noon
Neither made a sign , but with a bitter sigh Gering entered . It was curious how their fortunes had see-sawed , the one against the other , for twelve years . Left alone in his cell with his straw and bread and water , he looked round mechanically . It was yet after noon . All at once it came to him that this was not the cell which he had left that day . He got up and began to examine it . Like every healthy prisoner , he thought upon means and chances of escape .