Ihave
come
in
time
for
it
.
"
She
recognised
him
by
his
voice
,
and
turned
from
a
French
Prince
to
rebuke
him
for
his
truancy
,
with
gay
raillery
and
mock
anger
.
"
Forgive
me
,
and
let
me
have
this
one
waltz
—
please
do
!
"
She
glanced
at
him
a
moment
,
and
let
him
lead
her
out
.
"
No
one
has
my
step
as
you
have
it
,
Bertie
,
"
she
murmured
,
as
they
glided
into
the
measure
of
the
dance
.
She
thought
his
glance
fell
sadly
on
her
as
he
smiled
.
"
No
?
—
but
others
will
soon
learn
it
.
"
Yet
he
had
never
threaded
more
deftly
the
maze
of
the
waltzers
,
never
trodden
more
softly
,
more
swiftly
,
or
with
more
science
,
the
polished
floor
.
The
waltz
was
perfect
;
she
did
not
know
it
was
also
a
farewell
.
The
delicate
perfume
of
her
floating
dress
,
the
gleam
of
the
scarlet
flower-spray
,
the
flash
of
the
diamonds
studding
her
domino
,
the
fragrance
of
her
lips
as
they
breathed
so
near
his
own
;
they
haunted
him
many
a
long
year
afterwards
.
His
voice
was
very
calm
,
his
smile
was
very
gentle
,
his
step
,
as
he
swung
easily
through
the
intricacies
of
the
circle
,
was
none
the
less
smooth
and
sure
for
the
race
that
had
so
late
strained
his
sinews
to
bursting
;
the
woman
he
loved
saw
no
change
in
him
;
but
as
the
waltz
drew
to
its
end
,
she
felt
his
heart
beat
louder
and
quicker
on
her
own
,
she
felt
his
hand
hold
her
own
more
closely
,
she
felt
his
head
drooped
over
her
till
his
lips
almost
touched
her
brow
;
—
it
was
his
last
embrace
;
no
other
could
be
given
here
,
in
the
multitude
of
these
courtly
crowds
.
Then
,
with
a
few
low-murmured
words
that
thrilled
her
in
their
utterance
,
and
echoed
in
her
memory
for
years
to
come
,
he
resigned
her
to
the
Austrian
Grand
Duke
,
who
was
her
next
claimant
,
and
left
her
silently
—
for
ever
.
Less
heroism
has
often
proclaimed
itself
,
with
blatant
trumpet
to
the
world
—
a
martyrdom
.
He
looked
back
once
as
he
passed
from
the
ball-room
—
back
to
the
sea
of
colours
,
to
the
glitter
of
light
,
to
the
moving
hues
,
amid
which
the
sound
of
the
laughing
intoxicating
music
seemed
to
float
;
to
the
glisten
of
the
jewels
,
and
the
gold
,
and
the
silver
,
to
the
scene
,
in
a
word
,
of
the
life
that
would
be
his
no
more
.
He
looked
back
in
a
long
,
lingering
look
,
such
as
a
man
may
give
the
gladness
of
the
earth
before
the
gates
of
a
prison
close
on
him
;
then
he
went
out
once
more
into
the
night
,
threw
the
domino
and
the
mask
back
again
into
the
carriage
,
and
took
his
way
—
alone
.
He
passed
along
till
he
had
gained
the
shadow
of
a
by-street
,
by
a
sheer
unconscious
instinct
;
then
he
paused
,
and
looked
round
him
.
What
could
he
do
?
He
wondered
vaguely
if
he
were
not
dreaming
;
the
air
seemed
to
reel
about
him
,
and
the
earth
to
rock
;
the
very
force
of
control
he
had
sustained
made
the
reaction
stronger
;
he
began
to
feel
blind
and
stupified
.
How
could
he
escape
?
The
railway
station
would
be
guarded
by
those
on
the
watch
for
him
;
he
had
but
a
few
pounds
in
his
pocket
,
hastily
slipped
in
as
he
had
won
them
,
"
money-down
,
"
at
écarté
that
day
;
all
avenues
of
escape
were
closed
to
him
,
and
he
knew
that
his
limbs
would
refuse
to
carry
him
with
any
kind
of
speed
farther
.
He
had
only
the
short
precious
hours
remaining
of
the
night
in
which
to
make
good
his
flight
—
and
flight
he
must
take
to
save
those
for
whom
he
had
elected
to
sacrifice
his
life
.
Yet
how
?
And
where
?
A
hurried
,
noiseless
footfall
came
after
him
;
Rake
's
voice
came
breathless
on
his
ear
,
while
the
man
's
hand
went
up
in
the
unforgotten
soldier
's
salute
:
"
Sir
!
—
no
words
.
Follow
me
,
and
I
'll
save
you
.
"
The
one
well-known
voice
was
to
him
like
water
in
a
desert
land
;
he
would
have
trusted
the
speaker
's
fidelity
with
his
life
.
He
asked
nothing
,
said
nothing
,
but
followed
rapidly
and
in
silence
,
turning
and
doubling
down
a
score
of
crooked
passages
,
and
burrowing
at
the
last
like
a
mole
in
a
still
,
deserted
place
on
the
outskirts
of
the
town
,
where
some
closeset
trees
grew
at
the
back
of
stables
and
out-buildings
.
In
a
streak
of
the
white
moonlight
stood
two
hunters
,
saddled
;
one
was
Forest
King
.
With
a
cry
,
Cecil
threw
his
arms
round
the
animal
's
neck
;
he
had
no
thought
then
except
that
he
and
the
horse
must
part
.
"
Into
saddle
,
sir
!
quick
as
your
life
!
"
whispered
Rake
.
"
We
'll
be
far
away
from
this
d
—
d
den
by
morning
.
"
Cecil
looked
at
him
like
a
man
in
stupor
—
his
arm
still
over
the
grey
's
neck
.
"
He
can
have
no
stay
in
him
?
He
was
dead-beat
on
the
course
.
"
"
I
know
he
was
,
sir
;
but
he
ai
n't
now
;
he
was
pisoned
;
but
I
've
a
trick
with
a
'
oss
that
'll
set
that
sort
o
'
thing
—
if
it
ai
n't
gone
too
far
,
that
is
to
say
—
right
in
a
brace
of
shakes
.
I
doctored
him
;
he
's
hisself
agen
;
he
'll
take
you
till
he
drops
.
"
The
King
thrust
his
noble
head
closer
in
his
master
's
bosom
,
and
made
a
little
murmuring
noise
,
as
though
he
said
,
"
Try
me
!
"
"
God
bless
you
,
Rake
!
"
Cecil
said
,
huskily
.
"
But
I
cannot
take
him
;
he
will
starve
with
me
.
And
—
how
did
you
know
of
this
?
"
"
Beggin
'
your
pardon
,
your
honour
,
he
'll
eat
chopped
furze
with
you
better
than
he
'll
eat
oats
and
hay
along
of
a
new
master
,
"
returned
Rake
,
rapidly
,
tightening
the
girths
.
"
I
do
n't
know
nothin
'
,
sir
,
save
that
I
heard
you
was
in
a
strait
;
I
do
n't
want
to
know
nothin
'
;
but
I
sees
them
cursed
cads
a
runnin
'
of
you
to
earth
,
and
thinks
I
to
myself
,
'
Come
what
will
,
the
King
will
be
the
ticket
for
him
.
'
So
I
ran
to
your
room
unbeknown
,
packed
a
little
valise
,
and
got
out
the
passports
,
then
back
again
to
the
stables
,
and
saddled
him
like
lightnin
'
,
and
got
'
em
off
,
nobody
knowing
but
Bill
there
.
I
seed
you
go
by
into
the
Kursaal
,
and
laid
in
wait
for
you
,
sir
.
I
made
bold
to
bring
Mother
o
'
Pearl
for
myself
.
