"Victoria," Tetrik replied calmly, "listen to the advice of an old man, who once was and still is your best friend. It is an easy thing to accuse a man, but to prove his crime is a more difficult affair—"
"Hold your tongue, detestable hypocrite!" cried Victoria angrily. "Drive me not to extremes—"
And clasping her hands:
"Hesus! Give me the strength to be equitable towards this man. Calm down in me, Oh, Hesus! the ebullitions of anger that might unsettle my judgment!"
Having heard steps behind the door, Mora opened it, and returned to her mistress, saying:
"Captain Paul has arrived."
Victoria made a sign to Tetrik to leave the room. He stepped out heaving a profound sigh and saying in penetrating accents:
"Lord! Lord! Dissipate the blindness of my enemies! Pardon them, as I pardon them!"
CHAPTER VII.
THE VISION OF VICTORIA.
When the room was cleared of the presence of Tetrik the Mother of the Camps said to her servant, just as the latter was about to leave close upon the heels of Tetrik: