The Midnight Queen [74]
of mine, with families I honor and respect.
Could I bring the dwarf and his attendant imps to Tyburn, and
treat them to a hempen cravat, I would do it without remorse -
though the notion of being informer, even then, would not be very
pleasant; but as it is, I cannot be the death of one without
ruining all, and as I told you, some of those were once my
friends. No, madame, I cannot do it. I have but once to die and
I prefer death here, to purchasing life at such a price."
_____________
There was a short silence, during which they gazed into each
other's eyes ominously, and one was about as colorless as the
other.
"You refuse?" she coldly said.
"I must! But if you can save my life, as you say, why not do it,
and fly with me? You will find me the truest and most grateful
of friends, while life remains."
"You are very kind; but I want no friendship, Sir Norman -
nothing but revenge! As to escaping, I could have done that any
time since we came here, for I have found out a secret means of
exit from each of these vaults, that they know nothing of. But I
have staid to see him dead at my feet - if not by my hand, at
least by my command; and since you will not do it, I will make
the attempt myself. Farewell, Sir Norman Kingsley; before many
minutes you will be a corpse, and your blood be upon yourself!"
She gave him a glance as coldly fierce as her dagger's glance,
and turned to go, when he stepped hastily forward, and
interposed:
"Miranda - Miranda - you are crazed! Stop and tell me what you
intend to do."
"What you feared to attempt," she haughtily replied; "Sheathe
this dagger in his demon heart!"
"Miranda, give me the dagger. You must not, you shall not,
commit such a crime!"
"Shall not?" she uttered scornfully. "And who are you that dares
to speak to me like this? Stand aside, coward, and let me pass!"
"Pardon me, but I cannot, while you hold that dagger. Give it to
me, and you shall go free; but while you hold it with this
intention, for your own sake, I will detain you till some one
comes."
She uttered a low, fierce cry, and struck at him with it, but he
caught her hand, and with sudden force snatched it from her. In
doing so he was obliged to hold it with its point toward her, and
struggling for it in a sort of frenzy, as he raised the hand that
held it, she slipped forward and it was driven half-way to the
hilt in her side. There was a low, grasping cry - a sudden
clasping of both hands over her heart, a sway, a reel, and she
fell headlong prostrate on the loathsome floor.
Sir Norman stood paralyzed. She half raised herself on her
elbow, drew the dagger from the wound, and a great jet of blood
shot up and crimsoned her hands. She did not faint - there
seemed to be a deathless energy within her that chained life
strongly in its place - she only pressed both hands hard over the
wound, and looked mournfully and reproachfully up in his face.
Those beautiful, sad, solemn dyes, void of everything savage and
fierce, were truly Leoline's eyes now.
Through all his first shock of horror, another thing dawned on
his mind; he had looked on this scene before. It was the second
view in La Masque's caldron, and but one remained to be verified
The next instant, he was down on his knees in a paroxysm of grief
and despair.
"What have I done? what have I done?" was his cry.
"Listen!" she said, faintly raising one finger. "Do you hear
that?"
Distant steps were echoing along the passage. Yes; he heard
them, and knew what they were.
"They are coming to lead you to death!" she said, with some of
her old fire; "but I will baffle them yet. Take that lamp - go
to the wall yonder, and in that corner, near the floor, you will
see a small iron ring. Pull it - it does not require much force
- and you will find an opening leading
Could I bring the dwarf and his attendant imps to Tyburn, and
treat them to a hempen cravat, I would do it without remorse -
though the notion of being informer, even then, would not be very
pleasant; but as it is, I cannot be the death of one without
ruining all, and as I told you, some of those were once my
friends. No, madame, I cannot do it. I have but once to die and
I prefer death here, to purchasing life at such a price."
_____________
There was a short silence, during which they gazed into each
other's eyes ominously, and one was about as colorless as the
other.
"You refuse?" she coldly said.
"I must! But if you can save my life, as you say, why not do it,
and fly with me? You will find me the truest and most grateful
of friends, while life remains."
"You are very kind; but I want no friendship, Sir Norman -
nothing but revenge! As to escaping, I could have done that any
time since we came here, for I have found out a secret means of
exit from each of these vaults, that they know nothing of. But I
have staid to see him dead at my feet - if not by my hand, at
least by my command; and since you will not do it, I will make
the attempt myself. Farewell, Sir Norman Kingsley; before many
minutes you will be a corpse, and your blood be upon yourself!"
She gave him a glance as coldly fierce as her dagger's glance,
and turned to go, when he stepped hastily forward, and
interposed:
"Miranda - Miranda - you are crazed! Stop and tell me what you
intend to do."
"What you feared to attempt," she haughtily replied; "Sheathe
this dagger in his demon heart!"
"Miranda, give me the dagger. You must not, you shall not,
commit such a crime!"
"Shall not?" she uttered scornfully. "And who are you that dares
to speak to me like this? Stand aside, coward, and let me pass!"
"Pardon me, but I cannot, while you hold that dagger. Give it to
me, and you shall go free; but while you hold it with this
intention, for your own sake, I will detain you till some one
comes."
She uttered a low, fierce cry, and struck at him with it, but he
caught her hand, and with sudden force snatched it from her. In
doing so he was obliged to hold it with its point toward her, and
struggling for it in a sort of frenzy, as he raised the hand that
held it, she slipped forward and it was driven half-way to the
hilt in her side. There was a low, grasping cry - a sudden
clasping of both hands over her heart, a sway, a reel, and she
fell headlong prostrate on the loathsome floor.
Sir Norman stood paralyzed. She half raised herself on her
elbow, drew the dagger from the wound, and a great jet of blood
shot up and crimsoned her hands. She did not faint - there
seemed to be a deathless energy within her that chained life
strongly in its place - she only pressed both hands hard over the
wound, and looked mournfully and reproachfully up in his face.
Those beautiful, sad, solemn dyes, void of everything savage and
fierce, were truly Leoline's eyes now.
Through all his first shock of horror, another thing dawned on
his mind; he had looked on this scene before. It was the second
view in La Masque's caldron, and but one remained to be verified
The next instant, he was down on his knees in a paroxysm of grief
and despair.
"What have I done? what have I done?" was his cry.
"Listen!" she said, faintly raising one finger. "Do you hear
that?"
Distant steps were echoing along the passage. Yes; he heard
them, and knew what they were.
"They are coming to lead you to death!" she said, with some of
her old fire; "but I will baffle them yet. Take that lamp - go
to the wall yonder, and in that corner, near the floor, you will
see a small iron ring. Pull it - it does not require much force
- and you will find an opening leading