Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-11
Why. it's my own wine, thenr cried.

Why, it,s my own wine thenr' I cried.
0He spoke thf truth, did he?" pursued
M de Perrencourt, composedly. 1T is your
WIN" i!re sent by yoY to Mr. Darrellg"
rens wine was out, and 1 sent him some
bottles of mime by his servant.
You knew for what he needed it?'
had foggottVn for the moment what
Robert said, and hesitated in my answer.
NJ. de Perrencourt looked intently at me.
= think said I, that Robert told me
h Mn Darrell e1pfs'@d the king to sup with
He told you that?" he asked. sharply.
Yes, l remember that said !, now thor
oughly beWildered by the history and the
catechism (which Sc emed necessary to an
act so simple as drinking a glass of my
own wine.
M. de Pefrencourt said nothing more but
ms eyes were still set on my face, with a
puzzled, searching expression. His glance
confused me. and looked round the table
O1ten at such moments the merest trif1es
eaten our attention, and now for the first
time observed that a little of the wine
had been spilled on the polished oak of the
table, and where it had fallen the bright
surface seemed rusted to dull brown I
n0tlced the change and wondered for an
pollshed table dull. The thing was driven
from my head the next moment by a brief
ana marsh order from the king.
Drink, sir drink
L
the order, and spilled some Of the wine
from the cup on my hand. I felt strange
burning where it fell, but again the king
cried, Drink sir'
1 hesltated no more Recalling INV wan
dering wits, and determining to play my
part in the comedy, whatever it might
mean, bowed. cried God save your maj
esty, and raised the cup to my lips. AS it
touched them 1 saw madame hide her eyes
win her hand. and M. de Perrencourt lean
further across the table, while a short,
quick gasp of breath came from where
Darrell stood by my side.
l knew how to take off a bumper of wine.
No sippings and swallowiEgs for me. 1
laid my tongue well down in the bottom
of my mouth that the liquor might have
fair passage, and threw my head back as
you see hen do lin thanks to heaven,
they say, though she drinks only water).
Then l tilted the cup, and my mouth was
full of the wine. was conscious of a taste
in it, strange, acrid taste. Why, 1t was
poor wine, turned sour; it should go back
tomorrow; that fool Jonah was a fool in all
things; and l stood disgraced for offering
this acrid stuff to friend And he gave 1t
to the king! 1t was the cruelest chance.
Why
Suddenly. when I had gulped down but
one good mouthful, 1 saw NJ. de Perren-
court lean right across the table. Yet saw
him dimly, for my eyes seemed to grow
glazed and the room to spin round me, the
figures at the table taking strange shapes
and weird dim faces, and singing sound
there, and not on Dover beach. There was
woman's cry, and a mans arm shot out
at me. l felt sharp blow on my wrist,
the cup was dashed from my hand on to
the stone floor. breaking into ten thousand
pieces, while the wine made puddle al my
feet. i stood there for an instant struck
motionless, glazing into the face that was
opposite to mine. 1t was NJ. de Perren-
courts, no longer calm. but pale and twitch-
ing. This was the last thing l saw clear
ly. The king and his companions were
fused in a shifting mass of trunks and
faces, the walls raced round, the singing of
the sea roared and fretted in my ears. l
caught my hand to my brow and staggered.
l could not stand 1 heard clatter as
though Of sword falling to the floor,
arms were stretched out to receive me, and
l sank into them, hearing a murmur close
by me, Simon, Simon!"
Yet one thing more I heard before my
senses left me, loud, proud, imperious
voice. the voice THAT speaks to be obeyed,
whose assertion brooks no contradiction.
1t rang in my ears where nothing else
could reach them, and even then 1 knew
whence it came The voice was the voice of
NJ. de Perrencourt, and it seemed that he
spoke to the king of England.
Brother" he cried, by my faith in
God this gentleman Is innocent. and his
life is on our heads if he lose it,
l heard no more. Stupor yelled me round
In an impenetrable mist. The figures van
tshed, the tumultuous singing ceased. A
great silence encompassed me, and all was
gone. q z