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Cooper, James Fenimore, 1789-1851

"The Headsman The Abbaye des Vignerons"

Bernard."
"When thy young dreams are over, fair one, and thou seest the world under
its true colors, thou wilt know that the hearts of men come partly of
Heaven and partly of Hell."
Maso laughed in his most reckless manner as he delivered this opinion.
"'Tis useless to deny that thou hast sympathies," continued the maiden
steadily; "thou hast in secret more pleasure in serving than in injuring
thy race. Thou canst not have been in such straits in company with the
Signor Sigismondo, without imbibing some touch of his noble generosity.
You have struggled together for our common good, you come of the same God,
have the same manly courage, are equally stout of heart, strong of hand,
and willing to do for others. Such a heart must have enough of noble and
human impulses to cause you to love justice. Speak, then, and I pledge our
sacred word, that thou shalt fare better for thy candor than by taking
refuge in thy present fraud. Bethink thee, Maso, that the happiness of
this aged man, of Sigismund himself, if thou wilt, for I blush not to say
it--of a weak and affectionate girl, is in thy keeping.


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