'
And
Rake
stopped
,
breathless
and
hoarse
with
passion
and
grief
that
he
would
not
utter
.
He
had
heard
more
than
he
said
.
"
For
yourself
?
"
echoed
Cecil
.
"
What
do
you
mean
?
My
good
fellow
,
I
am
ruined
.
I
shall
be
beggared
from
to-night
—
utterly
.
I
cannot
even
help
you
,
or
keep
you
;
but
Lord
Rockingham
will
do
both
,
for
my
sake
.
"
The
ci-devant
soldier
struck
his
heel
into
the
earth
with
a
fiery
oath
.
"
Sir
,
there
ai
n't
time
for
no
words
.
Where
you
goes
I
go
.
I
'll
follow
you
while
there
's
a
drop
o
'
blood
in
me
.
You
was
good
to
me
when
I
was
a
poor
devil
that
every
one
scouted
;
you
shall
have
me
with
you
to
the
last
,
if
I
die
for
it
.
There
!
"
Cecil
's
voice
shook
as
he
answered
.
The
fidelity
touched
him
as
adversity
could
not
do
.
"
Rake
,
you
are
a
noble
fellow
.
I
would
take
you
,
were
it
possible
;
but
—
in
an
hour
I
may
be
in
a
felon
's
prison
.
If
I
escape
that
,
I
shall
lead
a
life
of
such
wretchedness
as
—
—
"
"
That
's
not
nothing
to
me
,
sir
.
"
"
But
it
is
much
to
me
,
"
answered
Cecil
.
As
things
have
turned
—
life
is
over
with
me
,
Rake
.
What
my
own
fate
may
be
I
have
not
the
faintest
notion
—
but
let
it
be
what
it
will
,
it
must
be
a
bitter
one
.
I
will
not
drag
another
into
it
.
"
"
If
you
send
me
away
,
I
'll
shoot
myself
through
the
head
,
sir
,
that
's
all
.
"
"
You
will
do
nothing
of
the
kind
.
Go
to
Lord
Rockingham
,
and
ask
him
from
me
to
take
you
into
his
service
.
You
cannot
have
a
kinder
master
.
"
"
I
do
n't
say
nothing
agen
the
Marquis
,
sir
,
"
said
Rake
,
doggedly
;
"
he
's
a
right-on
generous
gentleman
,
but
he
are
n't
you
.
Let
me
go
with
you
,
if
it
's
just
to
rub
the
King
down
.
Lord
,
sir
!
you
do
n't
know
what
straits
I
've
lived
in
—
what
a
lot
of
things
I
can
turn
my
hand
to
—
what
a
one
I
am
to
fit
myself
into
any
rat-hole
,
and
make
it
spicy
.
Why
,
sir
,
I
'm
that
born
scamp
I
am
—
I
'm
a
deal
happier
on
the
cross
and
getting
my
bread
just
anyhow
,
than
I
am
when
I
'm
in
clover
like
you
've
kep
'
me
.
"
Rake
's
eyes
looked
up
wistfully
and
eager
as
a
dog
's
when
he
prays
to
be
let
out
of
kennel
to
follow
the
gun
;
his
voice
was
husky
and
agitated
with
a
strong
excitement
.
Cecil
stood
a
moment
,
irresolute
,
touched
and
pained
at
the
man
's
spaniel-like
affection
—
yet
not
yielding
to
it
.
"
I
thank
you
from
my
heart
,
Rake
,
"
he
said
at
length
,
"
but
it
must
not
be
.
I
tell
you
my
future
life
will
be
beggary
—
—
"
"
You
'll
want
me
anyways
,
sir
,
"
retorted
Rake
,
ashamed
of
the
choking
in
his
throat
.
"
I
ask
your
pardon
for
interruptin
'
,
but
every
second
's
that
precious
like
.
Besides
,
sir
,
I
've
got
to
cut
and
run
for
my
own
sake
.
I
've
laid
Willon
's
head
open
down
there
in
the
loose
box
;
and
when
he
's
come
to
himself
a
pretty
hue
and
cry
he
'll
raise
after
me
.
He
painted
the
King
,
that
's
what
he
did
;
and
I
told
him
so
,
and
I
gev
'
it
to
him
—
one
—
two
—
amazin
'
!
Get
into
saddle
,
sir
,
for
the
Lord
's
sake
!
and
here
,
Bill
—
you
run
back
,
shut
the
door
,
and
do
n't
let
nobody
know
the
'
osses
are
out
till
the
mornin
'
.
Then
look
like
a
muff
as
you
are
,
and
say
nothin
'
!
"
The
stable-boy
stared
,
nodded
assent
,
and
sloped
off
.
Rake
threw
himself
across
the
brown
mare
.
"
Now
,
sir
!
a
steeple-chase
for
our
lives
!
We
'll
be
leagues
away
by
the
day-dawn
,
and
I
've
got
their
feed
in
the
saddle-bags
,
so
that
they
'll
bait
in
the
forests
.
Off
,
sir
,
for
God
's
sake
,
or
the
blackguards
will
be
down
on
you
again
!
"
As
he
spoke
,
the
clamour
and
tread
of
men
of
the
town
racing
to
the
chase
,
were
wafted
to
them
on
the
night
wind
,
drawing
nearer
and
nearer
;
Rake
drew
the
reins
tight
in
his
hand
in
fury
.
"
There
they
come
—
the
d
—
d
beaks
!
For
the
love
of
mercy
,
sir
,
do
n't
check
now
.
Ten
seconds
more
and
they
'll
be
on
you
;
off
,
off
!
—
or
by
the
Lord
Harry
,
sir
,
you
'll
make
a
murderer
of
me
,
and
I
'll
kill
the
first
man
that
lays
his
hand
on
you
!
"
The
blaze
of
bitter
blood
was
in
the
ex-Dragoon
's
fiery
face
as
the
moon
shone
on
it
,
and
he
drew
out
one
of
his
holster-pistols
,
and
swung
round
in
his
saddle
facing
the
narrow
entrance
of
the
lane
,
ready
to
shoot
down
the
first
of
the
pursuit
whose
shadow
should
darken
the
broad
stream
of
white
light
that
fell
through
the
archway
.
Cecil
looked
at
him
,
and
paused
no
more
;
but
vaulted
into
the
old
familiar
seat
,
and
Forest
King
bore
him
away
through
the
starry
night
,
with
the
brown
mare
racing
her
best
by
his
side
.
Away
—
through
the
sleeping
shadows
,
through
the
broad
beams
of
the
moon
,
through
the
odorous
scent
of
the
crowded
pines
,
through
the
soft
breaking
grey
of
the
dawn
;
away
—
to
mountain
solitudes
and
forest
silence
,
and
the
shelter
of
lonely
untracked
ravines
,
and
the
woodland
lairs
they
must
share
with
wolf
and
boar
;
away
—
to
flee
with
the
flight
of
the
hunted
fox
,
to
race
with
the
wakeful
dread
of
the
deer
;
away
—
to
what
fate
,
who
could
tell
?
Far
and
fast
they
rode
through
the
night
,
never
drawing
rein
.
The
horses
laid
well
to
their
work
,
their
youth
and
their
mettle
were
roused
,
and
they
needed
no
touch
of
spur
,
but
neck
and
neck
dashed
down
through
the
sullen
grey
of
the
dawn
and
the
breaking
flush
of
the
first
sunrise
.
On
the
hard
parched
earth
,
on
the
dew-laden
moss
,
on
the
stretches
of
wayside
sward
,
on
the
dry
white
dust
of
the
ducal
roads
,
their
hoofs
thundered
,
unfollowed
,
unechoed
;
the
challenge
of
no
pursuit
stayed
them
,
and
they
obeyed
the
call
that
was
made
on
their
strength
with
good
and
gallant
willingness
.
