It was all done in less than an hour; and he was enabled to extinguish his light and go virtuously to bed even before the curfew tolled.
"Now, we will see!" said he. "I seem to have been beaten before the court; but it will be very pleasant to succeed in deriving the means of victory from my defeat."
CHAPTER II
A CRIMINAL'S SPEECH AGAINST HIMSELF
We can readily understand that sleep hardly visited Arnauld du Thill's eyes that night. He lay stretched upon his straw litter, his eyes wide open, entirely engrossed with reckoning up his chances, laying plans, and marshalling his resources. The scheme he had devised, of substituting himself for poor Martin-Guerre once more, was an audacious one doubtless, but its very impudence endowed it with some chance of success.
Since luck favored him so marvellously, should he let his own audacity betray him?
No; he quickly adopted the course he was to follow, and left himself free to adapt his movements to events as they might shape themselves, and to unforeseen circumstances.
When day broke, he examined his costume, found it unexceptionable, and devoted himself anew to acquiring Martin-Guerre's gait and attitudes. His mimicry of his double's good-natured demeanor was so perfect as almost to be exaggerated. It must be confessed that the miserable blackguard would have made an excellent comedian.
About eight o'clock in the morning, the cell-door grated on its hinges.
Arnauld du Thill suppressed a startled movement, and assumed an air of tranquil indifference.