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He looked doubtful, but accepted. "Aho! And that Voban, he would have had his hand in," he growled. I began to get more light. "She was shut up at Chateau Bigot hand of iron and lock of steel who knows the rest! But Voban was for always," he added presently. The thing was clear. The Scarlet Woman was Mathilde. So here was the end of Voban's little romance of the fine linen from Ste.
The soldier I have not yet mentioned his name Gabord, did not know that more than one passed into Voban's hands. "Off with your coat, m'sieu'," said Voban, whipping out his shears, tossing his cap aside, and rolling down his apron. "M'sieu' is here." I had off my coat, was in a chair in a twinkling, and he was clipping softly at me as Doltaire's hand turned the handle of the door.
I never saw more hate than shot out of Voban's eyes at that moment; but the lids drooped over them at once, and he made ready for his work, as Doltaire, putting aside his coat, seated himself, laughing. There was no little daring, as there was cruelty, in thus torturing a man whose life had been broken by Doltaire's associate.
He reached and put the tumbler on a shelf, then turned and opened the door, his face all altered to a grimness. "Attend here, Labrouk!" he called; and on the soldier coming, he blurted out in scorn, "Here's this English captain can't go to supper without Voban's shears to snip him. Go fetch him, for I'd rather hear a calf in a barn-yard than this whing-whanging for 'M'sieu' Voban!"
Almost at his feet, half naked, with her face on the lowest step of the altar, her feet touching the altar itself, was the girl his sister who had kept her drunken lover from assaulting him. The girl was dead there was a knife-wound in her breast. Sick at the sight I left the place, and went on, almost mechanically, to Voban's house. It was level with the ground, a crumpled heap of ruins.
I gave him the letter I had written, and bade him deliver it, which he promised to do; for though there was much in it not vital now, it was a record of my thoughts and feelings, and she would be glad of it, I knew. I pressed Voban's hand in leaving, and he looked at me as if he would say something; but immediately he was abstracted, and left me like one forgetful of the world.
How impossible it all looked to unseat from this high rock the Empire of France! Ay, and how hard it would be to get out of this same city with Alixe! Voban's house stood amid a mass of ruins, itself broken a little, but still sound enough to live in. There was no light. I clambered over debris, made my way to his bedroom window, and tapped on the shutter. There was no response.
I gave him the letter I had written, and bade him deliver it, which he promised to do; for though there was much in it not vital now, it was a record of my thoughts and feelings, and she would be glad of it, I knew. I pressed Voban's hand in leaving, and he looked at me as if he would say something; but immediately he was abstracted, and left me like one forgetful of the world.
She bade me leave all that to her that I should be safe for a while, at least. Soon afterwards I went abroad, and made my way by a devious route to Voban's house. As I did so, I could see the lights of our fleet in the Basin, and the camp-fires of our army on the Levis shore, on Isle Orleans, and even at Montmorenci, and the myriad lights in the French encampment at Beauport.
How impossible it all looked to unseat from this high rock the Empire of France! Ay, and how hard it would be to get out of this same city with Alixe! Voban's house stood amid a mass of ruins, itself broken a little, but still sound enough to live in. There was no light. I clambered over debris, made my way to his bedroom window, and tapped on the shutter. There was no response.
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