And I, still lying, showed her the pretended fatal words on the pretended
fatal page, and she gazed at them through her tears, and said she could
see herself that they were hateful, ugly words--they "had the very look
of it."

Then we heard a strong voice down the corridor announcing:

"His majesty's messenger--with despatches for her Excellency the
Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of France!"



29 Fierce Talbot Reconsiders

I KNEW she had seen the wisdom of the Tree. But when? I could not know.
Doubtless before she had lately told the King to use her, for that she
had but one year left to work in. It had not occurred to me at the time,
but the conviction came upon me now that at that time she had already
seen the Tree. It had brought her a welcome message; that was plain,
otherwise she could not have been so joyous and light-hearted as she had
been these latter days. The death-warning had nothing dismal about it for
her; no, it was remission of exile, it was leave to come home.

Yes, she had seen the Tree. No one had taken the prophecy to heart which
she made to the King; and for a good reason, no doubt; no one wanted to
take it to heart; all wanted to banish it away and forget it. And all had
succeeded, and would go on to the end placid and comfortable. All but me
alone. I must carry my awful secret without any to help me. A heavy load,
a bitter burden; and would cost me a daily heartbreak. She was to die;