FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147  
148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   >>   >|  
he _Arethusa_. The Commissary was not, I think, a practiced literary man; no sooner, at least, had he taken pen in hand and embarked on the composition of the _proces-verbal_, than he became distinctly more uncivil, and began to show a predilection for that simplest of all forms of repartee: "You lie." Several times the _Arethusa_ let it pass, and then suddenly flared up, refused to accept more insults or to answer further questions, defied the Commissary to do his worst, and promised him, if he did, that he should bitterly repent it. Perhaps if he had worn this proud front from the first, instead of beginning with a sense of entertainment and then going on to argue, the thing might have turned otherwise; for even at this eleventh hour the Commissary was visibly staggered. But it was too late; he had been challenged; the _proces-verbal_ was begun; and he again squared his elbows over his writing, and the _Arethusa_ was led forth a prisoner. A step or two down the hot road stood the gendarmerie. Thither was our unfortunate conducted, and there he was bidden to empty forth the contents of his pockets. A handkerchief, a pen, a pencil, a pipe and tobacco, matches, and some ten francs of change: that was all. Not a file, not a cipher, not a scrap of writing whether to identify or to condemn. The very gendarme was appalled before such destitution. "I regret," he said, "that I arrested you, for I see that you are no _voyou_." And he promised him every indulgence. The _Arethusa_, thus encouraged, asked for his pipe. That he was told was impossible, but if he chewed, he might have some tobacco. He did not chew, however, and asked instead to have his handkerchief. "_Non_," said the gendarme. "_Nous avons eu des histoires de gens qui se sont pendus._" (No, we have had histories of people who hanged themselves.) "What!" cried the _Arethusa_. "And is it for that you refuse me my handkerchief? But see how much more easily I could hang myself in my trousers!" The man was struck by the novelty of the idea, but he stuck to his colours, and only continued to repeat vague offers of service. "At least," said the _Arethusa_, "be sure that you arrest my comrade; he will follow me ere long on the same road, and you can tell him by the sack upon his shoulders." This promised, the prisoner was led round into the back court of the building, a cellar door was opened, he was motioned down the stair, and bolts grated and chains cl
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147  
148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Arethusa
 

Commissary

 

promised

 

handkerchief

 

writing

 
verbal
 
proces
 

gendarme

 
tobacco
 

prisoner


people

 

pendus

 
histories
 

indulgence

 
encouraged
 

hanged

 
destitution
 
regret
 

arrested

 

impossible


chewed

 

histoires

 

shoulders

 

follow

 

grated

 

chains

 

motioned

 

opened

 

building

 

cellar


comrade

 
arrest
 

trousers

 

struck

 

easily

 
refuse
 

novelty

 
service
 

offers

 
repeat

colours
 

continued

 
unfortunate
 
answer
 

questions

 

defied

 
insults
 

accept

 
suddenly
 

flared