44 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 



During the two days which elapsed between our cap- 

 ture and our entrance into the roads of Rosas, Pablo, 

 whose curiosity often brought him into the room, used to 

 exclaim, " There is one passenger whom I have not yet 

 managed to get a sight of." 



When we arrived at Rosas it was decided that we 

 should be placed in quarantine in a dismantled windmill, 

 situated on the road leading to Figueras. I was careful 

 to disembark in a boat to which Pablo did not belong. 

 The corsair departed for a new cruise, and I was for a 

 moment freed from the harassing thoughts which my old 

 servant had caused me. 



Our ship was richly laden ; the Spanish authorities 

 were immediately desirous to declare it a lawful prize. 

 They pretended to believe that I was the proprietor of it, 

 and wished, in order to hasten things, to interrogate me, 

 even without awaiting the completion of the quarantine. 

 They stretched two cords between the mill and the shore, 

 and a judge placed himself in front of me. As the inter- 

 rogatories were made from a good distance, the numerous 

 audience which encircled us took a direct part in the 

 questions and answers. I will endeavour to reproduce 

 this dialogue with all possible fidelity : 



" Who are you ? " 



" A poor roving merchant." 



" Whence do you come ? " 



" From a country where you certainly never were." 



" In a word, what country is it ? " 



I was afraid to answer, for the passports, steeped in 

 vinegar, were in the hands of the judge-instructor, and 

 I had forgotten whether I was from Schwekat or from 

 Leoben. Finally I answered at all hazards : 



" I come from Schwekat." 



