FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  
t bounds to the hypocrisy and the mendacity and the pertinacity of woman, but, after another conversation with Petronilla, I am shaken in my belief that she still holds her prisoners. She may, in truth, have surrendered them. What makes me inclined to think it, is the fierceness with which she now turns on _me_, accusing me of the whole plot from the first. That, look you, would be sweet revenge to a woman defeated. Why,' he added, with a piercing but kindly look, 'do you hide from me that she sought to persuade you of my treachery? Is it, O Basil, because you feared lest she spoke the truth?' Flushing under that honest gaze, Basil sprang up and seized his friend's hand. Tears came into his eyes as he avowed the truth and entreated pardon. 'It was only because misery has made me all but mad. Nay, I _knew_ that she lied, but I could not rest till I had the assurance of it from your own lips. You think, then, dearest Marcian, that Veranilda is lost to me for ever? You believe it is true that she is already on the way to Constantinople?' Marcian hoped it with all his heart, for with the disappearance of Veranilda this strange, evil jealousy of his would fade away; and he had many reasons for thinking that the loss of his Gothic love would be the best thing that could happen to Basil. At the same time, he felt his friend's suffering, and could not bring himself to inflict another wound. 'If so,' he replied, 'the Greek has less confidence in me than I thought, and I must take it as a warning. It may be. On the other hand, there is the possibility that Petronilla's effrontery outwits us all. Of course she has done her best to ruin both of us, and perhaps is still trying to persuade Bessas that you keep Veranilda in hiding, whilst I act as your accomplice. If this be the case, we shall both of us know the smell of a prison before long, and perchance the taste of torture. What say you? Shall we wait for that chance, or speed away into Campania, and march with the king against Neapolis?' Though he smiled, there was no mistaking Marcian's earnestness. For the moment he had shaken off his visions of Tartarus, and was his saner self once more. 'If I knew that she has gone!' cried Basil wretchedly. 'If I knew!' 'So you take your chance?' 'Listen! You speak of prison, of torture. Marcian, can you not help, me to capture that woman, and to get from her the truth?' Basil's face grew terrible as he spoke. He quivere
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129  
130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Marcian
 

Veranilda

 

prison

 

shaken

 

friend

 
Petronilla
 
persuade
 

chance

 
torture
 

hiding


inflict

 

Bessas

 
thought
 

warning

 
confidence
 

replied

 
suffering
 
outwits
 

possibility

 

effrontery


visions

 

Tartarus

 

moment

 

mistaking

 

earnestness

 

capture

 

Listen

 

wretchedly

 

smiled

 

Though


perchance

 
quivere
 

accomplice

 

terrible

 

Neapolis

 
Campania
 

whilst

 
piercing
 

kindly

 
defeated

revenge
 

Flushing

 
honest
 
feared
 

sought

 

treachery

 
accusing
 

conversation

 
belief
 

pertinacity