Doctor, if it is nowhis brother took her awayfor his pleasure

and diversion, for a little while. I saw her pass me on the road.

When I took the tidings home, our father’s heart burst; he never

spoke one of the words that filled it. I took my young sister (for I

have another) to a place beyond the reach of this man, and where,

at least, she will never be his vassal. Then, I tracked the brother

here, and last night climbed ina common dog, but sword in

hand.Where is the loft window? It was somewhere here?’

“The room was darkening to his sight; the world was narrowing

around him. I glanced about me, and saw that the hay and straw

were trampled over the floor, as if there had been a struggle.

“‘She heard me, and ran in. I told her not to come near us till he

was dead. He came in and first tossed me some pieces of money;

then struck at me with a whip. But I, though a common dog, so

struck at him as to make him draw. Let him break into as many

pieces as he will, the sword that he stained with my common

blood; he drew to defend himselfthrust at me with all his skill for

his life.’

“My glance had fallen, but a few moments before. on the

fragments of a broken sword, lying among the hay. That weapon

was a gentleman’s. In another place. lay an old sword that seemed

to have been a soldier’s.

“‘Now, lift me up, Doctor; lift me up. Where is he?’

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“‘He is not here,’ I said, supporting the boy, and thinking that

he referred to the brother.

“‘He! Proud as these Nobles are, he is afraid to see me. Where

is the man who was here? Turn my face to him.’

“I did so, raising the boy’s head against my knee. But, invested

for the moment with extraordinary power, he raised himself

completely: obliging me to rise too, or I could not have still

supported him.

“‘Marquis,’ said the boy, turned to him with his eyes opened

wide, and his right hand raised, ‘in the days when all these things

are to be answered for, I summon you and yours, the last of your

bad race, to answer for them. I mark this cross of blood upon you,

as a sign that I do it. In the days when all these things are to be

answered for, I summon your brother, the worst of the bad race, to

answer for them separately. I mark this cross of blood upon him,

as a sign that I do it.’

“Twice, he put his hand to the wound in his breast, and with his

forefinger drew a cross in the air. He stood for an instant with the

finger yet raised, and, as it dropped, he dropped with it, and I laid

him down dead.

“When I returned to the bedside of the young woman, I found

her raving in precisely the same order and continuity. I knew that

this might last for many hours, and that it would probably end in

the silence of the grave.

“I repeated the medicines I had given her, and I sat at the side

of the bed until the night was far advanced. She never abated the