"'No, no!' she cried. 'Not that. Have mercy.'
"'Yes, yes!' he said, his voice husky with passion. 'What mercy did he have upon my friend? I will have vengeance, and my vengeance is just.'"
Try as I might, I could not help shuddering at this. A felon's cell! My name mentioned with loathing! 'Twas too horrible. I tried to conquer myself, however, and to tell Tom to go on with his recital. He continued—
"'Does any one know of these things besides you two?' she said at length.
"'No,' replied Voltaire. 'No one has had a chance of knowing.'"
Tom stopped in his recital, as if he would rather not tell what followed.
"What next, Tom?" I cried eagerly.
"I am thinking whether it is fair to her to tell you, and yet it is right you should know."
"What was it, Tom?"
She threw herself down on her knees before us, and besought us to keep the matter in our own hearts.