Count Hannibal

The thought spurred him to further cruelty, impelled him to try if,

prostrate as she was, he could not draw a prayer from her.

"You don't ask after him?" he scoffed. "He may be before or behind? Or

wounded or well? Would you not know, Madame? And what message he sent

you? And what he fears, and what hope he has? And his last wishes?

And--for while there is life there is hope--would you not learn where the

key of his prison lies to-night? How much for the key to-night, Madame?"

Each question fell on her like the lash of a whip; but as one who has

been flogged into insensibility, she did not wince. That drove him on:

he felt a mad desire to hear her prayers, to force her lower, to bring

her to her knees. And he sought about for a keener taunt. Their

attendants were almost out of sight before them; the sun, declining

apace, was in their eyes.

"In two hours we shall be in Angers," he said. "Mon Dieu, Madame, it was

a pity, when you two were taking letters, you did not go a step farther.

You were surprised, or I doubt if I should be alive to-day!"

Then she did look up. She raised her head and met his gaze with such

wonder in her eyes, such reproach in her tear-stained face, that his

voice sank on the last word.

"You mean--that I would have murdered you?" she said. "I would have cut

off my hand first. What I did"--and now her voice was as firm as it was

low--"what I did, I did to save my people. And if it were to be done

again, I would do it again!"

"You dare to tell me that to my face?" he cried, hiding feelings which

almost choked him. "You would do it again, would you? Mon Dieu, Madame,

you need to be taught a lesson!"

And by chance, meaning only to make the horses move on again, he raised

his whip. She thought that he was going to strike her, and she flinched

at last. The whip fell smartly on her horse's quarters, and it sprang

forward. Count Hannibal swore between his teeth.

He had turned pale, she red as fire. "Get on! Get on!" he cried

harshly. "We are falling behind!" And riding at her heels, flipping her

horse now and then, he forced her to trot on until they overtook the

servants.