prefer it to its only alternative。 So much for that。
〃I was horn in Marseilles； and my right name is Jean Fouchet。 My
father intended me for the priesthood； and gave me a good college
education in Paris。 His hopes； however； were destined to
disappointment。 In college I formed the habit of gambling； and a
year after my graduation found me at Monte Carlo。 While there I
quarrelled with a gambling accomplice and ended by killing him。
This made my stay in France dangerous for me； and I took the first
opportunity which presented itself to embark for America。
〃Familiarity with criminals had made me familiar with crime； and I
added the occupation of detective to my profession of gambling。
These two avocations had now become my sole means of support； and I
plied my trades in New York； Boston； and Philadelphia for several
years； during which time I became a naturalised citizen of the
United States。
〃When the Cuban rebellion broke out I could not restrain my longing
for adventure； and joined a filibustering expedition sailing from
New York。 I did this from no love I bore the Cuban cause； but merely
for the excitement it promised。 While handling a heavy shot during
my first engagement I accidentally dropped it upon my left foot；
crushing that member so badly that it has never regained its shape。
This deformity has rendered it impossible for me to conceal my
identity。 Three months after this accident I was taken prisoner by
the Spanish and shipped to Spain as a political malefactor。 A farce
of a trial was granted to me； not to see whether or not I was guilty；
but simply to determine between the dungeon and the garrote。 It
would have been far better for me had I been sentenced to the latter
instead of the former。
〃As a political offender I was doomed to imprisonment at Ceuta； an
old Moorish seaport town in Morocco； opposite Gibraltar and upon
the side of the ancient mountain Abyla。 This mountain forms one
of the 'Pillars of Hercules；' the Rock of Gibraltar being the other。
It is almost impregnable； and is used by Spain as Siberia is used
by Russia； only it is far； far more horrible。 The town was built
by the Moors in 945； and nowhere else on earth are there to be found
an equal number of devices for the torture of human beings。 If
anyone thinks the horrors of the Inquisition are no longer
perpetrated let him get sent to Ceuta： I have good cause to believe
that the Inquisition itself is far from dead in Spain。 Alas for the
person who is sent to Ceuta！ The town is small； and； to guard
against possible attack； the Moors constructed a chain of fortresses
around it。 It is in the black cellars of these disintegrating
fortresses that the dungeons are located。 They are in tiers to the
depth of fifty or sixty feet； and are hewn out of the solid rock。
They are reached through narrow openings in the stone floors of the
fortresses； and when one of these horrible holes is opened the foul
odor of filth and decomposition is utterly overpowering。 Some of
these dungeons contain as many as thirty or forty men。 I was placed
in a cell reserved for solitary confinement。 I have never been a
man who regarded life seriously； or feared to risk it upon sufficient
occasion； but my heart froze within me when the horror of my
situation was revealed to me。 A stone box perhaps eight feet square
… as I lay upon the floor I could touch its opposite sides with my
hands and feet … had been prepared for my entrance by cutting a slit
in one of its walls just large enough for the passage of my body。
Through this narrow opening I was dropped into the total darkness
within。 A blacksmith followed and welded my fetters； for locks and
keys are never used。 A chain having a heavy weight pendant from it
was riveted to my ankle； and an iron band was similarly fastened to
my waist。 This band was fastened by a chain to an iron ring deeply
sunk in the solid rock。 When these horrible preparations were
completed the blacksmith left me and a mason bricked up the slit
through which I had entered； leaving only a hand…breadth of space
for air and the thrusting through of such scraps of food as were to
be allowed me。 Language is powerless to describe the feelings of a
man in such a position。 He realises that his only hope is in disease
… disease bred of the darkness； the dampness； the starvation； and
the horrible filth。 He says to himself： 'How long； 0 God！ how
long？' … For hours I remained prone and inert … how long I do not
know； night and day are all one in the dungeons of Ceuta。 Then I
began to think。 Could I escape？ I felt that all power of thought；
all cleverness would soon desert me； and I said to myself： 'If
anything is to be done； it must be done at once。' I knew not then
what long…drawn horrors a mortal could endure。 Whenever I attempted
to walk the iron mass fastened to my leg would 'bring me up short；'
often； in my early forgetfulness of it； throwing me prone upon my
face。 After a little I learned to move with a halting gait；
striding out with the free limb and pausing to pull my burden after