Far
and
fast
they
rode
,
happily
knowing
the
country
well
;
now
through
the
darkness
of
night
,
now
through
the
glimmering
daybreak
.
Tall
walls
of
fir-crowned
rocks
passed
by
them
like
a
dream
;
beetling
cliffs
and
summer
foliage
swept
past
their
eyes
all
fused
and
dim
;
grey
piles
of
monastic
buildings
with
to
be
dull
chimes
tolling
the
hour
,
flashed
on
their
sight
to
be
lost
in
a
moment
;
corn-lands
yellowing
for
the
sickle
,
fields
with
the
sheaves
set-up
,
orchards
ruddy
with
fruit
,
and
black
barn-roofs
lost
in
leafy
nests
,
villages
lying
amongst
their
hills
like
German
toys
caught
in
the
hollow
of
a
guarding
hand
,
masses
of
forest
stretching
wide
,
sombre
and
silent
and
dark
as
a
tomb
,
the
shine
of
water
's
silvery
line
where
it
flowed
in
a
rocky
channel
—
they
passed
them
all
in
the
soft
grey
of
the
waning
night
,
in
the
white
veil
of
the
fragrant
mists
,
in
the
stillness
of
sleep
and
of
peace
.
Passed
them
,
racing
for
more
than
life
,
flying
with
the
speed
of
the
wind
.
"
I
failed
him
to-day
through
my
foes
and
his
,
"
Forest
King
thought
,
as
he
laid
his
length
out
in
his
mighty
stride
.
"
But
I
love
him
well
;
I
will
save
him
to-night
.
"
And
save
him
the
brave
brute
did
.
The
grass
was
so
sweet
and
so
short
,
he
longed
to
stop
for
a
mouthful
;
the
brooks
looked
so
clear
and
so
brown
,
he
longed
to
pause
for
a
drink
;
renewed
force
and
reviving
youth
filled
his
loyal
veins
with
their
fire
;
he
could
have
thrown
himself
down
on
that
mossy
turf
,
and
had
a
roll
in
its
thyme
and
its
lichens
for
sheer
joy
that
his
strength
had
come
back
.
But
,
he
would
yield
to
none
of
these
longings
,
he
held
on
for
his
master
's
sake
,
and
tried
to
think
as
he
ran
that
this
was
only
a
piece
of
play
;
only
a
steeple-chase
,
for
a
silver
vase
and
a
lady
's
smile
,
such
as
he
and
his
rider
had
so
often
run
for
,
and
so
often
won
,
in
those
glad
hours
of
the
crisp
winter
noons
of
English
shires
far
away
.
He
turned
his
eyes
on
the
brown
mare
's
,
and
she
turned
hers
on
his
;
they
were
good
friends
in
the
stables
at
home
,
and
they
understood
one
another
now
.
"
If
I
were
what
I
was
yesterday
,
she
would
n't
run
even
with
me
,
"
thought
the
King
;
but
they
were
doing
good
work
together
,
and
he
was
too
true
a
knight
and
too
true
a
gentleman
to
be
jealous
of
Mother
o
'
Pearl
.
So
they
raced
neck
and
neck
through
the
dawn
;
with
the
noisy
clatter
of
water-mill
wheels
,
or
the
distant
sound
of
a
woodman
's
axe
,
or
the
tolling
bell
of
a
convent
clock
,
the
only
sound
on
the
air
save
the
beat
of
the
flying
hoofs
.
Away
they
went
,
mile
on
mile
,
league
on
league
,
till
the
stars
faded
out
in
the
blaze
of
the
sun
,
and
the
tall
pines
rose
out
of
the
gloom
.
Either
his
pursuers
were
baffled
and
distanced
,
or
no
hue
and
cry
was
yet
after
him
;
nothing
arrested
them
as
they
swept
on
,
andt
he
silent
land
lay
in
the
stillness
of
morning
ere
toil
and
activity
awakened
.
It
was
strangely
still
,
strangely
lonely
,
and
the
echo
of
the
gallop
seemed
to
beat
on
the
stirless
breathless
solitude
.
As
the
light
broke
and
grew
clearer
and
clearer
,
Cecil
's
face
in
it
was
white
as
death
as
he
galloped
through
the
mists
,
a
hunted
man
,
on
whose
head
a
price
was
set
;
but
it
was
quite
calm
still
,
and
very
resolute
;
there
was
no
"
harking
back
"
in
it
.
They
had
raced
night
twenty
English
miles
by
the
time
the
chimes
of
a
village
were
striking
six
o'clock
;
it
was
the
only
group
of
dwellings
they
had
ventured
near
in
their
flight
;
the
leaded
lattices
were
thrust
open
with
a
hasty
clang
,
and
women
's
heads
looked
out
as
the
iron
tramp
of
the
hunters
'
feet
struck
fire
from
the
stones
.
A
few
cries
were
raised
;
one
burgher
called
them
to
know
their
errand
;
they
answered
nothing
,
but
traversed
the
street
with
lightning
speed
,
gone
from
sight
almost
ere
they
were
seen
.
A
league
farther
on
was
a
wooded
bottom
,
all
dark
and
silent
,
with
a
brook
murmuring
through
it
under
leafy
shade
of
lilies
and
the
tangle
of
water-plants
;
there
Cecil
checked
the
King
and
threw
himself
out
of
saddle
.
"
He
is
not
quite
himself
yet
,
"
he
murmured
,
as
he
loosened
the
girths
and
held
back
the
delicate
head
from
the
perilous
cold
of
the
water
to
which
the
horse
stretched
so
eagerly
;
he
thought
more
of
Forest
King
than
he
thought
,
even
in
that
hour
,
of
himself
.
He
did
all
that
was
needed
with
his
own
hands
;
fed
him
with
the
corn
from
the
saddle-bags
,
cooled
him
gently
,
led
him
to
drink
a
cautious
draught
from
the
bubbling
little
stream
,
then
let
him
graze
and
rest
under
the
shade
of
the
aromatic
pines
and
the
deep
bronze
leaves
of
the
copper
beeches
;
it
was
almost
dark
,
so
heavy
and
thickly
laced
were
the
branches
,
and
exquisitely
tranquil
in
the
heart
of
the
hilly
country
,
in
the
peace
of
the
early
day
,
with
the
rushing
of
the
forest
brook
the
sole
sound
that
was
heard
,
and
the
everlasting
sighing
of
the
pine-boughs
overhead
.
Cecil
leaned
awhile
silently
against
one
of
the
great
gnarled
trunks
,
and
Rake
affected
to
busy
himself
with
the
mare
:
in
his
heart
was
a
tumult
of
rage
,
a
volcano
of
curiosity
,
a
pent-up
storm
of
anxious
amaze
,
but
he
would
have
let
Mother
o
'
Pearl
brain
him
with
a
kick
of
her
iron
plates
rather
than
press
a
single
look
that
should
seem
like
doubt
,
or
seem
like
insult
in
adversity
to
his
fallen
master
.
Cecil
's
eyes
,
drooped
and
brooding
,
gazed
a
long
half-hour
down
in
silence
into
the
brook
bubbling
at
his
feet
;
then
he
lifted
his
head
and
spoke
—
with
a
certain
formality
and
command
in
his
voice
,
as
though
he
gave
an
order
on
parade
.
"
Rake
,
listen
,
and
do
precisely
what
I
bid
you
,
neither
more
nor
less
.
The
horses
cannot
accompany
me
,
nor
you
either
;
I
must
go
henceforth
where
they
would
starve
,
and
you
would
do
worse
.
I
do
not
take
the
King
into
suffering
,
nor
you
into
temptation
.
"
Rake
,
who
at
the
tone
had
fallen
unconsciously
into
the
attitude
of
"
attention
,
"
giving
the
salute
with
his
old
military
instinct
,
opened
his
lips
to
speak
in
eager
protestation
.
Cecil
put
up
his
hand
.
