THE SEVEN CROSSES OF TIVERTON, followed
To terms
!
tlie
95
most hard and unjust, and (no
longer treated with courtesy) to which she was rather commanded than solicited to accede, in these words, " Sign this," as the
Baron La Zouch spread the written parchment
before her on the table, placed the ink-horn
by
its side,
with his rough and gauntleted hand her slender
seized
and put into them a pen, and with
fingers,
his rude grasp
endeavoured to make her write her name. But she stoutly resisted, saying, " What is it you would have me sign?" *'
The
resignation of this castle and
me, the rightful owner; a resignation
now *'
its
its
dependencies to
for ever;
am
I not
master?"
I will
never sign
it," said
" I will never
the Countess.
my son, now absent, so great a wrong, though by his own generous act, he has made the castle mine. He gave do
it,
and
to him, as its rightful lord, shall
death.
I will
"
You
"
I
return at
my
refuse to do so
then?" said the Baron.
do and firmly," replied the Countess.
Your
fate
then
is
no tales,
let
what
this castle.
will be acted in
have they heard, but
La Zouch. " You Madam, they will tell
sealed," exclaimed
have deep dungeons in
I will
it
not sign the paper."
them.
may be not the
last.
Many a
death-groan
Obdurate woman,
myself see you safely lodged, where your body, like
your pride, may find
With
itself
brought low before the morning.
the utmost fury he sprang
a wild animal springs upon
its
upon the Countess,
helpless prey.
With
as
his
iron grasp he held both her wrists in his hands, and com-
menced dragging her
across the
room towards the
door^ as