He stood it
joyously, in a mood of exultation at his approaching deliverance.
He assured the court that he did not fear the guillotine, and
that all ignominy had been removed from such a death by the pure
blood of Charlotte.
They sentenced him to death, and he thanked them for the boon.
"Forgive me, sublime Charlotte," he exclaimed, "if I should find
it impossible to exhibit at the last the courage and gentleness
that were yours. I glory in your superiority, for it is right
that the adored should be above the adorer."
Yet his courage did not fail him. Far from it, indeed; if hers
had been a mood of gentle calm, his was one of ecstatic
exaltation. At five o'clock that same afternoon he stepped from
the tumbril under the gaunt shadow of the guillotine. He turned
to the people, his eyes bright, a flush on his cheeks.
"At last I am to have the happiness of dying for Charlotte," he
told them, and mounted the scaffold with the eager step of the
bridegroom on his way to the nuptial altar.
*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE HISTORICAL NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENT, SECOND SERIES ***
This file should be named 7hne210.txt or 7hne210.zip
Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 7hne211.
Pages:
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339