Marjorie Bowen

“ It was his intention to tear open this tabernacle to wrench from her her treasures and scatter them among blood and ruin; he meant to bring her to utter destruction; not her body, perhaps, but her soul. And this because she had interfered with the one being on earth he cared about—Theirry; not because he hated her for herself.
"How beautiful she is!" he said aloud, almost tenderly.
The last candle fluttered up and sank out; Dirk, lying luxuriously among the cushions, looked into the complete blackness with half-closed eyes. "How beautiful!" he repeated; he felt he could have loved her himself ”

“ Sybilla glanced at the sand clock against the wall. "Yea, it is near midnight. I will come with you."
She put her arm round Jacobea's waist, and smiled backwards over her shoulder at Theirry; so they went, the sound of their garments on the stairs making a faint soft noise; the little cat rose from her cushions, stretched herself, and followed them.
Sebastian picked up the red silk lily that his wife had flung down on the cushions; the candles were guttering to the iron sockets, making the light in the chamber still dimmer, the corners still more deeply obscured with waving shadows. ”

“ Ysabeau answered swiftly. "That you may take the curse off him—for my sin you cast him forth, well, if I leave him, if I accept my punishment, if he be free to find the—woman—who can claim him, your Holiness must absolve him of the excommunication."
"Had you told him to his face of your crime, would he have given you over to our wrath?"
"Nay," she flashed. "It would have been only noble in him to refuse; but since of myself I am come, I pray you, Lord Pope, to send me to death and take the curse off him." ”

“ Michael II. looked at his hand; the stem of the red rose had scratched his finger, and a tiny drop of blood showed on the white flesh. "You are a wicked woman, by your own confession," he said, frowning. ”

“ Michael raised his head and their eyes met. "So you would die for him?"
"When I was a child I was taught that they who live as kings and queens must not look for age—the flame soon burns away, leaving the ashes—and gorgeous years are like the flame; why should we taste the dust that follows? I have lived my life."
He answered: "This shall not save Balthasar, nor take our curse from off him ”

“ He took a bunch of keys from his belt and swung them in his hand.
"Good-night," said Theirry heavily. Dirk smiled, and threw himself into the vacated window-seat. The steward crossed the room to the door by which they had entered; he did not look back, though both were watching him; the door closed after him violently, and they were alone in the vast darkening hall.
"This is fine hospitality," sneered Dirk. "Is there none to light us to our chamber?" ”