who would perhaps not be out of prison twenty-four hours without committing a murder. He even made me promise to let them go, and wait myself for some other opportunity. I followed his advice, and it was well that I did so; I even took the precaution of telling Duhamel and Sallambier that they were suspected, and that they had not a moment to spare in saving themselves. They followed my advice literally, and two hours afterwards they had joined a band of forty-seven Chauffeurs, of whom twenty-eight were executed the following month at Bruges.
The escape of Duhamel and Sallambier made a great noise in the prison, and throughout the city. They found some extraordinary circumstances belonging to it, but the jailor was the more astonished that I had not made one of the party. It was necessary to repair the breach they had made, and workmen came; and they stationed at the bottom of the staircase a guard with orders not to let any one pass. The thought came to me of deceiving the sentinel, and getting out by the breach which was to have aided my escape before.
Francine, who came every day to see me, brought me three ells of tri-coloured ribbon, which I had requested her to procure. With one piece I made a belt, and ornamenting my hat with the rest, I passed, muffled up, by the soldier: who, taking me for a municipal officer, presented his arms. I ascended the staircase quickly—reached the opening, which I found guarded by two centinels, one in the granary of the town-hall, and the other in the passage of the prison. I told the latter that it was impossible for a man to pass through this opening: he insisted on the contrary; and his comrade, as if plotting with me, said that I could get through with my clothes on. I said I would try: and creeping through the hole I got into the barn. Pretending that I had hurt myself in passing, I told my two men that as I was on that side I should go round by another way. "In this case," said he,
