a book of scoundrels-第26章
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In the grey morning thirty soldiers crept forth guided by the traitor； ‘en habits de bourgeois et de chasseur；' for the house where Cartouche had lain。 It was an inn； kept by one Savard； near la Haulte Borne de la Courtille； and the soldiers； though they lacked not numbers； approached the chieftain's lair shaking with terror。 In front marched Du Chtelet； the rest followed in Indian file； ten paces apart。 When the traitor reached the house； Savard recognised him for a friend； and entertained him with familiar speech。 ‘Is there anybody upstairs？' demanded Du Chtelet。 ‘No；' replied Savard。 ‘Are the four women upstairs？' asked Du Chtelet again。 ‘Yes； they are；' came the answer： for Savard knew the password of the day。 Instantly the soldiers filled the tavern； and； mounting the staircase； discovered Cartouche with his three lieutenants； Balagny； Limousin； and Blanchard。 One of the four still lay abed； but Cartouche； with all the dandy's respect for his clothes； was mending his breeches。 The others hugged a flagon of wine over the fire。
So fell the scourge of Paris into the grip of justice。 But once under lock and key； he displayed all the qualities which made him supreme。 His gaiety broke forth into a light…hearted contempt of his gaolers； and the Lieutenant Criminel； who would interrogate him； was covered with ridicule。 Not for an instant did he bow to fate： all shackled as he was； his legs engarlanded in heavy chainswhich he called his gartershe tempered his merriment with the meditation of escape。 From the first he denied all knowledge of Cartouche； insisting that his name was Charles Bourguignon； and demanding burgundy； that he might drink to his country and thus prove him a true son of the soil。 Not even the presence of his mother and brother abashed him。 He laughed them away as impostors； hired by a false justice to accuse and to betray the innocent。 No word of confession crossed his lips； and he would still entertain the officers of the law with joke and epigram。
Thus he won over a handful of the Guard； and； begging for solitude； he straightway set about escape with a courage and an address which Jack Sheppard might have envied。 His delicate ear discovered that a cellar lay beneath his cell； and with the old nail which lies on the floor of every prison he made his way downwards into a boxmaker's shop。 But a barking dog spoiled the enterprise： the boxmaker and his daughter were immediately abroad； and once more Cartouche was lodged in prison； weighted with still heavier garters。
Then came a period of splendid notoriety： he held his court； he gave an easy rein to his wit； he received duchesses and princes with an air of amiable patronage。 Few there were of his visitants who left him without a present of gold； and thus the universal robber was further rewarded by his victims。 His portrait hung in every house； and his thin； hard face； his dry； small features were at last familiar to the whole of France。 M。 Grandval made him the hero of an epic‘Le Vice Puni。' Even the theatre was dominated by his presence； and while Arlequin… Cartouche was greeted with thunders of applause at the Italiens； the more serious Franais set Cartouche upon the stage in three acts； and lavished upon its theme the resources of a then intelligent art。 M。 Le Grand； author of the piece； deigned to call upon the king of thieves； spoke some words of argot with him； and by way of conscience money gave him a hundred crowns。
Cartouche set little store by such patronage。 He pocketed the crowns； and then put an end to the comedy by threatening that if it were played again the companions of Cartouche would punish all such miscreants as dared to make him a laughing stock。 For Cartouche would endure ridicule at no man's hand。 At the very instant of his arrest； all bare…footed as he was； he kicked a constable who presumed to smile at his discomfiture。 His last days were spent in resolute abandonment。 True； he once attempted to beat out his brains with the fetters that bound him； true； also； he took a poison that had been secretly conveyed within the prison。 But both attempts failed； and； more scrupulously watched； he had no other course than jollity。 Lawyers and priests he visited with a like and bitter scorn； and when； on November 27； 1721； he was led to the scaffold； not a word of confession or contrition had been dragged from him。
To the last moment he cherished the hope of rescue； and eagerly he scanned the crowd for the faces of his comrades。 But the gang； trusting to its leader's nobility； had broken its oath。 With contemptuous dignity Cartouche determined upon revenge： proudly he turned to the priest； begging a respite and the opportunity of speech。 Forgotten by his friends； he resolved to spare no single soul： he betrayed even his mistresses to justice。
Of his gang； forty were in the service of Mlle。 de Montpensier； who was already in Spain； while two obeyed the Duchesse de Ventadour as valets…de…pied。 His confession； in brief； was so dangerous a document； it betrayed the friends and servants of so many great houses； that the officers of the Law found safety for their patrons in its destruction； and not a line of the hero's testimony remains。 The trial of his comrades dragged on for many a year； and after Cartouche had been cruelly broken on the wheel； not a few of the gang； of which he had been at once the terror and inspiration； suffered a like fate。 Such the career and such the fitting end of the most distinguished marauder the world has known。 Thackeray； with no better guide than a chap…book； was minded to belittle him； now habiting him like a scullion； now sending him forth on some petty errand of cly…faking。 But for all Thackeray's contempt his fame is still undimmed； and he has left the reputation of one who； as thief unrivalled； had scarce his equal as wit and dandy even in the days when Louis the Magnificent was still a memory and an example。
III A PARALLEL （SHEPPARD AND CARTOUCHE）
A PARALLEL （SHEPPARD AND CARTOUCHE）
IF the seventeenth century was the golden age of the hightobyman； it was at the advent of the eighteenth that the burglar and street…robber plied their trade with the most distinguished success； and it was the good fortune of both Cartouche and Sheppard to be born in the nick of time。 Rivals in talent； they were also near contemporaries； and the Scourge of Paris may well have been famous in the purlieus of Clare Market before Jack the Slip…String paid the last penalty of his crimes。 As each of these great men harboured a similar ambition； so their careers are closely parallel。 Born in a humble rank of life； Jack； like Cartouche； was the architect of his own fortune； Jack； like Cartouche； lived to be flattered by noble dames and to claim the solicitude of his Sovereign； and each owed his pre…eminence rather to natural genius than to a sympathetic training。
But； for all the Briton's artistry； the Frenchman was in all points save one the superior。 Sheppard's brain carried him not beyond the wants of to…day and the extortions of Poll Maggot。
Who knows but he might have been a respectable citizen； with never a chance for the display of his peculiar talent； had not hunger and his mistress's greed driven him upon the pad？ History records no brilliant robbery of his own planning； and so circumscribed was his imagination that he must needs pick out his own friends and benefactors for depredation。 His paltry sense of discipline permitted him to be betrayed even by his brother and pupil； and there was no cracksman of his time over whose head he held the rod of terror。 Even his hatred of Jonathan Wild was the result not of policy but of prejudice。 Cartouche； on the other hand； was always perfect when at work。 The master of himself； he was also the master of his fellows。 There was no detail of civil war that he had not made his own； and he still remains； after nearly two centuries； the greatest captain the world has seen。 Never did he permit an enterprise to fail by accident； never was he impelled by hunger or improvidence to fight a battle unprepared。 His means were always neatly fitted to their end； as is proved by the truth that； throughout his car
