Part 167 (1/2)

”That's well”

Athos made a step toward Milady

”I pardon you,” said he, ”the ill you have done me I pardon you for my blasted future, my lost honor, my defiled love, and my salvation forever compromised by the despair into which you have cast me Die in peace!”

Lord de Winter advanced in his turn

”I pardon you,” said he, ”for the poisoning of my brother, and the assassination of his Grace, Lord Buckingham I pardon you for the death of poor Felton; I pardon you for the attempts upon nan ”Pardon entlee, pardon you the ainst me I pardon you, and I weep for you Die in peace!”

”I alish ”I must die!”

Then she arose of herself, and cast around her one of those piercing looks which see; she listened, and she heard nothing

”Where am I to die?” said she

”On the other bank,” replied the executioner

Then he placed her in the boat, and as he was going to set foot in it himself, Athos handed him a sum of silver

”Here,” said he, ”is the price of the execution, that it es”

”That is correct,” said the executioner; ”and now in her turn, let this wo my trade, but my debt”

And he threw the money into the river

The boatthe guilty woht-hand bank, where they fell on their knees

The boat glided along the ferry rope under the shadow of a pale cloud which hung over the water at that ain the opposite bank; the figures were defined like black shadows on the red-tinted horizon

Milady, during the passage had contrived to untie the cord which fastened her feet On cohtly on shore and took to flight But the soil wasthe top of the bank, she slipped and fell upon her knees

She was struck, no doubt, with a superstitious idea; she conceived that heaven denied its aid, and she remained in the attitude in which she had fallen, her head drooping and her hands clasped

Then they saw from the other bank the executioner raise both his are sword The two ar of the scimitar and the cry of the victim, then a truncated mass sank beneath the blow

The executioner then took off his red cloak, spread it upon the ground, laid the body in it, threw in the head, tied all up by the four corners, lifted it on his back, and entered the boat again