SIR. A recent post brought me news about the escape of Bernard Fay from captivity. Your readers will remember that Bernard Fay is a well-known French Catholic scholar who would appear to have suffered in the epuration because of his expert exposure of the evil of continental Masonry.
The escape took place on Septemher 30 from the Hospital of Angers where he had been for some months. (The prison sent him there on account of his very had health and he was guarded day and night by a policeman at the door of his ward.) The whole thing is veiled in mystery. No one. least of all his family. knows how it happened. but apparently no violence was used and no one was hurt. It seems that he had reached the conclusion that he would never he freed by the usual channels every appeal having been systematically turned down by Auriol (e.g. in December, 1950, the Council of Ministers unanimously voted that he should he liberated for the New Year-Auriol refused). The doctors. a Superior Council of Ministers and the Commission des Graces appealed again in February without success. In June the Nuncio together with numerous French writers sent in a request which Auriol never even answered. After that. it appears that Bernard Fay determined to try to escape. I gather he felt it his duty to make a solemn gesture to protest against so much injustice and to remind French people that thousands of their comnatriots have been waiting for real justice for seven years mostly poor unknown people, including 1.000 women.
Emma Craufurd.
The Cottage, Potterspury. Northants.