me with the other。 This habit； learned in the squalor and darkness
of the dungeon hells of Ceuta； I have never been able to unlearn。
〃It was many days before I could see how anything short of a miracle
could enable me to escape。 I tried to calmly reason it all out； and
every time came to the same horrible conclusion； viz。： I must rot
there unless help came to me from without。 This seemed impossible；
and all the horrors of a lingering death stared me in the face。
Every two or three days one of the jailers would come to the slit
in the masonry and leave there a dish of water and a few crusts of
bread。 I tried on one occasion to speak with him； but he only
laughed in my face and turned away。 Finally I hit upon a plan which
seemed to offer the only possible means of escape。 In my college
days I was well acquainted with M。 Charcot； and even assisted in
some of his earlier hypnotic experiments。 The subject interested
me； and I followed it closely till I became something of an adept
myself。 There were in those days but few people I could not
mesmerise； provided sufficient opportunity were allowed me for
hypnotic suggestion。 I determined to see if any of this old power
still remained with me； and； if so； to strive to render my jailer
subservient to my will。 But how should I keep him within ear…shot
long enough to work upon him？ Clearly all appeals to pity were
useless。 I must excite his greed； nothing else would reach him。
This was not an easy thing to do without a sou in my possession；
yet I did it。 When I heard his step I crawled to the opening in
the wall and mumbled in a crazy sort of a way about a hidden
treasure。 At the word 'treasure' I saw him pause and listen； but
I pretended not to be aware of his presence and rambled on； in a
loose； disjointed fashion； about piracies committed by me and the
great amount of booty I had secreted。 My plan worked perfectly。
The jailer came to the aperture in the wall and called me to him。
Muttering incoherently； I obeyed。 He asked me what offence brought
me there； and I； with a good deal of intentional misunderstanding；
told him I was a pirate and a smuggler。 He asked me where the
treasure I had been talking about was hidden。 My reply； … I
remember the exact words in which I couched it； … made him mine
completely。 I said： 'We buried it near Fez … Treasure？ I don't
know anything about any treasure。'
〃To all the many questions he then asked me I returned only
incoherent replies； but I was careful to be again raving about
buried riches upon the next visit。 In this way I kept him by me
long enough to influence him； and in less than a month he was
completely subject to my will。 I tested my power over him in divers
ways。 Any delicacy I wished I compelled him to bring me。 In this
way I was enabled to regain a portion of my lost strength。 When I
concluded the time had come for me to make good my escape； I caused
him to come to my cell at midnight and remove the bricks from the
slit while I put on the disguise he had brought me。 Once out of my
stone tomb we carefully walled it up again and then departed to find
my imaginary hidden treasure。 We made our way without trouble to
Algiers； for my companion had money； and sailed thence via Gibraltar
for England。 During the trip my companion jumped overboard and was
drowned in the Bay of Biscay。 Thus I was completely freed from Ceuta
and its terrible pest…hole。
〃From England I sailed to New York； reaching America penniless and
in ill health。 Things not going to my liking in New York； I came
to Boston and took up my old callings of gambler and detective。 It
was at this time that I saw John Darrow's curious notice in the
newspaper； offering； in the event of his murder； a most liberal
reward to anyone who would bring the assassin to justice。
〃Mon Dieu！ How I needed money。 I would have bartered my soul for
a tithe of that amount。 It was the old； old story； only new in Eden。
Ah！ but how I loved her！ She must have money； money； always money！
That was ever her cry。 When I could not supply it she sought it of
others； and this drove me mad。 If； I said to myself； I could only
get this reward！ This was something really worth working for； and if
I could but get it； she should be mine only。 I at once set to work
upon the problem。
〃It was not an easy thing to solve。 I might be able to hire a man
to do the deed for me； but he would hardly be willing to hang for
it without disclosing my part in the transaction。 It was at this
time that I first met M。 Latour on Decatur Street。 He at once
impressed me as being just the man I wanted； and I began to gradually
subdue his will。 In this circumstances greatly aided me。 When I
found him he was in very poor health and without any means of
sustenance。 His daughter was able to earn a little； but not nearly
enough to keep the wolf from the door。 Add to this that he had a
cancer； which several physicians had assured him would prove fatal
within a year； that he was afflicted with an almost insane fear that
his daughter would come to want after his death； and you have before