The Washington herald., 1912-12-22

did not even glance up. He had seen
De Launay, the governor. but he had
never till this met Monsieur Vitry, who
was the type of Monsieur D'Estrelles,
and the prototype of the modern bu-
reaucrat
Monsieur Vitry finished the last
line of his letter, signed it, and folded
it-all with the precision of mechan-
ism-addressed it, and placed it in the
tray on his desk. struck bell, pointed
to the letter when a soldier answered
the summons, and ordered the man 10
take it to its destination.
II was a letter relative to some de-
feet i'll the new uniforms of the Swiss,
a trihc. but just as important to Mon
sieur Vitry as the fate of De Lussac.
Then he turned his face, pale, mar
row, and seeming even narrower by
reason of the heavy wig he wore, upon
the newcomers.
He bowed to Bcauregard, who re-
turned the salutation, glanced at De
Lussac, and took a paper from the
table. 1t was the LetfTe dc cdehct
which we have seen the king handing
to De Sartines in blank.
Just before Beauregard accostcd De
Lussac he signed to an agent, who
was following him, and the agent had
started hotfoot for the Hotel de Sar-
tines, received the letter de cGcLIet, and
conveyed it to the Bastile.
1t had arrived a few minutes before
the prisoner.
You are the Comte Armand Jean
de LusSac?" said Nitry.
Eyes. Monsieur, that is my name.
Residing in the Rue de ValoiS?
Eyes, Monsieur"
Good" said Vitry.
He rose from his desk, passed over
to the clerk, bent with him over the
big volume, talked for moment in an
undertonc, and then returned to his
desk. where he sat down, striking the
bell as he did so.
A turnkey entered.
Third Bertaudiere, number z3, cor
ridor number 4" said Vitry, handing
the man slip of paper on which he
had been scribbling.
The turnkey, paper in hand, turned
to De Lussac; but before he could
speak the comte made a step toward
Vitry's desk.
Monsieur" he said, 81 have been
arrested. have been brought here
and it seems | am TO be imprisoned,
l have only one question to ask. Why
has this been done?"
Monsieur" replied Vitry. all ques-
tions and complaints must be address
ed to the governor, Monsieur de Lau-
nay"
When can see the governor"
when? Tomorrow. perhaps; but
it is not necessary for you to see
him; questions or complaints can be
addressed to him in writing"
Mon DieEP cried the unfortunate
young man. Il am then imprisoned
without reason given, and | may, per-
haps, see the governor tomorrow. o,
Monsieur, beware of what you do! An
injustice like this is a crime ask,
simply. what have done that | should
be seized like this and imprisoned, and
you give me an answer which is no
answer. You refuse to tell me-
The man of parchment at the desk
turned to the jailer who had now
opened the door.
Number %, corridor 4" he said.
Follow me-" said the jailer.
De Lussac looked around him as
though he were looking for sympathy
or help. Then, with a gesture impos-
sible to describe. he followed the Off
Ger. In the corridor some one touched
him on the shoulder 1t was Beaure-
gard.
Courage, my friend" said the big
man, your case may not be so bad
as you suppose You have always your
kinsman, the Due de Richelieu, to fall
back upon"
That was the last straw. and De Lus-
sac scarcely heard Beauregard saying
good-by, as the lieutenant of De Sar-
tines turned away bound for light and
air and freedom, leaving his charge to
follow the jailer
This parsonage, who wore the SEMI
uniform of the state prisons and car
ried at his belt heavy bunch of keys,
led the way along the corridor till
they reached a door. reconstructed and
made hideous by a lock of enormous
size. and of such a complicated nature
that it took the jailer a full minute in
opening, yet there were locks in the
Bastile so complicated. constructed
with such horrible ingenuity, that ii