentbottle。Atthestreet-comerhardby，twohigh-flavoured，able-bodiedmonks-pretendingtotalktogether，butkeepingtheirfourevileyesuponus。
Howthebottlehadbeengotthere，didnotappear；butthedifficultyofgettingitintotheramshacklevetturinocarriageinwhichIwasdeparting，wassogreat，andittookupsomuchroomwhenitwasgotin，thatIelectedtositoutside。ThelastIsawofGiovanniCarlaverowashisrunningthroughthetownbythesideofthejinglingwheels，claspingmyhandasIstretcheditdownfromthebox，chargingmewithathousandlastlovinganddutifulmessagestohisdearpatron，andfinallylookinginatthebottleasitreposedinside，withanadmirationofitshonourablewayoftravellingthatwasbeyondmeasuredelightful。
Andnow，whatdisquietofmindthisdearly-belovedandhighly-