s had been removed, and that, with the exception
of the large wooden screen of carved oak near the altar, the church was
completely bare. Bramble spoke to the interpreter, and said that he
hoped the captain would request the mayor to allow the prisoners to have
straw to lie down upon, as the pavement would be very cold. Although
the mayor at first demurred at this demand, yet the captain of the
privateer, probably out of good-will to Bramble, insisted, and the straw
was ordered to be sent in. At last the mayor became impatient, we could
delay no longer, and the doors were closed.

I had surveyed the church as we were escorted up to it: it was very
large, capable, I should think, of holding more than two thousand
people. The walls of the church were very massive, and the windows had
but very few panes of glass remaining in them, but they were so very
high as to prevent our climbing out of them, even if there had not been
six sentinels guarding us outside. At one corner, to the right of the
end of the church where the altar-piece had been, was a narrow stone
tower, apparently an addition made to the Lady's Chapel long after the
church had been originally built. When we were shut up we were enabled
to survey the interior at our leisure. The whole was completely bare to
the pavement until you came to the chancel part, near to which the altar
had been, where the wooden screens and seats still remained, in a sad
dilapidated state; but they must have once been very handsome, for the
carving, where it was perfect, was very beautiful. A small thick wooden
door, loaded with ironwork, communicated with the narrow tower, which
had a flight of stone steps running up to the top, and narrow loopholes
to give light as you ascended. While the majority of the prisoners were
sitting down, here and there on the pavement, few of them entering into
conversation, Bramble had, with me, taken a full survey of our locality.

"I tell you what, Tom: if we once get to Morlaix, all chance is over,"
said he: "we must either get out of this church this very night, or we
must make up our minds to remain in prison Heaven knows how long."

"Have we any chance?"

"I'll tell you more about that in a little while."

The door of the church now opened, and the people brought in the straw
for the beds, which they threw all in a heap in the centre of the
church, and the doors were again closed.

"I see daylight now," said Bramble. "Tom, find the