"
I
have
decided
;
nothing
you
can
say
will
alter
me
.
We
are
near
a
by-station
now
;
if
I
find
none
there
to
prevent
me
,
I
shall
get
away
by
the
first
train
;
to
hide
in
these
woods
is
out
of
the
question
.
You
will
return
by
easy
stages
to
Baden
,
and
take
the
horses
at
once
to
Lord
Rockingham
.
They
are
his
now
.
Tell
him
my
last
wish
was
that
he
should
take
you
into
his
service
;
and
he
will
be
a
better
master
to
you
than
I
have
ever
been
;
as
for
the
King
—
—
"
his
lips
quivered
,
and
his
voice
shook
a
little
despite
himself
,
"
he
will
be
safe
with
him
.
I
shall
go
into
some
foreign
service
—
Austrian
,
Russian
,
Mexican
,
whichever
be
open
to
me
.
I
would
not
risk
such
a
horse
as
mine
to
be
sold
,
ill-treated
,
tossed
from
owner
to
owner
,
sent
in
his
old
age
to
a
knacker
's
yard
,
or
killed
in
a
skirmish
by
a
cannon-shot
.
Take
both
him
and
the
mare
back
,
and
go
back
yourself
.
Believe
me
,
I
thank
you
from
my
heart
for
your
noble
offer
of
fidelity
,
but
accept
it
I
never
shall
.
"
A
dead
pause
came
after
his
words
;
Rake
stood
mute
:
a
curious
look
,
half-dogged
,
half-wounded
,
but
very
resolute
,
had
come
on
his
face
.
Cecil
thought
him
pained
,
and
spoke
with
an
infinite
gentleness
:
"
My
good
fellow
,
do
not
regret
it
,
or
fancy
I
have
no
gratitude
to
you
.
I
feel
your
loyalty
deeply
,
and
I
know
all
you
would
willingly
suffer
for
me
;
but
it
must
not
be
.
The
mere
offer
of
what
you
would
do
,
has
been
quite
testimony
enough
of
your
truth
and
your
worth
.
It
is
impossible
for
me
to
tell
you
what
has
so
suddenly
changed
my
fortunes
;
it
is
sufficient
that
for
the
future
I
shall
be
,
if
I
live
,
what
you
were
,
—
a
private
soldier
in
any
army
that
needs
a
sword
.
But
let
my
fate
be
what
it
will
,
I
go
to
it
alone
.
Spare
me
more
speech
,
and
simply
obey
my
last
command
.
"
Quiet
as
the
words
were
,
there
was
a
resolve
in
them
not
to
be
disputed
,
an
authority
not
to
be
rebelled
against
.
Rake
stared
,
and
looked
at
him
blankly
;
in
this
man
who
spoke
to
him
with
so
subdued
but
so
irresistible
a
power
of
command
,
he
could
scarcely
recognise
the
gay
,
indolent
,
indulgent
,
poco
curante
Guardsman
,
whose
most
serious
anxiety
had
been
the
set
of
a
lace
tie
,
the
fashion
of
his
hunting-dress
,
or
the
choice
of
the
gold
arabesque
for
his
smoking-slippers
.
Rake
was
silent
a
moment
,
then
his
hand
touched
his
cap
again
.
"
Very
well
,
sir
;
"
and
without
opposition
or
entreaty
he
turned
to
re-saddle
the
mare
.
Our
natures
are
oddly
inconsistent
.
Cecil
would
not
have
taken
the
man
into
exile
,
and
danger
,
and
temptation
,
and
away
from
comfort
and
an
honest
life
,
for
any
consideration
;
yet
it
gave
him
something
of
a
pang
that
Rake
was
so
soon
dissuaded
from
following
him
,
and
so
easily
convinced
of
the
folly
of
his
fidelity
.
But
he
had
dealt
himself
a
far
deadlier
one
when
he
had
resolved
to
part
for
ever
from
the
King
.
He
loved
the
horse
better
than
he
loved
anything
,
fed
from
his
hand
in
foalhood
,
reared
,
broken
,
and
trained
under
his
own
eye
and
his
own
care
,
he
had
had
a
truer
welcome
from
those
loving
,
lustrous
eyes
,
than
all
his
mistresses
ever
gave
him
.
He
had
had
so
many
victories
,
so
many
hunting-runs
,
so
many
pleasant
days
of
winter
and
of
autumn
,
with
Forest
King
for
his
comrade
and
companion
!
He
could
better
bear
to
sever
from
all
other
things
than
from
the
stable-monarch
,
whose
brave
heart
never
failed
him
,
and
whose
honest
love
was
always
his
.
He
stretched
his
hand
out
with
his
accustomed
signal
,
the
King
lifted
his
head
where
he
grazed
,
and
came
to
him
with
the
murmuring
noise
of
pleasure
he
always
gave
at
his
master
's
caress
,
and
pressed
his
forehead
against
Cecil
's
breast
,
and
took
such
tender
heed
,
such
earnest
solicitude
,
not
to
harm
him
with
a
touch
of
the
mighty
fore-hoofs
,
as
those
only
who
care
for
and
know
horses
well
will
understand
in
its
relation
.
Cecil
threw
his
arm
over
his
neck
,
and
leant
his
own
head
down
on
it
,
so
that
his
face
was
hidden
.
He
stood
motionless
so
many
moments
,
and
the
King
never
stirred
,
but
only
pressed
closer
and
closer
against
his
bosom
,
as
though
he
knew
that
this
was
his
eternal
farewell
to
his
master
.
But
little
light
came
there
,
the
boughs
grew
so
thickly
;
and
it
was
still
and
solitary
as
a
desert
in
the
gloom
of
the
meeting
trees
.
There
have
been
many
idols
,
idols
of
gold
,
idols
of
clay
,
less
pure
,
less
true
than
the
brave
and
loyal-hearted
beast
from
whom
he
parted
now
.
He
stood
motionless
awhile
longer
,
and
where
his
face
was
hidden
,
the
grey
silken
mane
of
the
horse
was
wet
with
great
slow
tears
that
forced
themselves
through
his
closed
eyes
;
then
he
laid
his
lips
on
the
King
's
forehead
,
as
he
might
have
touched
the
brow
of
a
woman
he
loved
;
and
with
a
backward
gesture
of
his
hand
to
his
servant
,
plunged
down
into
the
deep
slope
of
netted
boughs
and
scarce
penetrable
leafage
,
that
swung
back
into
their
places
,
and
shrouded
him
from
sight
with
their
thick
unbroken
screen
.
"
He
's
forgot
me
right
and
away
in
the
King
,
"
murmured
Rake
,
as
he
led
Forest
King
away
slowly
and
sorrowfully
,
while
the
hunter
pulled
and
fretted
to
force
his
way
to
his
master
.
"
Well
,
it
's
only
natural
like
.
I
've
cause
to
care
for
him
,
and
plenty
on
it
;
but
he
ai
n't
no
sort
of
reason
to
think
about
me
.
"
That
was
the
way
the
philosopher
took
his
wound
.
Alone
,
Cecil
flung
himself
full
length
down
on
the
turf
beneath
the
beech
woods
,
his
arms
thrown
forward
,
his
face
buried
in
the
grass
,
all
gay
with
late
summer
forest
blossoms
;
for
the
first
time
the
whole
might
of
the
ruin
that
had
fallen
on
him
was
understood
by
him
;
for
him
;
for
the
first
time
it
beat
him
down
beneath
it
as
the
overstrained
tension
of
nerve
and
of
self-restraint
had
their
inevitable
reaction
.
He
knew
what
this
thing
was
which
he
had
done
;
—
he
had
given
up
his
whole
future
.
Though
he
had
spoken
lightly
to
his
servant
of
his
intention
to
enter
a
foreign
army
,
he
knew
himself
how
few
the
chances
were
that
he
could
ever
do
so
.
