He hated America--he distrusted the
whole democratic idea. It was that which pointed his anger against
you--that you should have chosen to live here."
"Then when I saw him at Geneva--that last interview--he told me that
Karl's statement had been stolen, and he had his spies abroad looking for
the thieves. He was very bitter against me. It was only a few hours
before he was killed, as a part of the Winkelried conspiracy. He had
given his life for Austria. He told me never to see him again--never to
claim my own name until I had done something for Austria. And I went to
Vienna and knelt in the crowd at his funeral, and no one knew me, and it
hurt me, oh, it hurt me to know that he had grieved for me; that he had
wanted a son to carry on his own work, while I had grown away from the
whole idea of such labor as his. And now--"
He faltered, his hoarse voice broke with stress of feeling, and his
pallor deepened.
"It was not my fault--it was really not my fault! I did the best I could,
and, by God, I've got them in the room there where they can't do any
harm!--and Dick Claiborne, you are the finest fellow in the world, and
the squarest and bravest, and I want to take your hand before I go to
sleep; for I'm sick--yes, I'm sick--and sleepy--and you'd better haul
down that flag over the door--it's treason, I tell you!--and if you see
Shirley, tell her I'm John Armitage--tell her I'm John Armitage, John
Arm--"
The room and its figures rushed before his eyes, and as he tried to stand
erect his knees crumpled under him, and before they could reach him he
sank to the floor with a moan.
Pages:
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362