darmes who were scouring the country, I was seized and conveyed back to the cursed clock-house.
The unpropitious result of this attempt did not discourage me. At Bapaume we were placed in the citadel, an old police station, guarded by a detachment of conscripts of the 30th regiment of the line; one sentinel only was placed over us, and he was under the window, and near enough for me to enter into conversation with him, which I did. The soldier, to whom I addressed myself appeared a good fellow enough, and I thought I could easily bribe him. I offered him fifty francs, to let us escape whilst he was on guard. He refused at first; but, by the tone of his voice, and by a certain twinkling of ms eyes, I thought I saw his impatience to get such a sum, only that he was afraid of consequences. To encourage him, I increased the dose, and showed him three louis, when he said he would aid us; at the same time adding, that his round would be from midnight till two o'clock. Having made our arrangements, I commenced operations; the wall was pierced so as to allow us a free egress, and we only waited until the opportunity should arrive. At length, midnight struck; the soldier announced to me that he was there, and I gave him the three louis, and made the necessary dispositions. When all was ready, I called out. "Is it time?" I said to the sentinel. "Yes, make haste;" he answered, after a trifling hesitation. I thought it singular that he did not answer instantly, and imagining that his conduct was somewhat dubious, I listened. He seemed to be marching; and, by the moonlight, I also perceived the shadow of several men in the ditch, and had no longer any doubt but that we were betrayed. However, as I might have been mistaken, to make quite sure, I took some straw, which I stuffed into some clothes, and put it at the aperture which we had made; and at the same instant, a sabre blow that would have cleft an anvil, informed me that I had well escaped, and confirmed
