Chapter 5

           Itwasverylonely,atfirst,insolitary,andthehourswerelong.Timewasmarkedbytheregularchangingoftheguards,andbythealternationofdayandnight.Daywasonlyalittlelight,butitwasbetterthantheall-darkofthenight.Insolitarythedaywasanooze,aslimyseepageoflightfromthebrightouterworld.

           Neverwasthelightstrongenoughtoreadby.Besides,therewasnothingtoread.Onecouldonlylieandthinkandthink.AndIwasalifer,anditseemedcertain,ifIdidnotdoamiracle,makethirty-fivepoundsofdynamiteoutofnothing,thatalltheyearsofmylifewouldbespentinthesilentdark.

           Mybedwasathinandrottentickofstrawspreadonthecellfloor.Onethinandfilthyblanketconstitutedthecovering.Therewasnochair,notable—nothingbutthetickofstrawandthethin,agedblanket.Iwaseverashortsleeperandeverabusy-brainedman.Insolitaryonegrowssickofoneselfinhisthoughts,andtheonlywaytoescapeoneselfistosleep.ForyearsIhadaveragedfivehours’sleepanight.Inowcultivatedsleep.Imadeascienceofit.Ibecameabletosleeptenhours,thentwelvehours,and,atlast,ashighasfourteenandfifteenhoursoutofthetwenty-four.ButbeyondthatIcouldnotgo,and,perforce,wascompelledtolieawakeandthinkandthink.Andthatway,foranactive-brainedman,laymadness.

           Isoughtdevicestoenablememechanicallytoabidemywakinghours.