"
With the recollection came the remembrance of Cigarette's words as
to his own passion for herself, and she grew paler as it did so. "God
forbid he should have that pain, too!" she murmured. "What could it be
save misery for us both!"
Yet she did not thrust the fancy from her with contemptuous nonchalance
as she had done every other of the many passions she had excited and
disdained; it had a great sadness and a greater terror for her. She
dreaded it slightly for herself.
She wished now that she had not sent for him. But it was done; it was
for sake of their old friendship; and she was not one to vainly regret
what was unalterable, or to desert what she deemed generous and right
for the considerations of prudence or of egotism.
CHAPTER XXXV.
ORDEAL BY FIRE.
Amid the mirth, the noise, the festivity, which reigned throughout the
camp as the men surrendered themselves to the enjoyment of the largesses
of food and of wine allotted to them by their Marshal's command in
commemoration of Zaraila, one alone remained apart; silent and powerless
to rouse himself even to the forced semblance, the forced endurance,
of their mischief and their pleasure. They knew him well, and they also
loved him too well to press such participation on him. They knew that
it was no lack of sympathy with them that made him so grave amid their
mirth, so mute amid their volubility. Some thought that he was sorely
wounded by the delay of the honors promised him.
Pages:
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778