d shrilly:
"This--this--away with the golden trash! With the bridal dowry of the
family rejected, and once more free, the base fool thinks she would be
like the captive fox that gnawed the rope! Oh, this age, these people!
And this, this is the haughty, strong Ledscha, the daughter of the
Biamites, who--there stands the blind girl--deceiver!--who so admirably
avenged herself?"

Here her voice failed, and Hermon began to speak to assure her that she
understood Ledscha's wish aright. Then he asked her for a token by which
she acknowledged the receipt of the gold, which he handed her in a stout
linen bag.

But his purpose was not fulfilled, for suddenly, flaming with passionate
wrath, she thrust the purse aside, groaning: "Not an obol of the
accursed destruction of souls shall come back to Hanno, nor even into
the family store. Until his heart and hers stop beating, the most
indissoluble bond will unite both. She desires to ransom herself from
a lawful marriage concluded by her father, as if she were a captive of
war; perhaps she even wants to follow another. Hanno, brave lad, was
ready to go to death for her sake, and she rewards him by bringing
shame on his head and disgrace on us all. Oh, these times, this world!
Everything that is inviolable and holy trampled in the dust! But they
are not all so! In spite of Grecian infidelity, marriage is still
honoured among our people. But she who mocks what is sacred, and
tramples holy customs under foot, shall be accursed, execrated, given
over to want, hunger, disease, death!"

With rattling breath and closed eyes she leaned farther back against the
cushions that supported her; but Bias, in their common language, tried
to soothe her, and informed her that, though Ledscha had probably run
away from her husband, she had by no means renounced her vengeance. He
was bringing two talents with him to place in the Temple of Nemesis.

"Of Nemesis?" repeated the old dame. Then she tried to raise herself
and, as she constantly sank back again, Bias aided her. But she had
scarcely recovered her sitting posture when she gasped to the freedman:
"Nemesis, who helped, and is to continue to help her to destroy her foe?
Well, well! Five talents--a great sum, a great sum! But the more the
better! To Nemesis with them, to Ate and the Erinyes! The talons of the
avenging goddess shall tear the beautiful face, the heart, and the liver
of the accursed one! A twofold malediction on her who has wronge