His face turned purple and his eyes became two sparks of fire, miniaturing the torches which blazed behind him, yet his voice was calm.
“Remember my warning, Monsieur,” he said. “I am not a man who breaks his word. Either you must be stretched yonder in a moment—or this spy. I swear it! I have suffered too much from him to pass it by. There is no other way—even your Gascon wits cannot devise one.”
I looked from him to d’Aurilly and back again. There was no mercy in either countenance—only d’Aurilly exulted openly. And the thought came to me that I might yet save Mademoiselle from the fate that threatened her and win for myself an easy death. There was no time to hesitate.
Perhaps he saw me gather for the spring or read my thought in my eyes, for he gave a little cry and started from his chair even as my foot was on the first step of the platform. But I was on him before he could get his poniard out—my fingers clutched at his throat with all the frenzied eagerness of hate—and we crashed backward over the chair together.
I heard a confused shouting, a rush of many feet, but I saw only the working face before me, with its staring eyes, its gaping mouth, with the swollen, quivering tongue within. God! what a lust of blood was on me as I gripped his throat and crushed it! I knew he was fumbling for his dagger—I knew that in an instant a sword-thrust from behind would end it—yet it seemed ages before they were upon me.
“God’s blood! Pull him up!” yelled Roquefort, and they jerked me to my feet; but d’Aurilly came with me too, for my fingers were set as death itself would set them.
I felt the others working at them, but my teeth were set—this man was mine! They should not take him from me! But Roquefort himself strode up at last, and ran a dagger-point under my fingers, prying them back and cutting them cruelly. Only I did not then feel the hurt—my whole soul was in the gaze I bent upon d’Aurilly as he lay huddled there before me—if only he were dead! if only he were dead! Then might I go in peace to my own death!
“Bring Briquet!” called Roquefort, “and quick about it.”
In a moment a figure entered from the dark corner.
“Here is work for you,” said Roquefort, and pointed to the man on the floor.