"And I say, they shall not!" A clear high voice interrupted him, coming, apparently, through the wall of the chamber.
Lentulus started—his very lips were white, and his frame shook with agitation, if it were not with fear.
Catiline grew pale likewise; but it was rage, not terror, that blanched his swarthy brow. He dashed his hand upon the table—
"Furies of Hell!"
While the words were yet trembling on his lips, the door was thrown violently open, the curtains which concealed it torn asunder, and, with her dark eyes gleaming a strange fire, and two hard crimson spots gleaming high up on her cheek bones—the hectic of fierce passion—her bosom throbbing, and her whole frame dilated with anger and excitement, young Lucia stood before them.
"And I say," she repeated, "that they shall not bind him! By all the Gods! I swear it! By my own love! my own [pg 159]dishonor! I swear that they shall not! Fool! fool! did you think to outwit me? To blind a woman, whose every fear and passion is an undying eye? Go to! go to! you shall not do it."
Audacious, as he was, the traitor was surprised, almost daunted; and while Lentulus, a little reassured, when he saw who was the interlocutor, gazed on him in unmitigated wonder, he faltered out, in tones strangely dissimilar to his accustomed accents of indomitable pride and decision—
"You mistake, girl; you have not heard aright, if you have heard at all; I would say, you are deceived, Lucia!"
"Then would you lie!" she answered, "for I am not deceived, though you would fain deceive me! Not heard? not heard?" she continued. "Think you the walls in the house of Catiline have no eyes nor ears?" using the very words which he had addressed to her lover; "Lucius Catiline! I know all!"
"You know all?" exclaimed Lentulus, aghast.