He lay full length, his white face resting against the good captain's knees; and my first thought was one of terror lest he was dead: but I saw him lift himself, and give one long look at the castle walls, then fall back as before—and I knew, in that moment, he put me from his heart for ever.
They were gone, all gone. Doña Orosia had played me false—God had turned His face from me—and the man I loved would never love me more.
I turned away from the window to the weeping dame, and I laughed, laughed again as I had done in the face of my dear love that very morn.
"The piece is near ended, dame," I said. "'Tis almost time to pray God save His Majesty and draw the curtain. But what strange tricks does Fate play sometimes with her helpless puppets! She did cast us, long ago, for a lightsome comedy, and lo! 'tis to be a tragedy instead! Think you, dear Barbara, that death would come easier by means of yonder bed-cord, or of those great scissors dangling at thy waist? Or, perhaps, if thou couldst play Othello to my Desdemona, it might seem a gentler prelude to the grave. How heavy is a lie, good dame? Think you it would drag a soul to hell? If so, I need not to go alone; for if I lied to Melinza, he also lied to me—and Doña Orosia also"—then a strong shudder shook my frame. "Barbara, Barbara, must I e'en have their company for all eternity?"
She ran to me, good soul, and hushed me like a child to her ample bosom.
"Lord help ye, dear lamb! And He will—He will!" I heard her say over and over; then everything turned dark before my eyes, and I thought death had come to me indeed.
When consciousness returned I lay upon my bed in a gray twilight, and beside me were Dame Barbara and the Governor's wife.
As my eyes fell upon Doña Orosia, I cried out bitterly that I had been a fool to trust even to her hate; for now she had grown weary of her revenge, and would discard her tool without paying the price for it.
She covered my mouth with her hand, laughing shortly.
"Melinza thinks he has been too sharp for me. He despatched the prisoners in great haste to the English ship without my knowledge. I went to him just now and demanded to know if he dared to send away Señor Rivers without leave from me.