’JudgeifIcomebackfromNaplesasIwent!Seehere，mymaster!
CivitaVecchia，Leghorn，PortoFino，Genoa，Cornice，OffNicewhichisinthere，Marseilles，youandme。TheapartmentofthejailerandhiskeysiswhereIputthisthumb；andhereatmywristtheykeepthenationalrazorinitscase——theguillotinelockedup。’
Theothermanspatsuddenlyonthepavement，andgurgledinhisthroat。
Somelockbelowgurgledinitsthroatimmediatelyafterwards，andthenadoorcrashed。Slowstepsbeganascendingthestairs；theprattleofasweetlittlevoicemingledwiththenoisetheymade；
andtheprison-keeperappearedcarryinghisdaughter，threeorfouryearsold，andabasket。
’Howgoestheworldthisforenoon，gentlemen？Mylittleone，yousee，goingroundwithmetohaveapeepatherfather’sbirds。
Fie，then!Lookatthebirds，mypretty，lookatthebirds。’
Helookedsharplyatthebirdshimself，asheheldthechildupatthegrate，especiallyatthelittlebird，whoseactivityheseemedtomistrust。’Ihavebroughtyourbread，SignorJohnBaptist，’
saidhetheyallspokeinFrench，butthelittlemanwasanItalian；’andifImightrecommendyounottogame——’
’Youdon’trecommendthemaster!’saidJohnBaptist，showinghisteethashesmiled。
’Oh!butthemasterwins，’returnedthejailer，withapassinglookofnoparticularlikingattheotherman，’andyoulose。It’squiteanotherthing。Yougethuskybreadandsourdrinkbyit；andhegetssausageofLyons，vealinsavouryjelly，whitebread，strachinocheese，andgoodwinebyit。Lookatthebirds，mypretty!’
’Poorbirds!’saidthechild。
Thefairlittleface，touchedwithdivinecompassion，asitpeepedshrinkinglythroughthegrate，waslikeanangel’sintheprison。
JohnBaptistroseandmovedtowardsit，asifithadagoodattractionforhim。Theotherbirdremainedasbefore，exceptforanimpatientglanceatthebasket。
’Stay!’saidthejailer，puttinghislittledaughterontheouterledgeofthegrate，’sheshallfeedthebirds。ThisbigloafisforSignorJohnBaptist。Wemustbreakittogetitthroughintothecage。So，there’satamebirdtokissthelittlehand!ThissausageinavineleafisforMonsieurRigaud。Again——thisvealinsavouryjellyisforMonsieurRigaud。Again——thesethreewhitelittleloavesareforMonsieurRigaud。Again，thischeese——again，thiswine——again，thistobacco——allforMonsieurRigaud。Luckybird!’
Thechildputallthesethingsbetweenthebarsintothesoft，Smooth，well-shapedhand，withevidentdread——morethanoncedrawingbackherownandlookingatthemanwithherfairbrowroughenedintoanexpressionhalfoffrightandhalfofanger。
Whereasshehadputthelumpofcoarsebreadintotheswart，scaled，knottedhandsofJohnBaptistwhohadscarcelyasmuchnailonhiseightfingersandtwothumbsaswouldhavemadeoutoneforMonsieurRigaud，withreadyconfidence；and，whenhekissedherhand，hadherselfpasseditcaressinglyoverhisface。
MonsieurRigaud，indifferenttothisdistinction，propitiatedthefatherbylaughingandnoddingatthedaughterasoftenasshegavehimanything；and，sosoonashehadallhisviandsabouthiminconvenientnooksoftheledgeonwhichherested，begantoeatwithanappetite。
WhenMonsieurRigaudlaughed，achangetookplaceinhisface，thatwasmoreremarkablethanprepossessing。Hismoustachewentupunderhisnose，andhisnosecamedownoverhismoustache，inaverysinisterandcruelmanner。
’There!’saidthejailer，turninghisbasketupsidedowntobeatthecrumbsout，’IhaveexpendedallthemoneyIreceived；hereisthenoteofit，andthat’sathingaccomplished。MonsieurRigaud，asIexpectedyesterday，thePresidentwilllookforthepleasureofyoursocietyatanhouraftermid-day，to-day。’
’Totryme，eh？’saidRigaud，pausing，knifeinhandandmorselinmouth。
’Youhavesaidit。Totryyou。’
’Thereisnonewsforme？’askedJohnBaptist，whohadbegun，contentedly，tomunchhisbread。
Thejailershruggedhisshoulders。
’Ladyofmine!AmItoliehereallmylife，myfather？’
’WhatdoIknow!’criedthejailer，turninguponhimwithsouthernquickness，andgesticulatingwithbothhishandsandallhisfingers，asifhewerethreateningtotearhimtopieces。’Myfriend，howisitpossibleformetotellhowlongyouaretoliehere？WhatdoIknow，JohnBaptistCavalletto？Deathofmylife!
Thereareprisonersheresometimes，whoarenotinsuchadevilofahurrytobetried。’
HeseemedtoglanceobliquelyatMonsieurRigaudinthisremark；
butMonsieurRigaudhadalreadyresumedhismeal，thoughnotwithquitesoquickanappetiteasbefore。
’Adieu，mybirds!’saidthekeeperoftheprison，takinghisprettychildinhisarms，anddictatingthewordswithakiss。
’Adieu，mybirds!’theprettychildrepeated。
Herinnocentfacelookedbacksobrightlyoverhisshoulder，ashewalkedawaywithher，singingherthesongofthechild’sgame：
’Whopassesbythisroadsolate？
CompagnondelaMajolaine!
