But my fears awakening my resolution, and knowing that my attempt
would be as terrible for me as any other danger I could then encounter, I
clambered up upon the ledges of the door, and upon the lock, which was a
great wooden one; and reached the top of the door with my hands; then,
little thinking I could climb so well, I made shift to lay hold on the
top of the wall with my hands; but, alas for me! nothing but ill luck!--
no escape for poor Pamela! The wall being old, the bricks I held by gave
way, just as I was taking a spring to get up; and down came I, and
received such a blow upon my head, with one of the bricks, that it quite
stunned me; and I broke my shins and my ancle besides, and beat off the
heel of one of my shoes.
In this dreadful way, flat upon the ground, lay poor I, for I believe
five or six minutes; and then trying to get up, I sunk down again two or
three times; and my left hip and shoulder were very stiff, and full of
pain, with bruises; and, besides, my head bled, and ached grievously with
the blow I had with the brick. Yet these hurts I valued not; but crept a
good way upon my feet and hands, in search of a ladder, I just
recollected to have seen against the wall two days before, on which the
gardener was nailing a nectarine branch that was loosened from the wall:
but no ladder could I find, and the wall was very high.
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