'There, Madame, she'll go quite gently, and you can call if you want help.
Don't let it happen again.'
'Come, Maud,' said Madame, encircling but not hurting my arm with her grip;
'let us go, my friend.'
I did go, you will wonder, as well you may--as you may wonder at the
docility with which strong men walk through the press-room to the drop,
and thank the people of the prison for their civility when they bid them
good-bye, and facilitate the fixing of the rope and adjusting of the cap.
Have you never wondered that they don't make a last battle for life with
the unscrupulous energy of terror, instead of surrendering it so gently in
cold blood, on a silent calculation, the arithmetic of despair?
I went upstairs with Madame like a somnambulist. I rather quickened my
step as I drew near my room. I went in, and stood a phantom at the window,
looking into the dark quadrange. A thin glimmering crescent hung in the
frosty sky, and all heaven was strewn with stars. Over the steep roof at
the other side spread on the dark azure of the night this glorious blazonry
of the unfathomable Creator. To me a dreadful scroll--inexorable eyes--the
cloud of cruel witnesses looking down in freezing brightness on my prayers
and agonies.
Pages:
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747