“Thou hast answered excellently. Think of this always, or thou wilt fry in hell like a sausage in a frying-pan.”
Ursus sighed, and Chilo thought that he could always do what he liked with that man, who was terrible at the moment of his first outburst. So, wishing to know what happened at the seizing of Lygia, he asked further, in the voice of a stern judge,—“How did ye treat Croton? Speak, and do not prevaricate.”
Ursus sighed a second time. “Vinicius will tell thee.”
“That means that thou didst stab him with a knife, or kill him with a club.”
“I was without arms.”
The Greek could not resist amazement at the superhuman strength of the barbarian.
“May Pluto—that is to say, may Christ pardon thee!”
They went on for some time in silence; then Chilo said:
“I will not betray thee; but have a care of the watches.”
“I fear Christ, not the watches.”