St。　Ives；　The　Adventures　of　a　French　Prisoner　in　England
  by　Robert　Louis　Stevenson
  CHAPTER　I　…　A　TALE　OF　A　LION　RAMPANT
  IT　was　in　the　month　of　May　1813　that　I　was　so　unlucky　as　to　fall　at
  last　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。　　My　knowledge　of　the　English
  language　had　marked　me　out　for　a　certain　employment。　　Though　I
  cannot　conceive　a　soldier　refusing　to　incur　the　risk；　yet　to　be
  hanged　for　a　spy　is　a　disgusting　business；　and　I　was　relieved　to　be
  held　a　prisoner　of　war。　　Into　the　Castle　of　Edinburgh；　standing　in
  the　midst　of　that　city　on　the　summit　of　an　extraordinary　rock；　I
  was　cast　with　several　hundred　fellow…sufferers；　all　privates　like
  myself；　and　the　more　part　of　them；　by　an　accident；　very　ignorant；
  plain　fellows。　　My　English；　which　had　brought　me　into　that　scrape；
  now　helped　me　very　materially　to　bear　it。　　I　had　a　thousand
  advantages。　　I　was　often　called　to　play　the　part　of　an　interpreter；
  whether　of　orders　or　complaints；　and　thus　brought　in　relations；
  sometimes　of　mirth；　sometimes　almost　of　friendship；　with　the
  officers　in　charge。　　A　young　lieutenant　singled　me　out　to　be　his
  adversary　at　chess；　a　game　in　which　I　was　extremely　proficient；　and
  would　reward　me　for　my　gambits　with　excellent　cigars。　　The　major　of
  the　battalion　took　lessons　of　French　from　me　while　at　breakfast；
  and　was　sometimes　so　obliging　as　to　have　me　join　him　at　the　meal。
  Chevenix　was　his　name。　　He　was　stiff　as　a　drum…major　and　selfish　as
  an　Englishman；　but　a　fairly　conscientious　pupil　and　a　fairly
  upright　man。　　Little　did　I　suppose　that　his　ramrod　body　and　frozen
  face　would；　in　the　end；　step　in　between　me　and　all　my　dearest
  wishes；　that　upon　this　precise；　regular；　icy　soldier…man　my
  fortunes　should　so　nearly　shipwreck！　　I　never　liked；　but　yet　I
  trusted　him；　and　though　it　may　seem　but　a　trifle；　I　found　his
  snuff…box　with　the　bean　in　it　come　very　welcome。
  For　it　is　strange　how　grown　men　and　seasoned　soldiers　can　go　back
  in　life；　so　that　after　but　a　little　while　in　prison；　which　is　after
  all　the　next　thing　to　being　in　the　nursery；　they　grow　absorbed　in
  the　most　pitiful；　childish　interests；　and　a　sugar　biscuit　or　a
  pinch　of　snuff　become　things　to　follow　after　and　scheme　for！
  We　made　but　a　poor　show　of　prisoners。　　The　officers　had　been　all
  offered　their　parole；　and　had　taken　it。　　They　lived　mostly　in
  suburbs　of　the　city；　lodging　with　modest　families；　and　enjoyed
  their　freedom　and　supported　the　almost　continual　evil　tidings　of
  the　Emperor　as　best　they　might。　　It　chanced　I　was　the　only
  gentleman　among　the　privates　who　remained。　　A　great　part　were
  ignorant　Italians；　of　a　regiment　that　had　suffered　heavily　in
  Catalonia。　　The　rest　were　mere　diggers　of　the　soil；　treaders　of
  grapes　or　hewers　of　wood；　who　had　been　suddenly　and　violently
  preferred　to　the　glorious　state　of　soldiers。　　We　had　but　the　one
  interest　in　common：　each　of　us　who　had　any　skill　with　his　fingers
  passed　the　hours　of　his　captivity　in　the　making　of　little　toys　and
  ARTICLES　OF　PARIS；　and　the　prison　was　daily　visited　at　certain
  hours　by　a　concourse　of　people　of　the　country；　come　to　exult　over
  our　distress；　or　…　it　is　more　tolerant　to　suppose　…　their　own
  vicarious　triumph。　　Some　moved　among　us　with　a　decency　of　shame　or
  sympathy。　　Others　were　the　most　offensive　personages　in　the　world；
  gaped　at　us　as　if　we　had　been　baboons；　sought　to　evangelise　us　to
  their　rustic；　northern　religion；　as　though　we　had　been　savages；　or
  tortured　us　with　intelligence　of　disasters　to　the　arms　of　France。
  Good；　bad；　and　indifferent；　there　was　one　alleviation　to　the
  annoyance　of　these　visitors；　for　it　was　the　practice　of　almost　all
  to　purchase　some　specimen　of　our　rude　handiwork。　　This　led；　amongst
  the　prisoners；　to　a　strong　spirit　of　competition。　　Some　were　neat
  of　hand；　and　（the　genius　of　the　French　being　always　distinguished）
  could　place　upon　sale　little　miracles　of　dexterity　and　taste。　　Some
  had　a　more　engaging　appearance；　fine　features　were　found　to　do　as
  well　as　fine　merchandise；　and　an　air　of　youth　in　particular　（as　it
  appealed　to　the　sentiment　of　pity　in　our　visitors）　to　be　a　source
  of　profit。　　Others　again　enjoyed　some　acquaintance　with　the
  language；　and　were　able　to　recommend　the　more　agreeably　to
  purchasers　such　trifles　as　they　had　to　sell。　　To　the　first　of　these
  advantages　I　could　lay　no　claim；　for　my　fingers　were　all　thumbs。
  Some　at　least　of　the　others　I　possessed；　and　finding　much
