I divided Oregon at the forty-ninth parallel, and
not at fifty-four forty, when I broke Pakenham’s
key. But you shall see why I have never regretted
that.
“Ask Sir Richard Pakenham if he wants his key
now!” I said.
THE VICTORY
She will not stay the siege of loving
terms,
Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes,
Nor ope her lap to soul-seducing gold ...
For she is wise, if I can judge of her;
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true;
And true she is, as she hath proved herself.
—Shakespeare.
“What have you done?” she exclaimed.
“Are you mad? He may be here at any moment
now. Go, at once!”
“I shall not go!”
“My house is my own! I am my own!”
“You know it is not true, Madam!”
I saw the slow shudder that crossed her form, the
the fringe of wet which sprang to her eyelashes.
Again the pleading gesture of her half-open fingers.
“Ah, what matter?” she said. “It
is only one woman more, against so much. What
is past, is past, Monsieur. Once down, a woman
does not rise.”
“You forget history,—you forget the
thief upon the cross!”
“The thief on the cross was not a woman.
No, I am guilty beyond hope!”
“Rather, you are only mad beyond reason, Madam.
I shall not go so long as you feel thus,—although
God knows I am no confessor.”
“I confessed to you,—told you my
story, so there could be no bridge across the gulf
between us. My happiness ended then.”
“It is of no consequence that we be happy, Madam.
I give you back your own words about yon torch of
principles.”
For a time she sat and looked at me steadily.
There was, I say, some sort of radiance on her face,
though I, dull of wit, could neither understand nor
describe it. I only knew that she seemed to ponder
for a long time, seemed to resolve at last. Slowly
she rose and left me, parting the satin draperies
which screened her boudoir from the outer room.
There was silence for some time. Perhaps she prayed,—I
do not know.
Now other events took this situation in hand.
I heard a footfall on the walk, a cautious knocking
on the great front door. So, my lord Pakenham
was prompt. Now I could not escape even if I liked.
Pale and calm, she reappeared at the parted draperies.
I lifted the butts of my two derringers into view
at my side pockets, and at a glance from her, hurriedly
stepped into the opposite room. After a time I
heard her open the door in response to a second knock.
I could not see her from my station, but the very
silence gave me a picture of her standing, pale, forbidding,
rebuking the first rude exclamation of his ardor.
“Come now, is he gone? Is the place safe
at last?” he demanded.
