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"Monsieur le medecin, le nouveau." The doctor got up. "Open your shirt." I did. "Take down your pants." I did. "All right." Then, as the planton was about to escort me from the room: "English?" he asked with curiosity. "No" I said, "American." "Vraiment" he contemplated me with attention. "South American are you?" "United States" I explained.
It was the planton into whom I had had the distinguished honour of bumping shortly after my visit to le bain. The Hollanders and Fritz were at the gate in a mob, all shouting "Which" in four languages. This planton did not deign to notice them. He repeated roughly "L'americain." Then, yielding a point to their frenzied entreaties: "Le nouveau."
As we defiled through the little gate in the barbed-wire fence we heard, apparently just outside the building whither we were proceeding on our way to The Great Upstairs, a tremendous sound of mingled screams, curses and crashings. The planton of the day was not only stupid he was a little deaf; to his ears this hideous racket had not, as nearly as one could see, penetrated.
I took them as a monkey takes a cocoanut. "Do you wish?" the Gestionnaire nodded toward me, addressing the Fencer. "No, no" the Fencer said bowingly. "I have talked to him already." "Call that planton!" cried Monsieur le Gestionnaire, to the little thing. The little thing ran out dutifully and called in a weak voice "Planton!" A gruff but respectful "Oui" boomed from below-stairs.
Fritz understood perfectly, and rose, remarking as he fingered his immaculate chin "Well, I guess I'll take a shave before the bloody planton comes" and Monsieur Auguste, B., and I started down the room.
The door shot wide. The planton's almost indistinguishable figure in the doorway told me that the entire room was dark. I had not noticed the darkness. There had been men playing at cards by this candle now everybody was quietly reposing upon the floor along three sides of The Enormous Room. The planton entered. Walked over to the light.
On reaching the door we skewed the machine skillfully to the left, thereby bringing it to a complete standstill, and waited for the planton to unlock the locks; which done, we rushed it violently over the threshold, turned left, still running, and came to a final stop in front of the kitchen. Here stood three enormous wooden tubs.
The planton told Jean to come down with the rest and get soupe. No answer. Was Jean sick? "Oui, me seek." And steadfastly he refused to eat, till the disgusted planton gave it up and locked Jean in alone. When we ascended after la soupe we found Jean as we had left him, stretched on his couch, big tears on his cheeks. I asked him if I could do anything for him; he shook his head.
And he added, more pleased with himself than anyone had ever seen him: "Maintenant, vous pouvez tous montez a la chambre." We mounted, happy to get back to bed; but none so happy as Jean le Negre. It was not that the cabinot threat had failed to materialize at any minute a planton might call Jean to his punishment: indeed this was what everyone expected.
This arrest of a planton was, so long as I inhabited La Ferte, the only case in which abuse of the weaker sex was punished. That attempts at abuse were frequent I know from allusions and direct statements made in the letters which passed by way of the sweeper from the girls to their captive admirers.
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