"This execution will be noised everywhere," continued Guillem. "I shall take care of that. And then every man will have a wholesome dread of me, and a fear of resisting me." "Not my son Jean," retorted Ogier. "Your son Jean comes next," said the Captain. "I shall deal with him presently." "You must catch him first," said Ogier. "Take the prisoner to the hold!" shouted Guillem. Then the two jailers laid their hands on the shoulders of Ogier del' Peyra. "You need not drag me. I can walk," said the old man. Those crowding the close and narrow dungeon fell back, as well as they were able, to make a passage for the condemned man. He was taken to the well-mouth and seated on it, with his face towards the door, through which glimpses of sunlight were visible athwart the heads that filled the opening. Ogier had been divested of his jerkin. He was in his shirt and breeches and boots. As the Captain had bidden that his belt should be left him, this had been refastened about his waist, after that his coat had been removed. In order to divest him of his outer garments it had been necessary for the jailers to remove the handcuffs that had fastened his arms behind his back. "Cursed smoke!" said Guillem. "We are smothered in the fume. Stand aside all of you and let the fresh air enter, that we may breathe. Hearken, Ogier! Will you yet ask life of me?" At Guillem's command the men had stepped forth and completely cleared the entrance, so that the brilliant sunlight flowed in as well as the pure air. And this light fell directly on the man who was soon to be excluded for ever from it. He was seated on the well-mouth in his white shirt. His face was as grey as the thick hair of his beard. He was conscious that he was looking for the last time at the light. He could see intense blue sky, and one fleecy cloud in it. He could see the green turf, and some yellow tansies standing against a bit of wall in shade, the tansies in full sunlight; and he could see a red admiral butterfly hovering about them. It was marvellous how, with death before him, he could yet distinguish so much. But he looked at everything with a sort of greed, because he saw all these things for the last time. For the first and only moment in his life he saw that a red admiral was beautiful, that the sky was beautiful, the grass beautiful. "You have not answered me," said Le Gros Guillem, sneering. "Messire Ogier, will you yet ask life of me?" "If you were in my hands, as I am in yours, would you ask that question?" Le Gros Guillem paused one moment. Then with an oath-- "No!" "Nor I of you," said Ogier gravely.