"Miscreant! Ay, indeed, miscreant!" retorted the Jew; "but how will they call you who bribed me to these enormities?"
"Rascal of a Jew! who will believe you?"
"They are sure to believe me. Viola has said what I say, and nobody can doubt it!"
"You must revoke all you have said. I'll bring other witnesses to whom you must say that they bribed you to give false testimony."
"I will not revoke a word of what I have said—not a single word——"
"How dare you, Jew——"
"Don't threaten me! Your promises and threats cannot affect me now. This very night will remove me from your jurisdiction. But you," added he, with a convulsive effort—"You who seduced me and abandoned me to my despair—you, Lady Rety, will find your judge. I've dreamed of it. I see it now! I see you standing by the side of the executioner. He has a large glittering sword. Tzifra, too, is there, and Catspaw, and a crowd of people. They tie you down upon the chair——"
His voice sunk down to an indistinct murmur, and his hand, which still clasped Lady Rety's fingers, held them with a cold and clammy grasp. She tore it away, and, rushing past the nurse, she hastened to her apartments.
She rang for her maid.
"Give me a glass of water!" said she.