  entertainment　in　our　commerce；　I　did　not　suffer　my　advantages　to
  rust。　　I　have　never　despised　the　social　arts；　in　which　it　is　a
  national　boast　that　every　Frenchman　should　excel。　　For　the　approach
  of　particular　sorts　of　visitors；　I　had　a　particular　manner　of
  address；　and　even　of　appearance；　which　I　could　readily　assume　and
  change　on　the　occasion　rising。　　I　never　lost　an　opportunity　to
  flatter　either　the　person　of　my　visitor；　if　it　should　be　a　lady；
  or；　if　it　should　be　a　man；　the　greatness　of　his　country　in　war。
  And　in　case　my　compliments　should　miss　their　aim；　I　was　always
  ready　to　cover　my　retreat　with　some　agreeable　pleasantry；　which
  would　often　earn　me　the　name　of　an　'oddity'　or　a　'droll　fellow。'
  In　this　way；　although　I　was　so　left…handed　a　toy…maker；　I　made　out
  to　be　rather　a　successful　merchant；　and　found　means　to　procure　many
  little　delicacies　and　alleviations；　such　as　children　or　prisoners
  desire。
  I　am　scarcely　drawing　the　portrait　of　a　very　melancholy　man。　　It　is
  not　indeed　my　character；　and　I　had；　in　a　comparison　with　my
  comrades；　many　reasons　for　content。　　In　the　first　place；　I　had　no
  family：　I　was　an　orphan　and　a　bachelor；　neither　wife　nor　child
  awaited　me　in　France。　　In　the　second；　I　had　never　wholly　forgot　the
  emotions　with　which　I　first　found　myself　a　prisoner；　and　although　a
  military　prison　be　not　altogether　a　garden　of　delights；　it　is　still
  preferable　to　a　gallows。　　In　the　third；　I　am　almost　ashamed　to　say
  it；　but　I　found　a　certain　pleasure　in　our　place　of　residence：　being
  an　obsolete　and　really　mediaeval　fortress；　high　placed　and
  commanding　extraordinary　prospects；　not　only　over　sea；　mountain；
  and　champaign　but　actually　over　the　thoroughfares　of　a　capital
  city；　which　we　could　see　blackened　by　day　with　the　moving　crowd　of
  the　inhabitants；　and　at　night　shining　with　lamps。　　And　lastly；
  although　I　was　not　insensible　to　the　restraints　of　prison　or　the
  scantiness　of　our　rations；　I　remembered　I　had　sometimes　eaten　quite
  as　ill　in　Spain；　and　had　to　mount　guard　and　march　perhaps　a　dozen
  leagues　into　the　bargain。　　The　first　of　my　troubles；　indeed；　was
  the　costume　we　were　obliged　to　wear。　　There　is　a　horrible　practice
  in　England　to　trick　out　in　ridiculous　uniforms；　and　as　it　were　to
  brand　in　mass；　not　only　convicts　but　military　prisoners；　and　even
  the　children　in　charity　schools。　　I　think　some　malignant　genius　had
  found　his　masterpiece　of　irony　in　the　dress　which　we　were　condemned
  to　wear：　jacket；　waistcoat；　and　trousers　of　a　sulphur　or　mustard
  yellow；　and　a　shirt　or　blue…and…white　striped　cotton。　　It　was
  conspicuous；　it　was　cheap；　it　pointed　us　out　to　laughter　…　we；　who
  were　old　soldiers；　used　to　arms；　and　some　of　us　showing　noble
  scars；　…　like　a　set　of　lugubrious　zanies　at　a　fair。　　The　old　name
  of　that　rock　on　which　our　prison　stood　was　（I　have　heard　since
  then）　the　PAINTED　HILL。　　Well；　now　it　was　all　painted　a　bright
  yellow　with　our　costumes；　and　the　dress　of　the　soldiers　who　guarded
  us　being　of　course　the　essential　British　red　rag；　we　made　up
  together　the　elements　of　a　lively　picture　of　hell。　　I　have　again
  and　again　looked　round　upon　my　fellow…prisoners；　and　felt　my　anger
  rise；　and　choked　upon　tears；　to　behold　them　thus　parodied。　　The
  more　part；　as　I　have　said；　were　peasants；　somewhat　bettered　perhaps
  by　the　drill…sergeant；　but　for　all　that　ungainly；　loutish　fellows；
  with　no　more　than　a　mere　barrack…room　smartness　of　address：　indeed；
  you　could　have　seen　our　army　nowhere　more　discreditably　represented
  than　in　this　Castle　of　Edinburgh。　　And　I　used　to　see　myself　in
  fancy；　and　blush。　　It　seemed　that　my　more　elegant　carriage　would
  but　point　the　insult　of　the　travesty。　　And　I　remembered　the　days
  when　I　wore　the　coarse　but　honourable　coat　of　a　soldier；　and
  remembered　further　back　how　many　of　the　noble；　the　fair；　and　the
  gracious　had　taken　a　delight　to　tend　my　childhood。　。　。　。　　But　I
  must　not　recall　these　tender　and　sorrowful　memories　twice；　their
  place　is　further　on；　and　I　am　now　upon　another　business。　　The
  perfidy　of　the　Britannic　Government　stood　nowhere　more　openly
  confessed　than　in　one　particular　of　our　discipline：　that　we　were
  shaved　twice　in　the　week。　　To　a　man　who　has　loved　all　his　life　to
  be　fresh　shaven；　can　a　more　irritating　indignity　be　devised？
  Monday　and　Thursday　were　the　days。　　Take　the　Thursday；　and　conceive
  the　picture　I　must　present　by　Sunday　evening！　　And　Sa