[We have abridged one of the most striking chapters in the very
extraordinary history of Vidocq; premising that the interest of the
adventure will compensate for the space it here occupies.]
A short time before the first invasion (1814), M. Senard, one of the
richest jewellers of the Palais Royal, having gone to pay a visit to
his friend the Cure of Livry, found him in one of those perplexities
which are generally caused by the approach of our good friends the
enemy. He was anxious to secrete from the rapacity of the cossacks
first the consecrated vessels, and then his own little treasures.
After much hesitation, although in his situation he must have been
used to interments, Monsieur le Cure decided on burying the objects
which he was anxious to save, and M. Senard, who, like the other
gossips and misers, imagined that Paris would be given over to
pillage, determined to cover up, in a similar way, the most precious
articles in his shop. It was agreed that the riches of the pastor and
those of the jeweller should be deposited in the same hole. But, then,
who was to dig the said hole? One of the singers in church was the
very pearl of honest fellows, father Moiselet, and in him every
confidence could be reposed. He would not touch a penny that did not
belong to him.
Pages:
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39