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Hope, Anthony, 1863-1933

"The Secret of the Tower"

But if you've no sort of feeling of that kind--well, I
don't want to put my case."
"Go on with your case," said Doctor Mary, after a moment's silence.
"Though it isn't really that I want to put a case for myself at all. But
I don't mind owning that I'd like you to understand about it--before I
clear out."
She looked at him questioningly, but put no spoken question. Beaumaroy
sat down on the stool opposite to her, and poked the fire.
"I can't get away from it, can I? There was something else you saw in
the Tower, wasn't there, and I dare say that you connect it with a
conversation that we had together a little while ago? Well, I'll tell you
about that. Oh, well, of course I must, mustn't I?"
"I should like to hear." Her bitterness was gone; he had come now to
the riddle.
"He was a King to himself," Beaumaroy resumed thoughtfully, "but in fact
I was king over him. I could do anything I liked with him. I had him. I
possessed him--by right of conquest. The right of conquest seemed a big
thing to me; it was about the only sort of right that I'd seen anything
of for three years and more.


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