"The Spanish ships might pass, lady," said the Governor; "but this
is an English ship, with the flag of England above her."
"Yea," she said. "What then?"
The circle rustled again. The Governor loosed his wife's fingers
and leaned forward. "You plead well, lady!" he exclaimed. "You
might win, an Captain Percy had not seen fit to fire upon us."
A dead silence followed his words. Outside the square window a
cloud passed from the face of the sun, and a great burst of sunshine
entered the cabin. She stood in the heart of it, and looked a
goddess angered. My lord, with his haggard face and burning eyes,
slowly rose from his seat, and they faced each other.
"You told them not who fired those guns, who sunk that pirate
ship?" she said. "Because he was your enemy, you held your
tongue? Knight and gentleman - my Lord Carnal - my Lord
Coward!"
"Honor is an empty word to me," he answered. "For you I would
dive into the deepest hell, - if there be a deeper than that which
burns me, day in, day out. . . . Jocelyn, Jocelyn, Jocelyn!"
"You love me so?" she said. "Then do me pleasure. Because I ask
it of you, tell these men the truth." She came a step nearer, and
held out her clasped hands to him. "Tell them how it was, my lord,
and I will strive to hate you no longer. The harm that you have
done me I will pray for strength to forgive.
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