ve you in 杭州桑拿按摩会所 honors.”
“Honors without honor, Madam, I do not covet,” I replied. Then I would have bit my tongue through when I saw the great pallor cross her face at the cruelty of my speech.
“And myself?” she said, spreading out her hands again. “But no! I know you would not taunt me. I know, in spite 杭州足疗网 of what you say, there must be a sacrifice. Well, then, I have made it. I have made my atonement. I say I can give you now, even thus, at least a part of Oregon. I can perhaps give you all of Oregon—to-morrow! The Pakenhams have always dared much to gain their ends. 杭州滨江特殊会所攻略 This one will dare even treachery to his country. To-morrow—if I do not kill him—if I do not die—I can perhaps give you all of Oregon—bought—bought and … paid!” Her voice trailed off into a whisper which seemed loud as a bugle call to me.
“No, you can not give us Oregon,” I answered. 杭州足浴tyfjkj”We are men, not panders. We fight; we do not traffic thus. But you have given me Elisabeth!”
“My rival!” She smiled at me in spite of all. “But no, not my rival. Yes, I have already given you her and given you to her. To do that—to atone, as I said, for my attempt to part you—well, I 杭州按摩你懂的 will give Mr. Pakenham the key that Sir Richard Pakenham of England lately held. I told you a woman pays, body and soul! In what coin fate gave me, I will pay it. You think my morals mixed. No, I tell you I am clean! I have only bought my own peace with my own 杭州萧山区夜网 conscience! Now, at last, Helena von Ritz knows why she was born, to what end! I have a work to do, and, yes, I see it now—my journey to America after all was part of the plan of fate. I have learned much—through you, Monsieur.”
Hurriedly she turned and left me, passing through the heavy 杭州桑拿洋妞 draperies which cut off the room where stood the great satin couch. I saw her cast herself there, her arms outflung. Slow,
deep and silent sobs shook all her body.
“Madam! Madam!” I cried to her. “Do not! Do not! What you have done here is worth a hundred millions of dollars, a hundred thousand of lives, perhaps. Yes, that is true. It means most of Oregon, with honor, and without war. That is true, and it is much. But the price paid—it is more than all this continent is worth, if it cost so much as that Nor shall it!”
Black, with a million pin-杭州水疗爽记 points of red, the world swam around me. Millions of dead souls or souls unborn seemed to gaze at me and my unhesitating rage. I caught up the scroll which bore England’s signature, and with one clutch cast it in two pieces on the floor. As it lay, we gazed at it in silence. Slowly, I 杭州足疗技师输出 saw a great, soft radiance come upon her face. The red pin-points cleared away from my own vision.
CHAPTER XXXIII THE STORY OF HELENA VON RITZ
There is in every true woman’s heart a spark of heavenly fire, which beams and blazes in the dark hours of adversity.—Washington 杭州按摩足疗技师 Irving.
“But Madam; but Madam—” I tried to begin. At last, after moments which seemed to me ages long, I broke out: “But once, at least, you promised to tell me who and what you are. Will you do that now?”
“Yes! yes!” she said. “Now I shall finish the clearing of
