IN PRISON
Spring came slowly, but at last the day arrived for the family to leave
London. The caravans had been repainted and were loaded with
merchandise. There were materials, hats, shawls, handkerchiefs,
sweaters, underwear, ear-rings, razors, soap, powders, cream, everything
that one could imagine.
The caravans were full. The horses bought. Where, and how? I did not
know but we saw them come and everything was then ready for the
departure. We did not know if we were to stay with the old grandfather
or go with the family, but my father, finding that we made good money
playing, told us the night before that we should go on the road with him
and 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, and
besides we might find Mrs. Milligan and Arthur in France. If he has been
ill she will be sure to take him on their barge, now the summer is
coming."
I told him that I must stay.
The same day we started. I saw in the afternoon how they sold the
things that cost so little. We arrived at a large village and the
caravans were drawn up on the public square. One of the sides was
lowered and the goods displayed temptingly for the purchasers to
inspect.
"Look at the price! Look at the price!" cried my father. "You couldn't
find anything like this elsewhere for the price! I don't sell 'em; I'm
giving 'em away. Look at this!"
"He must have stolen them," I heard the people say when they saw the
prices. If they had glanced at my shamed looks, they would have known
that they were right in their suppositions.
If they did not notice me, Mattia did. "How much longer can you bear
this?" he asked.
I was silent.
"Let us go back to France," he urged again. "I feel that something is
going to happen, and going to happen soon. Don't you think sooner or
later the police will get on to Driscoll, seeing how cheap he's selling
the things? Then what'll happen?"
"Oh, Mattia...."
"If you will keep your eyes shut I must keep mine open. We shall both be
arrested and we haven't done anything, but how can we prove that? Aren't
we eating the food that is paid for by the money that he gets for these
things?"
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, speaking
more frankly than he had ever done before, "and then if we're sent to
prison, 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 he
might 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 had
passed since we left London. My father had set up his caravans in a town
where the races were about to be held. As Mattia and I had nothing to do
with selling the goods, we went to see the race-course, which was at
some distance from the town. Outside the English race-courses there is
usually a fair going on. Mountebanks of all descriptions, musicians, and
stall holders gather there two or three days in advance.
We were passing by a camp fire over which a kettle was hanging when we
recognized our friend Bob, who had been with Mattia in the circus. He
was delighted to see us again. He had come to the races with two friends
and was going to give an exhibition of strength. He had engaged some
musicians but they had failed him at the last moment and he was afraid
that the performance the next day would be a failure. He had to have
musicians to attract a crowd. Would we help him out? The profits would
be divided between the five of us that made up the company. There would
even be something for Capi, for he would like to have Capi perform his
tricks in the intervals. We agreed and promised to be there the next day
at the time he mentioned.
When I told of this arrangement to my father he said that he wanted Capi
and that we could not have him. I wondered if they were going to make my
dog 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 stand
by the caravans. In a crowd like we shall have we might easily be
robbed. You two go alone and play with your friend Bob, and if you are
not finished until late, which will be quite likely, you can join us at
the 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 mile
out on a lonely road. The place was kept by a couple whose appearance
did not inspire one with confidence. It was quite easy to find this
place. It was on a straight road. The only annoying thing was that it
was 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 the
Tavern. The next day, after tying Capi to the caravan, where he was to
be 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. My
fingers ached as though they had been pricked with a thousand pins and
poor 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 bar
of iron which they were using in their feats fell on Mattia's foot. I
thought that his foot was broken. Fortunately it was only severely
bruised. No bones were broken, but still he could not walk.
It was decided that he should stay there that night with Bob and that I
should go on alone to the Old Oak Tavern, for I had to know where the
Driscoll family was going the next day. All was dark when I reached the
tavern. 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 from
which, as I drew near, came the cry of a wild beast. The beautiful gaudy
colored caravans belonging to the Driscoll family were gone.
