"Poor Emile-Sebastian! have you seen him? is he at peace in the school?"
"I left him being carried to the sick ward as he had a fit. He was wild because we would not let him have a share in the fighting to get you out."
The physician smiled, for the boy was his hope, and had borne himself as he hoped.
"I said that as you were in the Bastile we would have to take the Bastile," went on the farmer, "and now we have taken it. But that is not all: the casket is stolen which you entrusted to me."
"Stolen by whom?"
"By men wearing black, who broke into the house under guise of seizing the pamphlet which you sent me; locking me up in a room, they searched the whole house and found the casket."
"Yesterday? then there is a coincidence between my arrest and this purloining. The same person caused this arrest and abstraction. I must know whom. Where are the books of the jail?" demanded the doctor, turning round to the jailer who kept close.
"In Government yard," replied he. "Oh, master, let me go with you or say a good word to these gentlemen who will otherwise knock me about."
"Just so," replied Gilbert; "Friends, I want you not to do any harm to this poor fellow who only did his duty in opening doors and locking them; he was always gentle with the prisoners."
"Good," cried the voices all round, as they surrounded him in respect mingled with curiosity; "he need not be scared, but can come along."