It
was
possible
that
Rockingham
might
so
exert
his
influence
that
he
would
be
left
unpursued
,
but
unless
this
chanced
so
(
and
Baroni
had
seemed
resolute
to
forego
no
part
of
his
demands
)
,
the
search
for
him
would
be
in
the
hands
of
the
law
,
and
the
wiles
of
secret
police
and
of
detectives
'
resources
spread
too
far
and
finely
over
the
world
for
him
to
have
scarcely
a
hope
of
ultimate
escape
.
If
he
sought
France
,
the
Extradition
Treaty
would
deliver
him
up
;
Russia
—
Austria
—
Prussia
were
of
equal
danger
;
he
would
be
identified
,
and
given
up
to
trial
.
Into
the
Italian
service
he
knew
many
a
scoundrel
was
received
unquestioned
;
and
he
might
try
the
Western
world
;
though
he
had
no
means
to
pay
the
passage
,
he
might
work
it
;
he
was
a
good
sailor
;
yachts
had
been
twice
sunk
under
him
,
by
steamers
,
in
the
Solent
and
the
Spezzia
,
and
his
own
schooner
had
once
been
fired
at
by
mistake
for
a
blockade
runner
,
when
he
had
brought
to
,
and
given
them
a
broadside
from
his
two
shotted
guns
before
he
would
signal
them
their
error
.
As
these
things
swept
disordered
and
aimless
through
his
mind
,
he
wondered
if
a
nightmare
were
upon
him
;
he
,
the
darling
of
Belgravia
,
the
Guards
'
champion
,
the
lover
of
Lady
Guenevere
,
to
be
here
outlawed
and
friendless
,
wearily
racking
his
brains
to
solve
whether
he
had
seamanship
enough
to
be
taken
before
the
mast
,
or
could
stand
before
the
tambour-major
of
a
French
regiment
,
with
a
chance
to
serve
the
same
Flag
!
For
a
while
he
lay
there
like
a
drunken
man
,
heavy
and
motionless
,
his
brow
resting
on
his
arm
,
his
face
buried
in
the
grass
,
he
had
parted
more
easily
with
the
woman
he
loved
than
he
had
parted
with
Forest
King
.
The
chimes
of
some
far-off
monastery
or
castle-campanile
swung
lazily
in
the
morning
stillness
;
the
sound
revived
him
,
and
recalled
to
him
how
little
time
there
was
if
he
would
seek
the
flight
that
had
begun
on
impulse
and
was
continued
in
a
firm
unshrinking
resolve
:
he
must
go
on
,
and
on
,
and
on
;
he
must
burrow
like
a
fox
,
hide
like
beaten
cur
;
he
must
put
leagues
between
him
and
all
who
had
ever
known
him
;
he
must
sink
his
very
name
,
and
identity
,
and
existence
,
under
some
impenetrable
obscurity
,
or
the
burden
he
had
taken
up
for
others
'
sake
would
be
uselessly
borne
.
There
must
be
action
of
some
sort
or
other
,
instant
and
unerring
.
"
It
do
n't
matter
,
"
he
thought
,
with
the
old
idle
indifference
,
oddly
becoming
in
that
extreme
moment
the
very
height
of
stoic
philosophy
,
without
any
thought
or
effort
to
be
such
;
"
I
was
going
to
the
bad
of
my
own
accord
;
I
must
have
cut
and
run
for
the
debts
,
if
not
for
this
;
it
would
have
been
the
same
thing
,
anyway
,
so
it
's
just
as
well
to
do
it
for
them
.
Life
's
over
,
and
I
'm
a
fool
that
I
do
n't
shoot
myself
.
"
But
there
was
too
imperious
a
spirit
in
the
Royallieu
blood
to
let
him
give
in
to
disaster
,
and
do
this
.
He
rose
slowly
,
staggering
a
little
,
and
feeling
blinded
and
dazzled
with
the
blaze
of
the
morning
sun
as
he
went
out
of
the
beech
wood
.
There
were
the
marks
of
the
hoofs
on
the
damp
,
dewy
turf
;
his
lips
trembled
a
little
as
he
saw
them
;
—
he
would
never
ride
the
horse
again
!
Some
two
miles
,
more
or
less
,
lay
between
him
and
the
railway
.
He
was
not
certain
of
his
way
,
and
he
felt
a
sickening
exhaustion
on
him
;
he
had
been
without
food
since
his
breakfast
before
the
race
.
A
gamekeeper
's
hut
stood
near
the
entrance
of
the
wood
;
he
had
much
recklessness
in
him
,
and
no
caution
.
He
entered
through
the
half-open
door
,
and
asked
the
keeper
,
who
was
eating
his
sausage
and
drinking
his
Läger
,
for
a
meal
.
"
I
'll
give
you
one
if
you
'll
bring
me
down
that
hen-harrier
,
"
growled
the
man
in
south
German
,
pointing
to
the
bird
that
was
sailing
far
off
,
a
mere
speck
in
the
sunny
sky
.
Cecil
took
the
rifle
held
out
to
him
,
and
without
seeming
even
to
pause
to
take
aim
,
fired
.
The
bird
dropped
like
a
stone
through
the
air
into
the
distant
woods
.
There
was
no
tremor
in
his
wrist
,
no
uncertainty
in
his
measure
.
The
keeper
stared
;
the
shot
was
one
he
had
thought
beyond
any
man
's
range
,
and
he
set
food
and
drink
before
his
guest
with
a
crestfallen
surprise
,
oddly
mingled
with
veneration
.
"
You
might
have
let
me
buy
my
breakfast
without
making
me
do
murder
,
"
said
Bertie
,
quietly
,
as
he
tried
to
eat
.
The
meal
was
coarse
—
he
could
scarcely
touch
it
,
but
he
drank
the
beer
down
thirstily
,
and
took
a
crust
of
bread
.
He
slipped
his
ring
,
a
great
sapphire
graven
with
his
crest
,
off
his
finger
,
and
held
it
out
to
the
man
.
"
That
is
worth
fifty
double-Fredericks
;
will
you
take
it
in
exchange
for
your
rifle
and
some
powder
and
ball
?
"
The
German
stared
again
,
open-mouthed
,
and
clenched
the
bargain
eagerly
.
He
did
not
know
anything
about
gems
,
but
the
splendour
of
this
dazzled
his
eye
,
while
he
had
guns
more
than
enough
,
and
could
get
many
others
at
his
lord
's
cost
.
Cecil
fastened
a
shot-belt
round
him
,
took
a
powder-flask
and
cartridge-case
,
and
,
with
a
few
words
of
thanks
,
went
on
his
way
.
Now
that
he
held
the
rifle
in
his
hand
,
he
felt
ready
for
the
work
that
was
before
him
;
if
hunted
to
bay
,
at
any
rate
he
could
now
have
a
struggle
for
his
liberty
.
The
keeper
stood
bewildered
,
gazing
blankly
after
him
down
the
vista
of
pines
.
"
Hein
!
hein
!
"
he
growled
,
as
he
looked
at
the
sapphire
sparkling
in
his
broad
brown
palm
;
"
I
never
saw
such
a
with-lavishness-wasteful-and-with-courteous-speech-laconic
gentleman
!
I
wish
I
had
not
let
him
have
the
gun
;
he
will
take
his
own
life
,
belike
.
Ach
,
Gott
!
he
will
take
his
own
life
!
"
But
Cecil
had
not
bought
it
for
that
end
—
though
he
had
called
himself
a
fool
for
not
sending
a
bullet
through
his
brain
,
to
quench
in
eternal
darkness
this
ruined
and
wretched
life
that
alone
remained
to
him
.
He
walked
on
through
the
still
summer
dawn
,
with
the
width
of
the
country
stretching
sun-steeped
around
him
.
