'
'It seems that I must bear too much,' answered Marina, growing wroth at
last, and striving to keep back the tears that started to her eyes. 'I
will away and leave you;' and she began to roll up her bundle.
'Forgive her, Marina,' I said hastily, for the desire to escape grew on
me every minute; 'sorrow has set an edge upon her tongue.' Then turning
to Otomie I added, 'I pray you be more gentle, wife, for my sake if not
for your own. Marina is our only hope.'
'Would that she had left us to die in peace, husband. Well, so be it,
for your sake I will put on these garments of a drab. But how shall we
escape out of this place and the camp? Will the door be opened to us,
and the guards removed, and if we pass them, can you walk, husband?'
'The doors will not be opened, lady,' said Marina, 'for those wait
without, who will see that they are locked when I have passed them. But
there will be nothing to fear from the guard, trust to me for it. See,
the bars of this window are but of wood, that sword will soon sever
them, and if you are seen you must play the part of a drunken soldier
being guided to his quarters by a woman. For the rest I know nothing,
save that I run great risk for your sakes, since if it is discovered
that I have aided you, then I shall find it hard to soften the rage of
Cortes, who, the war being won,' and she sighed, 'does not need me now
so much as once he did.
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