I would have died for you
"It is for you to speak, my betrothed: are you married?"The poor creature, true to her nature, was thinking more of him thanherself. Even in her despair it flashed across her, "If he knewall, he too would be wretched for life. If I let him think ill ofme he may be happy one day." She cowered the picture of sorrow andtongue-tied guilt.
"Are you a wife?""Yes."He winced and quivered as if a bullet had pierced him.
"This is how I came to be suspected; she I loved was false.""Yes, Camille.""No, no!" cried Rose; "don’t believe HER: she never suspected you.
We have brought her to this, we alone.""Be silent, Rose! oh, be silent!" gasped Josephine.
"I lived for you: I would have died for you; you could not even waitfor me."A low moan, but not a word of excuse.
"What can I do for you now?""Forget me, Camille," said she despairingly, doggedly.
"Forget you? never, never! there is but one thing I can do to showyou how I loved you: I will forgive you, and begone. Whither shallI go? whither shall I go now?""Camile, your words stab her.""Let none speak but I," said Camille; "none but I have the right tospeak. Poor weak angel that loved yet could not wait: I forgiveyou. Be happy, if you can; I bid you be hap-py."The quiet, despairing tones died away, and with them life seemed toend to her, and hope to go out. He turned his back quickly on her.
He cried hoarsely, "To the army! Back to the army, and a soldier’sgrave!" Then with a prodigious effort he drew himself haughtily upin marching attitude. He took three strides, erect and fiery andbold.
At the next something seemed to snap asunder in the great heart, andthe worn body that heart had held up so long, rolled like a dead logupon the ground with a tremendous fall.
Chapter 11
The baroness and Aubertin were just getting out of their carriage,when suddenly they heard shrieks of terror in the Pleasaunce. Theycame with quaking hearts as fast as their old limbs would carrythem. They found Rose and Josephine crouched over the body of aman, an officer.
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