The
sleeplessness
,
the
excitement
,
the
misery
,
the
wild
running
of
the
past
night
had
left
him
strengthless
and
racked
with
pain
,
but
he
knew
that
he
must
press
onward
or
be
caught
,
sooner
or
later
,
like
netted
game
in
the
poacher
's
silken
mesh
.
Where
to
go
,
what
to
do
,
he
knew
no
more
than
if
he
were
a
child
;
everything
had
always
been
ready
to
his
hand
,
the
only
thought
required
of
him
had
been
how
to
amuse
himself
and
avoid
being
bored
;
now
thrown
alone
on
a
mighty
calamity
,
and
brought
face
to
face
with
the
severity
and
emergency
of
exertion
,
he
was
like
a
pleasure-boat
beaten
under
high
billows
,
and
driven
far
out
to
sea
by
the
madness
of
a
raging
nor'-wester
.
He
had
no
conception
what
to
do
;
he
had
but
one
resolve
—
to
keep
his
secret
;
if
to
do
it
he
killed
himself
with
the
rifle
his
sapphire
ring
had
bought
.
Carelessly
daring
always
,
he
sauntered
now
into
the
station
for
which
he
had
made
,
without
a
sign
on
him
that
could
attract
observation
.
He
wore
still
the
violet
velvet
Spanish-like
dress
,
the
hessians
,
and
the
broad-leafed
felt
hat
with
an
eagle
's
feather
fastened
in
it
,
that
he
had
worn
at
the
races
,
and
with
the
gun
in
his
hand
there
was
nothing
to
distinguish
him
from
any
tourist
"
Milor
,
"
except
that
in
one
hand
he
carried
his
own
valise
.
He
cast
a
rapid
glance
around
;
no
warrant
for
his
apprehension
,
no
announcement
of
his
personal
appearance
had
preceded
him
here
;
he
was
safe
—
safe
in
that
;
safer
still
in
the
fact
that
the
train
rushed
in
so
immediately
on
his
arrival
there
,
that
the
few
people
about
had
no
time
to
notice
or
speculate
upon
him
.
The
coupé
was
empty
,
by
a
happy
chance
;
he
took
it
,
throwing
his
money
down
with
no
heed
that
when
the
little
he
had
left
was
once
expended
he
would
be
penniless
,
and
the
train
whirled
on
with
him
,
plunging
into
the
heart
of
forest
and
mountain
,
and
the
black
gloom
of
tunnels
,
and
the
golden
seas
of
corn-harvest
.
He
was
alone
;
and
he
leant
his
head
on
his
hands
,
and
thought
,
and
thought
,
and
thought
,
till
the
rocking
,
and
the
rushing
,
and
the
whirl
,
and
the
noise
of
the
steam
on
his
ear
and
the
giddy
gyrations
of
his
brain
in
the
exhaustion
of
over-strung
exertion
,
conquered
thought
.
With
the
beating
of
the
engine
seeming
to
throb
like
the
great
swinging
of
a
pendulum
through
his
mind
,
and
the
whirling
of
the
country
passing
by
him
like
a
confused
phantasmagoria
,
his
eyes
closed
,
his
aching
limbs
stretched
themselves
out
to
rest
,
a
heavy
dreamless
sleep
fell
on
him
,
the
sleep
of
intense
bodily
fatigue
,
and
he
knew
no
more
.
Gendarmes
awoke
him
to
see
his
visa
.
He
showed
it
them
by
sheer
mechanical
instinct
,
and
slept
again
in
that
dead
weight
of
slumber
the
moment
he
was
alone
.
When
he
had
taken
his
ticket
and
they
had
asked
him
to
where
it
should
be
,
he
had
answered
to
their
amaze
,
"
To
the
farthest
place
it
goes
,
"
and
he
was
borne
on
now
unwitting
where
it
went
;
through
the
rich
champaign
and
the
barren
plains
,
through
the
reddening
vintage
,
and
over
the
dreary
plateaux
;
through
antique
cities
,
and
across
broad
flowing
rivers
;
through
the
cave
of
riven
rocks
,
and
above
nestling
,
leafy
valleys
;
on
and
on
,
on
and
on
,
while
he
knew
nothing
,
as
the
opium-like
sleep
of
intense
weariness
held
him
in
its
stupor
.
He
awoke
at
last
with
a
start
.
It
was
evening
.
The
stilly
twilight
was
settling
over
all
the
land
,
and
the
train
was
still
rushing
onward
,
fleet
as
the
wind
.
His
eyes
,
as
they
opened
dreamily
and
blindly
,
fell
on
a
face
half
obscured
in
the
gloaming
;
he
leaned
forward
,
bewildered
and
doubting
his
senses
.
"
Rake
!
"
Rake
gave
the
salute
hurriedly
and
in
embarrassment
.
"
It
's
I
,
sir
!
—
yes
,
sir
.
"
Cecil
thought
himself
dreaming
still
.
"
You
!
You
had
my
orders
?
"
"
Yes
,
sir
,
I
had
your
orders
,
"
murmured
the
exsoldier
,
more
confused
than
he
had
ever
been
in
the
whole
course
of
his
audacious
life
,
"
and
they
was
the
first
I
ever
disobeyed
—
they
was
.
You
see
,
sir
,
they
was
just
what
I
could
n't
swallow
nohow
—
that
's
the
real
right
down
fact
!
Send
me
to
the
devil
,
Mr.
Cecil
,
for
you
,
and
I
'll
go
at
the
first
biddin
'
,
but
leave
you
just
when
things
are
on
the
cross
for
you
,
damn
me
if
I
will
!
—
beggin
'
your
pardon
,
sir
!
"
And
Rake
,
growing
fiery
and
eloquent
,
dashed
his
cap
down
on
the
floor
of
the
coupé
with
an
emphatic
declaration
of
resistance
.
Cecil
looked
at
him
in
silence
;
he
was
not
certain
still
whether
this
were
not
a
fantastic
folly
he
was
dreaming
.
"
Damn
me
if
I
will
,
Mr.
Cecil
!
You
wo
n't
keep
me
—
very
well
;
but
you
ca
n't
prevent
me
follerin
'
of
you
,
and
foller
you
I
will
;
and
so
there
's
no
more
to
be
said
about
it
,
sir
,
but
just
to
let
me
have
my
own
lark
,
as
one
may
say
.
You
said
you
'd
go
to
the
station
,
I
went
there
;
you
took
your
ticket
,
I
took
my
ticket
.
I
've
been
travelling
behind
you
till
about
two
hours
ago
,
then
I
looked
at
you
,
you
was
asleep
,
sir
.
'
I
do
n't
think
my
master
's
quite
well
,
'
says
I
to
Guard
,
'
I
'd
like
to
get
in
there
along
of
him
.
'
'
Get
in
with
you
,
then
,
'
says
he
(
only
we
was
jabbering
that
willainous
tongue
o
'
theirs
)
,
for
he
sees
the
name
on
my
traps
is
the
same
as
that
on
your
traps
—
and
in
I
get
.
Now
,
Mr.
Cecil
,
let
me
say
one
word
for
all
,
and
do
n't
think
I
'm
a
insolent
ne'er-do-weel
for
having
been
and
gone
and
disobeyed
you
;
but
you
was
good
to
me
when
I
was
sore
in
want
of
it
;
you
was
even
good
to
my
dog
—
rest
his
soul
,
the
poor
beast
!
there
never
were
a
braver
!
—
and
stick
to
you
I
will
,
till
you
kick
me
away
like
a
cur
.
The
truth
is
,
it
's
only
being
near
of
you
,
sir
,
that
keeps
me
straight
;
if
I
was
to
leave
you
,
I
should
become
a
bad
'
un
again
,
right
and
away
.
Do
n't
send
me
from
you
,
sir
,
as
you
took
mercy
on
me
once
!
