"Help?" she echoed, turning the frown upon me, "What help, sir,
should I need?"
It was my turn now to shrug the shoulders. "Nay," I answered,
"I tell you but what he told me. He divined, or at least he was
persuaded, that you stood in need of help."
She threw a puzzled, questioning look at the poor corpse, but lifted
her eyes to find mine fixed upon them, and shrank a little as I
stepped close. Her two hands went behind her, swiftly. I may have
made a motion to grip her by the wrists; I cannot tell. My next
words surprised myself, and the tone of my voice speaking and the
passion in it.
"You have killed my friend," said I, "who desired only your good.
You have chosen to humiliate me, who willed you no harm. And now you
say 'it shall be vendetta.' Very well, it shall be vendetta, but as
_I_ choose it. Keep your foolish weapons; I can do without them.
Heap what insults you will upon me; I am a man and will bear them.
But you are a woman, and therefore to be mastered. For my friend's
sake I choose to hate you and to be patient. For my friend's sake,
who discovered your need, I too will discover it and help it; and
again, not as you will, but as I determine.
Pages:
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349