10. The Prison of the Inquisition (7)
May 27th. From this day onwards I was so ill that I took to my bed, from fever brought on by wounds and fatigue. My legs and feet were horribly swelled, and the French doctor told the Spanish physician that he much expected that lockjaw would seize me in a few hours. In this deplorable situation I remained for some weeks. Mr. and Mrs. Stoker came two or three times a day to see me, and rendered me every service in their power. The fever at length abated, but my head felt as there were a waterfall on it, and to this feeling was sometimes added a knocking like that of a hammer, which made me so giddy I could not stand. At length I began to gather a little strength; when I was able to move, Mr. and Mrs. Stoker led me between them to their house. They gave me spices, sago, and many other little things money could not procure. Under their kind treatment I recovered very slowly.
July 4th. After having relieved Badajos, Marshal Soult returned to Seville in great pomp, guarded by the Polish Lancers, extremely distant to every person, and very much out of temper. We had just finished dinner when two gens d’armes came into the room and told us Marshal Soult wished to see us. We followed them, and after being led through several streets were lodged in the common prison with the private soldiers. I think they call it the Pomeranian prison. This treatment annoyed us, and we wrote in the name of the whole body of prisoners, requesting to know the cause of our confinement, and asking if there were any cause of complaint against us, as we were ready to meet our accusers before the Marshal. To this no answer was returned. We wrote again, representing the situation we were in, placed in a common prison, and hoping the Marshal would be pleased to allow us some place of quiet. Again no answer. On July 8th two gens d’armes came in, and desired us to pack up our clothes, as we were to be moved. They conducted us through many streets, and lodged us under a strong guard in the Prison of the Inquisition. On our way several Spaniards made signs to us, showing us their houses where, if we escaped, we might find hiding.
Thus Marshal Soult broke his faith with two of his own generals in taking away our parole. His want of honour and justice wrought strongly on the minds of all disinterested persons. The French heads of department pitied us extremely, and thought such treatment cruel—we had not been guilty of any fault, nor could they allege any against us. The Marshal was, as we understood from the first of our friends who came to see us, universally blamed.
On entering the prison I noted the jailer’s wife and sister, both uncommonly large women, and the idea struck me that, could I become acquainted with them, I might, through their means and dressed in their clothes, effect my escape. But a difficulty arose through my not understanding their language well enough. However, we got into communication. They used to sit in an iron balcony, which projected far enough from the wall to overlook the cell in which I sat. I saw that they frequently looked down, and made signs that I wished to speak to them. Ladies are generally pretty quick at taking hints, and next morning, about eleven o’clock, the two came together to the room in which we were lodged. They had no sooner entered than they were followed by the jailer, who caught wife and sister by the shoulders and turned them out, to their great surprise, as they thought that he was from home.
This jailer was a Spaniard, but a great scoundrel. From our arrival at Seville Count Daricau had ordered us the same rations as the French officers, but this fellow docked us of our allowance and our wine, in so shameful a manner that we were obliged to complain. He took other advantage of his power, and would not suffer our servant to go out for the most trifling article, but sent for it himself, and charged us double price. I saved him from the effects of the anger of my brother prisoners; but I sincerely hope that the French will think he was accessory to my escape, and flog him heartily, although I must do him the justice in this instance to say that he was quite innocent of it.
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