the muse of the department-第16章

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arbitrary　act　than　to　let　a　man　escape　to　whose　capture　the　Minister
attached　great　importance。　In　those　days　of　liberty　the　agents　of　the
powers　in　authority　cared　little　enough　for　what　we　now　regard　as
/legal/。　The　Chevalier　was　therefore　imprisoned　provisionally；　until
the　superior　officials　should　come　to　some　decision　as　to　his
identity。　He　had　not　long　to　wait　for　it；　orders　were　given　to　guard
the　prisoner　closely　in　spite　of　his　denials。

〃The　Chevalier　de　Beauvoir　was　next　transferred；　in　obedience　to
further　orders；　to　the　Castle　of　l'Escarpe；　a　name　which　sufficiently
indicates　its　situation。　This　fortress；　perched　on　very　high　rocks；
has　precipices　for　its　trenches；　it　is　reached　on　all　sides　by　steep
and　dangerous　paths；　and；　like　every　ancient　castle；　its　principal
gate　has　a　drawbridge　over　a　wide　moat。　The　commandant　of　this　prison；
delighted　to　have　charge　of　a　man　of　family　whose　manners　were　most
agreeable；　who　expressed　himself　well；　and　seemed　highly　educated；
received　the　Chevalier　as　a　godsend；　he　offered　him　the　freedom　of　the
place　on　parole；　that　they　might　together　the　better　defy　its　dulness。
The　prisoner　was　more　than　content。

〃Beauvoir　was　a　loyal　gentleman；　but；　unfortunately；　he　was　also　a
very　handsome　youth。　He　had　attractive　features；　a　dashing　air；　a
pleasing　address；　and　extraordinary　strength。　Well　made；　active；　full
of　enterprise；　and　loving　danger；　he　would　have　made　an　admirable
leader　of　guerillas；　and　was　the　very　man　for　the　part。　The　commandant
gave　his　prisoner　the　most　comfortable　room；　entertained　him　at　his
table；　and　at　first　had　nothing　but　praise　for　the　Vendean。　This
officer　was　a　Corsican　and　married；　his　wife　was　pretty　and　charming；
and　he　thought　her；　perhaps；　not　to　be　trustedat　any　rate；　he　was　as
jealous　as　a　Corsican　and　a　rather　ill…looking　soldier　may　be。　The
lady　took　a　fancy　to　Beauvoir；　and　he　found　her　very　much　to　his
taste；　perhaps　they　loved！　Love　in　a　prison　is　quick　work。　Did　they
commit　some　imprudence？　Was　the　sentiment　they　entertained　something
warmer　than　the　superficial　gallantry　which　is　almost　a　duty　of　men
towards　women？

〃Beauvoir　never　fully　explained　this　rather　obscure　episode　of　the
story；　it　is　at　least　certain　that　the　commandant　thought　himself
justified　in　treating　his　prisoner　with　excessive　severity。　Beauvoir
was　placed　in　the　dungeon；　fed　on　black　bread　and　cold　water；　and
fettered　in　accordance　with　the　time…honored　traditions　of　the
treatment　lavished　on　captives。　His　cell；　under　the　fortress…yard；　was
vaulted　with　hard　stone；　the　walls　were　of　desperate　thickness；　the
tower　overlooked　the　precipice。

〃When　the　luckless　man　had　convinced　himself　of　the　impossibility　of
escape；　he　fell　into　those　day…dreams　which　are　at　once　the　comfort
and　the　crowning　despair　of　prisoners。　He　gave　himself　up　to　the
trifles　which　in　such　cases　seem　so　important；　he　counted　the　hours
and　the　days；　he　studied　the　melancholy　trade　of　being　prisoner；　he
became　absorbed　in　himself；　and　learned　the　value　of　air　and　sunshine；
then；　at　the　end　of　a　fortnight；　he　was　attacked　by　that　terrible
malady；　that　fever　for　liberty；　which　drives　prisoners　to　those　heroic
efforts　of　which　the　prodigious　achievements　seem　to　us　impossible；
though　true；　and　which　my　friend　the　doctor〃　（and　he　turned　to
Bianchon）　〃would　perhaps　ascribe　to　some　unknown　forces　too　recondite
for　his　physiological　analysis　to　detect；　some　mysteries　of　the　human
will　of　which　the　obscurity　baffles　science。〃

Bianchon　shook　his　head　in　negation。

〃Beauvoir　was　eating　his　heart　out；　for　death　alone　could　set　him
free。　One　morning　the　turnkey；　whose　duty　it　was　to　bring　him　his
food；　instead　of　leaving　him　when　he　had　given　him　his　meagre
pittance；　stood　with　his　arms　folded；　looking　at　him　with　strange
meaning。　Conversation　between　them　was　brief；　and　the　warder　never
began　it。　The　Chevalier　was　therefore　greatly　surprised　when　the　man
said　to　him：　'Of　course；　monsieur；　you　know　your　own　business　when　you
insist　on　being　always　called　Monsieur　Lebrun；　or　citizen　Lebrun。　It
is　no　concern　of　mine；　ascertaining　your　name　is　no　part　of　my　duty。
It　is　all　the　same　to　me　whether　you　call　yourself　Peter　or　Paul。　If
every　man　minds　his　own　business；　the　cows　will　not　stray。　At　the　same
time；　/I/　know；'　said　he；　with　a　wink；　'that　you　are　Monsieur　Charles…
Felix…Theodore；　Chevalier　de　Beauvoir；　and　cousin　to　Madame　la
Duchesse　de　Maille。Heh？'　he　added　after　a　short　silence；　during
which　he　looked　at　his　prisoner。

