Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 10 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

Vidoeg, the French Police Spy. ation rested there. This man mopoes at Saint Brice whilst I pushed on to Auxerre. nt with fatigue I eatered an inn, where, after having dined, I desired to be sunducted to a bed. I slept for several hours, when I was awakened by a Erest noise at my door, at which some persons were cocking violently. I got up, half-dreased, and my eyes, heavy from sleep, gazed as 1 opened the door, on tri-col- ored acarves, yellow trousers, and red facings. It was the commissary of police, attended by the quarter-master and gendarmes, a sight which I could not see without som? emotion. ‘‘See how pale he turns,” said one of toen.: “itis he.’’ I raised my eyes, and recognised the man Who had spoken to me at Saint Brice; but nothing explained to me as yet the motive of this sudden invasion. ‘* Let us proceed methodically,” said the commissary; ‘five feet five inches (French measure), that is right; brown hair—eyebrows and beard, idem—common fore- head—grey eyes—prominent nose—good-sized mouth— round chin—full face—good color—tolerably stout.” ‘*‘It is he,” said the quarter-master, the two gendarmes, and the man of Saint Brice. “Yes, it is indeed,” said the commissary in his turn. **Blue surtout—trousers of grey cassimere—white waist- fcout—-black cravat." This was my dress, certainly. ‘‘Well, did I not tell you so?”’ said the officious guide of the police, exulting at my capture: “heisone of the robbers! ” The description tallied exactly with mine. Bnt I had atolen poentng.: and yet in my situation I could experi- ence all the disquiets of having done so. Perhaps it was a mistake; perhaps also. . . . The party were transported with joy. ‘Peace!’ said the commissary: and turning over the leaf, he continued, “ We shall easily recognize his Italian accent. He has besides the thumb of the right hand moh nig by ashot."’ I spoke, and showed my right band, which was in a perfectly sound state. All the party stared; and ag the man of Saint Brice, who ap- peared singularly disconcerted; as for me, I felt relieved of an enormous weight. The commissary, whom I ques- tioned in my turn, told me, that on the preceding night a considerable robbery had been commit at Saint Brice, One of the suspected individuals wore clothes similar to mine, and there was a similarity of description. It was to this combination of circumstances, to this strange sport of fortune, that I was indebted for the disagreeable visit which I received. They made excuses, whic with a good grace, very happy at ~ yet, in the fear of some new catas a I put myself the same evening into a packet boat, which conveyed me to Paris, whence I atar immediately for Arras. CHAPTER XV. MANY reasons, which may be divined, did not allow of iny proceeding at once to my paternal abode; and, alight- ing at the house of one of my aunts, I learnt the death of my father, which sad intelligence was soon confirmed by my mother, who received me with a tenderness widely contrasting with the treatment I had experienced during the two years of my absence. She was extremely anxious 1o speed « me with her; but it was absolutely necessary that { should be constantly concealed, and I did not leave the house for three months. At the end of that time my con- finement ye to weary me, and I went out, sometimes I accepted ting off so well; but under one and sometimes under another. I thought I had not been recognized, when suddenly a re- port spread through the town that I was there, and the police began to search for me, making constant visite to my mother, without, however, discovering the place of my concealment. Secure in my retreat, out of which I thought it would be difficult to surprise me, I soon took fresh excursions. One day, on Shrove Tuesday, I even carried my daring to such an extent as to appear at a ball, in the midst of upwards of two hundred persons. I was dressed as a marquis; and a female, with whom I had been on intimate terms, recognized me, told another, whe thought that she had a cause of pigeon against me; so that in less than a uarter of an hour everybody knew under what disguise id was concealed. The report reached the ears of two police sergeants, Delrue and Carpentier, who were on duty at the ball; and the former, coming up to me, said in a low voice that he wished to speak with me in private: a refusal would have been dangerous, and I followed bim into the court, where Delrue asked my name. I did not hesitate te give him a false one; and proposed politely that he should untie my mask if he doubted 1 me. ‘I do aot require that,’’ said he, ** but I shall not object to look t you,” ‘* Well then, untie my mask, which has got en- angled with my hair.'’ Full of certainty, Delrue went vehind me, and at that instant I upset him with a forcible notion of my body backwards, and with a blow of my fist ' sent his satellite rolling beside him on the earth. With. M waiting until they arose, I fled with the utmost speed he direction of the ramparts, relying on being able to climb over them, and get into the country: but scarcely bad Irun many paces, when I found myself in an alle _ had been blocked up at one end since I had quitted rras. While I was thus wandering out of my way, a noise of iron heels announced that the two sergeants were at hand: and I soon saw them approach me, sword in hand. | I was unarmed; and seizing the large house key, as if it had been a pistol, I presented it at them, ard compelled them to make way for me. ‘‘ Pass quietly, Frangois,” said Carpentier, with a tremulous voice, ‘‘do not play an nonsense with us.” I did not waut to be told a secon time, and in a few minutes reached iwy retreat. This adventure was noised about, and in spite of the efforts which the two sergeants made to eonceal it, they were laughed at by everybody. What was most annoying to me was, that the authorities redoubled their vigilance, so that it was almost impossible forme to go out. I m- mained thus imm for two months, which to me eeeted as many centuries. Being no longer able to en- dure it, 1 resolved on quitting Arras, and they made me up a pack of lace; and one fine night, provided with a passport, which Blondel, one of my ds, had lent to me, | set out. The description did not answer; but for want of a better, 1 was compelled to put up with that; and, in fact, no objection was made to me on my route, I reached Paris. Whilst en sposing of m commodities, 1 made indirectly some steps towards 4 ing out if it were not possible to obtain some reversal of my sentence. I learnt that I must, in the first instance, give myself up as a prisoner, but I could never resolve on again cee with the wretches whom I knew so well, It waa not the confinement that I dreaded; I would will- ingly have submitted to have been enclosed alone four walls: and what proves this is, that I then requested heave from the minister to finish the term of my sentence between | that in the madhouse at Arras; but my application remained unanswered. My lace was sold, but with so little profit that I could not think of turning to this trade as a mode of life. A traveling clerk, who lived in the Rue Saint Martin, in the same hotel as I did, and to whom I partly stated my situa- tion, proposed that I should enter the service of a seller of finery, who visited the fairs. I procured the situation, but only CA it for ten months, as we had some disagree- ments which determined me again to return to Arras. I was not long in .eturning to my nightly excursions. In the house of a young person to whom I paid some atten- tions, I frequently met the daughter of a gendarme, and endeavored to learn from her all that was plotting against me. The girl did not know me; but as ix Arras I was the constant subject of conversation, it was not extraordinary to hear her speak of me, and frequently in singular terms. Oh,” said she to me one day, “ we shall soon catch that vagabond; there is our lieutenant who wants him too much not to catch him soon; I would bet that he would give a day's pay to get hold of him.” “If I were your lieutenant, and wanted to take Vidocq,”’ replied I, ‘‘1 would contrive that he should not escape me,” “You! Oh yes, you and everybody! He is always completely armed. You know they said that he fired twice at Delrue and Carpentier; and that is not all, for he can change himself into a bundle of hay whenever he likes.”’ ‘‘ A bundle of hay!”’ cried I, surprised at the novel en- dowment assigned to me—‘‘ A bundle of hay! How?” “ Yes, sir: my father pursued him one day, and at the moment he laid his hand upon his collar, he found that he only held a handful of hay. He did not only say +t, but all the brigade saw the bundle of hay, which was burnt in the barrackyard.”’ I could not make out this history; but learnt afterwards that the police officers, not being able to lay hold of me, had given circulation to this tale amongst the credulons citizens of Arras. With this same motive they obligingly insinuated that I was the double of a certain loup-garon, whose wonderful appearances froze with fear the super- stitious inhabitants of the country. Fortunately, these terrors were not shared by some pretty women, whom I had interested in my favor; and if the demon of jealousy had not suddenly seized on one of the number, the au- thorities would not perhaps have given themselves so much trouble about me. In her anger she was indiscreet; and the police, who did not clearly know what had be- come of me, again learnt that I was certainly in Arras. One evening as, without mistrust and only armed witha stick, I was returning through the Rue d’Amiens, on crossing the bridge at the end of the Rue des Goquets, I was attacked by seven or eight individuals, They were constables disguised; and, seeing my garments, were al- ready assured of thelr prize, when, freeing myself by a powerful jerk, I leapt the parapet, and threw myself into the river. It was in December; the tide