United States or Zambia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"Then your grace will give strict attention to what I have to say," said the colonel, emphasizing the following words: "I can with the more impunity kill you, my lord, because you are already dead and therefore it would not be necessary to render an account for shedding your blood." The chevalier looked at Rutler with a stupefied air, thinking he must have heard him wrong.
"I should see with pain the shooting of Colonel Rutler. I am superstitious, sir; this death seems to me a bad omen. The crime was one entirely personal to me; I then formally demand from you his pardon." "Your highness, his crime was flagrant, and " "But, sir, the crime has not been committed. I insist that the colonel shall not be shot."
Colonel Rutler, on the contrary, having passed through the underground passage, had at once reached the foot of the precipice; there remained for him only to essay the perilous ascent in order that he might gain entrance into Devil's Cliff.
"You wish to gild the pill, as they say, sir; your motive is praiseworthy; but you appear very certain of carrying me to Barbadoes, and from there to the Tower of London?" "To accomplish this, my lord, I had brought with me a most determined man. He is dead, however a most frightful death." And Rutler trembled in spite of himself at the remembrance of John's death.
The waves murmured and broke at the entrance of the cave; the waterspout precipitated itself with a crash into the lower basin. A new fear took possession of Rutler. He knew that the serpents went in pairs and often rejoined each other at night; drawn by the tracks, the male or female of the reptile which he had killed would come in search of its mate. The colonel's vigil became frightful.
In descending the hill we met the French emissary. Rutler at once believed himself betrayed, and made a furious lunge at me with his everlasting dagger. These are the fruits of devotion. If the blade had not broken, I should have been killed.
All that I require of you is to conduct me into the ambush from which I can spring upon him suddenly." "This shall be done, colonel." "Then let us be going," said Rutler, rising from the ground. "At your orders, colonel; but instead of walking, we must creep. But let us see," continued John, bending down, "if we can perceive the daylight. Yes, it is there but how distant it seems.
In order to baffle the projects which rest entirely upon your highness, the usurper has given to Colonel Rutler the mission which came so near being fatal to you, your highness. You see, then, in all this Father Griffen has been perfectly innocent.
The colonel felt a damp, icy body touch his cheek; he remained motionless. The serpent glided rapidly along the side of the subterranean passage and escaped. The danger past, the colonel remained some moments petrified with terror; he heard the last struggle of John; his agony was short. Rutler heard him make several convulsive shudders and that was all. His companion was dead.
In the daytime, seen thus from above, one would have said it was a carpet of perfumed snow strewn with golden balls. At the extreme horizon the slender stems of the banana and cocoanut trees, formed a splendid retreat and overlooked the precipice at the bottom of which was the subterranean passage of which we have spoken, and in which Colonel Rutler was then imprisoned.