"Traverse," said Herbert, solemnly taking the hand of his friend, "were
you caught sleeping on your post?"
"Ah, sleeping like death, Herbert."
Herbert dropped the hand of his friend, covered his face with his own,
and groaned aloud, "He could not help it!"
"I told you that they had resolved upon my death, Herbert. I told you
that I should be pushed into a shameful grave!"
"Oh, no, no, the Lord forbid! But tell me all about it, Traverse, that
I may understand and know how to proceed," said Herbert, in a broken
voice.
"Well, I need not tell you how I have been insulted, oppressed and
persecuted by those two men, for you know that already."
"Yes, yes!"
"It really soon became apparent to me that they were resolved, if
possible, to exasperate me to desert, to retort, or to commit some
other fatal act of insubordination or violence. Yet, for the sake of my
dear mother and of Clara, I did violence only to my own natural
manhood, and bore it all with the servility of a slave."
"With the submission of a saint, dear Traverse; and in doing so you
followed the divine precept and example of Our Saviour, who, when
accused, railed upon and buffeted, 'opened not his mouth.' And in His
forbearance, dear Traverse, there was as much of God-like dignity as
there was of saintly patience. Great self-respect is as often
manifested in forbearance as in resentment," said Herbert, soothingly.
"But you see it availed me nothing. Here I am, under a charge to which
I plead guilty, and the penalty of which is--death!" replied Traverse,
in despair.
"Tell me how it was, Traverse. Your persecutions and your patience I
knew before, but what are the circumstances that led to your present
position? That your misfortune is the result of a concerted plan on the
part of Le Noir and his tool, I partly see, but I wish you to put me in
possession of all the facts, that I may see in what manner I may be
able to assist you."
"Ah, Herbert, I thank you, most faithful of friends, but I doubt
whether you can assist me in any other manner than in being kind to my
poor mother and my dear Clara when I am gone--for ah, old playmate, the
act can be too surely proved upon me, and the penalty is certain--and
it is death!" said the poor boy, deeply sighing.
Herbert groaned, and said: "But tell me, at least, the history of the four days preceding your
arrest."