"
"You loved Alain."
"I loved the husk of a man. You can never comprehend how utterly I
loved him."
"You are stubborn. I shall have trouble with you. But this notion of
yours is plainly a mistaken notion. That you love me is indisputable,
and this I propose to demonstrate. You will observe that I am quite
unarmed except for this dagger, which I now throw out of the
window--" with the word it jangled in the courtyard below. "I am in
Troyes alone among some thousand Frenchmen, any one of whom would
willingly give his life for the privilege of taking mine. You have but
to sound the gong beside you, and in a few moments I shall be a dead
man. Strike, then! For with me dies the English power in France.
Strike, Katharine! If you see in me but the King of England."
She was rigid; and his heart leapt when he saw it was because of
terror.
"You came alone! You dared!"
He answered, with a wonderful smile, "Proud spirit! How else might I
conquer you?"
"You have not conquered!" Katharine lifted the baton beside the gong,
poising it.
Pages:
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305