Part 9 (1/2)
”I go since you oppose with violence my ministrations But I shall pray for you, and I will return anon, when perchance your heart shall be softened by the near imminence of your end”
”Sir,” quoth Crispin wearily, ”you would outtalk a woman”
”I've done, I've done,” he cried in trepidation,shi+ft to depart
On the threshold he paused again ”I leave you the lanthorn,” he said ”May it light you to a Godlier frame of mind I shall return at daybreak” And with that he went
Crispin yawned noisily when he was gone, and stretched hi to the pallet:
”Come, lad, 'tis your turn,” said he
Kenneth shi+vered ”I could not sleep,” he cried ”I could not”
”As you will” And shrugging his shoulders, Crispin sat down on the edge of the bed
”For cold coruht for aHere am I who for the last ten hours have had neither meat nor drink Not that I mind the meat so much, but, 'slife, my throat is dry as one of their serive four of my five hours of life for a posset of sack A paltry lot are they, Kenneth, holding that because a ho! Some liar hath said that he who sleeps dines, and if I sleep perchance I shall forget my thirst”
He stretched hiain
It was Kenneth who next awakened hi as with an ague His face was ashen
”Nohat's amiss? Oddslife, what ails you?” he cried
”Is there no way, Sir Crispin? Is there naught you can do?” wailed the youth
Instantly Galliard sat up
”Poor lad, does the thought of the rope affright you?”
Kenneth bowed his head in silence
”Tis a scurvy death, I own Look you, Kenneth, there is a dagger in my boot If you would rather have cold steel, 'tis done It is the last service I entle as a mistress Just there, over the heart, and you'll know nodown the leather of his right boot, he thrust his hand down the side of his leg But Kenneth sprang back with a cry
”No, no,” he cried, covering his face with his hands ”Not that!
You don't understand It is death itself I would cheat What odds to exchange one form for another? Is there no way out of this? Is there no way, Sir Crispin?” he demanded with clenched hands
”The approach of death makes you maudlin, sir,” quoth the other, in whoust ”Is there no way; say you? There is the , but 'tis seventy feet above the river; and there is the door, but it is locked, and there is a sentry on the other side”
”I ht have known that you would ? For you the prospect of it has no terrors But for e,” he added brokenly, ”and life was full of promise for ht returned in softened tones ”I had forgotten that death is not to you the blessed release that it is toa task unfulfilled--a task of vengeance? And byto life Ah,” he sighed wistfully, ”if indeed I could find a way”
”Think, Sir Crispin, think,” cried the boy feverishly
”To what purpose? There is theBut even if the bars were , the drop to the river is seventy feet at least I measured it with my eyes when first we entered here We have no rope Your cloak rent in two and the pieces tied together would scarce yield us ten feet Would you care to juht of it the lad trehed softly