A Little Traitor to the South: A War Time Comedy with a Tragic InterludeBrady, Cyrus Townsend
History
A Little Traitor to the South: A War Time Comedy with a Tragic Interlude
Brady, Cyrus Townsend
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
She had an excellent view of his back. The beating of his heart did not
manifest itself outwardly after all. To her gaze he appeared as
impassive, as quiet, as motionless, as if he had been cut out of iron
like the grated bars. It was a most unsatisfactory beginning to what
must prove an important interview. They played at cross purposes
indeed. He had sacrificed himself to save her, she had sacrificed
herself to save him, and here they were both prisoners apparently, and
things were as unsettled as ever!
Poor Fanny Glen was infinitely more surprised at the sight of her lover
than he had been at the sight of her. Not until she had fairly entered
the room and the door had been closed behind her had she realized that
she was not alone, that he was there. She stood rooted to the spot,
waiting to see what he would do. Had he followed his first impulse,
which would have been to sweep her to his breast, he would have found
her unresisting, submissive, acquiescent. The kiss which had been given
her last night still trembled upon her lips. It was for the taking, she
was his for the asking.
Yet his first movement, save for that cold, perfunctory salutation, had
been one of indifference amounting to contempt. He despised her, then;
he hated her. She had brought him to a terrible position. Ah, well, he
would be sorry for her when he learned her reason, and he would be more
sorry for his treatment of her when he learned that he would be free
and she would suffer for it, not he.
There was something very attractive, after all, in her possible
martyrdom. The thought gave her not a little comfort. She was surprised
that Sempland had not been immediately summoned to the general's
presence when she had been put under guard. She supposed, however, that
the delay was due to some military technicality, and she imagined that
the next moment would see him called from the room in her presence. And
she would be left alone, most miserably, forlornly alone to face her
fate.
Being a martyr is certainly a fine thing, but the position loses half
its charm unless people know it. To complete her melancholy
satisfaction, he--and he considered himself the martyr, not she!--must
recognize it. If he would only turn and speak to her. This silence,
this immobility, on his part, was unbearable.
She coughed gently and took a step or two across the floor toward him.
He gave no sign that he heard her. How cruel he was! So despotic, so
determined, so masterful! She abominated a masterful man! She coughed
again, and this time a little more emphatically. Still no attention. It
was discouraging!
There was a small mirror upon the wall of the room. Her eye in
accordance with an instinct feminine, fell swiftly upon it. She lifted
her veil to see how far the experiences she had gone through had
affected her most potent talisman.
"Heavens!" she thought, "what a fright!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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