Mysteries of Paris, V3

or sinister, the sight of the prisoners causes a contrary impression. A person is commonly touched with sadness and pity when he finds himself in the midst of a crowd of fema

the criminals who encumber the prisons, one is at first seized with a shudder of alarm and horror. Reflection alone leads you to thoughts more compassionate, but of great bitterness. Yes, of great bitterness; for one reflects that the vicious population of jails and hulks, the bloody harvest of the executioner, springs up from that mire of ignorance, of misery, and of stupidity. To comprehend this alarming and horrible proposition, let the reader follow us into the Lions' Den. One of the courts of La Force is thus called. There are ordinarily placed the prisoners most dangerous, for their previous feroci

n the middle of which was a cast-iron stove, surrounded by wooden seats, on which were stretched several prisoners, talking among the

n: THE DISCO

e customary bath, they had given to them the cap and coarse gray trowsers of the convict. A phrenologist would have attentively studied these ghastly and bronzed faces, with their flat foreheads, their cruel and insidious glances, wicked mouths, and brawny necks; almost all offered a frightful resemblance to the brute. On the cunning features of this, one would find the subtle perfidy of the fox; on another, the sanguinary rapacity of the bird of prey; on a third, the ferocity of the tiger; and on another, again, the ani

is bony, lank, and protruding jaws, supported by a neck of immense length, resembled entirely the conformation of a serpent's head. Total baldness increased this resemblance still more, for, under the rough skin of this reptile-shaped forehead, could be distinguished the slightest protuberances, the smallest sutures of his skull; as to his visage, let one imagine some old parchment drawn over the face, and only slightly tightened from the cheek-bone to the angle of the lower jaw, the ligament of which was plainly visible. The eyes, small and squinting, were so deeply sunken, the eyebrows and cheek-bones so prominent, that under the yellowish forehead could be seen two sockets, literally filled with darkness, and, at a small distance, the eyes seemed to disappear in the bottom of these cavities, two black holes, whi

r the other prisoners by his strength and his perversity, had caused him to be chosen by the director of the prison provost of the dormitory; that is to say, he was charged with the government of his ward, as far as regarded the order, arrangements, and neatness of the room and beds. He acquitted himself perfectly of these functions; and never had the prisoners dared to fail in the duties of which he had the superintendence. Strange and si

rded, and, thus to speak, respected. This fact, proved by experience, sanctioned by the forced choice o

for what use of thinking of repentance, amendment, when, in this pandemonium, where one must pass many years-his life, perhaps-it is seen that influence is meas

of what you say?" a

it from Big Cripple, who already wanted to

is nose, and put a stop

as for giving a stab

could scarcely be heard, "Germain holds up his head; he is a spy; he troubles us: for the less one talks, the mor

d Nicholas, "what

replied Skeleton, "that

all not escape with

d," said

s no longer the grabs who find us out: it is the spies. Jacques and Gauthier

been sold by Bras-Rouge? That is certain now, since, instead of putting him here, they have se

on, "has not Bras-R

ce, lisping in an affected manner, "I was betrayed by Jobe

dkerchief, which allowed two locks of white hair to be seen plastered on his temples; the ends of the handkerchief formed a bow over his forehead; he wore, for a cravat, a shawl, of

el?" resumed this gentleman with the pretty voice. "N

ey did with Bras-Rouge; they did not dare leave Jobert here; they locked him up at the Conciergerie. Well, this must be put a stop to: we must have an example. Our

the t

lown on Tony, Dick, or Harry, it matters not which pounce on them. When we have done the job fo

said Nicholas; "G

e comes. When he shall have proved to everybody that" Germain is a spy,

rs, who watch us!" asked the prisone

ea. Pique-Vinaigr

is too c

tronger th

nderstand. W

me one came for him to go and p

Is he still

ittle mot who co

. But we must wait for Pique-Vinai

Pique-V

N

rmain s

ake charg

They have taken

eck between them?" asked Skeleton, o

ke h

lit

hey know

calf with two heads, such

made a head shorter once; and

throat, of the stiff 'un; I am a second comer; it is all over with me. I will send my head to see, in the basket,

s bran. My father was cheated, I recollect," s

antry made all the pr

otine. They have only to come to the Barrière Saint Jacques the day of my benefit; they will hear me crack jokes with the c

swallow a mouthful. Draw the bolt; and he opens the devil's

is there

There is a knife; a head is p

is that ou

or quarrel for places. They will hire out windows and chairs as for a procession. I hear them already cry, 'Window to let! Place to let!' And then there will be the troops, cavalry and infantry. And all this for me-for old Boulard. It is not for an honest man that they take all this trouble, hey, Sals

e frightful boasting. "They think to make us afraid, and con

affold; it is like the prison and the galleys; we laugh at them also; s

e lisping voice, "what would be tough wou

a hundred times the galleys to the prisons, because at the galleys, instead of being shut up, one is out of doors, sees company, moves about. Well! I would rather a hundred times be a head shorter than be put into a cell only for one year. See he

to put you t

such use of my feet and hands th

if you were sure that

first one I could, in o

red-handed to death, they condemned

red by this reflection. Afte

ible. You know there is no one bolder than I am. I would bleed a man for a crown, and even for nothing, for honor. They think that I have only assassinated two persons; but if the dead could speak, there are five who could tell how I work." The

t I only laid out the milkwoman's husband in the city; but I have se

fire nor the devil. But, if I were in a cell, and very sure of

?" asked

ne," answered the

rders, and, instead of prisons and galleys and guil

a fact), answer

m the prisoners who were walking in the court, interrupted the meeting. Nicholas rose pre

ipple!" cried Nic

ovost; "and Germain, has he de

," said

Skeleton, "that I may give h