The pathos of her voice, her small face, touched him to a manlier emotion. She was so young, so white, so helpless!
"What it is possible for me to give you I live but to bestow, my darling," he said, and, kneeling, kissed a small, scarred hand. "I can promise love, protection, deep respect,—for the slime of this man shall not cling to you!"
Haganè snatched him bodily from the floor. His eyes blazed like a beast's. "Time will come for puling. A few things are yet to be said. Let us conclude the savory bargain. I must be gone."
"Yes, let us finish quickly," whispered Yuki.
"Gallant lover," continued Haganè to Pierre, "when and how do you wish to claim your prize?"
"Now, at once," cried Pierre, rallying a little under the scorn hurled toward him. "You have the eyes of a demon. She would not be safe alone with you. Take the paper now, and let me have her!"
Yuki shivered again, and hid her face in her sleeve.
"I shall not harm madame. This I can assure you. But the earliest possible hour for your ecstasy will be—to-night!"
"To-night—to-night!" moaned Yuki.
"It must be so. You cannot pass another night beneath my roof, and there is none who dares receive you but this brawny champion."