"You are right," said the knight, bitterly. "Manlius will learn to dissimulate."
He burst into a terrible laugh.
Glyceria sank on her knees before him, and offering him her beautiful bosom, stammered, sighing:
"And now—take your sword—begin with me."
Manlius smiled.
"So your dreams have predicted that I shall kill you? You are beautiful, Glyceria; really marvellously beautiful. Is it true, as people say, that Carinus loves you ardently?"
"Still more ardently do I hate him. Why do you ask?"
"Because I should like to know whether you have ever rendered Carinus happy by your favour?"
"Never even with a smile."
"And yet he would gladly give years of his life for a single night with you."