We did not wait long for the order, and the jailer announced it to us,
on the eve of its being put into execution; and I had the night before
me to fortify Moiselet in his resolutions. He persisted in them more
strongly than ever, and acceded with rapture to the proposition I made
him of effecting an escape from our escort as soon as it was feasible.

So anxious was he to commence his journey, that he could not sleep. At
daybreak, I gave him to understand that I took him for a thief as well
as myself.

"Ah, ah, grip also," said I to him, "deep, deep François, you not
spoken, but tief all as von."

He made me no answer; but when, with my fingers squeezed together _à
la Normande_, he saw me make a gesture of grasping something, he could
not prevent himself from smiling, with that bashful expression of
_Yes_, which he had not courage to utter. The hypocrite had some shame
about him, the shame of a devotee. I was understood.

At length the wished-for moment of departure came, which was to enable
us to accomplish our designs. Moiselet was ready three whole hours
beforehand, and to give him courage, I had not neglected to push about
the wine and brandy, and he did not leave the prison until after
having received all his sacraments.

We were tied with a very thin cord, and on our way he made me a signal
that there would be no difficulty in breaking it. He did not think
that he should break the charm which had till then preserved him. The
further we went the more he testified that he placed his hopes of