human
Mynheer, I said gravely,
gpt
Why, sir, said he,
human
Truly the spirit of the most of them is undaunted, I said;
gpt
Ah! Traitors! said he.
human
Well, we hang a traitor to-morrow, and his fate will teach a wholesome lesson to any that be like-minded.
gpt
It may be that others will hang with him, said I, fixing my eyes upon him.
human
Will you lend me your ear while I relate a story? It chanced that some few weeks ago, being set upon in the country yonder by a troop of Spaniards, I and my little company were only saved by the timely help of certain peasants, whereby we put the enemy to rout. But a man of my party, pursuing them, overtook and slew one of them, and possessed himself of a paper that he carried in his doublet.
gpt
Proceed, sir, said he, smiling.
human
I protest the beginning is very well.
gpt
That paper, I continued, with measured gravity,
human
I hold now in my pocket, together with two others, the which have come into my possession in strange wise since I entered your city; and most strange, they are writ in the selfsame hand as the first. Moreover, they are one and all of the same tenor, to wit, dwelling on the dire straits whereinto this city has fallen, and furnishing hints concerning a party within the walls—a party of one or mayhap two or three—that is plotting to render up the city into the hands of the enemy. While I spoke I fastened my eyes intently upon him, and I saw the fashion of his countenance suffer a change, and in his eyes a look of hate and terror commingled. I went on:—
gpt
Sir, they are simple souls that believe the stars order our lives and destinies, and it were easy to persuade such that a shot, whether it be of silver or of iron, fired under planetary influence, should cast as it were a spell even upon a ruthless foe. Yet methinks their simplicity would suffer a rude shock did they know that a round shot may carry a message, not from the heavens, mystically, but——