"First, then, perhaps I said: 'This is dull work'-- And no offense to thee, sir, that I said it-- 'Dull work,' said I, 'to stand, or pace, and watch, Long hours alone, and nothing like to happen That makes it needful thou shouldst thus keep watch!' 'Aye,' grunted he; I thought him stupid like, But I had something I could tell him then That might rub up his wits and brighten them. 'There is a plot,' said I. 'Aye, plots enough,' Said he. 'And something thou shouldst know,' I said. 'I doubt,' said he; and added: 'Soldiers should Know nothing but their duty, how to watch, March, dig, fight, slay, be slain, and no word speak. Thou hadst better go,' said he, like that, more frank Than courteous, thou mightst think--he meant no harm, But only like a loyal soldier spoke. I did not go, but said: 'The plot I mean Is of escape from prison.' But he replied: 'Nobody can escape these times from prison; The emperor has a hundred million eyes, That never wink, because they have no lids, And never sleep, because they never tire, And these run everywhere and all things see; The emperor's arms are many, long and strong, East, west, north, south, they range throughout the world. Oh, he can reach thee wheresoever hiding, And pluck thee thence and fetch thee safely home; The world is all his prison, the emperor's.' 'Thou thinkest that?' said I. 'No doubt,' said he. 'But captives still,' said I, 'might try to escape?' 'Oh, aye,' said he, 'that is quite natural.' 'And should they try,' I said, 'with thee on watch, And should they somehow skill to get by thee, Then--and although they be thereafter caught-- How fares it then with thee?' said I to him-- 'Yea, how with thee that lettest them go by?' 'Then there would be,' he said, 'account to give, And I should wish I had not been on watch.' 'Nay, better wish, man, thou hadst better watched,' Said I, 'and thyself caught the fugitive.' 'Aye, that were something better yet,' said he. 'Why, yea,' said I, 'that, laid to thy account, Might win thee prompt promotion out of this.' 'I never dream,' said he, 'of anything To lift me from the common soldier's lot.' 'Dreaming is idle, yea,' said I to him, 'But waking thought and action need not be. For instance, now,' I then went on and said"--