giving up; he had a sudden revulsion, a violent repugnance to
his doom.

She loved him still! She had repented for some reason. Oh! why had she
not done so before? What could he do now? For her own sake he must steel
himself to tell her to leave him to his fate; for he knew well that if
the goddess were to discover Matilda's real relations to him, it might
cost his innocent darling her life!

For the moment he rose above his ordinary level. He lost all thought of
self. Let Aphrodite take him if she would, but Matilda must be saved.
"Go away!" he repeated; and his voice was cracked and harsh, under the
strain of doing such violence to his feelings. "Can't you see
you're--you're not wanted? Oh, do go away--while you can!"

Matilda closed the door behind her. "Do you think," she said, catching
her breath painfully, "that I shall go away and leave you with That!"

"Leander," said the statue, "command your sister to depart!"

"I'm _not_ his"--Matilda was beginning impetuously, till the hairdresser
stopped her.

"You _are_!" he cried. "You know you're my sister--you've forgotten it,
that's all.... Don't say a syllable now, do you hear me? She's going,
Lady Venus, going directly!"

"Indeed I'm not," said Matilda, bravely.

"Leave us, maiden!" said the statue. "Your brother is yours no longer,
he is mine. Know you who it is that commands? Tremble then, nor oppose
the will of Aphrodite of the radiant eyes!"

"I never heard of you before," said Matilda, "but I'm not afraid of you.
And, whoever or whatever you are, you shall not take my Leander away
against his will. Do you hear? You could never be allowed to do that!"

The statue smiled with pitying scorn. "His own act has given me the
power I hold," she said, "and assuredly he shall not escape me!"

"Listen," pleaded Matilda; "perhaps you are not really wicked, it is
only that you don't know! The ring he put--without ever thinking what he
was doing--on your finger was meant for mine. It was, really! He is my
lover; give him back to me!"

"Matilda!" shrieked the wretched man, "you don't know what you're doing.
Run away, quick! Do as I tell you!"

"So," said the goddess, turning upon him, "in this, too, you have tried
to deceive me! You have loved--you still love this maiden!"

"Oh, not in that way!" he shouted, overcome by his terror for Matilda.
"There's some mistake. You mustn't pay any attention to what she says:
she's excited. All my sisters get like that whe