president of the United States. It is not seemly. My profession
should free me, by its very nature, from conversation such as this.
My errand should free me. My place as a gentleman should free me,
and her, from such discussion. It must, it shall, sir!"

"Forgive me," said Dunwody, coloring. "Your rebuke is just. I ask
your pardon freely; but remember, what I say here is between us
two, and no one else. Why deny yourself the luxury of remembering
such a game as that? It was a man's game, and well worth the
playing. Your former head of the army, at least, lost; and he
paid. The other won. All Ogdensburg can tell you about that
to-day. They lived there--together--Parish and the woman, till he
went abroad. Yes, and she was a prisoner there not simply for a
short time; she lived and died there. Whatever Parish did, whoever
he was, he never loved any other woman as he did that one. And by
the Lord! when it comes to that, no other woman in that town ever
was loved more than she by everybody. Odd creatures, women, eh?
Who can find them out? Who can weigh them, who can plumb their
souls? But, my God! who can do without them?"

Carlisle made no answer, and Dunwody went on. "She had political
intrigues back of her, just as this woman here has, for all I know.
But one lost in that game, and the other, won. I've often wondered
about that particular game of cards, my friend,--whether after all
she loved the man who won her, right or wrong,--what became of
her,--who she was? But now, tell me, was not our drunken friend
right? Has human nature changed since Rome? And has not the
conqueror always ruled? Have not the _spolia opima_, the rarest
prizes, always been his?"