Candle in the Darkness - Lynn N. Austin [128]
“Not a battle plan,” he said, shaking his head. “An escape plan.” His eyes were unnaturally bright. I’d never seen such frenzied agitation in them before, and I was frightened for him. I glanced at Eli, who now accompanied me on each visit, then sank down onto the bench.
“I’m listening.”
“Good. Because I’m going to need your help.” He pulled his bench closer, speaking barely above a whisper. “I’m going to dig a tunnel. I know that sounds impossible, but I think I’ve figured out a way to get into an unused part of the basement by burrowing down through the chimney. What I need from you is the layout of the area surrounding this place so I’ll know in which direction to dig and how far. You need to find a place where I can come out of the tunnel without being seen by the sentries.”
“Robert . . . if you’re caught—”
“I know! I know!” he shouted. “You don’t need to say it!” Then he took control of himself again and lowered his voice. “I know the risks. But I need to make up for all my stupid mistakes at Ball’s Bluff. I need to get back into the war and fight. I let my men down when I surrendered—I let myself down. Maybe I can make up for it by getting some of us out of this place.”
“You mean . . . you’re not the only one who’s going to do this? H-how many others?”
“Anyone who wants to take the risk with me.”
I wished I had done what Mr. St. John had asked and never returned to see Robert. I couldn’t possibly get involved in such a dangerous plot. I could hang for helping enemy prisoners escape. But I could also see how close to the edge of sanity Robert was, and I didn’t know how to dissuade him without destroying all of his hope.
“What’s wrong?” he asked when I hesitated too long.
“It’s one thing for you and the other men to risk your own lives. It’s another thing to ask me to risk mine. I delivered the Bible because I thought it would bring the war to an end and buy the slaves their freedom. But what you’re asking now . . . for me to help you and who knows how many others to escape . . . that’s an entirely different matter.”
“No, it’s exactly the same. You didn’t let me finish telling you my plan, Caroline. Once I’m out of here, I’m going to have our undercover people here in Richmond contact you. All the information you gather from the Confederate officials in your social circle can be passed along to them. They’ll relay it to our military planners. If you help us win the war, slavery will be abolished in all the Rebel states.”
“I never said I was willing to spy—”
“You’ve already spied,” he said angrily. “Whatever your reasons were for doing it the first time, they’re exactly the same reasons why you should continue to help us. In fact, this time you’ll be safer. You won’t even have to leave Richmond.”
“I’ll have to think about it.”
“Fine. You think about it.” His tone was bitter, his face twisted with contempt. “In the meantime, I’m going to start digging. Are you going to help me plan the tunnel’s exit site, or are you too afraid to do even that?”
I hated the man Robert had become in this terrible place. After the defeat at Fredericksburg, it would be months before the Yankees could make another attempt to conquer Richmond and set him free. He would never last that long.
“What do you need to know?” I asked.
“We’re only allowed to look out of the south windows. I know there’s a street down below, and the canal about fifty feet away. We can’t tunnel in that direction because it would probably fill with water. I need to know what’s on the other three sides of this place.”
I thought for a moment. “Twentieth Street runs along the western wall of the building, and Cary Street along the northern. Across the street from both of them are huge vacant lots. Nothing to hide behind in either one. You’d have to dig a very long way to be out of the guards’ sight when you emerged.” I paused, trying to picture the fourth side. “There’s another, smaller vacant lot along the eastern wall, about fifty feet wide. There are some buildings on