Part 142 (1/2)

”Alas! this desperate resistance could not last long I felt th fail, and this time it was not my sleep that enabled the coward to prevail, butany word or sound, except an inward expression of agony The sweat streamed down his marble forehead, and his hand, under his coat, tore his breast

”My first i to myself, was to feel under my pillow for the knife I had not been able to reach; if it had not been useful for defense, itthis knife, Felton, a terrible idea occurred to me I have sworn to tell you all, and I will tell you all I have promised you the truth; I will tell it, were it to destroy e yourself on this man, did it not?” cried Felton

”Yes,” said Milady ”The idea was not that of a Christian, I knew; but without doubt, that eternal ene constantly around us, breathed it into my mind In short, what shall I say to you, Felton?” continued Milady, in the tone of a wo herself of a crime ”This idea occurred to ht that I now bear the punisher to see you attain your vengeance!”

”Oh, I resolved that it should take place as soon as possible I had no doubt he would return the following night During the day I had nothing to fear

”When the hour of breakfast came, therefore, I did not hesitate to eat and drink I had deter I was forced, then, to co with the nourishlass of water, which re been the chief ofor drinking

”The day passed aithout having any other influence on then the resolution I had forhts of my heart, for I had no doubt I atched Several times, even, I felt a smile on my lips Felton, I dare not tell you at what idea I so on!” said Felton; ”you see plainly that I listen, and that I a ca the darkness, as before, hted, and I sat down to table I only ate so, but I only drank that which I had saved in lass The substitution was made so carefully that my spies, if I had any, could have no suspicion of it

”After supper I exhibited the sa; but this tiue, or as if I had becoed myself toward my bed, let my robe fall, and lay down

”I found my knife where I had placed it, under rasped the handle of it convulsively

”Two hours passed aithout anything fresh happening Oh, an to fear that he would not coth I saw the la; my chamber was filled with darkness and obscurity, but Ieffort to penetrate this darkness and obscurity

”Nearly tenof ht coth I heard the well-known noise of the door, which opened and shut; I heard, notwithstanding the thickness of the carpet, a step whichthe darkness, a shadohich approached my bed”

”Haste! haste!” said Felton; ”do you not see that each of your words burns me like molten lead?”

”Then,” continued Milady, ”then I collected all eance, or rather, of justice, had struck I looked upon athered myself up,out his arony and despair, I struck him in the middle of his breast

”The miserable villain! He had foreseen all His breast was covered with a coat-of-ainst it

”'Ah, ah!' cried he, seizingfrom me the weapon that had so badly served me, 'you want to take my life, do you, ratitude! Coht you had softened I am not one of those tyrants who detain women by force You don't love me With my usual fatuity I doubted it; now I am convinced Tomorrow you shall be free'

”I had but one wish; that was that he should kill me

”'Beware!' said I, 'for my liberty is your dishonor'

”'Explain yourself, my pretty sibyl!'

”'Yes; for as soon as I leave this place I will tell everything I will proclaim the violence you have used toward me I will describe my captivity I will denounce this place of infah, ; above the king there is God!'