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unhoped…for luck； a chance that would finally decide the issues of the
day。
Eve was completely prostrated by this event； Petit…Claud saw this； and
meant to profit by her despair to win her confidence； for he saw at
last how much she influenced her husband。 So far from discouraging
Eve； he tried to reassure her； and very cleverly diverted her thoughts
to the prison。 She should persuade David to take the Cointets into
partnership。
〃David told me； madame； that he only wished for a fortune for your
sake and your brother's； but it should be clear to you by now that to
try to make a rich man of Lucien would be madness。 The youngster would
run through three fortunes。〃
Eve's attitude told plainly enough that she had no more illusions left
with regard to her brother。 The lawyer waited a little so that her
silence should have the weight of consent。
〃Things being so； it is now a question of you and your child；〃 he
said。 〃It rests with you to decide whether an income of two thousand
francs will be enough for your welfare； to say nothing of old
Sechard's property。 Your father…in…law's income has amounted to seven
or eight thousand francs for a long time past； to say nothing of
capital lying out at interest。 So； after all； you have a good prospect
before you。 Why torment yourself？〃
Petit…Claud left Eve Sechard to reflect upon this prospect。 The whole
scheme had been drawn up with no little skill by the tall Cointet the
evening before。
〃Give them the glimpse of a possibility of money in hand；〃 the lynx
had said； when Petit…Claud brought the news of the arrest； 〃once let
them grow accustomed to that idea； and they are ours； we will drive a
bargain； and little by little we shall bring them down to our price
for the secret。〃
The argument of the second act of the commercial drama was in a manner
summed up in that speech。
Mme。 Sechard； heartbroken and full of dread for her brother's fate；
dressed and came downstairs。 An agony of terror seized her when she
thought that she must cross Angouleme alone on the way to the prison。
Petit…Claud gave little thought to his fair client's distress。 When he
came back to offer his arm； it was from a tolerably Machiavellian
motive； but Eve gave him credit for delicate consideration； and he
allowed her to thank him for it。 The little attention； at such a
moment； from so hard a man； modified Mme。 Sechard's previous opinion
of Petit…Claud。
〃I am taking you round by the longest way；〃 he said； 〃and we shall
meet nobody。〃
〃For the first time in my life； monsieur； I feel that I have no right
to hold up my head before other people； I had a sharp lesson given to
me last night〃
〃It will be the first and the last。〃
〃Oh！ I certainly shall not stay in the town now〃
〃Let me know if your husband consents to the proposals that are all
but definitely offered by the Cointets；〃 said Petit…Claud at the gate
of the prison； 〃I will come at once with an order for David's release
from Cachan； and in all likelihood he will not go back again to
prison。〃
This suggestion； made on the very threshold of the jail； was a piece
of cunning strategya combinazione； as the Italians call an
indefinable mixture of treachery and truth； a cunningly planned fraud
which does not break the letter of the law； or a piece of deft
trickery for which there is no legal remedy。 St。 Bartholomew's for
instance； was a political combination。
Imprisonment for debt； for reasons previously explained； is such a
rare occurrence in the provinces； that there is no house of detention；
and a debtor is perforce imprisoned with the accused； convicted； and
condemnedthe three graduated subdivisions of the class generically
styled criminal。 David was put for the time being in a cell on the
ground floor from which some prisoner had probably been recently
discharged at the end of his time。 Once inscribed on the jailer's
register； with the amount allowed by the law for a prisoner's board
for one month； David confronted a big； stout man； more powerful than
the King himself in a prisoner's eyes； this was the jailer。
An instance of a thin jailer is unknown in the provinces。 The place；
to begin with； is almost a sinecure； and a jailer is a kind of
innkeeper who pays no rent and lives very well； while his prisoners
fare very ill； for； like an innkeeper； he gives them rooms according
to their payments。 He knew David by name； and what was more； knew
about David's father； and thought that he might venture to let the
printer have a good room on credit for one night； for David was
penniless。
The prison of Angouleme was built in the Middle Ages； and has no more
changed than the old cathedral。 It is built against the old presidial；
or ancient court of appeal； and people still call it the maison de
justice。 It boasts the conventional prison gateway； the solid…looking；
nail…studded door； the low； worn archway which the better deserves the
qualification 〃cyclopean；〃 because the jailer's peephole or judas
looks out like a single eye from the front of the building。 As you
enter you find yourself in a corridor which runs across the entire
width of the building； with a row of doors of cells that give upon the
prison yard and are lighted by high windows covered with a square iron
grating。 The jailer's house is separated from these cells by an
archway in the middle； through which you catch a glimpse of the iron
gate of the prison yard。 The jailer installed David in a cell next to
the archway； thinking that he would like to have a man of David's
stamp as a near neighbor for the sake of company。
〃This is the best room；〃 he said。 David was struck dumb with amazement
at the sight of it。
The stone walls were tolerably damp。 The windows； set high in the
wall； were heavily barred； the stone…paved floor was cold as ice； and
from the corridor outside came the sound of the measured tramp of the
warder； monotonous as waves on the beach。 〃You are a prisoner！ you are
watched and guarded！〃 said the footsteps at every moment of every
hour。 All these small things together produce a prodigious effect upon
the minds of honest folk。 David saw that the bed was execrable； but
the first night in a prison is full of violent agitation； and only on
the second night does the prisoner notice that his couch is hard。 The
jailer was graciously disposed； he naturally suggested that his
prisoner should walk in the yard until nightfall。
David's hour of anguish only began when he was locked into his cell
for the night。 Lights are not allowed in the cells。 A prisoner
detained on arrest used to be subjected to rules devised for
malefactors； unless he brought a special exemption signed by the
public prosecutor。 The jailer certainly might allow David to sit by
his fire； but the prisoner must go back to his cell at locking…up
time。 Poor David learned the horrors of prison life by experience； the
rough coarseness of the treatment revolted him。 Yet a revulsion；
familiar to those who live by thought； passed over him。 He detached
himself from his loneliness； and found a way of escape in a poet's
waking dream。
At last the unhappy man's thoughts turned to his own affairs。 The
stimulating influen