The New York herald., 1874-12-20

about dark when we arrived IN The latter place,
Dul we were kept waiting about the streets iOr an
last appeared. but instantly Z ordered 'u Us on 10
iion he replied by saving, "Vayar' t..Cow5 In
way which put my seltrestrainJ to the utmost
test We were taken across the street to the
Hotel de Vile led along dark corridor, ana at
last thrust into loatnsome cell or dungeon, OF
which the door was shut and locked upon US, and
ALONE IN THE DARKNESS
There was little hole In the door about SIX
kindly faced woman, who looked at us compass
sionateiy brought us candle, which she sruck
throup h the h0le seized II and We looked about
us. We found oui selves IN room about six feet
10y twelve. One-hal OF it was taken up by heap
which emitted q dabolical combination OF odors,
such as may only DC met with In Spaln There was
rEdest Kind and no wnooW, OWN except ere" the the
little square hole through which had
received the candle; the walls and moor were
1t was. think, the fouest place ever remembered
TO nave seen. dog kennel o. piesty would
have been sweet and wholesome beside IL. We
explored the room-it did not take long-and then
looked at each other or moment aud sat down
soon perceived that the straw was already in
hablted TO It's fullest capacity by numerous and
powerful coterie OF animated beings, VINO irnme-
dately proceeded In the most hospitable manner
TO invite US 10
Il III POlOnius. which we would have respectfully
declined had 1t been IN our power. But our enter
tanners understood 100 we'll tile laws of hospitality
ing at meal which we 1elt keenly must have
been pleasant ana delightful one to some body
We soon made ny our minds that something
would have TO be done, and that very quickly, and
al once decided upon very energetic measure.
From the way in which the Mayor answered me.
when spoke TO nim in the street, was perfectly
convinced that any ordinary kind OF remonstrance
would be utterly useless that he was q low un.
educated. boorlsh brute, who could only be
worked upon through the medium OF his fears.
in o way which would, / knew. put
his superiors on my side. II not legal
Of honor existing among Gentlemen. Besides les
being the most effective 1t was the only way in
even this was very nazardons as it is an oreaee ae
punishable with fine and two or three years inn
prisonment in most european countries. How
ever, that was danger alar on, and we hau to
choose between that and the present one OF being
devoured alive BY wild beasts besides catching
some horrible deadly fever from the terrible ema.
LETTER TO THE ALcALpE.
caleu hrnt io[ pen idk ann paper whicn tne wo-
write, proposed bringing table, which she only
succeeded in getting INTO the cell after a long
parley with the lailer. who at last consented to
open the door, She then brought me a CHAIR ana
l sat down and indited the following epstlc to the
which am rather disposed to admire now as an
example OF happy combination OF Drevity and
politeness:-
Je suppose que vous S;es un homme CONNIE il faut,
ss den e vsS
de croife hommes paria respccta
metre dams une ebambre convenable- que nous paye
noa poso sa nous ont m
81 iai.es pas avcrts que je vous pro-
de ms pS
''N OoSRREsPoNDENT DU NEW YORK HERALD.
WHAT CANE OF IT.
gave the letter to the woman, who took it very
liberation. she soon came back with woeul
counlenance ana tod me, through the little
was in towering rage and threatened me with
all sorts OF things. In few minutes he came
himself, i1mlng and blowing. face was stuck in
at the little hole and voice wished to know II it
was me who had written the letter. held the
candle up and was rather astonlshed to see an
eye apparently deeply absorbed in caculat-
ing the amount OF straw there might be in one
end OF the cell, and another gazing moodiy down
eyes did not seem to have the slightest connection
with each other. was left completely out of their
range ol vision, and not feeling quite sure about
question respecting the letter. AS | could see
nothing but these CLASSY eyes, a nose and mouth,
owner was otherwise; but it occurred to me that
a duel with the small sword with this man might
cipated. He again asked me il was the writer OF
the letter, and this time answered III the aflrma-
He then asked me If knew what had done
to which replied That thought did, and
begged HIM politely to put us into another room
other place to put u.s. that it was the only prison
In the town, and demanded to know whether
pied that 1t was undoubtedly very unfortunate
thing for him that there should be no other prison
In the place. but that unless he put US into a
decent room instantly would certainly "call him
0utn as soon as should be set at liberty. He flew
never should be set al liberty" that should have
ten years Imprisonment for my insolence, ana
nnsned BY saying ne W0nd n n not take US out Of the
that when dld get out he would certainly near
from me- He went OF threatening vengeance, but
tnraof vUn Lnd v,rtv,f1
Tor he soon returned with the military command
ant OF Fontarabia ana informed Us very calmly
that he would wash his hands OF US and turn us
over to the custody Of the military authorities.
THE MILITARY MORE HUMANE -
the Toom and nforme1 us verv nn,i,e,v tSey
would put us in a room in the old castle, where
we might order anything we wanted. We ac-
cepted, OF course gladly. feeling sure 1t could not
be as bad Us the place we were In besides, had
every reason to believe that we would not Iare
badly al the hands OF the military authorities. we
accordingly stepped out Of our dungeon and fol-
lowed the conlnandant 1t was now about nine
O'Clock in the evening" and the streets were quite
dark.
We soon arrived upon large square, on one
looked a hundred feet hign in the darkness with
out single window or other opening apparently
Of soldiers, and oficers, too, thought, grouped
about the place IN way that, with that nuge,
1rowning structure, and bare, blank wall, had an
In the middle OF the wall, no Wever, was low
semicircular projection or unfinished tower evil
dently y very late addition to the wall, through
which led a narrow doorway. This We entered,
and found ourselves in the lower story OF the
castle, which, cut up by walls ol unfinished stone.
work, presented very disconraging appearance.
broad, rough wooden stairway led US up TO the
second then to the third, then to the fourth, then
TO the fifth floor. The place was full OF soldiers,
who could be dlmly seen by the light
Of an occasional ,nckerng IRON lamp
in all sorts OF attitudes, some eating, some
cooking. some playing cards and others stretched
out on the floor asleep. Arrived to the aith floor
we were conducted into lofty vaHited room,
with two windows looking out on the sea, over
which we could see In the darkness the regularly
recurring Hash OF the Biarritz lighthouse. wenty
miles distant. There was not a stick OF furniture
In the room, but the commandant said ne would
have two beds, table and chairs put in, and we
might, besides, order anything else we chose.
CONSOLATION.
The first thing we did was 10 lay In supply OF
wine ana cigars which, with some coffee the
woman from the other prison soon brought in,