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three years； and am still alive to tell the tale。〃
〃But you are stronger both in mind and body；〃 said Sigismund； 〃and
you are not madly in love as I am。〃
And then he would pour forth a rhapsody about Gertrude； and about
English life； and about his hopes and fears for the future； to all of which
Valerian； like the brave fellow he was； replied with words of
encouragement。
But at length there came a day when his friend made no answer to his
usual morning greeting。
〃Are you ill？〃 he asked。
For some time there was no reply； but after a while Sigismund rapped
faintly the despairing words：…
〃Dead beat！〃
Valerian felt the tears start to his eyes。 It was what he had all along
expected； and for a time grief and indignation and his miserable
helplessness made him almost beside himself。 At last he remembered
that there was at least one thing in his power。 Each day he was escorted
by a warder to a tiny square； walled off in the exercising ground； and was
allowed to walk for a few minutes； he would take this opportunity of
begging the warder to get the doctor for his friend。
But unfortunately the doctor did not think very seriously of Zaluski's
case。 In that dreary prison he had patients in the last stages of all kinds
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of disease； and Sigismund； who had been in confinement too short a time
to look as ill as the others； did not receive much attention。 Certainly； the
doctor admitted； his lungs were affected； probably the sudden change of
climate and the lack of good food and fresh air had been too much for him；
so the solemn farce ended； and he was left to his fate。 〃If I were indeed a
Nihilist； and suffered for a cause which I had at heart；〃 he telegraphed to
Valerian； 〃I could bear it better。 But to be kept here for an imaginary
offence； to bear cold and hunger and illness all to no purposethat beats
me。 There can't be a God； or such things would not be allowed。〃
〃To me it seems；〃 said Valerian； 〃that we are the victims of violated
law。 Others have shown tyranny； or injustice； or cruelty； and we are the
victims of their sin。 Don't say there is no God。 There must be a God to
avenge such hideous wrong。〃
So they spoke to each other through their prison wall as men in the
free outer world seldom care to speak； and I； who knew no barriers；
looked now on Valerian's gaunt figure； and brave but prematurely old face；
now on poor Zaluski； who； in his weary imprisonment； had wasted away
till one could scarcely believe that he was indeed the same lithe； active
fellow who had played tennis at Mrs。 Courtenay's garden…party。
Day and night Valerian listened to the terrible cough which came from
the adjoining cell。 It became perfectly apparent to him that his friend
was dying； he knew it as well as if he had seen the burning hectic flush on
his hollow cheeks； and heard the panting； hurried breaths； and watched the
unnatural brilliancy of his dark eyes。
At length he thought the time had come for another sort of comfort。
〃My friend；〃 he said one day； 〃it is too plain to me now that you are
dying。 Write to the procurator and tell him so。 In some cases men have
been allowed to go home to die。〃
A wild hope seized on poor Sigismund； he sat down to the little table
in his cell and wrote a letter to the procuratora letter which might almost
have drawn tears from a flint。 Again and again he passionately asserted
his innocence； and begged to know on what evidence he was imprisoned。
He began to think that he could die content if he might leave this terrible
cell； might be a free agent once more； if only for a few days。 At least he
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might in that case clear his character； and convince Gertrude that his
imprisonment had been all a hideous mistake； nay； he fancied that he
might live through a journey to England and see her once again。
But the procurator would not let him be set free； and refused to believe
that his case was really a serious one。
Sigismund's last hope left him。
The days and weeks dragged slowly on； and when； according to
English reckoning； New Year's Eve arrived； he could scarcely believe that
only seventeen weeks ago he had actually been with Gertrude； and that
disgrace and imprisonment had seemed things that could never come near
him； and death had been a far…away possibility； and life had been full of
bliss。
As I watched him a strong desire seized me to revisit the scenes of
which he was thinking； and I winged my way back to England； and soon
found myself in the drowsy； respectable streets of Muddleton。
It was New Year's Eve； and I saw Mrs。 O'Reilly preparing presents for
her grandchildren； and talking； as she tied them up； of that dreadful
Nihilist who had deceived them in the summer。 I saw Lena Houghton；
and Mr。 Blackthorne； and Mrs。 Milton…Cleave； kneeling in church on that
Friday morning； praying that pity might be shown 〃upon all prisoners and
captives； and all that are desolate or oppressed。〃
It never occurred to them that they were responsible for the sufferings
of one weary prisoner； or that his death would be laid at their door。
I flew to Dulminster； and saw Mrs。 Selldon kneeling in the cathedral at
the late evening service and rigorously examining herself as to the
shortcomings of the dying year。 She confessed many things in a vague；
untroubled way； but had any one told her that she had cruelly wronged her
neighbour； and helped to bring an innocent man to shame； and prison； and
death； she would not have believed the accusation。
I sought out Mark Shrewsbury。 He was at his chambers in Pump
Court working away with his type…writer； he had a fancy for working the
old year out and the new year in； and now he was in the full swing of that
novel which had suggested itself to his mind when Mrs。 Selldon described
the rich and mysterious foreigner who had settled down at Ivy Cottage。
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Most happily he laboured on； never dreaming