Page:Harper's New Monthly Magazine - v109.djvu/541

Rh stood on the wind-swept moor, close together, staring into each other's eyes, and the heart in my breast checked altogether its beating—I knew not why—till I thought it would never beat again, and thereafter raced and played strange tricks. Indeed, it may be—in that dreary following year I loved to think so—that another heart throbbed out of tune as well as mine, for I saw the girl's young breast rise and fall more stormily than her climb should warrant, and I know that her two hands twisted and wrestled together before her.

"You were not afraid," said I, half under my breath, halting oddly between the words. "There was no—fear—in your voice."

The maid shook her head, but her eyes, burning, did not leave mine.

"Will you tell me," said I again, after a little, "who you are—lady?"

"I am Aziliçz of Landévennec," said she, very low. " And—you who have—saved my life?"

"Count Dénès, lady," said I.

"Of the—Tévennec?" she asked, in a quick whisper, and I saw the flush grow up over her neck and face to the yellow hair.

"Yes, lady," said I. I knew what was in her mind. Men call me hereabouts the Robber Prince. They say that we of the Rock are freebooters, pirates taking toll of whomsoever falls into our clutches. Eh, well! Some loot by sea—others by land. So wags the world.

"Oh!" said Aziliçz of Landévennec, covering her flushed face with her hands—"oh, I am sorry! I am sorry!" But in a moment she reared her head again. "I owe you my life, my lord!" said she, and stretched her hand to me. I think it shook a very little under my lips.

"My father," she said, "will wait upon you to thank you for this. I—myself, shall not—forget."

"Lady, lady!" said I, stammering.

And then she went from me across the moor toward Kersalec tower, where she was staying with kinsfolk. And I stood watching her—she turned once, I mind—till the speck of blue was lost behind the walls of Kersalec, and my heart was ever at its strange tricks.

Jean of Landévennec made his visit of obligation within two days. He came in state in his sailing-barge—a great red man full of oaths, with the voice of a bull. We of the Rock received him in like state; we know our manners at least. But when he had done with his compliments and thanks I looked him in the eyes and asked for the hand of his daughter. Old Jean stared back at me for a little time in silence.

"Now Saints Guenolé and Korentin stay my hand, Dénès of the Tévennec," he burst out at last, "that I do not twist the head from your body! Marry my girl to a sea-robber? Marry Aziliçz of Landévennec, who will be Countess after me, to a wrecking, thieving freebooter, a rascal whose neck is safe from the rope only because he perches on a stormy rock like a damned cormorant? Mother of God! Count Dénès, you should climb high if insolence can lift a man."

"You are my guest, lord," said I, "and I have a mind that you should be my father-in-law. Wherefore I do not throw you into the sea. I think your barge awaits you." Eh! my hands itched to be at his throat, but, as I had said, he was my guest, and I let him go safe. "Robber!" said he, "rascal!—free-booter!" Is not that which goes upon the high seas fair prey? "Rascal," so please you!

Ay, I let him go, safe in his pride and arrogance.

He was dead in them before a month was out, and that white girl with her fearless, steady eyes was, in her own right, Countess of Landévennec.

God's word! even now I turn red with that old passion of shame and rage when I think of what followed. For I waited, out of simple decency, six months, and then sent a messenger to Landévennec, praying in proper formal terms to be received there as a suitor for the hand of the Countess. Such an answer as the girl returned I might have had from dead Count Jean himself. I writhed under the sting of it; but there be greater powers than pride, and they had me, body and soul. Though I cursed my womanish heart, I could not forget two eyes that burned gray and black, and a young, strong heart that had once for a little moment jumped against my own. Of such flesh are we fashioned—even we who boast that we are strong men.