The clutch which I had
made to save myself in falling had torn away this chin-band and let the
lower jaw drop on the breast; but little else was disturbed, and there
was Colonel John Mohune resting as he had been laid out a century ago. I
lifted that portion of the lid which had been left behind, and reached
over to see if there was anything hid on the other side of the body; but
had scarce let the light fall in the coffin when my heart gave a great
bound, and all fear left me in the flush of success, for there I saw what
I had come to seek.
On the breast of this silent and swathed figure lay a locket, attached to
the neck by a thin chain, which passed inside the linen bandages. A
whiter portion of the flannel showed how far the beard had extended, but
locket and chain were quite black, though I judged that they were made of
silver. The shape of this locket was not unlike a crown-piece, only three
times as thick, and as soon as I set eyes upon it I never doubted but
that inside would be found the diamond.
It was then that a great pity came over me for this thin shadow of man;
thinking rather what a fine, tall gentleman Colonel Mohune had once been,
and a good soldier no doubt besides, than that he had wasted a noble
estate and played traitor to the king. And then I reflected that it was
all for the bit of flashing stone, which lay as I hoped within the
locket, that he had sold his honour; and wished that the jewel might
bring me better fortune than had fallen to him, or at any rate, that it
might not lead me into such miry paths.
Pages:
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75