The Seats Of The Mighty, Complete

open door there showed a light, which, from the smell and flickering, I knew to be a torch. This, creeping into my senses, helped me to remember that the last thing I saw in the Intendant's

und and cared for. A loosely tied scarf round my arm showed that some one had lately left me, and would return to finish the bandaging. I raised myself with difficulty, and saw a basin of water, a sponge, bits of cloth, and a po

ned aloud. Fool, fool! to be trapped by these lying French! To be tricked into playing their shameless games for them, to have a broken body, to have killed the brother of the mistress of my hea

n one voice, louder than the other, saying, "He ha

need a surgeon-no?" His tone, as it se

n a surgeon do? This brandy will fetch him to his in

ice sounded to me then-a brutal rawness; but it came to my mind a

. "From the seats of the mighty they have said that he must live-to die another day; and see to it

aint. Through nearly closed eyelids however I saw Gabord enter. Doltaire stood in the doorway watching as the soldier knelt and lifted my arm to take off the bloody scarf. His manner was imperturbable as ever. Even then I wondered what his thoughts were, what pungent phrase he was suiting to the time and to me. I do not know to this day which more interested him-that very pungency of phr

orld-are like ourselves in dreams: we do not walk; we think we fly, over houses, over trees, over mountains; and then one blessed instant the spring breaks, or the dream gets twisted, and we go falling, falling

here, looking in at me; and though I knew I ou

come to me at noon to-morrow, and s

and at my neck, and said at on

nd it, he settled back on his haunches and looked at me. I could feel his lips puffing out, and I was ready for the "Poom!" that came from him. Then I could feel him stooping over me, and his hot strong breath in my face. I was so near to unconsciousness at that moment by a sudden anxiety that pe

wise, but he was deceived, and his first words were,

s and metaphors. Yet, when one was used to him and to them, their

e question which sank back on my heart like a load of ice even as I sent

with what he knew of the letter I had sent to Alixe, and, cockin

en is to say good-bye to sister a

the boy dead?" I asked, my

y yet," he answered, with a shru

ead, but found life in him, and straightway used all means to save him. A surgeon came, his

for a long time failed to get admittance to him, but was at last permitted to tell his story; and

he heavy door clanging to, the bolts were shot, and I was alone in darkness with my wounds and misery. My cloak had been put into the cell beside my couch, and this I now drew over me, and I lay and thought upon my condition and my prospects, which, as ma

eeling towards them as if they were things of life out of place like myself. I wondered what colour they were. Surely, said I to myself, they can not be green, but rather a yellowish white, bloodless, having only fibre, the heart all pinched to death. Last night I had not noted them, yet now, looking back, I saw, as in a picture

t the jar, and knew it was filled with water. Sitting back, I thought hard for a moment. Of this I was sure: the pan and bread were not there when I went to sleep, for this was the spot where my eyes fell naturally while I lay in bed lookin

S, but whom could I name among them save that dear soul who, by last night's madness, should her brother be dead, was forever made dumb and blind to me? Whom had I but her and Voban!-and Voban was y

the good water from the earthen jar, and then, stretching myself out, drew my cloak up to my chin, and settled myself for sleep again. And that I might keep

p tears at will. When I waked again, it was without a start or moving, without confusion, and I was bitterly hungry. Beside my couch, with his

ocking voice, "and we'll snuggle you into the pot.

he hour?" I asked, and meanwhile I loo

ce when?"

lve o'clock last

urs since TH

ion. "I mean," I added, "since

e since then, m'sieu' the

hen; now it was Sunday afternoon. Gabord had come to me three times, and seeing how sou

ould abide the worst with some sort of calmness. How much might have happened, must have happened, in all these hours of sleep! My letter to Alixe should have been delivered long ere this; my trial, no doubt, had been decided on. What had Voban done? Had he any word for me? Dear Lord! here was a mass of questions tumbling one upon the other in my head, while my heart thumped behind my waistcoat like a rubber ball to

I can not say litany for happy release from these for my knees creak with rheumatism. The devil has done his worst, Robert, for these are his-plague and pestilence, be

r," said I ch

ded, "that this breathing of ours is a labor, and that we have to work every second to keep ourselves alive? We have to pump air in and out like a blacksmith's boy." He said it so drolly, though

guard's hut. The more he scowled and spluttered, the more I laughed, till my wounded side hurt me and my arm had twinges. But my mood changed suddenly, and I politely begged his pardon, telling him frankly then and

ack my bones, but you'll have need to con you

s young Monsieur Duvarney? Is-is he alive

when along comes sister with drug got from an Indian squaw who nursed her when a child. She gives it him

ister," said I, "that br

ill have her way. Straight she goes to the palace at n

hoping in my heart that it was so, for somehow I felt even then that she

'selle's skirts, but watching and whispering a little now and then-and she there in Bigot's palace,

to grasp his hand in gratitude, but he

hey've put you here to break your high

o give you as little trouble as may be while you are my jailer-wh

s as if to say that I might as well be docile, for the prison was sa

nd sat down. Presently I stooped to tip the earthen jar of water to my lips, for I could not lift it with one hand, but my humane jailer took it

that question," said he, jangling his ke

gue suggestion, an

a letter," though I had not dared

s pecking-no great matter here, eh?"-he weighed it up an

ew orders came AFTER I'd got her dainty a m'sieu'! Yes, I must read it," said he-"but ma

nour," said I, r

t to his nose, for it had a delicate perfume. Then he gave

in a firm, delicate hand. I could see through it all the fine, sound

epent with you, I trust, of Friday night's ill work. He was ne

little, and he has not spoken harshly; for which I gave thanksgiving this morning in the chapel of the Ursulines. Yet you are in a dungeon, covered with wounds of my brother's making, both of you victims of others' villainy, and you ar

tched out my hand gently on the stone, and putting its head now this side, now that, at last it tripped into it, and chirped most sweetly. After I had kissed it I placed it back on the window-sill, that it might fly away again. Yet no, it would not go, but stayed there, tipping its gold-brown head at me as though it would invite me to guess why it came. Again I reached out m

it will. My brother lies in the bed asleep; I can touch him if I but put out my hand, and I am alone save for one person. You sent two messengers: can you not guess the one that will be with me? Poor Mathilde, she sits and gazes at me till I almost fall w

that I might house her with one of our peasants. Meanwhile she is with me here. She

I lock thee safe is warm and full of light. If the hours drag by, think of all thou wouldst do if thou wert free

ldier Gabord, at the citadel, he hath a good heart. Though thou canst expect no help from him, yet he will not be rougher than his orders. He did me a go