"
Rake
's
voice
shook
a
little
towards
the
close
of
his
harangue
,
and
in
the
shadows
of
evening
light
,
as
the
train
plunged
through
the
gathering
gloom
,
his
ruddy
bright
bronzed
face
looked
very
pale
and
wistful
.
Cecil
stretched
out
his
hand
to
him
in
silence
that
spoke
better
than
words
.
Rake
hung
his
head
.
"
No
,
sir
;
you
're
a
gentleman
,
and
I
've
been
an
awful
scamp
!
It
's
enough
honour
for
me
that
you
would
do
it
.
When
I
'm
more
worth
it
,
'
phraps
—
but
that
wo
n't
never
be
.
"
"
You
are
worth
it
now
,
my
gallant
fellow
.
"
His
voice
was
very
low
;
the
man
's
loyalty
touched
him
keenly
.
"
It
was
only
for
yourself
,
Rake
,
that
I
ever
wished
you
to
leave
me
.
"
"
God
bless
you
,
sir
,
"
said
Rake
,
passionately
,
"
them
words
are
better
nor
ten
tosses
of
brandy
!
You
see
,
sir
,
I
'm
so
spry
and
happy
in
a
wild
life
,
I
am
,
and
if
so
be
as
you
go
to
them
American
parts
as
you
spoke
on
,
why
I
know
'
em
just
as
well
as
I
know
Newmarket
Heath
,
every
bit
!
They
're
terrible
rips
in
them
parts
,
kill
you
as
soon
as
look
at
you
;
it
makes
things
uncommon
larky
out
there
,
uncommon
spicy
.
You
are
n't
never
sure
but
what
there
's
a
bowie-knife
a-waiting
for
you
.
"
With
which
view
of
the
delights
of
Western
life
,
Rake
,
"
feeling
like
a
fool
,
"
as
he
thought
to
himself
,
for
which
reason
he
had
diverged
into
Argentine
memories
,
applied
himself
to
the
touching
and
examining
of
the
rifle
with
that
tenderness
which
only
gunnery
love
and
lore
produce
.
Cecil
sat
silent
awhile
,
his
head
drooped
down
on
his
hands
,
while
the
evening
deepened
to
night
.
At
last
he
looked
up
.
"
The
King
?
Where
is
he
?
"
Rake
flushed
shamefacedly
under
his
tanned
skin
.
"
Beggin
'
your
pardon
,
sir
,
behind
you
.
"
"
Behind
me
?
"
"
Yes
,
sir
;
him
and
the
brown
mare
.
I
could
n't
do
not
nothin
'
else
with
'
em
,
you
see
,
sir
,
so
I
shipped
him
along
with
us
;
they
do
n't
care
for
the
train
a
bit
,
bless
their
hearts
,
and
I
've
got
a
sharp
boy
a
minding
of
'
em
.
You
can
easily
send
'
em
on
to
England
from
Paris
if
you
're
determined
to
part
with
'
em
,
but
you
know
the
King
always
was
fond
of
drums
and
trumpets
and
that
like
.
You
remember
,
sir
,
when
he
was
a
colt
we
broke
him
into
it
and
taught
him
a
bit
of
manoeuvring
,
'
cause
till
you
found
what
pace
he
had
in
him
,
you
'd
thought
of
makin
'
a
charger
of
him
.
He
loves
the
noise
of
soldiering
—
he
do
;
and
if
he
thought
you
was
goin
'
away
without
him
,
he
'd
break
his
heart
,
Mr.
Cecil
,
sir
.
It
was
all
I
could
do
to
keep
him
from
follerin
'
of
you
this
morning
,
he
sawed
my
arms
off
a'most
.
"
With
which
,
Rake
,
conscious
that
he
had
been
guilty
of
unpardonable
disobedience
and
outrageous
interference
,
hung
his
head
over
the
gun
,
a
little
anxious
and
a
good
deal
ashamed
.
Cecil
smiled
a
little
despite
himself
.
"
Rake
,
you
will
do
for
no
service
,
I
am
afraid
;
you
are
terribly
insubordinate
!
"
He
had
not
the
heart
to
say
more
;
the
man
's
fidelity
was
too
true
to
be
returned
with
rebuke
;
and
stronger
than
all
surprise
and
annoyance
was
a
strange
mingling
of
pain
and
pleasure
in
him
to
think
that
the
horse
he
loved
so
well
was
still
so
near
him
,
the
comrade
of
his
adversity
as
he
had
been
the
companion
of
his
happiest
hours
.
"
These
things
will
keep
him
a
few
days
,
"
he
thought
,
as
he
looked
at
his
hunting-watch
and
the
single
priceless
pearl
in
each
of
his
wristband-studs
.
He
would
have
pawned
every
atom
he
had
about
him
to
have
had
the
King
with
him
a
week
longer
.
The
night
fell
,
the
stars
came
out
,
the
storm-rack
of
a
coming
tempest
drifted
over
the
sky
,
the
train
rushed
onward
through
the
thickening
darkness
,
through
the
spectral
country
—
it
was
like
his
life
,
rushing
headlong
down
into
impenetrable
gloom
.
The
best
,
the
uttermost
,
that
he
could
look
for
was
a
soldier
's
grave
,
far
away
under
some
foreign
soil
.
A
few
evenings
later
the
Countess
Guenevere
stood
alone
in
her
own
boudoir
in
her
Baden
suite
;
she
was
going
to
dine
with
a
Grand-Duchess
of
Russia
,
and
the
splendid
jewels
of
her
House
glittered
through
the
black
shower
of
her
laces
,
and
crowned
her
beautiful
glossy
hair
,
her
delicate
imperial
head
.
In
her
hands
was
a
letter
;
—
oddly
written
in
pencil
on
a
leaf
torn
out
of
a
betting-book
,
but
without
a
tremor
or
a
change
in
the
writing
itself
.
And
as
she
stood
a
shiver
shook
her
frame
in
the
solitude
of
her
lighted
and
luxurious
chamber
,
her
cheek
grew
pale
,
her
eyes
grew
dim
.
"
To
refute
the
charge
,
"
ran
the
last
words
of
what
was
at
best
but
a
fragment
,
"
I
must
have
broken
my
promise
to
you
,
and
have
compromised
your
name
.
Keeping
silence
myself
,
but
letting
the
trial
take
place
,
law-inquiries
,
so
execrable
and
so
minute
,
would
soon
have
traced
through
others
that
I
was
with
you
that
evening
.
To
clear
myself
,
I
must
have
attainted
your
name
with
public
slander
,
and
drawn
this
horrible
ordeal
on
you
before
the
world
.
Let
me
be
thought
guilty
.
It
matters
little
.
Henceforth
I
shall
be
dead
to
all
who
know
me
,
and
my
ruin
would
have
exiled
me
without
this
.
Do
not
let
an
hour
of
grief
for
me
mar
your
peace
,
my
dearest
;
think
of
me
with
no
pain
,
Beatrice
,
only
with
some
memory
of
our
past
love
.
I
have
not
strength
yet
to
say
—
forget
me
;
and
yet
,
—
if
it
be
for
your
happiness
,
—
blot
out
from
your
remembrance
all
thought
of
what
we
have
been
to
one
another
;
all
thought
of
me
and
of
my
life
,
save
to
remember
now
and
then
that
I
was
dear
to
you
.
"
The
words
grew
indistinct
before
her
sight
,
they
touched
the
heart
of
the
world-worn
coquette
,
of
the
victorious
sovereign
,
to
the
core
;
she
trembled
greatly
as
she
read
them
.
For
,
—
in
her
hands
was
his
fate
.
Though
no
hint
of
this
was
breathed
in
his
farewell
letter
,
she
knew
that
with
a
word
she
could
clear
him
,
free
him
,
and
call
him
back
from
exile
and
shame
,
give
him
once
more
honour
and
guiltlessness
in
the
sight
of
the
world
.
