CHAPTER VII

Our Entrance into the Gaol of Boulogne--Tantalising Sight of Old England’s Flag and white Cliffs--A Gaoler’s Supper and a conscientious Bill--Another Examination--The Route to Verdun--Arras--The Gaoler kind, and the Commandant full of Indulgence--Bapaume--The Baker, and Inquiries for our lost Money--Cambray--Cateau-Cambresis and its horrible Dungeon--Landrecies--Our Awkwardness in Chains, Handcuffs, and Fetters--My Dislike to them--Avesnes--Information that we were to be Shot--The Dungeon of Avesnes--A dungeon Companion who had killed and cut up both his Parents--A Night of Horrors and Lunacy--Hirson, a Town without a Gaol, but with a Dungeon--A Supper and its Consequences--The Discovery of our Implements of Escape--Maubert Fontaine--A new Dungeon and a Fellow-prisoner--Reciprocal Services--A novel Mode of hiding Pistol-barrels--Chaining Prisoners to a Cart--Mezières--Arrival at Verdun--Separated from my Companions--Reflections on being Shot--A close Examination--Questioned in relation to Buonaparte--Allowed to join my old Associates--Another Cross-examination--A Recommittal to Prison--Our Fate determined--The Dungeon of Bitche--The Rev. Lancelot C. Lee, a _détenu_--His Generosity Page 100