United States or Mali ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Therefore Count Sagan employed the interval before going to the Palace to procure the signature of the Duke to Rallywood's death-warrant in paying a flying visit to his wife, whom he had not seen since the morning of the boar-hunt at the Castle. He found several other people calling upon Madame de Sagan, who was not fond of solitude. Numbers gave the pretty Countess courage.
The suck of the current was fast drawing him away, but with another strong effort he got the horse's head round; they heard his faint shout upon the wind then the words came more clearly: 'Carry them on Selpdorf! He flung something forwards; the gale caught and hurled it on to the rocks at Rallywood's feet. When they looked again Unziar had disappeared.
With the Chancellor then still remained the key to the situation. He was implicated in the conspiracy, but he had less to gain and far more to lose than the others. A dangerous condition and one possible of development. All this passed in a flash through Rallywood's mind as the opposite door opened to admit M. Selpdorf, who replied stiffly to Rallywood's bow.
'I'm not going your way, replied Counsellor. 'Besides, I wish to drive. Hullo, you have got hold of my gloves! and snatching at the gloves which happened to be Rallywood's he thrust his own into the young man's hand, saying in a low voice as he did so, 'Be on the Cloister Bridge in half an hour. Good-night!
'It must be that or nothing. Selpdorf did not look at her and he spoke almost brusquely. 'I know what it means. They will say he was false to his oath! Oh, father, is there no other way? I cannot let him go! Rallywood's face changed. Fate was crushing her two strange gifts into his hands, love and death at the same moment!
'Do you hear me? he shouted; 'what have you to say in your defence? Rallywood looked him in the eyes. 'Nothing, he said. There was a hush. Sagan picked up the glances of the officers round him. Rallywood's words had come as a shock. Most of the men expected some attempt if not at a defence at least at a justification of his conduct. Sagan's harsh voice was raised again. 'His sword.
'My principal, he began, 'has just pointed out that this meeting is rather in the nature of the justification of an opinion than a quarrel in the ordinary sense; then, repeating Rallywood's contention, he added, 'You will see that it remains for Lieutenant Unziar to prove himself in the right. Colendorp threw out a bitter oath, Adolf objected softly, and Jenard stood silent and in dismay.
'That case is mine; it contains my private instructions; you can guess something of their importance from the fact that I have been robbed of them. You must give them back to me! As an Englishman and an honest man, I call upon you to give them back to me. Rallywood's long nervous fingers closed over the packet. 'It is impossible! he said.
The foremost of them ran in upon Rallywood, the swords met, Rallywood's sleeve was ripped from wrist to elbow, but his sword blade passed through his opponent's shoulder. The man sank down in a sitting posture, coughing oddly; his head dropped forward.
Looked at from your point of view, I see that I was wrong about that affair with Unziar. But more than all, it proves he is a splendid fellow. Now Unziar's praise from Rallywood's lips displeased Mademoiselle Selpdorf almost more than all which had gone before. 'It is easy to say these things, but' she rose eagerly 'at last that figure is ended.