Nobody's Boy by Hector Malot Chapter 29
IN PRISON
Spring came slowly, but at last the day arrived for the family to leaveLondon. The caravans had been repainted and were loaded withmerchandise. There were materials, hats, shawls, handkerchiefs,sweaters, underwear, ear-rings, razors, soap, powders, cream, everythingthat one could imagine.
The caravans were full. The horses bought. Where, and how? I did notknow but we saw them come and everything was then ready for thedeparture. We did not know if we were to stay with the old grandfatheror go with the family, but my father, finding that we made good moneyplaying, told us the night before that we should go on the road with himand play our music.
"Let us go back to France," urged Mattia; "here's a good chance now."
"Why not travel through England?"
"Because I tell you something's going to happen if we stay here, andbesides we might find Mrs. Milligan and Arthur in France. If he has beenill she will be sure to take him on their barge, now the summer iscoming."
I told him that I must stay.
The same day we started. I saw in the afternoon how they sold thethings that cost so little. We arrived at a large village and thecaravans were drawn up on the public square. One of the sides waslowered and the goods displayed temptingly for the purchasers toinspect.
"Look at the price! Look at the price!" cried my father. "You couldn'tfind anything like this elsewhere for the price! I don't sell 'em; I'mgiving 'em away. Look at this!"
"He must have stolen them," I heard the people say when they saw theprices. If they had glanced at my shamed looks, they would have knownthat they were right in their suppositions.
If they did not notice me, Mattia did. "How much longer can you bearthis?" he asked.
I was silent.
"Let us go back to France," he urged again. "I feel that something isgoing to happen, and going to happen soon. Don't you think sooner orlater the police will get on to Driscoll, seeing how cheap he's sellingthe things? Then what'll happen?"
"Oh, Mattia...."
"If you will keep your eyes shut I must keep mine open. We shall both bearrested and we haven't done anything, but how can we prove that? Aren'twe eating the food that is paid for by the money that he gets for thesethings?"
I had never thought of that; it struck me now like a blow in the face.
"But we earn our food," I stammered, trying to defend ourselves.
"That's true, but we're living with thieves," replied Mattia, speakingmore frankly than he had ever done before, "and then if we're sent toprison, we can't look for your family. And I'm anxious to see Mrs.Milligan to warn her against that James Milligan. You don't know what hemight not do to Arthur. Let us go while we can."
"Let me have a few more days to think it over, Mattia," I said.
"Hurry up, then. Jack the Giant Killer smelled flesh--I smell danger."
Circumstances did for me what I was afraid to do. Several weeks hadpassed since we left London. My father had set up his caravans in a townwhere the races were about to be held. As Mattia and I had nothing to dowith selling the goods, we went to see the race-course, which was atsome distance from the town. Outside the English race-courses there isusually a fair going on. Mountebanks of all descriptions, musicians, andstall holders gather there two or three days in advance.
We were passing by a camp fire over which a kettle was hanging when werecognized our friend Bob, who had been with Mattia in the circus. Hewas delighted to see us again. He had come to the races with two friendsand was going to give an exhibition of strength. He had engaged somemusicians but they had failed him at the last moment and he was afraidthat the performance the next day would be a failure. He had to havemusicians to attract a crowd. Would we help him out? The profits wouldbe divided between the five of us that made up the company. There wouldeven be something for Capi, for he would like to have Capi perform histricks in the intervals. We agreed and promised to be there the next dayat the time he mentioned.
When I told of this arrangement to my father he said that he wanted Capiand that we could not have him. I wondered if they were going to make mydog do some dirty trick. From my look my father guessed my thoughts.
"Oh, it's all right," he said; "Capi's a good watch dog; he must standby the caravans. In a crowd like we shall have we might easily berobbed. You two go alone and play with your friend Bob, and if you arenot finished until late, which will be quite likely, you can join us atthe Old Oak Tavern. We shall go on our way again to-morrow."
We had spent the night before at the Old Oak Tavern, which was a mileout on a lonely road. The place was kept by a couple whose appearancedid not inspire one with confidence. It was quite easy to find thisplace. It was on a straight road. The only annoying thing was that itwas a long walk for us after a tiring day.
But when my father said a thing I had to obey. I promised to be at theTavern. The next day, after tying Capi to the caravan, where he was tobe on guard, I hurried off to the race-course with Mattia.
We began to play as soon as we arrived and kept it up until night. Myfingers ached as though they had been pricked with a thousand pins andpoor Mattia had blown his cornet so long that he could scarcely breathe.It was past midnight. Just as they were doing their last turn a big barof iron which they were using in their feats fell on Mattia's foot. Ithought that his foot was broken. Fortunately it was only severelybruised. No bones were broken, but still he could not walk.
It was decided that he should stay there that night with Bob and that Ishould go on alone to the Old Oak Tavern, for I had to know where theDriscoll family was going the next day. All was dark when I reached thetavern. I looked round for the caravans. They were nowhere to be seen.All I could see, beside one or two miserable wagons, was a big cage fromwhich, as I drew near, came the cry of a wild beast. The beautiful gaudycolored caravans belonging to the Driscoll family were gone.
I knocked at the tavern door. The landlord opened it and turned thelight from his lantern full on my face. He recognised me, but instead ofletting me go in he told me to hurry after my parents, who had gone toLewes, and said that I'd better not lose any time joining them. Then heshut the door in my face.
Since I had been in England I had learned to speak English fairly well.I understood clearly what he said, but I had not the slightest ideawhere Lewes was situated, and besides I could not go, even if I foundout the direction, and leave Mattia behind. I began my weary tramp backto the race-course; an hour later I was sleeping beside Mattia in Bob'swagon.
