"
The answer pleased De Lauson, and he nodded. "That is all."
"Thank you, Monsieur."
"I shall keep you in mind . . . if you escape the gibbet."
Monsieur de Saumaise, in displaying his teeth, signified that the least
of his worries was the thought of the gibbet.
And so concluded the interview.
The Chevalier remained in his room all day, putting aside his food, and
staring beyond the river. His eyes were dull and the lids discolored
from sleeplessness. Victor waited for him to heap reproach upon him;
but never a word did the Chevalier utter. The only sign he gave of the
volcano raging and burning beneath the thin mask of calm was the
ceaseless knotting of the muscles of the jaw and the compressed lips.
When the poet broke forth, reviling his own conduct, the Chevalier
silenced him with a gesture of the hand.
"You are wasting your breath. What you have done can not be undone."
The tones of his voice were all on a dull level, cold and unimpassioned.
Victor was struck with admiration at the sight of such extraordinary
control; and he trembled to think of the whirlwind which would some day
be let loose.
Pages:
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306