The Nightingale
by Hannah, Kristin
Contents
Chapter 19
Overview
Isabelle, now fully operating as Juliette “the Nightingale,” launches her first escape line mission by escorting four Allied airmen from Paris to the Basque region and securing help from Micheline Babineau and her guide Eduardo. After a punishing, multi-day crossing of the Pyrenees and a perilous bridge crossing past searchlights and sentries, the group reaches Spain and delivers the pilots to the British consulate in San Sebastián. Isabelle immediately pushes to expand the operation with funding, proving the route works while foreshadowing that future crossings will be harder once authorities anticipate them.
Summary
In October 1941, Isabelle begins her first full escape operation, committing to her new underground identity as Juliette Gervaise, code-named the Nightingale. With Anouk coordinating from Paris, Isabelle boards a train for Saint-Jean-de-Luz while four downed Allied airmen (including Torrance MacLeish) travel separately with forged papers and strict instructions to appear deaf and mute if challenged.
The group reaches Saint-Jean-de-Luz and slips through checkpoints without close scrutiny. Isabelle gathers the men in a riverside park, reinforces their cover plans, and leaves them hidden in Urrugne while she searches alone for the missing link in the route: Madame Babineau, the contact who can provide a Basque guide.
After a difficult climb to an isolated farmhouse, Isabelle meets Micheline Babineau and risks revealing the mission. Micheline tests Isabelle’s nerve and security through a staged interrogation by Eduardo, who pretends to threaten betrayal and demands pilot locations; Isabelle protects the operation by denying everything until the test ends. Satisfied, Micheline agrees to help and summons the airmen to the farmhouse, where the group prepares to depart.
Eduardo leads them across the Pyrenees by night through freezing rain, snow, and brutal terrain. Isabelle struggles with exhaustion and blistered feet but keeps the men moving, persuading a faltering Canadian airman, Teddy, to continue by invoking the life waiting for him at home. After days of relentless marching and brief shelter stops, Eduardo warns that “close is nothing” as patrols with dogs threaten the final approach to the border.
Unable to swim the swollen Bidassoa River, they wait for a gap in searchlights and cross a dangerous suspension bridge to Spain, crawling past a Spanish checkpoint. At daylight, Eduardo introduces Almadora, who guides the group to the British consulate in San Sebastián. Isabelle presents the four RAF airmen and proposes repeating the route, requesting money for food, clothing, papers, and safe houses; the consul is stunned by the feat, confirming the escape line’s first success and the higher stakes of doing it again.
Who Appears
- Isabelle Rossignol / Juliette Gervaise (the Nightingale)Begins first escape mission, recruits help, endures Pyrenees crossing, delivers pilots to British consulate.
- Torrance (Torry) MacLeishRAF pilot traveling undercover; survives the crossing and confirms Isabelle’s plan to the consul.
- Micheline BabineauBasque-area contact; tests Isabelle’s security and commits resources to the escape line.
- EduardoBasque guide who leads the group across mountains and engineers the final border crossing.
- AnoukIsabelle’s helper in Paris; sees Isabelle off and coordinates the staged travel plan.
- TeddyCanadian airman who nearly collapses; Isabelle convinces him to continue by invoking home.
- AlmadoraSpanish contact who escorts the group through San Sebastián to the British consulate.
- British consul (unnamed)Receives the rescued airmen; reacts with disbelief and hears Isabelle’s request for funding.