’JudgeifIcomebackfromNaplesasIwent!Seehere，mymaster!
　　CivitaVecchia，Leghorn，PortoFino，Genoa，Cornice，OffNicewhichisinthere，Marseilles，youandme。TheapartmentofthejailerandhiskeysiswhereIputthisthumb；andhereatmywristtheykeepthenationalrazorinitscase——theguillotinelockedup。’
　　Theothermanspatsuddenlyonthepavement，andgurgledinhisthroat。
　　Somelockbelowgurgledinitsthroatimmediatelyafterwards，andthenadoorcrashed。Slowstepsbeganascendingthestairs；theprattleofasweetlittlevoicemingledwiththenoisetheymade；
　　andtheprison-keeperappearedcarryinghisdaughter，threeorfouryearsold，andabasket。
　　’Howgoestheworldthisforenoon，gentlemen？Mylittleone，yousee，goingroundwithmetohaveapeepatherfather’sbirds。
　　Fie，then!Lookatthebirds，mypretty，lookatthebirds。’
　　Helookedsharplyatthebirdshimself，asheheldthechildupatthegrate，especiallyatthelittlebird，whoseactivityheseemedtomistrust。’Ihavebroughtyourbread，SignorJohnBaptist，’
　　saidhetheyallspokeinFrench，butthelittlemanwasanItalian；’andifImightrecommendyounottogame——’
　　’Youdon’trecommendthemaster!’saidJohnBaptist，showinghisteethashesmiled。
　　’Oh!butthemasterwins，’returnedthejailer，withapassinglookofnoparticularlikingattheotherman，’andyoulose。It’squiteanotherthing。Yougethuskybreadandsourdrinkbyit；andhegetssausageofLyons，vealinsavouryjelly，whitebread，strachinocheese，andgoodwinebyit。Lookatthebirds，mypretty!’
　　’Poorbirds!’saidthechild。
　　Thefairlittleface，touchedwithdivinecompassion，asitpeepedshrinkinglythroughthegrate，waslikeanangel’sintheprison。
　　JohnBaptistroseandmovedtowardsit，asifithadagoodattractionforhim。Theotherbirdremainedasbefore，exceptforanimpatientglanceatthebasket。
　　’Stay!’saidthejailer，puttinghislittledaughterontheouterledgeofthegrate，’sheshallfeedthebirds。ThisbigloafisforSignorJohnBaptist。Wemustbreakittogetitthroughintothecage。So，there’satamebirdtokissthelittlehand!ThissausageinavineleafisforMonsieurRigaud。Again——thisvealinsavouryjellyisforMonsieurRigaud。Again——thesethreewhitelittleloavesareforMonsieurRigaud。Again，thischeese——again，thiswine——again，thistobacco——allforMonsieurRigaud。Luckybird!’
　　Thechildputallthesethingsbetweenthebarsintothesoft，Smooth，well-shapedhand，withevidentdread——morethanoncedrawingbackherownandlookingatthemanwithherfairbrowroughenedintoanexpressionhalfoffrightandhalfofanger。
　　Whereasshehadputthelumpofcoarsebreadintotheswart，scaled，knottedhandsofJohnBaptistwhohadscarcelyasmuchnailonhiseightfingersandtwothumbsaswouldhavemadeoutoneforMonsieurRigaud，withreadyconfidence；and，whenhekissedherhand，hadherselfpasseditcaressinglyoverhisface。
　　MonsieurRigaud，indifferenttothisdistinction，propitiatedthefatherbylaughingandnoddingatthedaughterasoftenasshegavehimanything；and，sosoonashehadallhisviandsabouthiminconvenientnooksoftheledgeonwhichherested，begantoeatwithanappetite。
　　WhenMonsieurRigaudlaughed，achangetookplaceinhisface，thatwasmoreremarkablethanprepossessing。Hismoustachewentupunderhisnose，andhisnosecamedownoverhismoustache，inaverysinisterandcruelmanner。
　　’There!’saidthejailer，turninghisbasketupsidedowntobeatthecrumbsout，’IhaveexpendedallthemoneyIreceived；hereisthenoteofit，andthat’sathingaccomplished。MonsieurRigaud，asIexpectedyesterday，thePresidentwilllookforthepleasureofyoursocietyatanhouraftermid-day，to-day。’
　　’Totryme，eh？’saidRigaud，pausing，knifeinhandandmorselinmouth。
　　’Youhavesaidit。Totryyou。’
　　’Thereisnonewsforme？’askedJohnBaptist，whohadbegun，contentedly，tomunchhisbread。
　　Thejailershruggedhisshoulders。
　　’Ladyofmine!AmItoliehereallmylife，myfather？’
　　’WhatdoIknow!’criedthejailer，turninguponhimwithsouthernquickness，andgesticulatingwithbothhishandsandallhisfingers，asifhewerethreateningtotearhimtopieces。’Myfriend，howisitpossibleformetotellhowlongyouaretoliehere？WhatdoIknow，JohnBaptistCavalletto？Deathofmylife!
　　Thereareprisonersheresometimes，whoarenotinsuchadevilofahurrytobetried。’
　　HeseemedtoglanceobliquelyatMonsieurRigaudinthisremark；
　　butMonsieurRigaudhadalreadyresumedhismeal，thoughnotwithquitesoquickanappetiteasbefore。
　　’Adieu，mybirds!’saidthekeeperoftheprison，takinghisprettychildinhisarms，anddictatingthewordswithakiss。
　　’Adieu，mybirds!’theprettychildrepeated。
　　Herinnocentfacelookedbacksobrightlyoverhisshoulder，ashewalkedawaywithher，singingherthesongofthechild’sgame：
　　’Whopassesbythisroadsolate？
　　CompagnondelaMajolaine!
