United States or Lebanon ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
She tried to beat the Swiss with her mandolin, but he twisted her in another direction, a cat's weight of fury. Giving her no chance to turn upon him, he opened the entrance and shut her inside the hall, and stalked back to make his explanation to his wife. Klussman had avoided any glimpse of Marguerite until this instant of taking up her defense.
Klussman camped at night on the floor with other soldiers off guard; screens and the tall settles being placed in a row between this military bivouac and women and children of the household protected near the stairs.
He smoothed and smoothed her hair. "But what did I ever do to thee, Marguerite?" "I always liked you best," she said. "But he was a great lord. The women in barracks are so hateful, and a common soldier is naught." "You would be the lady of a seignior," hissed Klussman. "Thou knowest I was fit for that," retorted Marguerite with spirit. "I know thou wert. It is marrying me that has been thy ruin."
The barracks were charred and battered. As Klussman reached the turret door he exclaimed against some human touch, but caught his breath and surrendered himself to Marguerite's arms, holding her soft body and smoothing her silk-stranded hair. "I heard you say you would come up here," murmured Marguerite. "And the door was unlocked." "Where have you been since morning?"
Unseen, it lay a wire-like outline of bone; unseen, it became a hand of fairy ashes, trembling in every filmy atom; finally an ember fell upon it, and where a hand had been some bits of lime lay in a white glow. Klussman went out and mounted one of the bastions, where the gunners were already preparing for work.
As he returned the salute of Edelwald and the garrison, he paused and whitened with chagrin. Klussman had told him something of the weakness of the place, but he had not expected to find such a pitiful remnant of men. Twenty-three soldiers and an officer! These were the precious creatures who had cost him so much, and whom their lady was so anxious to save!
There was a tidiness about the inclosure peculiar to places inhabited by women. It added grace even to military appointments. "You miss the swan, madame," noted Klussman. "Le Rossignol is out again." "When did she go?" "The night after my lord and you sailed northward. She goes each time in the night, madame." "And she is still away?" "Yes, madame." "And this is all you know of her?"
D'Aulnay's followers have just hanged him below the fort." "Hanged him! Hanged poor Klussman? Edelwald, I cannot have Klussman hanged!" Le Rossignol had stopped her mandolin, and the children clustered near Edelwald waiting for his notice. One of them now ran with the news to her. "Klussman is hanged," she repeated, changing her position on the table and laying the mandolin down.
Klussman, full of his own bitter and confused thinking, looked blankly down at her heated countenance. "Give me thy back!" sang the dwarf in the melodious scream which anger never made harsh in her. "Faith, yes, and my entire carcass," muttered the Swiss. "I care not what becomes of me now." "Madame Marie sent you to escort me to this turret. You have the honor because you are an officer.
"Yes, madame. She went, and has not yet come back." "But she always comes back safely. Though I fear," said Madame La Tour on the threshold, "the poor maid will some time fall into harm." He opened the door, and stood aside, saying under his breath, "I would call a creature like that a witch instead of a maid." "I will send for you, Klussman, when I have refreshed myself." "Yes, madame."
Word Of The Day