was high, the current rapid, and none of the policemen had any inclina- tion to follow me: they thought besides, that by waiting for me on the bank I should not escape them; but a sewer that I found enabled me to deceive them, and they were still waiting for me when I was at my mother’s house. Every day I experienced fresh dangers, and every day the most pressing necessity suggested new expedients for my preservation. However, a length, according to my custom I grew weary of a liberty which the compulsion of concealment rendered illusory. Some nuns of the Ruae—— had for some time harbored me, but I resolved on quit- ing their hospitable roof, and turned over in my mind the means of appearing in public without inconvenience. Some thousands of Austrian prisoners were then in the citadel, whence they went out to work with the citizens, or in the neighboring villages, and the idea occurred to me, that the presence of these strangers might be useful tome. AsI spoke German, I entered into conversation with one of them, and inspired him wlth sufficient confi- dence to confide to me his intention of escaping. This roject was favorable to my views; the prisoner was em- co ete with his Kaiserlik uniform, and I offered to exchange it for mine; and for some money which I gave him to boot, he was glad to let me have his papers also. From this moment I was an Austrian, even in t a. of the Austrians themselves, who, belonging to erent corps, did not know all their body nder this new disguise, I joined a young widow, who bad a mercery establishment in the Rue de : she found that I had ability, and wished that I would instal myself at her house; and we soon visited the fairs and markets together. It was evident that I could not aid her, unless I could understand the buyers, and I formed gib- berish, half Teutonic, half French, which they understood wonderfully well, and which became so familiar to me, that I insensibly forgot that I knew any oiher ey oe Besides the illusien was 80 complete, that after cohabiting together for four months, the widow did not suspect any more than the rest of the world, that the soidisant Kais- erlik was one of the frient.s of her childhood. However, she treated me so well, that it was impossible to deceive her any longer; and one day Itold her whol really was, and never was woman more astonished. But, far from its injuring me in her estimation, the confidence in some sort only made our intimacy the closer; so much are women generally smitten by anything that bears the ap- pearance of mystery or adventure! And then, are the not always delighted with the acquaintance of a wick fellow? Who, better than mysel , can know how often they are the providence of fugitive galley-slaves and con- demned prisoners? Eleven months glided away, and nothing occurred to disturb my repose, The frequency of my being in the streets, my constant meetings with the police-officers, who had not even paid attention to me, all seemed to augur the duration of this tranquillity when, one: day as we were sitting down to dinner in the back shop, the faces of three gendarmes were Visible through a glass door. I was just helping the soup; the spoon fell from my hands; but recovering soon from the stupor into which this un- looked-for visit had thrown me, 1 darted towards the door, which I bolted, and then pam ing out of the win- dow, I got into a loft, whence gala the roof of the next house, and running down the staircase which led into the street, I found, on reaching the door, two gen- darmes. Fortunately they were but yg ag hh did not know me: “ Go up,” said Ito them, “ the brigadier has got him, but he resists; go up, and lend your aid, whilst I run for the The two gendarmes ascended quickly, and I made off. It was plain that I had been sold to the police. M friend was in ble of such a black deed, but she had, without doubt, been. guilty of some indiscretion. Now the cry was raised against me, ought I to faery longer at Arras? It would be in vain to say, that I would always remain in my place of concealment; I could not recon 21 myself to a life se wretched, and I determined on qritting the city. My little lady mercer insisted on accompanying me; she had means of conveyance; her commodities were soon packed, and we set out together, and the police was informed last of the disappearance of a female, whose measures they ought not to have been in ignorance of. According to some old notions, they imagined that we should go towards Belgium, as if Belgium had still been the country of refuge; and whilst they were pursuing us in the direction of the old frontier, we were quietly pro- gressing towards Normandy, by cross roads, which my companion had obtained a knowledge of in her mercan- tile journey. It was at Rouen that we had made up our minds to fix our abode. Arrived in this city, I had with me the pass- port of Blondel, which Ihad procured at Arras: the de- scription which it gave was so different from mine, that it was indispensably necessary to make