I caught my horse feeding by the
roadside, a furlong forward, and mounted and fell into place
behind the two, as in the morning. And just as we had plodded on
then in silence we plodded on now; almost as if nothing had
happened; while I wondered at the unfathomable ways of women, and
marvelled that she could take part in such an incident and remain
unchanged.
Yet, though she strove to hide it, it had made a change in her.
Though her mask served her well it could not entirely hide her
emotions; and by-and-by I marked that her head drooped, that she
rode listlessly, that the lines of her figure were altered. I
noticed that she had flung away, or furtively dropped, her
riding-whip; and I began to understand that, far from the fight
having set me in my former place, to the old hatred of me were
now added shame and vexation on her own account; shame that she
had so lowered herself, even to save her brother, vexation that
defeat had been her only reward.
Of this I saw a sign at Lectoure, where the inn had but one
common room and we must all dine in company. I secured for them
a table by the fire, and leaving them standing by it, retired
myself to a smaller one near the door.
Pages:
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272