Page:Julian Niemcewicz - Notes of my Captivity in Russia.djvu/172

144 I began to hum a tune, in which was often repeated the word Du-Pont, which is the French translation of his name. Mostowski soon knew my voice and my intention, for, in half an hour after, he answered in the same manner, dwelling upon the word Allemand, which is the translation of mine. We did not dare, however, to make frequent use of this manner of communication, for fear of being observed, and put farther from each other. Mostowski, however, asked Makarow to allow him to send his books to other prisoners, and to have in return the use of theirs. Makarow consented, but gave orders to the officers to examine, leaf by leaf, each book which was sent or returned, to see that the prisoners had not written something upon them. One evening, therefore, the corporal came and asked me for a book; I gave him one, and in a quarter of an hour he brought it back, saying that it was not a good one, and that I was requested to send a better. I understood what was meant, and told him