“Choose between you? Monsieur you must make your meaning more clear.”
“Mon Dieu, is it not clear already? Then I will make it so. You are my wife by law of Holy Church. Never have you loved me, yet I can pass that by, if you grant me a husband’s right. This De Artigny has come between us, and now his life is in my hands. I know not that you love the brat, yet you have that interest in him which would prevent forgiveness of me if I show no mercy. So now I come and offer you his life, if you consent to be my wife in truth. Is that fair?”
“It may so sound,” I answered calmly, “yet the sacrifice is all mine. How would you save the man?”
“By affording him opportunity to escape during the night; first accepting his pledge never to see you again.”
“Think you he would give such pledge?”
Cassion laughed sarcastically.
“Bah, what man would not to save his life! It is for you to speak the word.”
I stood silent, hesitating to give final answer. Had I truly believed De Artigny’s case hopeless I might have yielded, and made pledge. But as I gazed into Cassion’s face, smiling with assurance of victory, all my dislike of the man returned, and I shrank back in horror. The sacrifice was too much, too terrible; besides 340 I had faith in the promises of De Tonty, in the daring of Boisrondet. I would trust them, aye, and myself, to find some other way of rescue.
“Monsieur,” I said firmly, “I understand your proposition, and refuse it. I will make no pledge.”
“You leave him to die?”