Timon looked sharply at Nikander, or did Nikander fancy it? Nikander had much ado to keep himself steady and unmoved. He hastily changed the subject.
“Yes, they were good oracles. But the girl is breaking too fast under the ecstasy. That, of course, would make me wish to have her cease prophesying. But that is not all. I would not let mere personal feelings sway me. You know that, Timon.”
“Yes.”
“Theria had a vision on the mountain. You have no doubt of that, have you?”
Timon assented. To the Greek this was easy of belief. Timon had seen Theria in her state of trance. He had seen her yesterday, and even then the expression of her face showed the vision state through which she had passed. Yes, yes, Theria had seen a vision.
“She has lately told me more about it,” pursued Nikander. “Apollo spoke to her. She has told me the words of the god and I have written them down.”
With a hand he could not keep from trembling Nikander brought forth the tablet.
Timon read it slowly, as Greeks were wont to read. Again he read it. “No priestess of mine art thou.—Begone from my temple.—Nay, for I love thee—thou hast sung at my bidding.”
“Was all this in it when you spoke of this before?” asked Timon seriously.
“Yes, the same.”