de La Tour
d'Azyr accepted it.
"God keep you, Gervais," she murmured. "You will take the
safe-conduct, and... and you will let me know when you are safe?"
He held her face between his hands an instant; then very gently
kissed her and put her from him. Standing erect, and outwardly calm
again, he looked across at Andre-Louis who was proffering him a
sheet of paper.
"It is the safe-conduct. Take it, monsieur. It is my first and
last gift to you, and certainly the last gift I should ever have
thought of making you - the gift of life. In a sense it makes us
quits. The irony, sir, is not mine, but Fate's. Take it, monsieur,
and go in peace."
M. de La Tour d'Azyr took it. His eyes looked hungrily into the
lean face confronting him, so sternly set. He thrust the paper
into his bosom, and then abruptly, convulsively, held out his hand.
His son's eyes asked a question.
"Let there be peace between us, in God's name," said the Marquis
thickly.
Pity stirred at last in Andre-Louis. Some of the sternness left
his face.
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