y.

"Is that you, Monsieur Hubert?"

"Yes, yes," sighed the voice, so low that I could hardly hear it.
"Water, water, for Heaven's sake, water!"

I advanced in the direction of the sound, but only to come in contact
with the wall. Again I heard a groan, but this time there could be no
doubt that it was above my head. I put up my hands, but they felt only
empty air.

"Where are you?" I cried.

"Here! Here!" whispered the strange, tremulous voice.

I stretched my hand along the wall and I came upon a man's naked foot.
It was as high as my face, and yet, so far as I could feel, it had
nothing to support it. I staggered back in amazement. Then I took a
tinder-box from my pocket and struck a light. At the first flash a man
seemed to be floating in the air in front of me, and I dropped the box
in my amazement. Again with tremulous fingers I struck the flint against
the steel, and this time I lit not only the tinder but the wax taper. I
held it up, and if my amazement was lessened my horror was increased by
that which it revealed.

The man had been nailed to the wall as a weasel is nailed to the door of
a barn. Huge spikes had been driven through his hands and his feet. The
poor wretch was in his last agony, his head sunk upon his shoulder and
his blackened tongue protruding from his lips. He was dying as much
from thirst as from his wounds, and these inhuman wretches had placed a
beaker of wine upon the table in front of him to add a fresh pang to his
tortures.

I raised it to his lips. He had still strength enough to swallow, and
the light came back a little to his dim eyes.

"Are you a Frenchman?" he whispered.

"Yes. They have sent me to learn what had befallen you."

"They discovered me. They have killed me for it. But before I die let me
tell you what I know. A little more of that wine, please! Quick! Quick!
I am very near the end. My strength is going. Listen to me! The powder
is stored in the Mother Superior's room. The wall is pierced, and the
end of the train is in Sister Angela's cell, next the chapel. All was
ready two days ago. But they discovered a letter and they tortured me."

"Good heavens! have you been hanging here for two days?"

"It seems like two years. Comrade, I have served France, have I not?
Then do one little service for me. Stab me to the heart, dear friend! I
implore you, I entreat you, to put an end to my sufferings."

The man was indeed in a hopeless plight, and the kindest actio