The next morning Bob told me how to get to Lewes and I was ready tostart. I was watching him boil the water for breakfast when I looked upfrom the fire and saw Capi being led towards us by a policeman. What didit mean? The moment Capi recognized me he gave a tug at his leash andescaping from the officer bounded toward me and jumped into my arms.
"Is that your dog?" asked the policeman.
"Yes."
"Then come with me, you're under arrest."
He seized me by the collar.
"What do you mean by arresting him?" cried Bob, jumping up from thefire.
"Are you his brother?"
"No, his friend."
"Well, a man and a boy robbed St. George's Church last night. They gotup a ladder and went through the window. This dog was there to give thealarm. They were surprised in the act and in their hurry to get out bythe window, the dog was left in the church. I knew that with the dog I'dbe sure to find the thieves; here's one, now where's his father?"
I could not utter a word. Mattia, who had heard the talk, came out ofthe caravan and limped over to me. Bob was telling the policeman that Icould not be guilty because I had stayed with him until one o'clock,then I went to the Old Oak Tavern and spoke to the landlord there, andcame back here at once.
"It was a quarter after one that the church was entered," said theofficer, "and this boy left here at one o'clock so he could have met theother and got to the church."
"It takes more than a quarter of an hour to go from here to the town,"said Bob.
"On the run, no," replied the policeman, "and what proves that he lefthere at one o'clock?"
"I can prove it; I swear it," cried Bob.
The policeman shrugged his shoulders. "This boy can explain to themagistrate," he said.
As I was being led away, Mattia threw his arms about my neck, as thoughit was because he wanted to embrace me, but Mattia had another object.
"Keep up your courage," he whispered, "we won't forsake you."
"Take care of Capi," I said in French, but the officer understood.
"Oh, no," he said; "I'll keep that dog. He helped me to find you; he mayhelp me to find the other."
Handcuffed to the policeman I had to pass under the gaze of a crowd ofpeople, but they did not jeer me like the peasants in France had done atmy first arrest; these people, almost all of them, were antagonistic tothe police; they were gypsies, tramps, in fact, the Bohemian vagabond.
There were no onions strewn over this prison where I was now locked up.This was a real jail with iron bars at the windows, the sight of whichput all thought of escape from my mind. In the cell there was only abench and a hammock. I dropped onto the bench and remained for a longtime with my head buried in my hands. Mattia and Bob, even with the helpof other friends, could never get me away from here. I got up and wentover to the window; the bars were strong and close together. The wallswere three feet thick. The ground beneath was paved with large stones.The door was covered with a plate of sheet iron.... No, I could notescape.
I began to wonder if it would be possible for me to prove my innocence,despite Capi's presence in the church. Mattia and Bob could help me byproving an alibi. If they could prove this I was saved in spite of themute testimony that my poor dog had carried against me. I asked thejailer when he brought in some food if it would be long before I shouldappear before the magistrate. I did not know then that in England youare taken into court the day after arrest. The jailer, who seemed akindly sort of man, told me that it would certainly be the next day.
I had heard tales of prisoners finding messages from their friends inthe food that was brought in to them. I could not touch my food, but Iat once began to crumble my bread. I found nothing inside. There weresome potatoes also; I mashed them to a pulp, but I found not thetiniest note. I did not sleep that night.
The next morning the jailer came into my cell carrying a jug of waterand a basin. He told me to wash myself if I wished to, for I was toappear before the judge, and a good appearance never went against one.When the jailer returned he told me to follow him. We went down severalpassages, then came to a small door which he opened.
"Pass in," he said.
The room I entered was very close. I heard a confused murmur of voices.Although my temples were throbbing and I could scarcely stand, I wasable to take in my surroundings. The room was of fair size with largewindows and high ceiling. The judge was seated on a raised platform.Beneath him in front sat three other court officials. Near where I stoodwas a gentleman wearing a robe and wig. I was surprised to find thatthis was my lawyer. How was it I had an attorney? Where did he come from?
Amongst the witnesses, I saw Bob and his two friends, the landlord ofthe Old Oak Tavern, and some men whom I did not know. Then on anotherstand opposite, amongst several other persons, I saw the policeman whohad arrested me. The public prosecutor in a few words stated the crime.A robbery had been committed in St. George's Church. The thieves, a manand a child, had climbed up a ladder and broken a window to get in. Theyhad with them a dog to give the alarm. At a quarter after one, a latepedestrian had seen a light in the church and had at once aroused thesexton. Several men ran to the church; the dog barked and the thievesescaped through the window, leaving the dog behind them. The dog'sintelligence was remarkable. The next morning the animal had led thepoliceman to the race-course where he had recognized his master, who wasnone other than the accused now standing in the prisoner's dock. As tothe second thief, they were on his trail, and they hoped to arrest him shortly.
There was little to be said for me; my friends tried to prove an alibi,but the prosecutor said that I had ample time to meet my accomplice atthe church and then run to the Old Oak Tavern after. I was asked thenhow I could account for my dog being in the church at quarter after one.I replied that I could not say, for the dog had not been with me allday. But I declared that I was innocent. My attorney tried to prove thatmy dog had wandered into the church during the day and had been lockedin when the sexton closed the door. He did his best for me, but thedefense was weak. Then the judge said that I should be taken to thecounty jail to wait for the Grand Jury to decide if I should, or shouldnot, be held for the assizes.
The assizes!
I fell back on my bench. Oh, why had I not listened to Mattia.