　　Whopassesbythisroadsolate？
　　Alwaysgay!’
　　thatJohnBaptistfeltitapointofhonourtoreplyatthegrate，andingoodtimeandtune，thoughalittlehoarsely：
　　’Ofalltheking’sknights’tistheflower，CompagnondelaMajolaine!
　　Ofalltheking’sknights’tistheflower，Alwaysgay!’
　　whichaccompaniedthemsofardownthefewsteepstairs，thattheprison-keeperhadtostopatlastforhislittledaughtertohearthesongout，andrepeattheRefrainwhiletheywereyetinsight。
　　Thenthechild’sheaddisappeared，andtheprison-keeper’sheaddisappeared，butthelittlevoiceprolongedthestrainuntilthedoorclashed。
　　MonsieurRigaud，findingthelisteningJohnBaptistinhiswaybeforetheechoeshadceasedeventheechoesweretheweakerforimprisonment，andseemedtolag，remindedhimwithapushofhisfootthathehadbetterresumehisowndarkerplace。Thelittlemansatdownagainuponthepavementwiththenegligenteaseofonewhowasthoroughlyaccustomedtopavements；andplacingthreehunksofcoarsebreadbeforehimself，andfallingtouponafourth，begancontentedlytoworkhiswaythroughthemasiftoclearthemoffwereasortofgame。
　　PerhapsheglancedattheLyonssausage，andperhapsheglancedatthevealinsavouryjelly，buttheywerenottherelong，tomakehismouthwater；MonsieurRigaudsoondispatchedthem，inspiteofthepresidentandtribunal，andproceededtosuckhisfingersascleanashecould，andtowipethemonhisvineleaves。Then，ashepausedinhisdrinktocontemplatehisfellow-prisoner，hismoustachewentup，andhisnosecamedown。
　　’Howdoyoufindthebread？’
　　’Alittledry，butIhavemyoldsaucehere，’returnedJohnBaptist，holdinguphisknife。
　　’Howsauce？’
　　’Icancutmybreadso——likeamelon。Orso——likeanomelette。Orso——likeafriedfish。Orso——likeLyonssausage，’saidJohnBaptist，demonstratingthevariouscutsonthebreadheheld，andsoberlychewingwhathehadinhismouth。
　　’Here!’criedMonsieurRigaud。’Youmaydrink。Youmayfinishthis。’
　　Itwasnogreatgift，fortherewasmightylittlewineleft；butSignorCavalletto，jumpingtohisfeet，receivedthebottlegratefully，turneditupsidedownathismouth，andsmackedhislips。
　　’Putthebottlebywiththerest，’saidRigaud。
　　Thelittlemanobeyedhisorders，andstoodreadytogivehimalightedmatch；forhewasnowrollinghistobaccointocigarettesbytheaidoflittlesquaresofpaperwhichhadbeenbroughtinwithit。
　　’Here!Youmayhaveone。’
　　’Athousandthanks，mymaster!’JohnBaptistsaidinhisownlanguage，andwiththequickconciliatorymannerofhisowncountrymen。
　　MonsieurRigaudarose，lightedacigarette，puttherestofhisstockintoabreast-pocket，andstretchedhimselfoutatfulllengthuponthebench。Cavallettosatdownonthepavement，holdingoneofhisanklesineachhand，andsmokingpeacefully。
　　ThereseemedtobesomeuncomfortableattractionofMonsieurRigaud’seyestotheimmediateneighbourhoodofthatpartofthepavementwherethethumbhadbeenintheplan。Theyweresodrawninthatdirection，thattheItalianmorethanoncefollowedthemtoandbackfromthepavementinsomesurprise。
　　’Whataninfernalholethisis!’saidMonsieurRigaud，breakingalongpause。’Lookatthelightofday。Day？thelightofyesterdayweek，thelightofsixmonthsago，thelightofsixyearsago。Soslackanddead!’
　　Itcamelanguishingdownasquarefunnelthatblindedawindowinthestaircasewall，throughwhichtheskywasneverseen——noranythingelse。
　　’Cavalletto，’saidMonsieurRigaud，suddenlywithdrawinghisgazefromthisfunneltowhichtheyhadbothinvoluntarilyturnedtheireyes，’youknowmeforagentleman？’
　　’Surely，surely!’
　　’Howlonghavewebeenhere？’
　　’I，elevenweeks，to-morrownightatmidnight。You，nineweeksandthreedays，atfivethisafternoon。’
　　’HaveIeverdoneanythinghere？Evertouchedthebroom，orspreadthemats，orrolledthemup，orfoundthedraughts，orcollectedthedominoes，orputmyhandtoanykindofwork？’
　　’Never!’
　　’Haveyoueverthoughtoflookingtometodoanykindofwork？’
　　JohnBaptistansweredwiththatpeculiarback-handedshakeoftherightforefingerwhichisthemostexpressivenegativeintheItalianlanguage。
　　’No!Youknewfromthefirstmomentwhenyousawmehere，thatI
　　wasagentleman？’
　　’ALTRO!’returnedJohnBaptist，closinghiseyesandgivinghisheadamostvehementtoss。Thewordbeing，accordingtoitsGenoeseemphasis，aconfirmation，acontradiction，anassertion，adenial，ataunt，acompliment，ajoke，andfiftyotherthings，becameinthepresentinstance，withasignificancebeyondallpowerofwrittenexpression，ourfamiliarEnglish’Ibelieveyou!’