PRISONS IN OLD PARIS.
[FROM THE GENTLEMAN’S MAGAZINE.]
Of the five principal prisons of Paris during the Reign of Terror, the most hopeless of all the horrible places on earth was the Conciergerie, whence few escaped, except to ride in the fateful tumbril which conducted them to the guillotine. All the other prisons fed this one. As many as 80 prisoners a day were sent to the scaffold, and the feeling of terror outside the prisons was almost equal to the dungeon. No one knew when his turn would come. Men’s faces were calm, but hearts filled with fear. Detectives and spies bore false witness everywhere, even the garçon who served you with a petit verre might be an agent of the Republic, whose report might send you to the Conciergerie in the evening, and on the morrow to the guillotine. The fatal roll call was read out daily. Men rushed to hear if their names were included in the list of victims. If not they breathed more freely, at least they had another day to live. But now how changed! look at the——