in several of our enterprises for escape. But
Germaine was more a man of _finesse_ than action, and his imprisonment
was the first mishap of that nature in his felonious career; so that I
cannot say I derived much advantage, either from his contrivances or
suggestions.

* * * * *

I always cultivated a sneaking fondness for the sex, and was, perhaps,
especially devoted to those who _might_ aid me if they pleased, when I
got into difficulties. Into this category, under existing
circumstances, fell that very worthy person, Mademoiselle Babette,
whom I have heretofore rather ungallantly reported as an "antique
virgin." It is true that Babette was, perhaps, not as young as she had
been; but an unmarried Frenchwoman is unquestionably possessed of an
elixir against age,--some _eau restoratif_,--with which she defies
time, preserves her outlines, and keeps up that elastic gayety of
heart, which renders her always the most delightful of companions.
Now, I do not pretend, when I flirted with Babette, and sometimes made
downright love to the damsel, that I ever intended leading her to any
of the altars of Brest, when it should please the "king of the
barricades" to release me from prison. No such design ever possessed
my mind, at the age of twenty-seven, towards a maid of thirty. Yet, I
confess that Babette bewitched the sting and memory from many an hour
of prison-life, and played the comedy of love _a la Francaise_ to such
perfection, that I doubt not her heart rebounded from the encounter as
scarless as my own.

Germaine joked me very often about the tender passion, the danger of
trifling with youthful hearts, and the risk I ran from encounters with
such glittering eyes; till, one day, he suggested that we should take
advantage of the flirtation, by turning it to our benefit in flight.
Sorret and his wife often went out in the afternoon, and left the gate
and the keys solely in charge of Babette, who improved their absence
by spending half the time in our apartment. Now, Germaine proposed
that, during one of these absences, I should, in my capacity as
teacher, feign some excuse to leave our room, and, if I found the
lieutenant porteress unwilling to yield the keys to my passionate
entreaty, we would unhesitatingly seize, gag, and muffle the damsel so
securely, that, with the keys in our possession, we might open the
gates, and pass without question the only sentinels who guarded the
exterior