When I saw her upon her knees beside
the motionless figure, the head pillowed on her arm, her hand busy
with the fastenings about throat and bosom, her dark face as
womanly tender as any English mother's bending over her nursling;
and when I saw my wife, with a little moan, creep further into the
encircling arms, I was satisfied.
"Come away!" I said, and, followed by Diccon, went out and shut
the door.
My Lord Carnal was never one to let the grass
ILLUSTRATION
grow beneath his feet. An hour later came his cartel, borne by no
less a personage than the Secretary of the colony.
I took it from the point of that worthy's rapier. It ran thus: "SIR, -
At what hour to-morrow and at what place do you prefer to die?
And with what weapon shall I kill you?"
"Captain Percy will give me credit for the profound reluctance
with which I act in this affair against a gentleman and an officer so
high in the esteem of the colony," said Master Pory, with his hand
upon his heart. "When I tell him that I once fought at Paris in a
duel of six on the same side with my late Lord Carnal, and that
when I was last at court my Lord Warwick did me the honor to
present me to the present lord, he will see that I could not well
refuse when the latter requested my aid."
"Master Pory's disinterestedness is perfectly well known," I said,
without a smile.
Pages:
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110