"For he was the cause of all my trouble," he
continued, gloomily. "I've told you, sir, that I was guilty of an
infamous deed once upon a time. If it hadn't been for a miracle I
should have killed a man--the king of men. Ah, well! if Monsieur
Andre had broken his back by falling from a fifth-floor window, my
Coralth would be the Duc de Champdoce to-day. And shall he be
allowed to ride about in his carriage, and deceive and ruin honest
people? No--there are too many such villains at large for public
safety. Wait a little, Coralth--I owe you something, and I always
pay my debts. When M. Andre saved me, though I richly deserved to
have my throat cut, he made no conditions. He only said, 'If you
are not irredeemably bad you will be honest after this.' And he
said these words as he was lying there as pale as death with his
shoulder broken, and his body mangled from his fall. Great
heavens! I felt smaller than--than nothing before him. But I
swore that I would do honor to his teachings--and when evil
thoughts enter my mind, and when I feel a thirst for liquor, I say
to myself, 'Wait a bit, and--and M. Andre will take a glass with
you.' And that quenches my thirst instantly. I have his portrait
at home, and every night, before going to bed, I tell him the
history of the day--and sometimes I fancy that he smiles at me.
All this is very absurd, perhaps, but I'm not ashamed of it.
Pages:
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232