Page:Memoirs of Vidocq, Volume 1.djvu/201

 calmness as a cavalier presents an ice to his partner at a ball.

"I was thus enlisted in this band, the terror of the departments of the North, la Lys and l'Escaut. In less than fifteen days I was introduced to Sallambier, in whom I recognized the peasant of Liège; to Duhamel, Chopiné, Calandrin, and the principal Chauffeurs. The first business in which I took a share was in the environs of Douai. Duhamel's mistress, who accompanied us, introduced us to the house, in which she had been waiting-maid. The dogs having been poisoned by a wood-cutter employed on the premises, we only waited until the family should be asleep, to commence our operations. No locks could resist Calandrin, and we reached the drawing room with the utmost silence. The family, consisting, of the father, mother, great aunt, two young persons, and a relation on a visit, were playing at Bouillotte. We only heard the words, 'Pass, I hold; I play Charlemagne,' &c.; when Sallambier, opening the door quickly, appeared, followed by ten men with blackened faces, and pistols and daggers in their hands. At this sight the cards fell from the hands of all; the females shrieked for mercy, until, with a motion of his hand, Sallambier compelled silence, whilst one of our band, jumping like a monkey on the mantlepiece, cut the ropes of the bells. The women fainted, but were not heeded. The master of the house alone retained some presence of mind. After having opened his mouth at least twenty times without uttering a word, he at length contrived to ask what we wanted? 'Money,' said Sallambier, whose voice seemed to me entirely changed; and taking the candle from the card-table, he made signs to the master of the house to follow him into the next room, where we knew that the money and jewels were deposited. It was precisely Don Juan preceding the statue of the Commandant.

"We remained in the dark, motionless at our posts,