The Bishop's
old palace was treated as unceremoniously as his name, being burnt in
some of the civil wars. But there is this advantage in a sumptuous
edifice, that its very ruins suggest the thought and supply the means of
rebuilding it. Bicetre, accordingly, reared its head, and is now a
straggling mass of building, containing a mad-house, a poor-house, an
hospital, and a prison.
To see it is a matter of trifling difficulty, except on one particular
day--that devoted to the rivetting of the _chaine_. A surgeon, however,
belonging to the establishment, promised to procure me admission, and on
receiving his summons, I started one forenoon for Bicetre. Mortifying
news awaited my arrival. The convicts had plotted a general insurrection
and escape, which was to have taken place on the preceding night. It had
been discovered in time, however, and such precautions taken, as
completely prevented even the attempt. The chief of these precautions
appeared in half a regiment of troops, that had bivouacked all night in
the square adjoining the prison, and were still some lying, some
loitering about. Strict orders had been issued, that no strangers should
be admitted to witness the ceremony of rivetting; and the turnkeys and
gaolers, in appearance not yet recovered from the alarm of the preceding
evening, refused to listen to either bribe, menace, or solicitation.
Pages:
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46