"Let him go!" she sobbed, "and I will marry you. Oh, this is horrible!"
On instant the blue light faded out and a blessed heaven of diminished torture gave me peace.
Belleville took from his breast a naked dagger which he put into the girl's hand. "Strike, then!" he said, "Strike here," and he put his finger on my breast.
The devil proposed to make his innocent victim a murderess. I saw his purpose, and with every atom of my strength I groaned. It was the only warning I could send.
But I had played right into Belleville's hands.
"Hear him implore you!" cried Belleville.
"'Tis only a spirit--and it's the only way," he protested warmly.
Miss Ottley swung around suddenly and drove the dagger at his heart, but he had been expecting it. He caught her wrist and laughed. Then all my anguish recommenced. In the midst of it, made desperate, the girl leaned right across the bed and struck. The blade glanced down upon a rib and deeply pierced my side. Providence, surely, had directed the blow. She withdrew the dagger, then screamed aloud to see it dripping with blood. Belleville caught her in his arms and bore her roughly back. He bent her body on a table until she was as helpless as a dove, then took the blade and drew the horrid thing across her lips; so they were carmined with my blood.
"By this and this you'll remember you are mine," he said, and kissed her lips till his were bloody, too. Then the two stared deep into each other's eyes.
"I've killed his body; you, his soul," said Belleville. "We're well mated, you and I. There--I've no longer any fear you'll hurt yourself. You'll be henceforth too much afraid of him to die."
He let her go, and stood away from her. She swayed erect, then came forward till she stood beside me. I held my very breath for fear that she would hear. I don't know why.
"It is all a trick--a cruel, devilish trick. There's nothing there!" said the girl, her bosom heaving as she spoke.
Belleville laughed like a hyena. "Feel--if you dare!" he cried.
But she took him at his word. Her hands went out and, guided by a dark blotch which, as afterwards I learned she saw, she put them on my wound and drew them swiftly back ensanguined. Then horror settled on her like a black cloud on a mountain top. She turned about with one loud gasping sigh and sank down in a lifeless heap at Belleville's feet.
