proceedings she generally came out
victorious with colors flying; or, if she was defeated, she, like
Count Saxe, sold her defeats so dearly that the victor was nigh
ruined.

Francezka kept herself as much as possible from the gaze of the three
hundred and twenty men who were her sole companions on this island.
The only time she showed herself was in the purple evening, when she
would come out upon the terrace and take the air. That was at the hour
when a little time of rest from our labors was given to us. Most of
the men spent it in sleep, but not all of us. Count Saxe always took
the occasion to go upon the terrace and pay Francezka his respects. So
would Gaston Cheverny and a few of the other gentlemen with us. I
never went unless I was sent for, but Francezka seldom let an evening
pass without beckoning to me, or sending for me to speak a few kind
words to me. There was nothing childish about her then. Not the most
experienced lady of the great Paris world could have surpassed her in
dignity. But withal, she was too guileless to conceal wholly her
preference for Gaston Cheverny. They had passed through such
adventures together; they had lived a whole lifetime in those weeks
of wandering, and it was not strange they had much to say to each
other.

At this time, after Francezka had talked with Count Saxe and others a
little, she would retire to her room in the half ruined tower. Then
Gaston would bring his viol and, sitting near her window in the
twilight, would sing to his own accompaniment. The singing helped us
all. It made us forget for a while our solitary and dangerous
situation--for we looked to be fighting for our lives and dying in the
last ditch at any moment. It seemed to make us once more members of
the great human family which lives peaceably and tranquilly, and whose
breath is not war and conquest and defeat and war again.

One of Gaston's favorite songs was that old, old one, _O Richard, O
mon roi, l'univers t'abandonne_. There was some mutual understanding
about this song between Francezka and Gaston Cheverny. They had sung
it together sometimes in those black wastes and wilds where they had
spent their time together. Gaston had several names besides
Gaston--Richard was one of them; so this song appeared to refer
particularly to him. When he sang it I noticed Francezka was always
listening at her window, and although the curtain was drawn, and the
room dark within, there would be some faint sign, s