The Count of Monte Cristo

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person, with almost incredible patience and perseverance, had contrived
to provide himself with tools requisite for so unparalleled an attempt.
Another had done all this; why, then, was it impossible to Dantes? Faria
had dug his way through fifty feet, Dantes would dig a hundred; Faria,
at the age of fifty, had devoted three years to the task; he, who was
but half as old, would sacrifice six; Faria, a priest and savant,
had not shrunk from the idea of risking his life by trying to swim a
distance of three miles to one of the islands--Daume, Rattonneau, or
Lemaire; should a hardy sailer, an experienced diver, like himself,
shrink from a similar task; should he, who had so often for mere
amusement's sake plunged to the bottom of the sea to fetch up the bright
coral branch, hesitate to entertain the same project? He could do it in
an hour, and how many times had he, for pure pastime, continued in the
water for more than twice as long! At once Dantes resolved to follow the
brave example of his energetic companion, and to remember that what has
once been done may be done again.