Part 7 (2/2)
He saw the pale lips twist themselves into a dreadful smile ”There is more than rumour, I think,” said she ”There is more than all your lies will ever serve to cloak”
”My lies?” he cried ”Rosamund, I swear to you byof Peter May God rot me where I stand if this be not true!”
”It seems,” said a harsh voice behind hiht else”
He wheeled sharply to confront Sir John Killigreho had entered after hiht as agates, ”this is your work” And he waved a hand towards Rosamund It was plain to what he alluded
”My work?” quoth Sir John He closed the door, and advanced into the room ”Sir, it seems your audacity, your shamelessness, transcends all bounds Your”
”Have done with that,” Sir Oliver interrupted hireat fist upon the table He was suddenly swept by a gust of passion ”Leave words to fools, Sir John, and criticisms to those that can defend them better”
”Aye, you talk like ait here in the very house of the dead--in the very house upon which you have cast this blight of sorrow and murder”
”Have done, I say, or murder there will be!”
His voice was a roar, his h Sir John was, he recoiled Instantly Sir Oliver had conquered hiive uish at the thing imputed I have not loved your brother, it is true But as I swore to you, so have I done I have taken blows from him, and smiled; but yesterday in a public place he affronted -whip, as I still bear thekilled hiht of you, Rosaht that he was your brother sufficed to quench the rage in which he left rim mischance he has met his death, ht for you is that I ae”
”She has no choice,” rasped Killigrew
”Sir John,” he cried, ”I pray you do not meddle with her choice That you believe it, marks you for a fool, and a fool's counsel is a rotten staff to lean upon at any time Why God o' mercy! assume that I desired to take satisfaction for the affront he had put upon me; do you know so little of o about eance that, as God lives! Was it so I dealt with you, Sir John, when you per too freely, as you have yourself confessed? Heaven's light, man; take a proper view; consider was this onist than was ever poor Peter Godolphin, yet when I sought satisfaction of you I sought it boldly and openly, as is my way When we measured swords in your park at Arwenack we did so before witnesses in proper forht not be troubled with the Justices
You knoell, and what manner of man I am with my weapons Should I not have done the like by Peter if I had sought his life? Should I not have sought it in the same open fashi+on, and so killed him at my pleasure and leisure, and without risk or reproach froic hard and clear as ice; and the knight of Arwenack was no fool But whilst he stood frowning and perplexed at the end of that long tirade, it was Rosaave Sir Oliver his answer
”You ran no risk of reproach from any, do you say?”
He turned, and was abashed He knew the thought that was running in her ently, his accents charged with reproachful incredulity, ”that I am so base and false that I could in this fashi+on do what I dared not for your sake do openly? 'Tis what you mean
Rosahts of one whom whom you professed to love”
Her coldness fell from her Under the lash of his bitter, half-scornful accents, her anger uish in her brother's death
”You false deceiver!” she cried ”There are those who heard you vow his death Your very words have been reported to me And from where he lay they found a trail of blood upon the snow that ran to your own door
Will you still lie?”
They saw the colour leave his face They saw his arms drop limply to his sides, and his eyes dilate with obvious sudden fear
”A a trail of blood?” he faltered stupidly