"
Lived there the man to resist that innocent, devout appeal? Lived
there one who in answer to such gentle words of love and grief could
obtrude his own coarse passions? It seems there did, for all he
answered was "You know the price, child."
"And God pity me! I must pay it. I must, for if he dies I shall
have his blood upon my conscience!" Then she checked her grief, and
her voice grew almost stern in the restraint she set upon herself.
"If I give you my promise to wed you hereafter - say in six months'
time - what proof will you afford me that he who is detained under
the name of Lesperon shall go free?"
I caught the sound of something very like a gasp from the Count.
"Remain in Toulouse until to-morrow, and to-night ere he departs he
shall come to take his leave of you. Are you content?"
"Be it so, monsieur," she answered.
Then at last I leapt to my feet. I could endure no more. You may
marvel that I had had the heart to endure so much, and to have so
let her suffer that I might satisfy myself how far this scoundrel
Chatellerault would drive his trickster's bargain.
A more impetuous man would have beaten down the partition, or shouted
to her through it the consolation that Chatellerault's bargain was no
bargain at all, since I was already at large. And that is where a
more impetuous man would have acted upon instinct more wisely than did
I upon reason. Instead, I opened the door, and, crossing the common
room, I flung myself down a passage that I thought must lead to the
chamber in which they were closeted.
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