Page:Memoirs of Vidocq, Volume 2.djvu/195

 money, and always ready to purchase it either with his own blood or that of others; however, as yet it was but ten o'clock in the morning; I hoped that, during the long interval between that hour and mid-night, some opportunity would present itself of dexterously stealing away and giving information to this police. Meanwhile, I made not the slightest objection to the proposition of St Germain, which was indeed the best pledge we could separately have of the good faith of the others. When he perceived that we were all agreed, St Germain, who, by his energy, his talents for plotting and carrying his schemes into execution, was the real head of the conspiracy, expressed his satisfaction, and added further—"this unanimity is what I like; and I beg to say, that, for myself, I will leave nothing undone to merit the continuance of so flattering a consent to my wishes and opinions."

It was agreed that we should take a hackney coach, and proceed together to his house, situated in the Rue St Antoine. Arrived there, we ascended into his chamber, where he was to keep us under lock and key until the instant of departure. Confined between four walls, in close converse with these robbers, I knew not what saint to invoke, and what pretext to invent, to effect my escape. St Germain would have blown out my brains at the least suspicion; and how to act, or what was to be done, I knew not. My only plan was to resign myself to the event, be it what it might; and this determination taken, I affected to busy myself with the preparatives for our crime, the very sight of which redoubled my perplexity and horror. Pistols were laid on the table, in order to have the charges drawn and to be properly reloaded. Whilst they underwent a strict scrutiny, St Germain remarked a pair which seemed to him no longer able "to do the state any service;" he laid them aside—"Here," said he, "these 'toothless barkers' will never do; whilst the rest of you are loading and priming your batteries, I will get these changed for others more likely to aid