"You
hear it, Tregar? Always--always it comes so in the quietest hours.
Tell him! Tell him! Why should I tell him? What is he to me? I may
not purchase relief at the price of any man's respect. Only Tregar
knows. Hush!--In God's name, hush! Thou shalt not kill! Thou shalt
not kill!" He seemed, without conscious effort, to be repeating the
words of this Voice with which he held this terrible communion, and
waved Tregar back with an imperious gesture of defiance. Facing Mic-co
he flung out his arm.
"I am a murderer in the sight of God and Man!" he choked. "I murdered
my cousin Theodomir for a dream of empire. I can not forget--Oh, God!
I can not forget. The Voice bids me tell!"
He dropped wildly to his knees, his eyes imploring.
"Oh, God!" he prayed with pallid lips, "hear this, my prayer. I have
paid in black hours of bitter suffering. I have played and lost and
the fire of life is but ashes in my hand. Give me peace--peace!"
He stayed so long upon his knees that Tregar touched him gently on the
shoulder.
"Ronador," he said gently. "Come. You are very ill and know not what
you say."
Ronador staggered blindly to his feet. Once more he waved the Baron
aside and took up his terrible dialogue with the inner Voice.
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