United States or Caribbean Netherlands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He questioned Dormy rapidly and adroitly, and got the story from him in patches. The baker Carcaud, who, with Olivier Delagarde, betrayed the country into the hands of Rullecour years ago, had, with a French confederate of Mattingley's, been captured in attempting to steal Jean Touzel's boat, the Hardi Biaou. At the capture the confederate had been shot.
Lastly, if these plans failed, the executioner was to be drugged with liquor, his besetting weakness, on the eve of the hanging. The first plan had been found impossible, the window being too small for even Mattingley's head to get through.
To abuse him in his own argot was to make him loose his bag of mice in a flash. "Bachouar yourself, Maitre Ranulph! You'll find out soon. No news no trouble eh! Par made, Mattingley's gone to the Vier Prison he! The baker's come back, and the Connetable's after Olivier Delagarde.
Mattingley's dungeon was infested with rats and other vermin, he had only straw for his bed, and his food and drink were bread and water. The walls were damp with moisture from the Fauxbie running beneath, and a mere glimmer of light came through a small barred window. Superstition had surrounded the Vier Prison with horrors.
Here and there kind-hearted women or unimportant men lay awake through pity, and a few through a vague sense of loss; for, henceforth, the Vier Marchi would lack a familiar interest; but mostly the people of Mattingley's world were wakeful through curiosity. Morbid expectation of the hanging had for them a gruesome diversion.
He questioned Dormy rapidly and adroitly, and got the story from him in patches. The baker Carcaud, who, with Olivier Delagarde, betrayed the country into the hands of Rullecour years ago, had, with a French confederate of Mattingley's, been captured in attempting to steal Jean Touzel's boat, the Hardi Biaou. At the capture the confederate had been shot.
Lastly, if these plans failed, the executioner was to be drugged with liquor, his besetting weakness, on the eve of the hanging. The first plan had been found impossible, the window being too small for even Mattingley's head to get through.
If he had but known it, that very morning as he passed Mattingley's house Ranulph had looked down at him with infinite scorn and loathing but with triumph too, for the Chevalier had just shown him a certain page in a certain parish-register long lost, left with him by Carterette Mattingley. Philip knew naught of Ranulph save the story babbled by the islanders.
Mattingley's dungeon was infested with rats and other vermin, he had only straw for his bed, and his food and drink were bread and water. The walls were damp with moisture from the Fauxbie running beneath, and a mere glimmer of light came through a small barred window. Superstition had surrounded the Vier Prison with horrors.
He started forward to drag away the deathmann, but the Vicomte, thoroughly terrified at Ranulph's onset, himself seized the Undertaker's Apprentice, who, drawing off with unruffled malice, watched what followed with steely eyes. Dragged down by the weight of the Apprentice, Mattingley's feet were now firmly on the ground.
Word Of The Day