myself a little more like it. To achieve this it was necessary to deceive the police, now become the more vigilant and inquisitive, as the com- munications of the emigrants in England were made through the Normandy coast. Thus did I contrive it. I went to the townhall, where I had my passport visé for Havre. A visa was obtained without difficulty; it was suf- ficient that the passport was not entirely contradictory, and mine was notso. The debe SF oan, through, I de- parted, and two minutes afterwards 1 entered the office, and asked if any person had found a pocket-book. No one could give me any tidings of it, and then I was in de- spair; pressing business called me to Havre, and I wanted to start that very evening, but what was to be done with- out a passport? “‘Is it only that?’’ said a clerk. ‘“‘ With the register of the visa you can get a duplicate passport.” This was what I needed; the name of Blondel was kept, but this time, at least, my description was directly given. To com- ie the effect of my stratagem, not only did I set ont for avre, but I advertised my pocket-book by little bills stuck about, although it had only passed from my hards to that of my companion. By means of this little bit of good management my reimstatement was complet¢; and, provided with fitting credentials, I had only to lead an honest life, and I actu- ally began to think of it; and took, in Rue Mortainville, a repository for mercery and bonnets, in which we did se well, that my mother, whom I had informed secretly of my success, determined on coming to join us. For a vear I was really happy; my business increased, my connections extended, my credit was established, and more than one banking-house in Rouen may perhaps remember when the signature of Blondel was well respected in the piace. At length, after so many storms, I thought I had reached port; when an incident, which I had never contemplated, involved me in a fresh series of vicissitudes, The lady mercer with whom I lived, this woman who had given me the strongest proofs of devotion and love, began to burn with other fires than those which I had kindled in her heart. I was desirous of persuading myself that she was not unfaithful, but the fault was so flagrant that the of- fender had not even the resource of those well-supported denials which enable the convenient husband to persuade himself that he is not wronged. At another time, I would not have submitted to such an affront without putting myself into a transport of rage, but how time had change me! Witness of my misfortune, I coldly signified my de- termination to separete; prayers, supplications, no hing could bend me; I was immutable. I might have pardon her, it is true, if only out of gratitude: but who could con vince me that she who had befriended me would break off with my rival? And might I not have cause to fear, that, in 4 moment of tenderness, she would compromise my safety by some disclosure? We then divided our stock of ape and my companion quitting me, I never heard of er after. ok Disgusted with my residence at Rouen, through this ad- ventute, I took to my old trade of travelling merchant; my jourmere comprised the circuit of Nantes, St, Ger- main, and Versailles, where, in a short time, I formed an excellent connection; my profits became sufficiently con- siderable to allow of my renting at Versailles, a warehouse, with a small apartment, which my mother inhabited dur- ing my eatneys, My conduct was then free from any sthnina: was generally esteemed in the circle which I had formed; and again I on that I had overcome the fatality which so often cast me into the path of dishonor, whence all my efforts were now used to free myself, when de- nounced p an early friend, who thus revenged himself for some disagreement we had once had together, I was arrested on my return from the fair of Nantes. Although I obstinately asserted that I was not Vidocq, but Blondel as my passport proved, I was sent to St. Denis, whence was to be sent to Douai. By the extraordinary care taken to prevent my escape, I perceived that I was recom- mended; and a glance which I threw over the book of the ndarmerie, revealed to me a precaution of a very par- ticular nature. I was thus designated— ‘SPECIAL SURVEILLANOB.” ‘* Vipocg (Eugene Francais), condemned to death for non- Pe ama This man is exceedingly enterprising and angerous.” Thus, to keep the vigilance of my on the alert, 1 war described as a great criminal. I set out to St. Dents in 4 car, pinioned so that I could not move, and to Louvres the escort never took eyes off me. These arrangements an- nounced the rigors in store for me, and I roused all the energy that had already 80 often procured me my liberty. We had been put into the clock-house of Louvres, now transformed into a prison, where they brought us two mat- a counterpane, and sheets, which, cut and fast- ened together, would ers us to descend into the church- yard. bar was cut with the knives of three deserters confined with us, and at two o'c