e to me,' the antidote must be administered before
four-and-twenty hours have elapsed since the poison was swallowed, and
then, still twenty-four hours later, the antidote must be used for the
second time.' Gabriel, my best-beloved, now is the most perilous hour of
my life, and I have loosened the seal which my father pressed upon my
lips. I have the antidote for the inflammatory powder."

"Ah, Rebecca, and you will give it to me?" asked Gabriel, seizing both her
hands and looking into her lovely face with beaming eyes.

She slowly and solemnly shook her head. "You are a Christian," she said.
"I have sworn to my father that no Christian should touch the precious
treasure, that no hands but my own should apply the remedy he intrusted to
me. Gabriel, out of love for me you gave the Prince into the jaws of
death. Out of love for you I shall restore him to life."

"Rebecca!" he cried, "how will you do it--how can you accomplish it? Only
from your hands the Prince is to receive life? That means, you will
yourself apply the remedy? You will go to him? You would return to the
city, venture into the castle? Know you not that Schwarzenberg has his
spies everywhere; that every lackey in the castle is bribed by him and in
his interests; that he knows what happens there night and day? Do you not
know that, Rebecca? Did you not yourself often tell me so, when you
visited the castellan's wife, who loved you, because she, too, was a
Venetian, and could speak her native language with you. Did she not tell
you in confidence that Count Schwarzenberg was her real lord and master,
and that she herself every morning repeated to the count's secretary all
that came under her observation in the castle? And now would you venture
into that castle, that den of lions!"

"Did not Daniel venture into the lion's den, and the wild beasts touched
him not?" cried she. "Why should I fear, since my work is holy and pure as
Daniel's was?"

"I shall not suffer it. I shall cling to you and hold you back."

"Gabriel Nietzel, bethink you of the oath you swore upon our child's head.
You will do what I require of you! This you swore. Will you break your
oath?"

"No, Rebecca," he said mournfully. "Command--I shall obey."

"I shall return to the city," continued Rebecca. "Old Benjamin Cohen will
hospitably entertain me and provide me with a safe hiding place. By night
I shall go to the castle, and make sure that no one will detain me, no one
will recognize