e Hotel de la
Ville, did Pisgah have any consciousness whatever that he walked upon
the solid world.

At this moment he was reminded, also, that he held a letter in his hand,
his landlady's gift at parting; it was dated, "Clichy dungeon," and
signed by Mr. Freckle.

"Dear Pisgah," read the text, "I am here at claim of restaurateur;
shall die to-morrow at or before twelve o'clock, if Andy Plade
don't fork over my subscription of two hundred francs. Andy Plade
damned knave--no mistake! No living soul been to see me, except
letter from Hon. Mr. Slidell. He has got sixteen thousand dollars
in specie for Simp. Where's Simp, dogorn him! Hon. S. sent to
Simp's house; understood he'd sailed for America. Requested Hon. S.
to give me small part of money as Simp's next friend. Hon. S.
declined. Population of prison very great. Damned scrub stock!
Don't object to imprisonment as much as the fleas. Fleas bent on
aiding my escape. If they crawl with me to-morrow night as far
again as last night I'll be clear--no mistake! Live on soup,
chiefly. Abhor soup. Had forty francs here first day, but debtor
with one boot and spectacles won it at _picquet_. Restaurateur says
bound to keep me here a thousand years if I don't sock--shall
die--no mistake! Come see me, _toute suite_. Fetch pocket-comb,
soap, and English Bible.

"Yours, in deep waters, FRECKLE."

"The whole world is in deep waters," said Pisgah, dismally. "So much the
better for them; here goes for something stronger!"

He repaired to the nearest drinking-saloon, and demanded a glass brimful
of absinthe, at which all the garcons and patrons held up their hands
while he drank it to the dregs.

"Sacristie!" cried a man with mouth wide open, "that gentleman can drink
clear laudanum."

"I wish," thought Pisgah, with a pale face, "that it had been laudanum;
I should have been dead by this time and all over. Why don't I get the
_delirium tremens_? I should like to be crazy. Oh, ho, ho, ho!" he
continued, laughing wildly, "to be in a hospital--nurses, soft bed, good
food, pity--oh, ho! that would be a fate fit for an emperor."

Here his eye caught something across the way which riveted it, and he
took half a step forward, exultingly. A great _caserne_, or barrack,
adjoined the Hotel de Ville, and twice every day, after breakfast and
dinner, the soldiers within d