at he had often inquired about me; that he had been brought from the
Ohio; and had known of me, having tended the lieutenant of my Virginian
infantry in his last hours. Gabord thought I should now begin to make my
peace with Heaven, and so had asked for the chaplain's Bible, which
was freely given. I bade him thank the chaplain for me, and opening the
book, I found a leaf turned down at the words,

"In the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these
calamities be overpast."

When I was left alone, I sat down to write diligently that history of
myself which I had composed and fixed in my memory during the year of
my housing in this dungeon. The words came from my pen freely, and hour
after hour through many days, while no single word reached me from the
outside world, I wrote on; carefully revising, but changing little from
that which I had taken so long to record in my mind. I would not even
yet think that they would hang me; and if they did, what good could
brooding do? When the last word of the memoirs (I may call them so),
addressed to Alixe, had been written, I turned my thoughts to other
friends.

The day preceding that fixed for my execution came, yet there was no
sign from friend or enemy without. At ten o'clock of that day Chaplain
Wainfleet was admitted to me in the presence of Gabord and a soldier. I
found great pleasure in his company, brief as his visit was; and after
I had given him messages to bear for me to old friends, if we never
met again and he were set free, he left me, benignly commending me
to Heaven. There was the question of my other letters. I had but one
desire--Voban again, unless at my request the Seigneur Duvarney would
come, and they would let him come. If it were certain that I was to go
to the scaffold, then I should not hesitate to tell him my relations
with his daughter, that he might comfort her when, being gone from the
world myself, my love could do her no harm. I could not think that he
would hold against me the duel with his son, and I felt sure he would
come to me if he could.

But why should I not try for both Voban and the Seigneur? So I spoke to
Gabord.

"Voban! Voban!" said he. "Does dickey-bird play at peacock still? Well,
thou shalt see Voban. Thou shalt go trimmed to heaven--aho!"

Presently I asked him if he would bear a message to the Governor,
asking permission for the Seigneur Duvarney to visit me, if he were so
inclined. At his request I wrote my peti