Page:Memoirs of Vidocq, Volume 2.djvu/199

 again met the eye of my faithful Annette, whose glance satisfied me that all my commissions had been attended to. Just then, Debenne enquired of me the place of rendezvous. I know not what good genius suggested to me the idea of saving this unhappy creature. I had observed that he was not wicked at heart, and that he seemed rather drawn towards the abyss of guilt by want and bad advice, than by any natural inclination for crime. I hastily assigned to him a post, away from the spot which had been agreed on; and, happy in having saved him from the snare, rejoined St Germain and Boudin, at the angle of the boulevard St Denis. It was now about half-past ten, and I gave them to understand that the cabriolet would require some time in getting ready; that I had given orders to Debenne, that he should take his station in the corner of the Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, ready to hasten to us at the slightest signal. I observed to them, that the sight of a cabriolet, too near to the place of our labours, might awaken suspicion; and they agreed in thinking my precautions wisely taken.

Eleven o'clock struck—we took a glass together in the fauxbourg St Denis, and then directed our steps towards the banker's habitation. The tranquillity of Boudin and his infamous associate, had something in it almost fiend-like: they walked coolly along, each with his pipe in his mouth, which was only removed to hum over some loose song.

At last we arrived at the part of the garden wall it had been determined to scale, by means of a large post, which would serve as a ladder. St Germain demanded my pistols;—my heart began to beat violently, for I fully expected, that, having by some ill chance penetrated my real share in the affair, he meant that I should answer for it with my life: resistance would have been useless, and I put them into his hands; but, to my extreme relief, he merely opened the pan, changed the priming, and returned them to me. After having performed a similar operation on his own pistols and