"And since Skeleton is so sure of being cut down, it costs him nothing to kill beggars."
"I think it cruel to kill this young man!" said Frank.
"What: what!" cried Skeleton, in an angry tone; "one has no right to pay off a traitor?"
"Yes, true, he is a traitor; so much the worse for him," said Frank, after a moment"s reflection.
These last words, and the a.s.surances of Cripple, calmed the suspicions which Frank for a moment had raised among the prisoners. Skeleton alone remained doubtful.
"What shall we do with the keeper?"
"Tell us, Doomed-to-Death," said Nicholas, laughing.
"Well! some will engage his attention on one side."
"No: we will hold him by force."
"Yes."
"No."
"Silence in the gang!" cried Skeleton. The most profound quiet ensued.
"Listen to me well," resumed the provost, in a hoa.r.s.e voice, "there are no means to do the job while the keeper is in the ward, or the court. I have no knife; there will be some stifled cries--the sneak will struggle."
"Then what is to be done?"
"This is my plan: Pique-Vinaigre has promised to relate to us to-day, after dinner, his story of Gringalet and Cut-in-half. It rains, we will all retire here, and the beggar will come and take his seat in the corner, in his usual place. We will give some sous to Pique-Vinaigre to make him commence his story. It will be the dinner hour. The keeper, seeing us quietly occupied in listening to the nonsense, will have no suspicions; he will go and take a pull at the canteen. As soon as he has left the court, we have a quarter of an hour to ourselves--the turncoat will be done up before the warder returns. I take it upon myself. I have done the trick for stouter fellows than he. I wish no help."
"A moment," said Cardillac; "the bailiff always comes lounging here at dinner-time. If he should enter the hall to listen to Pique-Vinaigre, and should see us fixing Germain, he is likely to sing out for help; he is not fly; look out."
"That is true," said the Skeleton.
"A bailiff here!" cried Frank, the victim of Boulard, with astonishment.
"And what is his name?"
"Boulard," said Cardillac.
"It is my man," cried Frank, doubling his fists; "it is he who stole my savings."
"The bailiff?" asked the provost.
"Yes; seven hundred and twenty francs which he collected for me."
"You know him? he has seen you?" asked the Skeleton.
"I should think I had seen him, to my sorrow. But for him I should not be here."
These regrets sounded badly in the ears of Skeleton; he fixed his squinting eyes on Frank, who answered some questions of his comrades; then leaning over toward Cripple, whispered in a low tone, "Here is a kid who is capable of informing the keepers of our plant."
"No: I answer for him: he will denounce no one, but he is still a little timid about crime, and he might be capable of defending Germain. Better get him out of the way."
"Enough," said Skeleton, and he said in a loud tone, "I say, Frank, won"t you have a settlement with this rascally bailiff?"
"Let me alone; let him come, his account is made out."
"He is coming, get ready."
"I am all ready; he will bear my mark."
"That will make a scuffle; they will send the bailiff to his ell, and Frank to the dungeon," whispered Skeleton to the Cripple, "we shall get rid of both."
"What a head! Is he not a trump?" said the robber, with admiration; then he resumed aloud, "Shall Pique-Vinaigre be informed that by the a.s.sistance of his story we mean to stuff the keeper and finish the traitor?"
"No; Pique-Vinaigre has too much milk in his composition, and is too great a coward; if he knew it he would not tell his story; the blow struck, he will bear his part." The dinner-bell rang.
"To your grub, mates!" said Skeleton; "Pique-Vinaigre and Germain are going to enter the court. Attention, friends! you call me Doomed-to-Death! all right, the denouncer is in the same boat!"
CHAPTER IX.
THE PATTERER.
The new prisoner of whom we have spoken, who wore a blue cotton cap and gray blouse, had attentively listened to, and energetically approved, the plot which threatened the life of Germain. This man, of athletic form, left the sitting-room with the other prisoners, without having been remarked, and soon mingled with the different groups that pressed into the court around the persons who distributed the beef, which they brought in bra.s.s kettles, and the bread in huge baskets. Each prisoner received a piece of boiled beef, which had served to make the soup for the morning meal, with half a loaf of bread, superior in quality to that given to soldiers. The prisoners who had money could buy wine at the canteen, and go there to drink. Those who, like Nicholas, had received victuals from out of doors, got up a feast to which they invited the other prisoners. The guests of the widow"s son were Barbillon, Skeleton, and, upon the latter"s recommendation, Pique-Vinaigre, in order to get him in a good humor for telling stories. The ham, hard eggs, cheese, and white bread, due to the forced liberality of Micou the receiver, were spread out on one of the benches, and Skeleton prepared to do honor to this repast, without feeling any inquietude concerning the murder he was about to commit.
"Go and see if Pique-Vinaigre is never coming. While I am waiting to choke Germain, I choke with hunger and thirst; do not forget to say to the Big Cripple that Frank must pull the bailiff"s hair, so that we may be rid of them both."
"Be easy, if Frank does not pitch into the tipstaff, it will not be our fault."
And Nicholas left the sitting-room. At this moment, Boulard entered the yard smoking a cigar, his hands plunged into his long surtout of gray moleskin, his cap drawn over his ears, his face smiling and gay; he spied Nicholas, who on his side looked at Frank. The latter and the Cripple were dining, seated on one of the benches in the court; they had not perceived the bailiff, on whom their backs were turned. Faithful to the Skeleton"s recommendations, Nicholas, seeing with the corner of his eye Boulard coming toward him, appeared not to remark him, and drew nearer to Frank and the Cripple.
"Good-day!" said the bailiff to Nicholas.
"Ah! good-day, master, I did not see you; you come, as usual, to take a little walk?"
"Yes, my boy, and to-day I have two reasons for doing it. I am going to tell you why; but first take these cigars. Come, now, among comrades--the devil! one must not stand on ceremony."
"Thank you, my gentleman. Why have you two reasons for walking?"
"You will understand it, my boy; I do not feel any appet.i.te to-day. I said to myself, "Looking at these gay boys at their dinner, and seeing them make use of their jaws, perhaps hunger will come.""
"Not so bad. But look this way if you wish to see two babies who eat l.u.s.tily," said Nicholas, leading the bailiff by degrees near the bench of Frank, whose back was turned; "just look at these two; your hunger will come as if you were eating a whole bottle of pickles."
"Oh! let us see this phenomenon!" said Boulard.
"I say, Big Cripple!" cried Nicholas.