Whopassesbythisroadsolate？
Alwaysgay!’
thatJohnBaptistfeltitapointofhonourtoreplyatthegrate，andingoodtimeandtune，thoughalittlehoarsely：
’Ofalltheking’sknights’tistheflower，CompagnondelaMajolaine!
Ofalltheking’sknights’tistheflower，Alwaysgay!’
whichaccompaniedthemsofardownthefewsteepstairs，thattheprison-keeperhadtostopatlastforhislittledaughtertohearthesongout，andrepeattheRefrainwhiletheywereyetinsight。
Thenthechild’sheaddisappeared，andtheprison-keeper’sheaddisappeared，butthelittlevoiceprolongedthestrainuntilthedoorclashed。
MonsieurRigaud，findingthelisteningJohnBaptistinhiswaybeforetheechoeshadceasedeventheechoesweretheweakerforimprisonment，andseemedtolag，remindedhimwithapushofhisfootthathehadbetterresumehisowndarkerplace。Thelittlemansatdownagainuponthepavementwiththenegligenteaseofonewhowasthoroughlyaccustomedtopavements；andplacingthreehunksofcoarsebreadbeforehimself，andfallingtouponafourth，begancontentedlytoworkhiswaythroughthemasiftoclearthemoffwereasortofgame。
PerhapsheglancedattheLyonssausage，andperhapsheglancedatthevealinsavouryjelly，buttheywerenottherelong，tomakehismouthwater；MonsieurRigaudsoondispatchedthem，inspiteofthepresidentandtribunal，andproceededtosuckhisfingersascleanashecould，andtowipethemonhisvineleaves。Then，ashepausedinhisdrinktocontemplatehisfellow-prisoner，hismoustachewentup，andhisnosecamedown。
’Howdoyoufindthebread？’
’Alittledry，butIhavemyoldsaucehere，’returnedJohnBaptist，holdinguphisknife。
’Howsauce？’
’Icancutmybreadso——likeamelon。Orso——likeanomelette。Orso——likeafriedfish。Orso——likeLyonssausage，’saidJohnBaptist，demonstratingthevariouscutsonthebreadheheld，andsoberlychewingwhathehadinhismouth。
’Here!’criedMonsieurRigaud。’Youmaydrink。Youmayfinishthis。’
Itwasnogreatgift，fortherewasmightylittlewineleft；butSignorCavalletto，jumpingtohisfeet，receivedthebottlegratefully，turneditupsidedownathismouth，andsmackedhislips。
’Putthebottlebywiththerest，’saidRigaud。
Thelittlemanobeyedhisorders，andstoodreadytogivehimalightedmatch；forhewasnowrollinghistobaccointocigarettesbytheaidoflittlesquaresofpaperwhichhadbeenbroughtinwithit。
’Here!Youmayhaveone。’
’Athousandthanks，mymaster!’JohnBaptistsaidinhisownlanguage，andwiththequickconciliatorymannerofhisowncountrymen。
MonsieurRigaudarose，lightedacigarette，puttherestofhisstockintoabreast-pocket，andstretchedhimselfoutatfulllengthuponthebench。Cavallettosatdownonthepavement，holdingoneofhisanklesineachhand，andsmokingpeacefully。
ThereseemedtobesomeuncomfortableattractionofMonsieurRigaud’seyestotheimmediateneighbourhoodofthatpartofthepavementwherethethumbhadbeenintheplan。Theyweresodrawninthatdirection，thattheItalianmorethanoncefollowedthemtoandbackfromthepavementinsomesurprise。
’Whataninfernalholethisis!’saidMonsieurRigaud，breakingalongpause。’Lookatthelightofday。Day？thelightofyesterdayweek，thelightofsixmonthsago，thelightofsixyearsago。Soslackanddead!’
Itcamelanguishingdownasquarefunnelthatblindedawindowinthestaircasewall，throughwhichtheskywasneverseen——noranythingelse。
’Cavalletto，’saidMonsieurRigaud，suddenlywithdrawinghisgazefromthisfunneltowhichtheyhadbothinvoluntarilyturnedtheireyes，’youknowmeforagentleman？’
’Surely，surely!’
’Howlonghavewebeenhere？’
’I，elevenweeks，to-morrownightatmidnight。You，nineweeksandthreedays，atfivethisafternoon。’
’HaveIeverdoneanythinghere？Evertouchedthebroom，orspreadthemats，orrolledthemup，orfoundthedraughts，orcollectedthedominoes，orputmyhandtoanykindofwork？’
’Never!’
’Haveyoueverthoughtoflookingtometodoanykindofwork？’
JohnBaptistansweredwiththatpeculiarback-handedshakeoftherightforefingerwhichisthemostexpressivenegativeintheItalianlanguage。
’No!Youknewfromthefirstmomentwhenyousawmehere，thatI
wasagentleman？’
’ALTRO!’returnedJohnBaptist，closinghiseyesandgivinghisheadamostvehementtoss。Thewordbeing，accordingtoitsGenoeseemphasis，aconfirmation，acontradiction，anassertion，adenial，ataunt，acompliment，ajoke，andfiftyotherthings，becameinthepresentinstance，withasignificancebeyondallpowerofwrittenexpression，ourfamiliarEnglish’Ibelieveyou!’