broken nails. The Governor
General disliked these appeals to the All Highest. Indeed, in most
cases executions that were intended to take place were only
announced at the same time as the condemnation, to obviate the worry
of these appeals. Besides, he knew the Emperor had left that morning
for Charleville, after having bestowed several decorations on the
police officials who told him they had just frustrated an English
plot for his assassination.

Vivie and Bertie were at length alone, for the police agent was
bored, couldn't understand their talk, and gave himself an afternoon
off. In this prison of Saint-Gilles, the cells were in many ways
superior to those of English prisons. They were well lit through a
long window, not so high up but that by standing on a chair you
could look out on the prison garden. Through this window the rays of
the sun could penetrate into and light up the cell. There was no
unpleasant smell--one of the horrors of Holloway. The floor was a
polished parquet. The bed was comfortable. There was a table, even a
book-shelf. The toilet arrangements were in no way repulsive or
obvious.

Vivie insisted on Bertie lying down on the bed; she would sit on the
chair by his side. He must be so exhausted....

"And what about _you_, miss? I'll lay you ain't slept these last
three nights. _What_ a mess I've made of the 'ole thing!"

"Bertie! _Why_ did you do this? _Why_ did you risk your life to come
here; _oh why, oh why_?" wailed Vivie.

"Because I loved you, because I've always loved you, better'n any
one else on earth--since I was a boy of fourteen and you spoke so
kind to me and encouraged me to get on and improve myself; and giv'
me books, and encouraged me about me cricket. I suppose I'm going to
die, so I ain't got any shame about tellin' you all this. Though if
I thought I was goin' to live, I'd cut my tongue out sooner'n offend
you--Oh,"--he gave a kind of groan--"When the news come about Mrs.
Warren bein' dead an' you p'raps without money and at the mercy of
these Germans ... well!--all I wonder at is I didn't steal an
airyplane, and come in that. I tell you I had to exercise great
self-control to stay week after week fiddling with the food
distribution and pretendin' to be an American....

"Well! There it is! We must all die sooner or later. It's a wonder I
ain't dead already. I've bin in some tight places since I come out
for the Y.M.C.A....

"And talkin' about the Y.M.C.A., miss, I d