Page:The cream of the jest; a comedy of evasions (IA creamofjestcomed00caberich).pdf/41

 turned through his hopeless love for her. She wondered, dizzily, how she could have stayed blind to his insanity this long, recollecting the in-*consequence of his acts and speeches in the past; but matters of heavier urgency were at hand. Here, with this apparent madman, she was on perilous ground; but now had arisen a hideous contention without; and the shrieks there, and the clash of metal there, spoke with rude eloquence of a harborage even less desirable.

"Heaven will defend the right!" Ettarre said bravely.

"I am not so sure that heaven has any finger in this pie. An arras hides all. It will lift presently, and either Good or Evil, either Guiron or Maugis, will come through that arras as your master. I am not certain as yet which one I shall permit to enter; and the matter rests with me, Ettarre."

"Heaven will defend the right!" Ettarre said bravely.

And at that the arras quivered and heaved, so that its heavy embroideries were converted into a welter of shimmering gold, bright in the glare