With
a
word
she
could
do
this
:
his
life
was
in
the
balance
that
she
held
as
utterly
as
though
it
were
now
hers
to
sign
,
or
to
destroy
his
death-warrant
.
It
rested
with
her
to
speak
,
and
to
say
he
had
no
guilt
!
But
to
do
this
she
must
sacrifice
herself
.
She
stood
mute
,
irresolute
,
a
shudder
running
through
her
till
her
diamonds
shook
in
the
light
;
the
heavy
tears
stole
slowly
down
one
by
one
and
fell
upon
the
blurred
and
blackened
paper
,
her
heart
ached
with
an
exceeding
bitterness
.
Then
shudderingly
still
,
and
as
though
there
were
a
coward
crime
in
the
action
,
her
hand
unclosed
,
and
let
the
letter
fall
into
the
spirit
flame
of
a
silver
lamp
burning
by
;
the
words
that
were
upon
it
merited
a
better
fate
,
a
fonder
cherishing
,
but
—
they
would
have
compromised
her
.
She
let
them
fall
,
and
burn
and
wither
.
With
them
she
gave
up
his
life
to
its
burden
of
shame
,
to
its
fate
of
exile
.
She
would
hear
his
crime
condemned
,
and
her
lips
would
not
open
;
she
would
hear
his
name
aspersed
,
and
her
voice
would
not
be
raised
;
she
would
know
that
he
dwelt
in
misery
,
or
died
under
foreign
suns
unhonoured
and
unmourned
,
while
tongues
around
her
would
babble
of
his
disgrace
,
—
and
she
would
keep
her
peace
.
She
loved
him
—
yes
;
but
she
loved
better
the
dignity
in
which
the
world
held
her
,
and
the
diamonds
from
which
the
law
would
divorce
her
if
their
love
were
known
.
She
sacrificed
him
for
her
reputation
and
her
jewels
;
the
choice
was
thoroughly
a
woman
's
.
CHAPTER
XIII
.
IN
THE
CAFÉ
OF
THE
CHASSEURS
.
The
red
hot
light
of
the
after-glow
still
burned
on
the
waters
of
the
bay
,
and
shed
its
Egyptian-like
lustre
on
the
city
that
lies
in
the
circle
of
the
Sahel
,
with
the
Mediterranean
so
softly
lashing
with
its
violet
waves
the
feet
of
the
white
sloping
town
.
The
sun
had
sunk
down
in
fire
—
the
sun
that
once
looked
over
those
waters
on
the
legions
of
Scipio
,
and
the
iron
brood
of
Hamilcar
,
and
that
now
gave
its
lustre
on
the
folds
of
the
French
flags
as
they
floated
above
the
shipping
of
the
harbour
,
and
on
the
glitter
of
the
French
arms
,
as
a
squadron
of
the
army
of
Algeria
swept
back
over
the
hills
to
their
barracks
.
Pell-mell
in
its
fantastic
confusion
,
its
incongruous
blending
,
its
forced
mixture
of
two
races
,
that
will
touch
but
never
mingle
,
that
will
be
chained
together
but
will
never
assimilate
,
the
Gallic-Moorish
life
of
the
city
poured
out
;
all
the
colouring
of
Haroun
al
Raschid
scattered
broadcast
among
Parisian
fashion
and
French
routine
.
Away
,
yonder
on
the
spurs
and
tops
of
the
hills
,
the
green
sea-pines
seemed
to
pierce
the
transparent
air
;
in
the
Casbah
,
old
dreamy
Arabian
legends
poetic
as
Hafiz
seem
still
to
linger
,
here
and
there
,
under
the
foliage
of
hanging
gardens
or
the
picturesque
curves
of
broken
terraces
;
in
the
distance
the
brown
rugged
Kabyl
mountains
lay
like
a
couched
camel
,
and
far
off
,
against
the
golden
haze
,
a
single
palm
rose
,
at
a
few
rare
intervals
,
with
its
drooped
curled
leaves
,
as
though
to
recall
amidst
the
shame
of
foreign
domination
,
that
this
was
once
the
home
of
Hannibal
,
the
Africa
that
had
made
Rome
tremble
.
In
the
straight
white
bouleyarts
,
as
in
the
winding
ancient
streets
,
under
the
huge
barn-like
walls
of
barracks
,
as
beneath
the
marvellous
mosaics
of
mosques
,
the
strange
bizarre
conflict
of
European
and
Oriental
life
spread
its
panorama
.
Staff-officers
,
all
a-glitter
with
crosses
,
galloped
past
;
mules
,
laden
with
green
maize
and
driven
by
lean
brown
Bedouins
,
swept
past
the
plate-glass
windows
of
bonbon
shops
;
grave
white-bearded
Sheiks
drank
petits
verres
in
the
guinguettes
;
Sapeurs
,
Chasseurs
,
Zouaves
,
cantinières
,
all
the
varieties
of
French
military
life
,
mingled
with
jet-black
Soudans
,
desert
kings
wrathful
and
silent
,
eastern
women
shrouded
in
haick
and
serroual
,
eagle-eyed
Arabs
flinging
back
snow-white
burnous
,
and
handling
ominously
the
jewelled
hilts
of
their
cangiars
.
Alcazar
chansons
rang
out
from
the
cafés
,
while
in
their
midst
stood
the
mosque
,
that
had
used
to
resound
with
the
Muezzin
;
Bijou-blondine
and
Bebée
La-la
and
all
the
sister-heroines
of
demi-monde
dragged
their
voluminous
Paris-made
dresses
side
by
side
with
Moorish
beauties
,
who
only
dared
show
the
gleam
of
their
bright
black
eyes
through
the
yasmak
;
the
reverbères
were
lit
in
the
Place
du
Gouvernement
,
and
a
group
fit
for
the
days
of
Solyman
the
Magnificent
sat
under
the
white
marble
beauty
of
the
Mahometan
church
.
"
Rien
n'est
sacré
pour
un
sapeur
!
"
was
being
sung
to
a
circle
of
sous-officiers
,
close
in
the
ear
of
a
patriarch
serenely
majestic
as
Abraham
;
gas-lights
were
flashing
,
cigar-shops
were
filling
,
newspapers
were
being
read
,
the
Rigolboche
was
being
danced
,
commis-voyageurs
were
chattering
with
grisettes
,
drums
were
beating
,
trumpets
were
sounding
,
bands
were
playing
,
and
,
amidst
it
all
,
grave
men
were
dropping
on
their
square
of
carpet
to
pray
,
brass
trays
of
sweetmeats
were
passing
,
ostrich
eggs
were
dangling
,
henna-tipped
fingers
were
drawing
the
envious
veil
close
,
and
noble
Oriental
shadows
were
gliding
to
and
fro
through
the
open
doors
of
the
mosques
,
like
a
picture
of
the
"
Arabian
Nights
,
"
like
a
poem
of
dead
Islamism
;
—
in
a
word
,
it
was
Algiers
at
evening
.
In
one
of
the
cafés
there
,
a
mingling
of
all
the
nations
under
the
sun
were
drinking
demi-tasses
,
absinthe
,
vermout
,
or
old
wines
,
in
the
comparative
silence
that
had
succeeded
to
a
song
,
sung
by
a
certain
favourite
of
the
Spahis
,
known
as
Loo-Loo-j'n-m'en
soucie-guère
from
Mlle
.
Loo-Loo
's
well-known
habits
of
independence
and
bravado
,
which
last
had
gone
once
so
far
as
shooting
a
man
through
the
chest
in
the
Rue
Bab-al-Oued
,
and
setting
all
the
gendarmes
and
sergents
de
ville
at
defiance
afterwards
.
Half
a
dozen
of
that
famous
regiment
the
Chasseurs
d'Afrique
were
gathered
together
,
some
with
their
feet
resting
