Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 10 — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Wie Mi 20 — — —_—— —— —— ———— band had at first much reluctance in committing these robberies; but habits of an unsettled life, idleness, and especially the difficulty of returning to their homes, soon removed all scruples, The day after my arrival, Roman appointed me to con- duct -ix mento the environs of Saint Maximin. I did not know the purport of the mission. About midnight on reaching the borders of a small thicket that skirted the road, we ensconced ourselves in a ravine. Roman's lieutenant, Bisson de Tretz, recommended absolute silence. The wheels of acarriuge were soon heard, and it passed us. Bisson looked out cautiously, and said, ‘‘ It is the Nice diligence: that will not do for us: it has more soldiers than ducats."’ He then ordered us toretreat, and we regained the hut: when Roman, enraged at seeing us return empty-handed, swore loudly, exclaiming, “ Well, well! they shall pay for this to-morrow.”’ It was no longer possible for me to deceive myself as to the association to which I belonged: I had decidedly fallen in wich that famous band of highwaymen who were spreading terror throughout Provence. If I fell into the hands of justice—a fugitive galley-slave—I could hardly hope for that pardon which muight be granted even to the troop with which I was mingled, Reflecting on all the difficulties of my situation, I was tempted to escape them by flight; but so recently enrolled, how was it possi- ble to evade the strict scrutiny with which they regarded me? On the other hand, to express any desire of with- drawing myself from the confederacy would only have revoked a suspicion fatal to my gi ge, or safety. Might I not be considered as a spy,and be shot as such? Death and infamy threatened me whichever way I turned. In the midst of these perplexities to which I was a prey my only idea was to sound the man who had first effected my introduction amongst my comrades; and, with as much apparent indifference as I could assume, I in- quired iP it would not be possible to obtain from our captain leave of absence for a few days? The man looked at me with an air of cunning and suspicion: “ Yes, friend,” said he, ‘‘such favors are sometimes obtained, when our chief knows well the person to whom he ts them.”’ This said, he turned upon his heel, and left me to rack my brain anew for some happier device to effect my liberty than this had proved. had now been upwards of eleven days with these bandits, each day more fully resolved to withdraw my- self from the honor of their exploits, when, one night that I had fallen asleep through excessive fatigue, I was sud- denly aroused by an extraordinary noise; I listened and discovered that the confusion which had broken my rest was occasioned by one of the troop having been robbed ofa purse heavy with many years’ booty; to my con- sternation I found that, as peng the last comer amongst them, their suspicious were directed to me. They sur- accused me of having stolen the —_ —— rounded me and formall purse; the cry was unanimously against me, and drowned my protestations of innocence; they insisted upon search- ing my person. I had lain down in my clothes, which a hundred hands were ready to strip off me, What were their surprise, anger, and astonishment, at perceiving on my shoulder the brandof a galley-slave! “A galley-slave?”’ exclaimed the captain. “A galley-slave amongst us! He can only be here as a spy; knock him on the head, or shoot him, that will be soonest done.” I heard the clisk of the muskets preparing to obey this last order.”’ ‘*One moment,” exclaimed the chief; “‘ let him, before he es, make restitution of the lost money.” “ Yes,” said I to him, “ the money shall be restored, but on condition that you t me a few minutes’ private conversation.*’ He consented to listen to what I had to say, under the ' idea that now I should make a full confession; but the moment I found myself alone with him, I protested anew that I was entirely innocent of the affair, and suggested an expedient for re the culprit, the idea of which was drawn from a work I had read of uin’s. My lan was acceded to, and the captain retarned to his men, olding as many straws in his hand as there were indivi- duals present. *“‘ Observe me well,’”’ said he to them; “the longest of these straws will fall into the hands of him who is guilty.” The jg began, each man in silence plucked out a straw ; but when it had concluded, the straws were re- turned to the captain, and his troop looked with curious erness for the result. alone was found shorter than the others. A man named Joseph d'Osiolles presented it, “You are then the thief?’ exclaimed the captain. ‘‘ Every straw was of the same length; you have shortened yours, and thus criminated yourself.”’ Joseph was searched, and the stolen purse found hid in his belt. My justification was complete; the whole troop ac- «nowledged my innocence; and the captain, whilst he sought to excuse the violence to which I had been sub- footed, added, that I must no longer form part of his d. ‘It is a sad piece of ill Inck for you,” said he “ but you must feel that, having been at the galleys—." He did not complete the sentence, but, putting fifteen louis in my hands, he compelled me to promise silence as all I had seen or heard for the next twenty-five days. I was prudent, and faithful to my engagement. CHAPTER XIV. Arter the dangers I had undergone whilst remaining with Roman and his band, some idea may be formed of the joy which I experienced on quitting them. It was evident hat the government, once determinately settled, would adopt the most efticaclous measures for ins the safety of the interior. The remains of the bands, which, under the name of ‘‘ Chevaliers du Soleil, or the Compagnie de Jésus,’’ owed their formation toa political reaction, defer- red indefinitely, could not fail to be destroyed 4s soon as was desired, e only honest excuse for their brigand- age—royalism—no longer existed; and although Hiver Leprétre, Boulanger, Bastide, Jansein, and other *‘ sons of the family,”’ mage a boast of attacking the couriers, because they found their prods in it, it began to be no longer in taste to think that it was quite correct to appropriate oneself the money of the state. All the incroyable who had thought it a service to check, pistol in hand, the circulation of despatches and the collection of the imposts, withdrew now to their firesides; and those who, pro- fited by their exertions, or wished for other reasons to be forgotten, betook themselves to a distance from the scene of their exploits, In fact, order was re-established, and the time was at hand when robbers, whatever might be their pretext or motive, were no longer to be tolerated, I shonld have been very desirous, under such circumstances, to have enrolled myself in a band of robbers, only, the Pay a such a procedure apart,I should have kept m the certainty of be speedily brought the scaffold. But another thought Sarboted si I wished to avoid, at any cost, the SPR OciEnIiaG eommitting be free. I and means of crimes: I wished knew not bow The New York —- Library. this wish was to be realized, nor did it matter; my deter- mination was made, and I had, as they say, marked a cross on the prison. In haste to get at a considerable distance, I took the road to Lyons, avoiding the high road, until I reached the environs of Orange; there I fell in with some Provencal wagoners, whose packages soon re- vealed to me that they were about to take the same road as myvelf. I entered into conversation with them; and as they appeared to me to be hearty, jovial fellows, I did not hesitate to tell them that I was a deserter, and that they would serve me materially if, to aid me in avoiding the ante of the gendarmes, they would ee to be- stow their patronage on me. This proposal did not sur- prise them, and iteven seemed asif they had suspected that I should claim their protection and secrecy. At this period, and particularly in the south, it was not rare to meet with fine fellows, who had left their colors and com- mitted themselves to the care of Heaven. It was then very natural to take my word, and the wagoners received me kindly; and some money which I displayed, as if by chance, completed the interest which I had already ex- cited. It was aarees that I should pass for the son of the person who had these conveyances in charge. I was veep eA clothed with a smock-frock, and was sup- posed to be making my first journey. I was decorated with ribands and nosegays, emblems which at each ple lic-house procured for me the congratulation of all the inmates, A new ‘John of Paris," I filled my very well; but the donations necessary to support it adequately made such inroads on my pares, that, on reaching the guillo- tiere, where I was to leave my party, I only had twenty- eight sous left. Having wandered about for some time the dirty and dark streets of the second city in France, I remarked, in the Rue des ae A page a sort of tav- ern where I thought that 1 might procure a supper com- mensurate with my finances, I was not mistaken; the supper was light enough, and soon dispatched. Toremain hungry is indeed a disagreeable thing; and not to know where to find shelter for one’s head fs equally annoying. When I had wiped my knife, which, however, had not been much engaged, I was reflecting that I must pass the mpet under the canopy of heaven, when at a table near to mine I heard a conversation in that bastard German so much spoken in some districts of the Netherlands, and with which I was well acquainted. The speakers were a man and woman about to retire, and whom I found to be Jews. Informed that at Lyons, asin many other towns, these people kept furnished houses, in which they re- ceived smugglers, I asked if they could direct metoa public-house. I could not have addressed myself to bet- ter persons, for they were lodging-keepers, and offered to become my hosts, which, on agreeing to, I accompanied them. Six beds were in the room in which I was placed, none of which were occupied, although it was ten o'clock, and I fell asleep under the idea that I should have no companions in my room, On awaking, I heard the following conversation in a “ language, which was familiar to me: “Tt is half-past six,” said a voice, which was not un- known to me, ‘‘and you lie snoring still."’ “Well, and what then? We wanted to break open the old goldsmith’s shop to-night, but he was on his peotr and we ya to have given him afew inches o cold steel, and then the blood would have flowed.” “Ah, ha! but you fear the guillotine too much, that is not the way to go to work to get the money.” “T would rather murder on the highway than break open shops; the gendarmes are always at your heels.” “Well, then, you have got no pu and yet there were snuff-boxes, watches and gold chains enough. The Jew will have no business pat OM “No; the false key broke in the lock, the citizen cried for help, and we had to run for it..... « ‘Holla!’ said a third person; “do not wag your tongues so fast; there is a man in bed, who may be listen- ing.’ Fine advice was too late, but it silenced them, and I half opened my eyes to see the faces of my com ons; but my bed being very low, I could not perceive them. 1 But remained quie ey pte % me asleep, when one of the ers having a , 1 Teco u64 bi os an escaped prisoner from Toulon, named Neveu, who had left some days before me. His comrade jumped out of bed, and him I knew to be Cadet-Paul, another fugitive; a third, and then a fourth arose, and I knew them al] then to be galley-slaves: I almost fancied Sear gpm in my room, No. 8. At length I got up from my bed, and scarcely had I put foot on the floor when they all exclaimed, “’Tis Vidocq!” They surrounded and congratulated me. One of the robbers, Charles Deschamps, who had escaped a few days after me, told me that the whole Bagne were full of admiration at my boldness and success, Nine o'clock having struck, they conducted me to breakfast, where we joined the brothers Quinét, ete. They overwhelmed me with kind. nesses, procured me money, clothes, and even a mistress, I was here situated precisely as I had been at Nan- tes, but I was not more desirous of following the profession of my friends than I had been in Bretagne; but until I had a remittance from my mother 1 must live somehow. I thought I might manage to rm myself for a time without labor. I roposed most determinately only to receive subsistence rom the robbers; but man be ame and God disposes, The fugitives, discontented that I, under various pretexts, always avoided joining their dally plundering parties, at once denounced me, to get rid of a troublesome witness who might become dangerous. They imagined that i should escape, as a matter of course, and relied, that once known tees lice, and having no refuge but with their band, I should then unite myself to their party. In this circumstance, as in all others of a similar kind, in which I have been found, if they were so desirous of my companionship, it was because they had a high opinion of my penetration, my adroitness, and particularly of m stre —a valuable quality in a profession in which profit is too often attained by peril. Arrested at Adele Buffin’s, in the passage Saint Come, I was taken to the a tewe of Roanne, where I learnt from coy Sette that I had been sold, In the rage which this discovery threw me into, I took a sudden step, which was in a measure my introduction to acareer entirely new tome. I wrote to M. Dubois, am pomegees . egrin of the lice, requesting a private interview, and the same even- ng I was conducted to his private closet. Having ex- plained my situation to him, I offered to put him in the way of seizing the brothers Quinét, then pursued for ha assassinated the wife of a mason. I p sed be- sides int out the means of apprehen the per- sons, | as well at the Jew’s as at Caffin’s, the join- er’s. In return, I only asked for lib to quit Lyons. M. Dubole had doubtless been before the dupe of such proposals, and I saw that he hesitated totrustme. “ You P. a a Pr ar —— So ne ee | + “ee ‘ — ee = ole owe a -_— ee doubt my word,"’ said I to him: “ should you still —— me if [should escape on my way back to prison, and return and surrender myself as er prisoner.’’—* No,”’ he re- plied. ‘* Well, then, you shall soon see me again, pro vided that you consent not.to give my gnards any addi- tional orders for my security.’’ He agreed, and I went away; but on arriving at the corner of the atreet, | knocked down the two oe who had each an arm of mine, and regained the Hotel de Ville with all possible speed, where I found M. Dubois, who was greatly svir- prised at rf prompt re-appearance: but certain from t)iat that he might rely on me, I was allowed to go at liberty. The next day I saw the Jew, whose name was Vida. who directed me to a house, where, he said, my friends had gone to live, and thither I went. They knew of my escape; but as they had no idea of my understanding with the an ane of police, and did not think that I knew who had directed the blow which struck me. they gave me a very cordial reception. During the con- versation, I gathered details from the brothers Quinét, which | transmitted to M. Dubois the same evening and who, convinced of my sincerity, reported my conduct to M. Ganier, secretary-general of the police. I gave thia ppb pe all necessary information, and must say that 1e acted on his part with much tact and activity. Two days before they commenced operations, as I had advised, on Vidal's house, I thought it expedient that I should be again arrested. I was again conducted to the prison of Roanne, where the next day Vidal, Coffin, and many others, whom they had caught in the same snare, were broughtin, I was at first kept from communicating with them, because I had thought it best that I should be put “‘au secret.’"” When I was released from it at the end of several days to join the other prisoners, I pretend. ed much surpise at finding all the party there; none ap- peared to have the least idea of the part which I had played. Neveu alone regarded me with distrust; and on a4 demanding the cause, he said, that by the way in which they had been pursued and interrogated, he could not help suspecting that I was the denouncer. I feigned much indignation, and fearing that this opinion might be disseminated, I assembled the prisoners, and informin them of Neven's suspicions, I demanded if they though me capable of selling my comrades? and on their answer ing in the negative, Neveu was compelled to apologise te me. It was important to me that these suspic ions ehould be thus destroyed; for I knew cer- tain death would be my doom if they had been confirmed. There been many instances at Roanne of this distributive justice, which the prisonere exercised towards one another. One named Moissel, suspected of having given information relative to a rob- bery of church plate, had been knocked on the head in the court, without the assassin being detected. More re- recently, another individual, accused of a similar indiscre- tion, had been found one mornin hung with a straw band at the bars of his window, and the perpetrator was never discovered. In the meantime M. Dubois sent for me to his closet, where, to avoid suspicion, the other prisoners were conducted with me, as if about to undergo an examination. I entered first, and the commissary. oo paar told me that many ve a. robbers ad arrived at Lyons from Paris, and the more dangerous, as, being supplied with regular credentig}x, they might wait in safety for the ye Seog of making some decided stroke, and then immediately go away, The names by which they were mentioned, were then en- mph new to me; and I told M. Dubois 80, adding that pore bly they might be false. He wished to release me mmediately, that by seeing these individuals in some public place, I might assure myself whether I had ever seen them before: but I observed to him, that so abrupt a liberation would certainly compromise me with the pris- oners, in case that the of the service should require me again to be entered as prisoner on the jailor’s books, The reflection appeared just; and it was agreed that they should devise a means of sending me away the next day without incurring suspicion. Neveu, who was amonget the prisoners, wes also exam- ined after me in the co ssary’s closet. After some minutes he came out in a rage, and I asked him what had hap ned. What do you think?” said he, “ the old sovey wanted me to turn nose on the cracksmen who have just arrived. If they find no one to blowthem but me, they are al! right. i Why, I did not think you such a flat,” sair\ I, the idea flashing on my mind, that I might turn this to advantage; “T have promised to blow the gang, and ing tre them » lodging in the stone jug.” i at! you turned nose? Besides, you are not fly to the n Aad What matters that? I shall get out of quod, and p pork them my heels, whilst you are still clinking the arbies.”’ Neveu appeared struck with the idea, and expressed much regret for having refused the offers of the commis. sary-general; and as I could not get rid of him, I begged him to return to M. Dubois and recall his refusnl @ agreed; and asI had arravged, we were one evening con- ducted to the great theatre; then to the Celestins, where Neveu pointed out to me all tae men. We then retired, e8co by the police agents, who kept close upon us, For the success of my plan, and to avoid suspicion, it was expedient to make the ram to escape, which would at least confirm the hope which I had given to my com. ion, and I told him of myintention. On passing [ue erciere, we entered abrubtly into a passage and closed the door; and whilst the officers ran to the other end, we went out quietly by the way we had entered. When they returned, ashamed of their stupidity, we were already a a considerable distance, Two days afterwards, Neveu, who was no longer waw ed, and d not suspect me, was again arr