ed inside between two gendarmes; the two others
took their places opposite, and the carriage rolled heavily over the
stones.

The prisoner glanced at the windows--they were grated; he had changed
his prison for another that was conveying him he knew not whither.
Through the grating, however, Dantes saw they were passing through the
Rue Caisserie, and by the Rue Saint-Laurent and the Rue Taramis, to the
port. Soon he saw the lights of La Consigne.

The carriage stopped, the officer descended, approached the guardhouse,
a dozen soldiers came out and formed themselves in order; Dantes saw the
reflection of their muskets by the light of the lamps on the quay.

"Can all this force be summoned on my account?" thought he.

The officer opened the door, which was locked, and, without speaking
a word, answered Dantes' question; for he saw between the ranks of
the soldiers a passage formed from the carriage to the port. The two
gendarmes who were opposite to him descended first, then he was ordered
to alight and the gendarmes on each side of him followed his example.
They advanced towards a boat, which a custom-house officer held by a
chain, near the quay.

The soldiers looked at Dantes with an air of stupid curiosity. In an
instant he was placed in the stern-sheets of the boat, between the
gendarmes, while the officer stationed himself at the bow; a shove sent
the boat adrift, and four sturdy oarsmen impelled it rapidly towards the
Pilon. At a shout from the boat, the chain that closes the mouth of
the port was lowered and in a second they were, as Dantes knew, in the
Frioul and outside the inner harbor.

The prisoner's first feeling was of joy at again breathing the pure
air--for air is freedom; but he soon sighed, for he passed before La
Reserve, where he had that morning been so happy, and now through the
open windows came the laughter and revelry of a ball. Dantes folded his
hands, raised his eyes to heaven, and prayed fervently.

The boat continued her voyage. They had passed the Tete de Morte,
were now off the Anse du Pharo, and about to double the battery. This
manoeuvre was incomprehensible to Dantes.

"Whither are you taking me?" asked he.

"You will soon know."

"But still"--

"We are forbidden to give you any explanation." Dantes, trained in
discipline, knew that nothing would be more absurd than to question
subordinates, who were forbidden to reply; and so he remained silent.

The most vague and wild th