Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 25: what you’re looking at

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2 which I had hugged, was thus suddenly destroyed. He left the room: the repast remained on the table scarcely tasted; and I regretted that I had not questioned the man. But not more than half- an-hour had passed, when I heard his well-known footsteps approaching along the stone passage outside: I thought that he must be going to another chamber no, he stopped at mine— the key turned in the lock—the bolts were drawn back—and he entered. It immediatey struck me that there was something peculiar in his look—a | certain significancy, as if he had really something | to say: and starting up from my chair, I gazed upon him with an indescribable suspense. Oh! if the hour of my liberation were at hand, what happiness!—but I scarcely dared indulge in the wild, thrilling hope! And the turnkey gazed also upon me in a pecu- | liar manner, so that feeling the state of suspense to be utterly intolerable, I clutched the man vio- ( lently by the arm, exclaiming, “ For heayen’s | sake, speak !” “Would you like to escape ?” he asked me, in a low deep voice, and then flinging his looks around as if the very walls themselves had ears. “ Escape ?—yes!—if the term of my imprison- ment be not legitimately at hand. Oh, yes! I will escape! unless,’ I ejaculated, suddenly in- terrupting myself, as I was smitten with an ap- prehension,—*“ unless you are doing this to try me !” “ No, no,” rejoined the man quickly: “ you shall escape! You have friends outside—your presence is urgently required elsewhere—but ask me no questions — be ready at noon—and you shall escape !” Having thus spoken, the turnkey hurried from the chamber : the door was again locked and bolted upon me—I was once more alone. But, Oh! what joy now filled my heart,—joy at the prospect of breathing the air of freedom once again; and yet a joy which soon became commingled with suspense almost amounting to an apprehension lest the pro- ject, whatever it were, should fail. And then, too, came numberless conjectures. Who were the friends outside ? why was my presence so urgently required? and where? Were those friends con- nected with the Secret Societies? or were they persons employed by the Duke de Paulin? and was my presence needed to proclaim all I knew of the infamy of Cresson the government spy? But if so, should I not be walking out of one lion’s den direct into another? Ah, that thought was selfish ! Oh, to save the young Marquis and the beauteous Eugenie—and all the rest—if possible ! In feverish suspense passed the time until the hour of noon; and then the turnkey made his ap- pearance,—introducing another individual to my chamber: and that individual was Lamotte, my opponent in the late duel. He shook me warmly by the hand; and then in a few hurried words gaye me explanations as to the plan already concocted for my escape, the service for which I was required, and the immensely important results which were certain to ensue. Without an in- stant’s hesitation did I yield my assent to every- thing; and then commenced the preliminaries to- 33> wards the accomplishment of my escape. It is necessary to observe that Lamotte had entered the prison under pretence of visiting scme JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. " criminal who was incarcerated in another compart- ment of the gaol: but my turnkey had stealthily introduced him into that portion of the edifice where the captives were kept aw secret, or in close confinement. Lamotte had brought with him several articles which were requisite for my effec- tual disguise. In the first instance we changed clothes; and as we were pretty nearly of the same height, and he was but little stouter than I—both of us being of slender figure—his garments fitted me well enough. The articles he had brought with him consisted of a false beard, moustache, and whiskers: for of the two former my counte- nance was deficient, and of the last mentioned— namely, the whiskers—I had but little. Those -succedaneous articles were most admirably con- _trived: they had a perfectly natural appearance, so great was the artistic skill wherewith they were fashioned. Lamotte himself affixed them to my face by means of gum which he had brought with _ him in a small phial ; and in less than half-an-hour the metamorphosis was complete. _ Now came the dangerous part of the ordeal: but ere issuing from the chamber, I could not ‘help asking the turnkey how he meant to act in _order to save himself from getting into serious | oa, as it must inevitably be discovered that he had connived at my escape. “If you get clear off,’ answered the turnkey, ‘as I hope and trust you will—I shall not be long ere I likewise show this place a clean pair of heels. I shall get into Belgium or Germany—perhaps over to England—without delay ; and it will be a long, long time before I honour France with my presence again.” From these words I comprehended full well that the man was very heavily bribed for the part he was performing—and that the bribe, indeed, must be of a sufficient amount to indemnify him fully for the loss of an excellent situation.. I shook hands with Lamotte, who was to remain a captive in my stead: the turnkey opened the door —and we issued forth together. The stone pas- sage was threaded—the door at the extremity gave me egress—and I began descending the stairs, the turnkey following at a little distance. As I glanced back over my shoulder, I saw a cer- tain degree of agitation depicted on the man’s countenance: but he made me a rapid sign to proceed. My heart fluttered: and yet I felt con- fident that my countenance—or rather as much as | could be seen of it from amidst the artistic patches of hair—betrayed not the emotion which I ex- _perienced inwardly. |. The stairs were descended; and I entered the great hall, or vestibule, in the midst of which was ‘the stone table with the writing materials upon it. The turnkey, who had now nothing more to do in respect to my escape, had satisfied himself that noone perceived me descending from the com- partment of the prisoners au secret ; and he turned away towards the farther extremity of the hall. Imitating, as well as I was able, Lamotte’s air and gait—anc negligently swinging a cane which he had brought with him, but which had been trans- ferred to me—I advanced towards the great iron gates. This was the moment to be dreaded. If the turnkey on duty there, retained a too perfect recollection of my own profile from the view which he had of it on the day I was brought thither five () OOK (E©)