〃Beauvoir；　seeing　that　he　was　safe　under　lock　and　key；　did　not　imagine
that　his　position　could　be　any　the　worse　if　his　real　name　were　known。

〃　'Well；　and　supposing　I　were　the　Chevalier　de　Beauvoir；　what　should　I
gain　by　that？'　said　he。

〃　'Oh；　there　is　everything　to　be　gained　by　it；'　replied　the　jailer　in
an　undertone。　'I　have　been　paid　to　help　you　to　get　away；　but　wait　a
minute！　If　I　were　suspected　in　the　smallest　degree；　I　should　be　shot
out　of　hand。　So　I　have　said　that　I　will　do　no　more　in　the　matter　than
will　just　earn　the　money。Look　here；'　said　he；　taking　a　small　file
out　of　his　pocket；　'this　is　your　key；　with　this　you　can　cut　through
one　of　your　bars。　By　the　Mass；　but　it　will　not　be　any　easy　job；'　he
went　on；　glancing　at　the　narrow　loophole　that　let　daylight　into　the
dungeon。

〃It　was　in　a　splayed　recess　under　the　deep　cornice　that　ran　round　the
top　of　the　tower；　between　the　brackets　that　supported　the　embrasures。

〃　'Monsieur；'　said　the　man；　'you　must　take　care　to　saw　through　the
iron　low　enough　to　get　your　body　through。'

〃　'I　will　get　through；　never　fear；'　said　the　prisoner。

〃　'But　high　enough　to　leave　a　stanchion　to　fasten　a　cord　to；'　the
warder　went　on。

〃　'And　where　is　the　cord？'　asked　Beauvoir。

〃　'Here；'　said　the　man；　throwing　down　a　knotted　rope。　'It　is　made　of
raveled　linen；　that　you　may　be　supposed　to　have　contrived　it　yourself；
and　it　is　long　enough。　When　you　have　got　to　the　bottom　knot；　let
yourself　drop　gently；　and　the　rest　you　must　manage　for　yourself。　You
will　probably　find　a　carriage　somewhere　in　the　neighborhood；　and
friends　looking　out　for　you。　But　I　know　nothing　about　that。I　need
not　remind　you　that　there　is　a　man…at…arms　to　the　right　of　the　tower。
You　will　take　care；　of　course；　to　choose　a　dark　night；　and　wait　till
the　sentinel　is　asleep。　You　must　take　your　chance　of　being　shot；
but'

〃　'All　right！　All　right！　At　least　I　shall　not　rot　here；'　cried　the
young　man。

〃　'Well；　that　may　happen　nevertheless；'　replied　the　jailer；　with　a
stupid　expression。

〃Beauvoir　thought　this　was　merely　one　of　the　aimless　remarks　that　such
folks　indulge　in。　The　hope　of　freedom　filled　him　with　such　joy　that　he
could　not　be　troubled　to　consider　the　words　of　a　man　who　was　no　more
than　a　better　sort　of　peasant。　He　set　to　work　at　once；　and　had　filed
the　bars　through　in　the　course　of　the　day。　Fearing　a　visit　from　the
Governor；　he　stopped　up　the　breaches　with　bread　crumb　rubbed　in　rust
to　make　it　look　like　iron；　he　hid　his　rope；　and　waited　for　a　favorable
night　with　the　intensity　of　anticipation；　the　deep　anguish　of　soul
that　makes　a　prisoner's　life　dramatic。

〃At　last；　one　murky　night；　an　autumn　night；　he　finished　cutting
through　the　bars；　tied　the　cord　firmly　to　the　stump；　and　perched
himself　on　the　sill　outside；　holding　on　by　one　hand　to　the　piece　of
iron　remaining。　Then　he　waited　for　the　darkest　hour　of　the　night；　when
the　sentinels　would　probably　be　asleep；　this　would　be　not　long　before
dawn。　He　knew　the　hours　of　their　rounds；　the　length　of　each　watch；
every　detail　with　which　prisoners；　almost　involuntarily；　become
familiar。　He　waited　till　the　moment　when　one　of　the　men…at…arms　had
spent　two…thirds　of　his　watch　and　gone　into　his　box　for　shelter　from
the　fog。　Then；　feeling　sure　that　the　chances　were　at　the　best　for　his
escape；　he　let　himself　down　knot　by　knot；　hanging　between　earth　and
sky；　and　clinging　to　his　rope　with　the　strength　of　a　giant。　All　was
well。　At　the　last　knot　but　one；　just　as　he　was　about　to　let　himself
drop；　a　prudent　impulse　led　him　to　feel　for　the　ground　with　his　feet；
and　he　found　no　footing。　The　predicament　was　awkward　for　a　man　bat