I knocked at the tavern door. The landlord opened it and turned the
light from his lantern full on my face. He recognised me, but instead of
letting me go in he told me to hurry after my parents, who had gone to
Lewes, and said that I'd better not lose any time joining them. Then he
shut 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 idea
where Lewes was situated, and besides I could not go, even if I found
out the direction, and leave Mattia behind. I began my weary tramp back
to the race-course; an hour later I was sleeping beside Mattia in Bob's
wagon.
The next morning Bob told me how to get to Lewes and I was ready to
start. I was watching him boil the water for breakfast when I looked up
from the fire and saw Capi being led towards us by a policeman. What did
it mean? The moment Capi recognized me he gave a tug at his leash and
escaping 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 the
fire.
"Are you his brother?"
"No, his friend."
"Well, a man and a boy robbed St. George's Church last night. They got
up a ladder and went through the window. This dog was there to give the
alarm. They were surprised in the act and in their hurry to get out by
the window, the dog was left in the church. I knew that with the dog I'd
be 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 of
the caravan and limped over to me. Bob was telling the policeman that I
could 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, and
came back here at once.
"It was a quarter after one that the church was entered," said the
officer, "and this boy left here at one o'clock so he could have met the
other 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 left
here at one o'clock?"
"I can prove it; I swear it," cried Bob.
The policeman shrugged his shoulders. "This boy can explain to the
magistrate," he said.
As I was being led away, Mattia threw his arms about my neck, as though
it 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 may
help me to find the other."
Handcuffed to the policeman I had to pass under the gaze of a crowd of
people, but they did not jeer me like the peasants in France had done at
my first arrest; these people, almost all of them, were antagonistic to
the 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 which
put all thought of escape from my mind. In the cell there was only a
bench and a hammock. I dropped onto the bench and remained for a long
time with my head buried in my hands. Mattia and Bob, even with the help
of other friends, could never get me away from here. I got up and went
over to the window; the bars were strong and close together. The walls
were three feet thick. The ground beneath was paved with large stones.
The door was covered with a plate of sheet iron.... No, I could not
escape.
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 by
proving an alibi. If they could prove this I was saved in spite of the
mute testimony that my poor dog had carried against me. I asked the
jailer when he brought in some food if it would be long before I should
appear before the magistrate. I did not know then that in England you
are taken into court the day after arrest. The jailer, who seemed a
kindly sort of man, told me that it would certainly be the next day.
I had heard tales of prisoners finding messages from their friends in
the food that was brought in to them. I could not touch my food, but I
at once began to crumble my bread. I found nothing inside. There were
some potatoes also; I mashed them to a pulp, but I found not the
tiniest note. I did not sleep that night.
The next morning the jailer came into my cell carrying a jug of water
and a basin. He told me to wash myself if I wished to, for I was to
appear before the judge, and a good appearance never went against one.
When the jailer returned he told me to follow him. We went down several
passages, 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 was
able to take in my surroundings. The room was of fair size with large
windows and high ceiling. The judge was seated on a raised platform.
Beneath him in front sat three other court officials. Near where I stood
was a gentleman wearing a robe and wig. I was surprised to find that
this 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 of
the Old Oak Tavern, and some men whom I did not know. Then on another
stand opposite, amongst several other persons, I saw the policeman who
had 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 man
and a child, had climbed up a ladder and broken a window to get in. They
had with them a dog to give the alarm. At a quarter after one, a late
pedestrian had seen a light in the church and had at once aroused the
sexton. Several men ran to the church; the dog barked and the thieves
escaped through the window, leaving the dog behind them. The dog's
intelligence was remarkable. The next morning the animal had led the
policeman to the race-course where he had recognized his master, who was
none other than the accused now standing in the prisoner's dock. As to
the 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 at
the church and then run to the Old Oak Tavern after. I was asked then
how 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 all
day. But I declared that I was innocent. My attorney tried to prove that
my dog had wandered into the church during the day and had been locked
in when the sexton closed the door. He did his best for me, but the
defense was weak. Then the judge said that I should be taken to the
county jail to wait for the Grand Jury to decide if I should, or should
not, be held for the assizes.
The assizes!
I fell back on my bench. Oh, why had I not listened to Mattia.