Black Bartlemy's Treasure, page 169 by Jeffrey Farnol
<< Return to Title Details & Download170
shall grow wiser, mayhap, and forgetting the ill that lies behind you, reach out to the good that lieth before.
Myself: And what of my just vengeance?
She: Vengeance is but for the weak of soul, 'tis only the strong can forgive.
Myself: What of my sacred vow? What of my many prayers for vengeance?
She: Empty breath!
Myself: Dare you say so?
She: I dare more, for lying here with Death all about us I tell you, Martin Conisby, despite your size and strength, you are no better than a pitiful, peevish child--"
"Ha!" cried I fiercely, bending over her in the dimness until I might stare into her eyes, wide and dark in the pale oval of her face, "Will ye dare--"
"A child," says she again, nodding at me, "lost and wilful and very selfish with no thought above Martin Conisby and his wrongs. Nay, scowl not nor grind your teeth, 'tis vain! For how may I, that fear not God's dreadful tempest, stoop to fear poor Martin Conisby?"
"Stoop, madam?" I cried hoarsely.
"Aye, stoop," says she. "The wrongs you have endured have plunged you to the very deeps, have stripped you of your manhood. And yet--yours is no murderer's face even when you scowl and clench your fist! 'Twas so you looked when you fought that rough boy on my behalf so many years ago when you were Sir Martin the Knight-errant and I was Princess Damaris. And now, Martin, you that were my playmate and had forgot--you that were so ready to fight on my behalf--in this desolation there is none you may do battle with for my sake saving only--Martin Conisby!"
Now here she turned, her face hid from me 'neath a fold of the great boat-cloak, and spake no more. And I, crouched above her, staring down at her muffled form outstretched thus at my mercy, felt my quivering fist relax, felt my brutish anger cower before her trust and fearlessness. And so, leaning across the tiller, I stared away into the raging dark; and now it seemed that the soul of me had sunk to deeps more black and, groping blindly there