Page:Memoirs of Vidocq, Volume 2.djvu/64

 however entirely lost upon him in his present state. "Let the fellow go and be, the sun shines equally for us all: liberty, equality, or death," he repeated, whilst struggling to escape the hold I kept on him, that he might not commit himself in any way. "Equality, I tell you;" and in an attitude better conceived than described, he looked at me with that stupid no-meaning stare which a man has when he has 'put an enemy into his mouth to steal away his brains,' and reduce him to the level of a brute.

I was in despair, when, at the cry "Present arms!" followed by this warning, "Cannoneer, mind what you do; here is the adjutant, here is Bevignac," he suddenly seemed quite to come to himself. A shower-bath fallling from a height of fifty feet, upon a maniac's head, has not so sudden an effect in restoring his senses. The name of Bevignac made a singular impression on the soldiery, who had ranged themselves in front of the ground floor of the fair Magdelaine's house. They looked at one another without, as it seemed, daring to breathe, so much were they alarmed. The adjutant, who was a tall meagre-looking man, having arrived, began to count them, whilst he made motions with his cane. I never saw a face so deeply furrowed; on his thin and lank jaws were two small unpowdered curls; on the whole countenance might be traced a certain something, which declared that adjutant Bevignac was a perfect martinet, and determinately opposed to anything like want of discipline. Anger was visible in his face, his eyes were blood-shot, and a horrible convulsion of his jaws announced that he was about to speak. "By the devil's nest! Well! All quiet! You know orders. None but officers! By satan's nest! and every man in his turn." Then perceiving us, and advancing with uplifted cane, "What are you doing here, you serjeant of powder-monkies?" I thought he was about to strike us. "Oh, I see," he added, "it is nothing; only drunk;" addressing Dufailli. "Well, a jovial cup is excusable; go to bed, and do not let me meet