Alfred; or, The Adventures of a French Gentleman — page 77: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

62 OF A FRENCH GENTLEMAN. - ished by humane magistrates, he was at last found to be incorrigible, and the law was allowed to have its usual course. But the old Francois took pity upon the tender years of Edouard—so the young prisoner was named—and behaved to him with even parental kind- ness. Occasionally the turnkeys, in consideration of the length of time that Francois had been at the bagze, slily ameliorated his usually coarse meal, and gave him fruits, cold meats, half a bottle of wine, or some little luxury of the kind. These additions to the ordinary fare were always transferred to Edouard—and the old man expe- rienced a secret pleasure in thus alleviating the miseries of a being that nevertheless was nought to him. If Edouard were ill during the night, Francois invariably attended upon him, gave him water, arranged his straw pillow, and supported his aching head. And yet the youth was not grateful for his disinterested conduct ; he was often rude and abrupt in his replies to the old man’s questions, and not unfrequently made him the butt of his low jests. Still Frang¢ois loved the worthless boy, and entertained a father’s affection for him. It was singular such tenderness in such a heart—in the heart of a murderer; but perhaps Francois was rejoiced at knowing one indi- vidual in the world, whom he could single out and say, ‘‘ There is the only being on earth that I care for!” Months rolled away ; and Edouard became daily more brutal and reserved towards his benefactor, as Francois’ kindness to him in- creased. Often did this ingratitude strike to the heart of the poor old man; and then he would say within himself, ‘‘ All my sufferings in the world are a punishment for the crime I committed in my youth; if my soul become attached to a fellow-creature, the divine wrath uses that feebleness as a weapon against me.” One day Edouard had offended another convict, and he received a severe blow. Francois reproached the man, that had beaten the youth, with his cowardice in striking a persom unable to defend himself, and whose strength had not yet become matured by years. A dispute ensued, and an inspector of the bagne—a man endowed with considerable authority—interfered. ‘‘ Edouard has well merited his punishment,” said he; ‘“‘he is the most turbulent and troublesome convict in this department of the gaol; he receives all your kindness, Francois, with the basest ingratitude, and is perpe- tually creating some disturbance. The next time he misconducts himself, I shall transfer him to another quarter of the prison, where indulgence is more circumscribed, and work more abundant.” With these words the inspector passed on—Edouard turned aside —and Francois muttered audible curses against the authority that had thus interfered in a private quarrel. That night, five minutes before the convicts were ordered to their quarters, and during the interval when their chains were taken off for the purpose of affording a brief relaxation, the inspector was found murdered in the yard! Suspicion fell upon Edouard and Frangois; they were instantly arrested and confined in separate dungeons. The handle of a knife was discovered in Fran¢ois’ pocket—the blade had broken against the ribs of the deceased. Our readers must be informed that the inmates of the bagne are not permitted to have knives; the query ECONNIC LOOKS eon