call thee strange!" Marius said low in her ear.
"Did one not know the facts of the case he might well count thee as good
a player as himself."

Varia wrenched her hands from his and sat up. So swift was her motion
that he had let her go before he knew it. She put her hands to her
temples.

"But I have played this game before!" she cried, unheeding him. "I know
now--oh, I know now! Thou wilt tell me that I am beautiful, and that
thou lovest me, and thou wilt say that all is not well with thee for the
pain thou hast. And I will stroke thy head to ease the pain, as
sometimes my lord father will have me do. That is how the game goes. And
Marcus comes and tries to play as he came before; he was the third, as
thou hast told, who wished that he had not. But it should be in the
garden; it was in the garden before!"

"Now what is this raving?" Marius exclaimed, wholly uncomprehending. He
tried to take her again, but she slid off the couch and escaped him. He
pursued and caught her, but instead of the passive yielding he expected,
he met resistance which was unlooked-for.

"No! I'll have no more!" she cried. "Let me go--I do not wish to play
this game with thee! Always he stops when I bid him--thou must do the
same. I do not like this thy way. He is not rough, but gentle, and I do
not fear him. Oh, let me go!"

"Thou hast played this game before, then?" said Marius. "Be still, girl!
I'll not hurt thee, but I will not let thee go. Is there more in this
than I had fancied? Are thy words mere idle raving? By the gods, I think
not! Answer me what questions I shall ask, and I'll let thee go, not
sooner. I have a mind to know the truth of this!"

She stood still, half in tears, breathing fast, like a frightened child.

"Hast thou played this game before?" Marius asked.

"Ay," she murmured, like a child brought to task, and tried again to
release herself as though to escape punishment.

"With a man didst thou play it?"

"Ay, with a man."

"What man?"

She ceased her futile efforts to escape, and wrung her hands helplessly.

"I will not tell! He said that if my lord father knew it he would be
displeased!" she wept.

"I think it likely that he would," said Marius, grimly. "But to tell me
would not be telling him. It may be that I can help thee. There, never
cry like that! Am I not thy friend?"

"I know not!" she sobbed. "Oh, I am frightened! Let me go, I pray thee!"

"Tell me first!" Marius persisted. He cast a hasty g