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Remember that yours, in fidelity to your ruler, is to repeat to him what I say." "More wood, Bellines," said Rubaut, going to the door, to give further directions in a low voice. Returning, he said, with some hurry of manner, that, as he was to be absent for two or three days, he had sent for such a supply of wood and flambeaux as might last some time. More books should also be brought.
Foreboding is bad," repeated Rubaut. Toussaint smiled, and said "What other employment do you afford me than that of looking into the past and future, in order to avoid the present?
I shall die of the sickening and pining of sense and limb of the wasting of bone and muscle. Day by day is my eye more dim, and my right arm more feeble. But I have never complained of evils that the bravery you speak of would not meet. Have I ever said that you have touched my soul?" Rubaut saw the fire in his eye, glanced at his emaciated hand, and felt that this was true.
There was no learning from Bellines, however, whether the Commandant had returned to the fortress, or who was his lieutenant, if he had not. In the middle of April, the doubt was settled by the appearance of Rubaut himself in the cell. He was civil unusually so but declared himself unable to give any information about Mars Plaisir.
Brothers in duty we were; and, if we should yet be brothers in fortune if he should fall into the hands of a strong foe But you are saying in your heart, `No foreboding! Foreboding is bad!" Rubaut smiled, and said foreboding was only bad for the spirits; and the First Consul's spirits were not likely to be affected by anything that could be said at Joux.
He called the prisoner in a somewhat agitated voice, felt the hand, raised the head, and declared that he was gone. The candle was burned completely out. Rubaut turned to the hearth, carefully stirred the ashes, blew among them, and raised a spark. "You observe," he said to Bellines; "his fire was burning when we found him." "Yes, sir." "There is more wood and more candle?"
Tell him this; tell him that I perish willingly, if this consequence of my fidelity to France may be a plea for justice to my race." "How people have misrepresented you to me!" said Rubaut, bustling about the cell, and opening the door to call Bellines. "They told me you were very silent rarely spoke." "That was true when my duty was to think," said Toussaint. "To-day my duty has been to speak.
If, turning from the sickening view which the past presents of the treachery of your race to mine, of the abuse of my brotherly trust in him by which your ruler has afflicted our hearts if, turning from this mournful past, I look the other way, what do I see before me but the open grave?" "You are out of spirits," said Rubaut, building up the fire. "You wear well, however.
Toussaint early discovered that Rubaut would grant nothing that was asked for, but liked to bestow a favour spontaneously, now and then. This was a clear piece of instruction; by which, however, Mars Plaisir was slow to profit.
"When shall we meet again?" asked Toussaint. "I don't know. Indeed I do not know," said the Commandant, looking at his watch by the firelight. His prisoner saw that his hands trembled, and that he walked with some irresolution to the door. "Au revoir!" said Toussaint. Rubaut did not reply, but went out, leaving the door standing wide, and apparently no one to guard it.
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