Chapter XIII: The Vaults

The dinner was not long, for the soldiers were anxious to make their inspection before night. They asked the grandmother’s permission to take me with them.

“He will be very useful in our expedition, madam,” said the officer. “This Cadichon is not an ordinary donkey; he has already accomplished more difficult things than we are going to require of him.”

“Take him, if you think it necessary, but do not fatigue him too much, I beg of you. The poor beast made that journey this morning and returned with four of my grandchildren on his back.”

“Oh, as to that, madam, you may be perfectly easy; be sure we will treat him as kindly as possible.”

Having eaten and drunk, my dinner being a peck of oats, an armful of salad, carrots and other vegetables, with a bucket of water, I was ready to start. When they came to take me, I placed myself at the head and they all followed—a donkey guiding soldiers! They did not seem vexed at this, however, for they were all good men. Soldiers are generally considered rough and harsh, but I assure you they are just the contrary; no people in the world are kinder, none more charitable, patient and generous than these same military men. Whilst on the road they took every imaginable care of me, relaxing their pace when they thought me fatigued, and proposing to let me drink at every stream we crossed.

It was nearly night when we reached the convent. Fearing their horses might be a disadvantage, they had been left at a village near the forest. The officer now gave orders for the men to follow all my movements and to keep together. Without hesitation I led them to the entrance of the arch overgrown with bushes, and whence I had seen the twelve robbers issue.

With the greatest anxiety, I saw that they remained there. To get them away I went a few steps behind the wall; they followed and I returned to the bushes, preventing them from returning also, by barring the way whenever they attempted a step in that direction. They understood me and remained concealed along the wall.

I then approached the entrance to the vaults, and began to bray with all the strength of my lungs. I was not long in attaining my object. All my imprisoned comrades responded vigorously. I made a step towards the soldiers, who divined my manœuvres, and I returned to the entrance of the vaults, where I began to bray again. This time there was no answer, and I suspected that the robbers to prevent my comrades’ braying had tied stones to their tails. Everybody knows that on braying we raise our tails, and not being able to raise their tails, because of the weight of the stones, my comrades held their peace.

I remained about two steps from the entrance. Soon a man’s head cautiously peered up amidst the bushes. Looking all around and seeing no one but myself:

“Ah!” said he, “here is the knave we missed this morning. You will rejoin your companions, my brayer.”

As he was about to seize me, I retreated a couple of steps, he followed, I still kept out of his reach, until I had brought him to the angle of the wall, behind which my friends, the soldiers, were concealed.

Before he had time to utter a cry even, they had seized, gagged, and bound and extended him on the ground. I returned to the entrance and brayed again, not doubting but this would bring another to see what had become of his companion. And sure enough, I soon heard a slight movement among the bushes, and saw a new head looking around with the same precaution. Not being able to reach me, the second robber did precisely as the first. I executed the same manœuvre, and he was in the soldiers’ hands before he had time to know what had happened. I proceeded thus, until six were taken. After the sixth, I brayed in vain; no one appeared. I suppose, noticing that their companions did not return, the robbers began to suspect a trap and determined to run no more risks.

Meanwhile, night had set in and we could scarcely see. The officer sent one of his men for reinforcements to attack the robbers in their cave, and to take away in a vehicle, the six prisoners bound and gagged. The remaining soldiers were divided into two bands to guard the convent outlets; as for me, receiving many caresses and unbounded compliments, I was allowed to follow my own inclinations.

“If he were not a donkey,” said one soldier, “he would merit the cross.”

“Hasn’t he one on his back?” said another.

“Hush that,” said a third, “its a poor joke; you know very well that this cross is marked upon their backs to remind us that one of their number had once the honor of carrying our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“That’s why it is a cross of honor,” was the answer.

“Silence,” said the officer in an undertone, “Cadichon pricks up his ears.”

I indeed heard an extraordinary noise from beneath the arch, it was not the sound of footsteps, but rather that of stifled cries and a sort of crackling. The soldiers likewise heard it, but could not divine the cause. At last a thick smoke was seen issuing from the air holes and lower windows of the convent, tongues of flame leaped out, and in a few minutes all was on fire.

“They have set fire to the vaults, so they can escape by the doors,” said the officer.

“It must be extinguished, lieutenant,” replied a soldier.

“Be very careful! Guard every opening more closely than ever, and if the robbers show themselves, fire your carbines, use the pistols afterwards.”

The officer had truly divined their manœuvres; understanding that they had been discovered and their comrades captured, the robbers hoped to avail themselves of the opportunity afforded by the soldiers’ efforts in extinguishing the flames, to make their own escape and liberate their friends. We soon saw the remaining six and their captain rush out of the masked entrance by the bushes; but three guards were at this post; each one drew his carbine before the robbers had time to use their arms. Two of the thieves fell, and the third let his pistol drop from his hands, his arm was broken. But the captain and the other three rushed furiously upon the soldiers, who, sabre in one hand and pistol in the other, fought like lions. Before the officer and the two soldiers guarding the opposite side of the convent had had time to come to their companions’ assistance, the combat was nearly ended and the robbers all either killed or wounded; the captain who still defended himself against a soldier, being the only one on his feet. His two comrades were dangerously wounded. The arrival of reinforcements ended the contest. In the twinkling of an eye, the captain was surrounded, disarmed, gagged and put beside the other six.

During this struggle the fire died out; in fact, nothing had been burning but some bushes and undergrowth, but the officer before penetrating into the vaults wished to await the arrival of the expected reinforcements. The night was well advanced, when we saw the six additional soldiers and the vehicle which was to take away the prisoners. They were placed in it side by side. The officer being humane, had given orders to remove the gags, and in consequence, the soldiers were loaded with all manner of abusive epithets, to which, however, they paid no attention. Two of them got into the wagon to escort the prisoners, and meanwhile litters were made to carry the wounded.

During these preparations, I accompanied the officer, who, with eight men, penetrated into the vaults. We traversed a long corridor, which sloped downward, until at last we reached the vaults, where the brigands had established their dwelling. One of these caves served for their stable, and here we found all my comrades captured that day, each one with a stone to his tail. The stones were immediately detached, and the donkeys began to bray in unison. Being underground, it was deafening.

“Silence! donkeys!” said a soldier, “unless you want your trinkets put on again.”

“Let them alone,” responded another soldier, “you know very well they are sounding Cadichon’s praises.”

“I would prefer their doing it in another tone,” said the first soldier laughing.

“This man assuredly,” said I to myself, “does not like music. What does he find to censure in my comrades’ voices.” Poor comrades! they chanted their deliverance.

We continued our inspection. One of the vaults was full of stolen goods. In another, were the prisoners kept to wait on them, some attended to the dishes, the cooking, the cleaning of the vaults, others made the clothing and shoes. Some of these unhappy creatures had been there for two years; they were chained by twos, and had little bells to their arms and feet, so as to keep one always acquainted with their movements. Two robbers remained constantly with them as guards, and never more than two captives were allowed in the same vault, except those who made the clothing. The latter were all together whilst working, but during this time the end of their chain was attached to a ring fastened in the wall.

I learned afterwards that these captives, about forty in number, were the visitors to the ruins, who had been disappearing for the last two years. They related how the robbers had killed before their eyes, three of them, who were sick, and one who obstinately refused to work.

The soldiers delivered all these poor creatures, brought the donkeys to the castle, carried the wounded men to the hospital, and put the robbers in prison. The latter were judged and condemned; the captain to death, the others to transportation to Cayenne. As for me, I was the universal subject of admiration; wherever I went, I heard persons saying:

“It is Cadichon! the famous Cadichon, worth all the donkeys in the country!”